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News
Mr. Schmidt selected by peers
Librarian finally gets his due
By: Jessa Dahl
And the 2005-2006 Teacher of the Year is... (insert
drumroll) Mr. Kim Schmidt! Mr. Schmidt was crowned
Teacher of the Year in a ceremony on Monday,
November 14th.
Mr. Schmidt, who had no idea he was to receive the
honor, almost did not attend the ceremony. He
went to the Elementary Commons, where the ceremony
was held, and had ice cream, but he left shortly
after the program began so that the other librarians
could get their own ice cream. His fellow
librarians, who knew, quickly made up an excuse to
get Mr. Schmidt back to the Commons to receive his
award.
When
Mr. Schmidt went forward to receive his award, his
wife and son Aaron stepped forward, surprising Mr.
Schmidt more. His wife had known about the
award for two weeks and told both their sons.
Aaron actually skipped a class at Gustavus where he
attends college so that he could attend the
ceremony. Isaac, Mr. Schmidt's other son,
could not skip either of his class and could not
make it to the ceremony.
"I
still don't remember what I said [when receiving the
award]," said Mr. Schmidt. "It was a complete shock,
and I am very honored."
Mr.
Schmidt has been the media specialist for the
Luverne school system for eight years, but his
history with the school goes back even further.
He was an art teacher here for nine years and was
actually the first Director of Operations for
Interactive Television in Southwestern Minnesota.
He quit his art job when he become Director of
Operations.
While he was Director of Operations, he met with
many librarians and media specialists, and they
"rubbed off" on him. He saw there was a real
need for someone like that in this area, and he was
also drawn to the wide range of information that
media specialists worked with.
After six years of being a Director of Operations,
Mr. Schmidt decided to become a media specialist.
His first job of that nature was in Worthington,
where he worked for four years. After those
four years, Mr. Schmidt returned once again to
Luverne, where he has stayed ever since.
Where is Mr. Schmidt going to put his Teacher of the
Year plaque? "Right now it's in a box along
with all the cards we've received. The
community response has been amazing."
Friend of Education
By: Brian Deutsch
The Friend of Education award is given each year
during National Education Week. It is awarded to an
individual in the school district who has shown
great support for local education.
On Monday, November 14, the award was given to Betty
Mann. Mann has volunteered in elementary
classrooms for many years. She reads to first
grade classes, and she often brings in a historical
item to show to kids. She also teaches the
third grade about the history of Minnesota and Rock
County.
Mann
got her love for education when she was young.
She was a teacher in the Luverne schools district
before she retired. She enjoys coming back
into the classroom to share her knowledge with
students every years.
She
is the president of the Rock County Historical
Society and also volunteers at the Seniors Citizens
Center, Veterans Home, and Presbyterian Church.
She belongs to several local organizations and is a
columnist for the Star Herald.
Mann
also received the Outstanding Senior Citizen award
last summer, and in 2003 she received the Rock
County Woman Excellence award.
Secret behind mistletoe
Do you want to be caught under it?
By: Alison Brands
Hanging mistletoe over a doorway
during the Christmas holidays is a tradition that
most Americans and a lot of people around the world
have grown up with. But have you ever wondered
why we kiss just because we're standing underneath a
shrub? Or where the tradition even came from?
Do you even know what mistletoe really is?
Mistletoe has pointy, green, leathery leaves and
waxy berries that are either red or white. The
plant's flowers range in color from bright red to
yellow to green. It is also a parasitic plant
-- it feeds off other plants to stay alive.
And, as a warning, never eat mistletoe: It can
cause severe cramps and in some cases can be fatal.
"Mistletan"
is the Old English version of "mistletoe," and the
translation may surprise and disgust you. "Mistle"
is the word for "dung" and "tan" is the word for
"twig." The names tells us that mistletoe is
named after bird droppings on a branch.
Romantