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News
A winter weekend
By: Brian Deutsch
The annual Wintefest celebration will be held
December second through the fourth. The
celebration is highlighted by a craft show Saturday
morning and the Parade of Lights Saturday night.
The
craft show starts at 9:00 a.m. in the Cardinal
Gymnasium. The parade starts at 7:00 p.m. on
Main Street, and theme for this year's parade is "A
Fairy Tale Christmas."
Several high school students will be taking part in
Winterfest this year. The American Reformed
Senior Youth will be performing "A Christmas Carol"
throughout the weekend. On Friday and Sunday
the play will begin at 8:00 p.m. Saturday the
play will start after the parade.
Another highlight of Winterfest is the Sno-Masters
Stock Snowmobile Drag Races held at Papik Motors.
Registration starts at 9:00 a.m. Saturday morning,
and races start at 11:00 a.m. The races are
open to everyone. Other events during the
weekend include the parade of homes, the festival of
trees in the Carnegie Cultural Center, and pictures
with Santa. Many local businesses are also
having sales for the weekend.
Breathe freely
Referendum
ensures activities are safe
By: Bethany Brandel
One year and $646,000 in budget cuts later, the
Luverne Board of Education made one more attempt to
pass its proposition for a new school referendum.
On
November 8 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m., residents
within the school district returned home from the
polls after determining the fate of the familiar
levy.
At
twenty minutes pat 11, the results were reported;
58% of the voters were in favor of passing the
referendum, 42% opposed it. The outcome was
announced the following morning by a pleased
Principal Judson.
"I'm
happy with the response that came from the
community. It shows how supportive Luverne's
citizens are of the school," said Mrs. Judson.
Few
changes had been made to the levy since its
appearance on ballots in 2004, though the
originally-proposed $455 per student was raised to
$700; local efforts in the form of tax levies would
pay $376.39 of the amount, and the state would pay
$323.57.
To
help keep the sum down, the school attempted to make
subtle changes in its standard dealings.
A
few of these were the reduction of the teaching
staff and class sizes, lowering the temperature in
all buildings to conserve energy, cutting vocational
programs at the fairgrounds, increasing activity
fees for students, and making over half a million
dollars in budget cuts since 2001.
The
cutbacks made by the school thus far have proved
most impressive, especially with the rising costs of
critical aspects of managing the school.
Everything from insurance rates for liability,
property, and work's comp to freight and energy
expenses have been on the rise since the arrival of
Hurricane Rita on the southern coast.
Because of legislative finance issues, schools have
been receiving little help from the stage and, until
the budget dilemma is solve up north, will likely be
able to expect little more for a time.
Guest speakers appear at LHS
By: Alison Brands
On October 24, senior high student
unenthusiastically filed through the double doors of
the little theater for the first student
presentation of the year. Around the corner
students could be heard moaning, "Do we really have
to go?" or groaning, "This is going to be so
boring."
The slide show was a hit for both
students and teachers.
"The
presentation was very factual," said Mr. Olson, "and
the visuals depicting the effects of Meth were
great."
"It
was so much better than most years," said senior
Amanda Brands, who normally enjoys her first hour
study hall. "I wasn't half-asleep when I walked out
of the theater."
The
second guest speaker came to the school on November
4; Secretary of State Marry Kiffmeyer met with
only juniors and seniors. As part of
Kiffmeyer's duties, she goes around to schools and
talks to students about the importance of voting.
"It
is your civic duty to go out and exercise your right
to vote," said Kiffmeyer.
Students were told how to correctly fill out a
registration form, what an average poll center would
look like, and how to go through the voting process.
But as most of the students were under 18, many felt
like they didn't learn much from the presentation.
"I
didn't really enjoy the presentation, because I
can't vote anyway, plus she was really boring," said
senior Corey Bosch.
But
thanks to the comments of Mr. Sanden, students
learned how Kiffmeyer plans to stop "snowbirds" from
voting twice. And after introducing the
subject of the Florida election, we now know that
Kiffmeyer believes that a statewide ballot
regulation should be put to work in order to stop
something like this from happening again.
Smoking ban
By: Craig Oeding
Over the past several months, the Rock County
Commissioners have been considering the pros and
cons of a countywide smoking ban in restaurants and
bars. Although the issue has hovered for quite
some time, local public health educator, Paula
Anderson, and organizations such as the S.A.F.E.
(Safe Air for Everyone) coalition have recently
conveyed it to the forefront of deliberation.
Citizens in support of such a ban point to a wide
range of medical statistic as justification.
Minnesotans shell out $2.64 billion yearly in
smoking-related expenses. Cigarettes consist
of thousands of ingredients, two hundred fifty of
which have been proven to cause cancer.
Nationally, smoking is the number one cause of
preventable death, with second-hand smoke landing in
fourth place. Supporters of the ban claim that
public smokers are much like drunk drivers,
unintentionally placing bystanders at risk.
In
rebuttal, local restaurant and bar operators
highlight the economic impact of a county-enforced
smoking ban, asserting that such a localized effort
will accomplish nothing but driving customers to
establishments just outside the county, thus
reducing revenue. Only a statewide ban would
truly be effective.
Though the dispute has endured for some time, both
sides agree that a local smoking ban is not likely
in the near future, but consideration of the topic
will continue. Other local governments such as
the Luverne City Council will also be consulted.
In the interim, however, expect smoking in local
bars and restaurants to continue unabated.
Energy crisis
Many troubled by school temperature, gas scandal
By: Thomas Christiansen
Numerous changes have been made in the school
district's budget to save money. One
noticeable change is lower temperatures, which will
result in a lower energy bill.
An
assumption was made that the temperature change was
to keep girls from violating the dress code, and
lower temperatures meant they would likely wear more
clothing. Of course, we now know this
assumption was merely a rumor.
The
average temperature of our school dropped from 72
degrees to 68 degrees. It was though that a
slight four-degree temperature change would go
unnoticed. However, seeing kids wearing coats
and gloves to class was the outcome of this "slight"
change.
"I
am freezing all the time. It's horrible when I
have to wear two sweatshirts," said junior Becca
Sandager.
Since then, the temperature has been raised to 70
degrees and complaints have been down.
Principal Judson said she would like the temperature
to be comfortable for learning and not a distraction
in the classroom.
The
new goal is to gradually decrease the temperature
back to 68 degrees, over a longer time period.
With winter around the corner, Judson is hoping this
transition will work more smoothly than the last.
Another item concerning energy is the scandal with
gasoline prices. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita
caused the gas prices to increase, right?
WRONG! Large oil companies were actually
gouging consumers and having shown record profits.
They blame the increase on hurricane devastation,
when the hurricanes had little effect.
During the hurricane season prices were nearly twice
2003's average price of $1.56 per gallon.
Measures have been taken to punish the companies
responsible. For example, North Dakota has
proposed legislation for a special tax on big oil
companies' profits.
Other parts of the country are getting involved as
well. New Jersey is charging three major oil
companies with a lawsuit for gasoline overpricing.
It is hoped that Congress becomes involved to
prevent similar occurrences in the future.
Stay warm, stay
healthy
By: Brett Lundgren
Winter is fast approaching, which brings the common
colds and the flu. One way to avoid getting
sick is to always dress appropriately.
Common sense will take you a long way this winter.
If it's twenty degrees outside, don't just wear a
sweatshirt; wear a coat. Also, it's wise to
wear things such as a stocking cap to keep those
ears warm, and don't forget the gloves to keep your
hands nice and toasty.
It's
even more important to wear these items when you're
out doing things such as snowmobiling, hunting, and
ice fishing.
"I
always make sure I wear my orange stocking cap when
I go out hunting so my ears don't freeze," said
David Nelson.
Orange juice is another great way to
keep from getting sick. It's a good source of
Vitamin C, which boosts your immune systems.
"Drink plenty of orange juice and eat a good
breakfast every morning," said Marcia Boeve.
All you need is one glass a day, and you'll get your
100% daily serving to reduce your chances of getting
sick.
Lastly, you should wash your hands periodically
throughout the day to kill off all those germs.
Some of the most important times to do this is
before you eat and after you use the bathroom.
Washing your hands is easy to do and doesn't require
much time.
Not
near a place where you have water and soap? No
problem. Just purchase some hand sanitizer to
fight off pesky germs. Hand sanitizer is easy
to use when you're on the go and is just as
effective as using soap and water.
Features
Opposing Viewpoints
White milk
or chocolate milk
By: Andrea Moeller & Nicole Boelman
Nicole: White milk. It's just plain
better!
Andrea: Chocolate milk. Where's your
variety?!
Andrea: How many times have you sat down for
dinner, looked up and saw that plain old glass full
of disgusting, non-tasting, white milk?
Where's the variety? Sometimes, You have to go
on the wild side and spice things up a bit by
choosing chocolate milk.
Nicole: Who care about the wild side when it
comes to milk? People want something that they
actually like. Plus, white milk goes with
everything. Would you drink chocolate milk
with macaroni and cheese? Yeah, I didn't think
so.
Andrea: Whoever said that white milk goes with
everything? Would you drink white milk with
pizza? Yuck! Now I know everyone has
those bad days, and nothing cheers you up like
chocolate does! Why do you think they came up
with different flavors of everything? Because
everyone gets sick of the originals! Yeah,
that's right!
Nicole: They are called originals because they
are what people have always liked. Another
thing is that chocolate milk leaves a really bad
after taste. You know?
Andrea: Well, at least chocolate milk tastes
like something. White milk has its own bland
taste, except if you let it sit for ten minutes,
then it tastes even worse! Chocolate milk
tastes the same no matter if it's warm or cold.
Why do you think they invented chocolate syrup?
Not just because they wanted to put that cute
chocolate cow on the cover!
Nicole: There's no such thing as a chocolate
cow! I just don't like chocolate milk; I like
white milk. Period.
Andrea: Well, I like chocolate milk. End
of story.
Question: White or Chocolate milk?
Answer: Strawberry!
Coaches Corner
Mr. Schneider, new wrestling coach
By: Jamie Wessels
There is a new wrestling coach in town. His
name is Mr. Schneider, and he is a very experienced
wrestler. He wrestled from the third grade up
until an injury took him out his freshman year in
college.
"I
went to high school in Brillion for grades nine
through eleven and then switched to Hilbert for my
senior year," said Mr. Schneider. He wrestled
at weights of 103 to 145, depending on where he was
needed. It depended on whether it was a high
school match or a tournament match. They voted
him the captain of the team, but he declined because
he didn't want to do it.
"Out
of my high school career of wrestling, I won 82
matches and only lost 20," said Mr. Schneider.
That is an extremely good individual record for
wrestling! Mr. Schneider lettered all four
years of his high school career.
Going on from high school, Mr. Schneider was
accepted to the University of Wisconsin, LaCrosse.
He got a scholarship to wrestle there, and he
wrestled his freshman year until he had an injury,
which ended his wrestling career. He is very
excited to become the new wrestling coach here at
Luverne High School and is excited to start a new
season.
Mr.
Schneider has a few plans for the team this year,
which include:
* Increasing the number of guys out for the team
* Achieving success in various different ways
* Increasing the fan and community support for the
team
* HAVE FUN!
"I
want to encourage students, staff, and community
members to come to the meets and support the team.
Also, I want to encourage more people to participate
in wrestling, such as doing stats or audiovisual
during the meets," said Mr. Schneider. If
anyone is interested in doing any of those things
for the wrestling team, go talk to him! Mr.
Schneider can be found in room 217.
Looking Back: October 1963
By: Chelsea Park
In 1963 school spirit was not at its highest.
Boys thought it was "sissy-like" to cheer at the
Pep-fests. Do we have any "sissy-like" boys
now? Only time will tell if there is enough
spirit for our winter and spring sports. So
make sure to go and support your Cardinals.
This is an article in 1963, when cheerleaders were
frustrated with the spirit slumping.
The
school spirit in Luverne High School is not what is
should be. This is a pretty broad statement to
make, but it is the truth. One of the reasons
behind this is that students don't yell at
pep-fests. All they seem to care about is
getting out of school and forgetting about
supporting their team.
Each
person as an individual must do his share in yelling
at the pep-fests. A person can't say, "Let the
guy next to me do the yelling, because I can't make
that much noise anyway." Well, you can make
that much noise if you put forth any effort at all.
Each person must learn the cheers and follow the
cheerleaders, and then we have a good beginning to
school spirit.
Another way to improve our school spirit is to have
the boys yell more. As you already know, men
naturally have deeper voices than women, so they
will carry farther. Many boys may think that
it is sissy-like to yell, so they won't yell, but
let us remember that our best cheerleaders in
college are boys. There is by no means
anything sissy about supporting your team.
So
let's all remember that during the next pep-fest
that if each person does his share of yelling, we
will be backing the team 100% to victory.
Ask KRae
Hey, you guys, I want to thank all of you who sent
in your questions. Here are two that I
received. So now that we have this column up
and running, let's get some more questions and even
comments in for next month's issue of The Echo.
Dear
KRae,
Where are some good places to take a date in the
area?
- Dating and Confused
Dear
Dating and Confused,
Where do you like to go? I recommend going to
a place where you are comfortable. You can
always talk to your date and see what you can come
up with. Are you looking for a romantic or fun
date?
A
place that is fun and romantic would have to be
Carousel Skate. It makes me think back to the
50's when a boy would ask a girl out, and they would
go to the roller-skating rink, share a soda (or
something of that nature) with not one, but two
straws.
Another idea that comes to mind and that's located
right here in Luverne is the Verne Drive-In, though
it's only open during the summer. You could
also go to the movies in Sioux Falls. There
are many different theaters there, and one of them
will surely fit your price range.
If
fun is what you are looking for, I suggest going to
the Blue Mound Ice Arena here in town. You'll
have to check when Open Skate is, though, because
the hockey teams have practice. Besides going
skating, the bike trail out by the Blue Mounds is
pretty fun. I know, it's starting to get cold;
you're thinking: I'll freeze! Even if you do
freeze, when you get back, you and your date could
cuddle up on the couch, drink hot chocolate, and pop
in a movie. Watching movies from the comfort
of your own couch is great, too, because you don't
have to worry about having all those annoying people
that ruin the movie for you.
Dear
KRae,
We have a horrible phobia of being on the end.
For example, at sporting events or when we are on
outings, we are so afraid of sitting on the end.
We just can't handle it! When we get in a
situation where there is nowhere else to go besides
the end, we flip out! We tremble and sometimes
start to cry. Help us!!
- Stuck on the End
Dear
Stuck on the End,
Well, I've never heard of an end-phobia before.
We'll call it Endophobia. Anyway, back to the
matter at hand.
Stuck on the end? What's that matter with you?
The end can be one of the best places to sit!
You get to meet new people sitting on the other side
of you all the time. I can see where you are
coming from, though.
I'm
guessing that you always have the feeling that
you're going to fall off, or you can feel one cheek
slipping off, and them BAM!! Your butt hits
the floor. By sitting in the middle or so, it
saves you from the horrible embarrassment of falling
in front of everyone, right?
I
think that your phobia is caused by always wanting
to be the focus of everyone's attention. And,
hey, that's not a bad thing! My advice to you
is to start off in the middle or where you normally
feel comfortable sitting. Make your way to the
outside, say, every period or at half time. If
it becomes too stressful, then make everybody else
move for you. I doubt they will, but it's
worth a try.
If
you want to get over your phobia, then you'll have
to work at it.
Teacher Feature:
New Literature Teacher
By: Wyatt Sprecher
Mr. Levno is the
new ninth grade English teacher, as well as the new
American Literature teacher. Mr. Levno was
born in St. Paul but grew up in Eden Valley.
Eden Valley is a lot like Luverne, because it's
small and centered around agriculture. Mr.
Levno went to Eden Valley-Watkins High School, then
went to college at St. Cloud State.
Mr.
Levno now lives in Graceville, which is straight
north of Luverne if you take Highway 75 and go 145
miles, but he lives in an apartment in Luverne
during the week. Mr. Levno's wife still lives
in Graceville, and he visits her on weekends.
Mr.
Levno has been married for 25 years, and has two
sons named Benjamin and Patrick, both of whom are in
college.
Hunters prepare for a new season
By: Andy Haakenson
Fall has settled in and the hunters are actively out
in the wilderness. Hunting is quite popular
among our students. Among the game this are
hunted are pheasants, ducks, geese, raccoons, deer,
and other animals. The pheasant opener this
year was October 15. Deer season is open until
December 31 for bow hunting.
"I
enjoy hunting because I get to spend good quality
time with my buds and shoot at animals from time to
time," said Aric Uithoven.
To
hunt deer with a firearm, you have a smaller time
span to go out and hunt. In order to hunt deer
with your gun, there are only two weekends available
to you. You can hunt deer more if you use a
bow or a muzzleloader.
"I
had fun hunting deer this year," said Jordan
Siebenahler.
As
the snow will start falling soon, hunters will be
taking advantage of what season they have left.
Restaurant Review
Boston's
(pizza, not the city!)
By: Abby Lange
Various high school students wonder where they
should take their significant others/moms for a meal
for the holidays. My answer to them is
Boston's. Boston's has been around since 1964.
It started with just one location in New York, but
now there are about 330 locations across the nation.
Boston's has a pizza them to its casual dining
restaurant and sports bar (no on will need to attend
the bar). They offer over 25 different
varieties of pizza. They offer anything from
pepperoni for the boring people to tropical chicken
for the adventurous folks. The pizzas comes in
individual size to large enough for four people.
"I
really enjoyed their pizza," said Derek Johnson.
I
recommend that before you get pizza you should order
a large appetizer. I suggest the garlic twist
breadsticks. They come with meat sauce dip
that is delicious. Boston's also offers their
famous Buffalo Wings. The wings come in six
sauces: milk, Cajun, hot, BB!, teriyaki and
screaming hot. The hot sauce is actually
hotter than most hot sauces, so I suggest getting
one that is milder than what you usually order.
Boston's also offers steak, chicken, and pasta
entrees that are to die for.
The
best part about Boston's is that the cost is
minimal. A full three-course meal for two
people will be close to $30! They also offer
small portions of their pasta entrees for people
that can't hack eating a full size. The food
is still luscious when warmed up at home.
Citgo
goes!
Glen's Food
& Gas Center takes over
By: Stephanie Christensen
As we all know Citgo has been going downhill for
some time now. It has been known as Citgo for
many years until recently when James Rinnel bought
the gas station and called it the Luverne Food Shop.
Rinnel had good intentions to keep the gas station
we all know and love running, however it didn't
work.
Glen's Food Center owner, Glen Gust, decided it was
time for a change.
"This is the only locally-owned and operated
convenience store in town. We want to be an
asset to the community," said Glen Gust.
Improvements on the store will include new gas pumps
to replace the old ones, an expansion in food
products, and full inventory all the time, which is
good because the store will now be a convenient stop
for residents.
The
name of the store is Glen's Food & Gas Center.
New signs will be up soon, and gas cards will also
be available.
The
current staff will remain there, along with a few
more works, so there will be a total of 12 staff
members. The new manager will be Joel Nath.
"It's very exciting," said Gust. Now you'll be
able to leave Glen's Food & Gas Center with a full
stomach at lunch. It'd be a great benefit for
everyone to check out the improved store.
What is the Student
Council up to?
By: Elizabeth Johnson
They organized the blood drive that was held before
Thanksgiving. Also, they arrange for dances to
occur throughout the year. They support Red
Arrow, which donates money to local charities and
the Share program where kids in school gather art
supplies, coloring books, and other little gifts for
less-fortunate children during the holidays.
It is an especially important event around
Christmas.
The
Student Council is, in a manner of speaking, cooling
their boots at the moment. Homecoming is
usually a big fall event, and they have a little
down time after that. Time for work on other
issues that require more attention.
The
Student Council members, despite possible opposing
views, work well with one another. They can
see the importance of a strong, unified government
and apply it to everything they do. With their
ability to work together and make magic happen, our
school has benefited greatly.
If
you are wondering if the Student Council is all work
and no play, think again. Even though they
take their responsibilities seriously, they knew how
to have fun doing it.
"We
represent the students. It is important have
student input," said Sam Dooyema, who has been in
Student Council since sixth grade and is now
freshman class president.
Packrat syndrome takes
over
By: Alison Brands
Is your room drowning under piles of clutter?
Has anyone said (besides your mom) that you need to
clean up some of your junk? Are you afraid of
inviting people over because you have too much
"stuff" all over your room?
If
you answered yes, you may be one of three million
people in the United States that has Hoard and
Clutter syndrome, also called Packrat syndrome.
But
just because your room is messy does not mean that
you are a packrat. On the official clutter
assessment scale made by the National Study Group on
Chronic Disorganization, most of us would fit into
level 1, which means that there are probably piles
of dirty laundry on your floor or paper scattered
around your room. At the highest level, a 5,
people face eviction for filling their refrigerators
with old newspapers or blocking fire exits with
empty cereal boxes. Your room is probably
sounding pretty clean about now, isn't it?
People who fall into level 5 are hoarders with an
obsessive-compulsive disorder. Their homes are
already overfilled with "stuff," but they can't keep
from collecting more. They also may have
problems with organization, decision-making, and
compulsive shopping.
When
put to the task of sorting their mail, most of these
hoarders found it repulsive to put junk mail through
the shredder.
"Their brains screamed that they were making an
error, so they put down the mail and clutter
continues to build up," said psychologist David
Tolin.
So
how does this disorder start? Most
psychologists would blame society and our desire to
"have everything." Just look at the average
Wal-Mart store. They cover a quarter million
feet, or nearly six acres, and carry over 130,000
products, not counting the different brands.
And, come on, do we really need all that junk?
Tea sets? Figurines? Forks used only to
eat fish?
The
best way to prevent yourself from becoming an
obsessive-compulsive hoarder is to get used to
having basic necessities. And instead of
thinking "this might come in handy someday," just
throw the object away! Chances are that by the
time you need it, you won't be able to find it
anyway.
If
you think you do have a hoarding problem, you can
join a local chapter of Clutterers Anonymous, where
you actually practice throwing an object away until
you feel comfortable with it. You can also get
support and advice from other people who have dealt
with the disorder.
Movie
Review: Saw 2
By: David J. Nelson
As many of you may know, the sequel to Saw
was just recently released. It's a new age
horror movie with plenty of twists and turns to keep
you interested through the whole film.
If
you enjoyed Saw, you'll feel right at home
with the sequel. It's got all the action,
plenty of heart-stopping horror scenes, and the same
familiar psycho killer as the first one.
"I
loved the first one, and the second was just as
good," said senior Jake Hendricks.
In
Saw 2, Jigsaw (psycho killer) locks eight
unlucky people in a booby-trapped house, and they
must find a way out before they inhale too much of
the lethal nerve gas that's been released in the
home. They need to be careful, though,
because there are plenty of dangerous traps that may
lead to their deaths. You watch as the eight
strangers make their way through the house and try
to escape to freedom.
"It
was really scary, and gory, and good," said Ben
Uphoff. There definitely will not be anybody
falling asleep in their seat. The movie grabs
your attention, and it doesn't let go until the end,
which has a surprising twist that leaves room for a
third edition of the Saw series.
I
would advise that there is plenty of blood and gore,
which is to be expected in a horror film, and if
that's not something you like this movie probably
isn't for you. But if you're looking for a new
age horror movie ripe with suspense and action,
Saw 2 has plenty to offer.
Activities
Boys are back in
town
By: Jenna Leslie
The new season has started for boys' basketball, so,
students, make some noise for the boys! The
seniors are Tim Miller, Nick Heronimus, Andy
Haakenson, Jake Hendricks, and Tom Ward.
The
juniors this year are Jake Clark, Andrew DeBoer,
Marc Boelman, Derek Boeve, Caleb Bruynes, and Ben
Uphoff.
"Hopefully we can build on last year's success,"
said head coach Tom Rops.
Last
year the boys knocked off Benson in the section
championship game in Marshall to gain a spot in the
state tournament. They ended up placing third
in State.
There is something new for this season, too, besides
missing the seniors from last year. The games
will be four minutes longer, to perhaps build
revenue. Practice started on November 21 at
6:30 a.m. They only had morning practice for a
few days, and then settled in to the normal
after-school practices. Their first game is
this Thursday night against Southwest Christian.
"I
hope we win a lot of games!" added Rops.
Stepping up
By: Jessa Dahl
Last year the girls' hockey team had two of the
state's highest scorers, Natalie Domagala and Sadie
Dietrich, who are gone. Now it's up to the
seniors and the rest of the girls to pick up the
slack.
"It's going to be a rebuilding year," said Coach
Dave Siebenahler. It's also going to be a
young year, with only two seniors to lead the way,
no juniors, five sophomores, three freshman, and
four eighth grade students.
Last
year, Domagala and Dietrich scored a combined one
hundred and twenty-five goals and were respectively
the second and fifth highest scorers in the entire
state. Now the younger players will have to
step up and make some of those goals.
Of
the two seniors, only one, Chessa Ossefoort, has
prior hockey experience. Alison Brands, the
other seniors, joined this year and is enjoying the
experience thus far.
"It's fun playing with older girls. I learn a
lot from them," said eighth-grader Kathryn Dahl, the
youngest player on the team.
"I'm
really excited for this year. All of the girls
are clicking on and off the ice. It's looking
hopeful," said senior captain, Chessa Ossefoort.
Natalie Morgan, a sophomore, is the other captain.
Only time will tell if the girls will be able to
pull it off, but both the players and the coaches
have faith that they will.
Their next game will be on December 2 at home
against Morris/Benson/Hancock.
Flip into gymnastics
By: Meghan Orvis
November 14, 2005 is the first practice for the
Luverne Cardinals gymnastics team.
There are a total of 34 members who make up the
2005-2006 gymnastics roster.
They
were fortunate to have retained the same team as
last year and a few more. This year they have
a total of three squads, A, B, and C, due to the
large number of girls who were interested in the
sport. The varsity team includes seniors
Brittany Boeve, Brittany Sandager, and Victoria
Arends, juniors Brittany Mulder and Morgan Bosshart,
and sophomore Courtney Fodness.
The
fans are looking forward to an exciting year in
gymnastics, especially with the amount of talent
they have.
Driven to the mat
By: Chelsea Park
Where can you find
a team with as much drive and passion for their
sport, where they start running in September
to make it to their goal when their season starts in
November? It's the boys' wrestling team.
They
put in more hours weight training and vigorous diets
than anyone else. They are driven to match
their weight zones by the time their season starts.
They are forced to run with layer upon layer of
sweats in order for them to lose weight. This
is a sport of determination.
"It's not what we look like, but what we do that
defines us," said Kelsey Petersen.
The
team goes into their matches as the underdog every
time. They are not able to fill every spot because
of the lack of wrestlers. They have to make up
for it in their own personal match. Even
though this makes it difficult to win as a team,
they are still a team nonetheless.
"Each wrestler goes into their match with nothing to
lose," said Petersen. Because they are missing
some guys in some middle weights and heavy weight,
all they can do is win their matches.
The
team is coached by a new face this year. Mr.
Craig Schneider is the new head wrestling coach.
Also coaching alongside Schneider is assistant coach
Brad Petersen from Luverne.
This
year will be led by three senior captains:
Kelsey Petersen, Anthony Boyenga, and Aric "Buck"
Uithoven. Also, senior Chris Klay will be
helping the team. It will be an emotional
season for these four seniors. They have been
through a lot the past couple of months but are
thankful they get to have their senior year of
wrestling together.
Luverne's biggest rivalry is the Adrian Dragons.
They battle them in their last home on January 31.
Make sure to get out to the high school gym and
support the wrestling team in beating the Dragons
throughout the season and their walk to the state
tournament.
Lady cards excited
for upcoming season
By: Derek Johnson
Head Coach Jason Phelps and his team hit the courts
on November 14 to kick of their 2005-2006 basketball
season.
The
girls' basketball roster this year is experienced,
to say the least. With four returning starts
and a successful B-squad last year, the team is
looking to be tough contender is a very competitive
conference.
"We're excited to have a good core of talent and a
good mix of experience," said Phelps.
Last
year the girls finished with a tough record of 5-19
but are confident that this season will be a change
for the better.
"We've progressively been improving each year, and,
hopefully, we keep doing just that," said Phelps.
This
season's section is going to be a battle between
some equally-tough squads. Pipestone is
expected to be decent, and Tracy Milroy Balaton,
though losing some key players, will also show a
challenge. Saint James, who is new to the
section this season, will bring in a talented squad
on top of the challenging section teams.
Basketball season is right around the corner, and
all LHS fans should go out and support the girls
this winter.
Could this be the year?
Boys' hockey
begins what could be a new era
By: Chessa Ossefoort
New coach, new goalies, new team. Could this
be the start of a new era for boys' hockey?
Most
of the boys are looking at this season with a very
optimistic attitude.
"It's tough to say what will happen this year; we
have a lot of talent. I just hope that
everyone picks it up a little bit. We could do
just fine," said Jordan Siebenahler.
The
push behind the boys for the year will be the new
head coach, Chris Medill. Coach Medill is
originally from Luverne, a graduate of 1994.
He has some experience playing hockey. He
played junior hockey for a team in St. Paul, though
is career ended when he hurt his knee playing.
Having played hockey himself, it should help his
coaching.
"I
don't think any of the new additions to the team
will hurt. The new coach will help the most,"
said Derek Elbers.
Last
year, the boys went 5-18 overall. They were
2-6 in conference. Their two major wins were
both to Redwood Valley. The team lost four
forwards and a goalie, but these five players will
be replaced by six sophomores.
This
season should be looking up for the boys. The
players seem to be feeling confident with the way
their year is looking. The boys' hockey season
opened on November 14. Their next game will be
this Friday, Decembe4 2 at home against
Benson-Morris.
Fall sports season review
Teams complete successful regular seasons
By: Nick Heronimus
The volleyball team
completed its 7-19-2 season against the
number-one-seeded Huskies in the section playoffs.
Even though the girls didn't have as successful a
season as they would have liked, there were still
many accomplishments along the way.
One
of which was beating Lake-Crystal-Welcome-Memorial
in the opening round of the section playoffs.
"The
team we played in the play-offs really didn't make
us feel like an eighth-ranked team, so that gave us
some energy going up against Jackson," said Maggie
Kuhlman.
Unfortunately, the State-ranked Huskies were too
much for the team to overcome, and they were bounced
out in the second round. The team's record may
not have shown it, but they were competitive night
in and night out.
The
girls' tennis team had a successful season by
finished 8-10. The highlight of the season was
crushing rival Pipestone in all three meetings
during the season.
Individually, Luverne had two girls place third in
the section doubles tournament. Sam Gacke and
Alyssa Klein won three matches and lost one match to
take third place honors.
"We
had a good season with a lot of close matches, so
hopefully next season we can work on improving our
record," said junior Sam Gacke.
The
Luverne runners had continued success this year, as
the entire girls' team made it to State. On
the boys' side, Thomas Christiansen represented LHS
at the State meet.
"No
matter what happened, it was a good season, and I'm
very happy for those who advanced to the State
meet," said David Ryan Nelson.
The
girls beat M-L-B-O to advance to the State meet and
placed 5th on Saturday, November 5. Thomas
Christiansen placed 20th at the State meet.
The
football team ended the season with a 6-3 record.
They had exciting wins over Pipestone and St. James
to keep the Battle Ax and won Homecoming for the
second consecutive year.
"The
highlight of the season was definitely beating
Pipestone again. It's always fun to manhandle
them," said Jordan Siebenahler.
The
Cards bowed out of the playoffs with a shocking loss
to M-VL in the first round of playoffs, but had a
successful regular season to hang their hats on.
All
students, parents, and players should be proud of
the performances the athletes put on this fall.
Hopefully, the school will be able to build off of
the fall season and have successful winter and
spring seasons.
Editorial
From the Red Carpet
The first quarter is finally over, and everyone can
sigh in relief. Some students might not have
had as good a first quarter as they had hoped, but
there is still time to save your GPA. Don't
freak out over what you first quarter grades are,
because we have some helpful hints about making it
through the year.
For
seniors, many of the college classes are transferred
at the semester time, so if the first quarter is
bad, just balance it out with a good second quarter.
If the first semester is too much work, then there
is still time to change your second semester to
something friendlier. Because everyone knows
that by the time the fourth quarter is here, no one
will want to be here anymore.
Juniors are kind of stuck in the middle, but grades
are still important. It will be the last
grades that most colleges see on the transcript.
Juniors should be thinking about taking the ACT as
soon as possible. The ACT is a lot more
important than some people think, so spend some
extra time studying for the ACT. National
Honor Society is also a goal for most juniors.
Only five percent of the junior class gets accepted,
so work hard for that.
Sophomores, your GPA is influenced a lot this year.
GPA is very important to determine class rank.
Colleges primarily look at your GPA and class rank
for acceptance. Do not get stuck in the slump
of thinking this year is not important.
National Honor Society may also change this year, so
that five percent of the class is accepted.
Freshmen, this is your most important year.
High school can be hard at times, but by this time
of the year, adjustments should be made. Your
GPA is unmatched by any other year, so don't mess
around. Get good grades.
On a
lighter note, seniors, there are only three quarters
left in high school. 82% of high school is
over. There are only three weeks until
Christmas vacation, so study now, and celebrate
later. Grades are important, but don't let
tough classes and horrible tests ruin the experience
of high school. There is much more to high
school than just school, so live it up!
Opinion Poll
Who do you want your Secret Santa to be?
By: Nicole Boelman & Andrea Moeller
Chris Bolt: "Mr. Rops."
Kaylee Smook: "Santa...duh!"
Arica Tweet & Sarah Doherty: "Donald Trump!"
Adam Kindt: "Bill Gates, because he's a
billionaire."
Christine VonHoltum: "Brad Pitt. He's a
hunk."
Mr. Sanden: "Karl Marx, because he is a
commie."
Nicole & Andrea: "Someone who has a lot of
money, so they can buy us cool stuff."
Seniors
Senior Timeline
Enjoy it while it lasts
By: Alissa Johnson
There are only six months until graduation, so enjoy
the time you have left in high school.
So
much of the senior year is spent filling out college
and scholarship applications, that many seniors
forget to enjoy the time they have with their high
school friends.
"Hanging out with friends is the best part of high
school," said Ben Nath.
The
memories made this year will never be replaced, so
make them worthwhile. The fall season has
already blown by, and the winter season is now in
full swing. Before too long the first semester
will be over, and the time in high school will be
even shorter.
"I've been visiting colleges and trying to make a
decision, but I'm having fun this year, too," said
Andraya Gacke.
Do
not stress out planning for next year. It is
important to plan for the future, but at the same
time it is important to experience high school.
Enjoy the last memories made in high school, because
they will be second to none. Make the time
here the best it can be. Live up the memories.
Anthony Wade Boyenga
Activities
Wrestling
Future Plans
Go to college, make my way into farming
Favorite Movie
Smokey and the Bandit
Favorite Quote
"Victory is measured not in miles but in
inches: Win some ground, hold it, win more
later."
Birth Date
March 24, 1988 |
Thomas William Christiansen
Activities
Cross Country, Speech, Mock Trial, Track,
Annual/Echo, Student Council
Future Plans
Go to college and receive various majors.
I would like to start my own business, then, from
there, marry and start a family
Favorite Movie
I, Robot
Favorite Quote
"What greater glory attends a man than what
he wins with his racing feet and his striving
hands."
- Homer
Birth Date
March 8, 1988 |
Brian Anthony Deutsch
Activities
Football, Baseball, Peer Helping, Student
Council, Echo/Annual
Future Plans
Go to college
Favorite Movie
Field of Dreams
Favorite Quote
"A word to the wise isn't necessary; It's the
stupid ones that need the advice."
Birth Date
February 22, 1988 |
Kelsey Anne Dooyema
Activities
Cross Country, Track, Student Council, Band,
FBC Youth Group
Future Plans
Go to college, get married, have a few kids, and
live happily ever after
Favorite Movie
Dirty Dancing
Favorite Quote
"People who attempt the difficult often
attain the impossible."
Birth Date
July 31, 1987 |
Heather Rose Kruger
Activities
I like sign language, dance, and playing
basketball
Future Plans
Going to school for child development, getting
married, having five kids, and moving to New Mexico
Favorite Movie
The Outsiders
Favorite Quote
"A wise old owl sat on an oak; The more he
saw, the less he spoke, the more he heard. Why
aren't we like that wise old bird?"
Birth Date
November 11, 1986 |
Aaron Mark Moeller
Activities
Band, Plays, Swim Team
Future Plans
Go to a four-year school, get a four-year
degree, get married, and have a family
Favorite Movie
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Favorite Quote
"I've lost a lot of things in my life, but
the thing I miss the most is my mind." - Ozzy
Osbourne
Birth Date
April 7, 1988 |
Michael W. Mortimer
Activities
Being lazy
Future Plans
Buy the remaining seasons of Seinfeld, finish up
my military training, go to war
Favorite Movie
Pink Floyd's The Wall
Favorite Quote
"Every man dies, but not every man really
lives." - Braveheart
Birth Date
September 15, 1986 |
Tracy Jean Schneekloth
Activities
Baseball stats, Grace Lutheran Youth member,
working at TCI
Future Plans
Go to college and graduate with an elementary
education degree, marry a sweetheart, and move to
the coast to get a job, then start a family.
Favorite Movie
A Cinderella Story
Favorite Quote
"If you really want something, you can figure
out how to make it happen."
Birth Date
October 15, 1987 |
Jordan Alan Siebenahler
Activities
Football, Hockey, Track, Snowmobiling, and
riding the Rocket
Future Plans
Go to the University of North Dakota, get
married, have kids, and live life on the edge.
Favorite Movie
Friday Night Lights
Favorite Quote
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
Birth Date
March 7, 1988 |
Adrianna Lee Stearns
Activities
Flag Corps, Band, and working at HSI and the
Mary Jane Brown Home
Future Plans
Go to college to be a nurse, get married, have
some kids, and live happily ever after
Favorite Movie
Edward Scissorhands
Favorite Quote
"All our dreams can come true if we have the
courage to pursue them."
Birth Date
January 20, 1988 |
Nichole Lynn Van Dyk
Activities
Tennis, Golf, and Spanish Club
Future Plans
Go to college, major in Architecture or
Interior Design, find "the one," get married, and
live happily ever after!
Favorite Movie
Center Stage
Favorite Quote
"Be happy in the moment; This moment is your
life."
Birth Date
April 17, 1987 |
Christine Marie VonHoltum
Activities
FFA, Youth Group
Future Plans
Going to either Minnesota West in
Worthington or Hamline University in St. Paul
Favorite Movie
The Prince and Me
Favorite Quote
"The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise
man knows himself to be a fool." - William
Shakespeare
Birth Date
August 28, 1987 |
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Creative Writing
Poetry by Erytanthes
In the Style of a Scherzo
Sharply rising notes,
Stir emotions of the soul,
In vibrant climax. |
Midnight Violin
Swiftly through the night,
Soars a haunting melody,
Of striking beauty. |
The Waltz
Across the dance floor,
In step with one another,
Watch them move as one. |
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A Night at the Opera
I'll sing a grand cadenza,
As if it was a single note,
And shimmering glissandos
Shall alight through the lofty air,
Like nightbirds in the sky. |
Merely Imagery
It seems as though through art
I breathe,
It seems as though through song
I see,
It seems as though through words
I feel,
And yet I wonder,
Can it be real? |
Wishes
I want to go places
deep inside my dreams.
I want to know the faces
Of those who set me free.
So I search for my own paradise
For my desires satisfied.
And on that distant shore I'll find
All I'm looking for. |
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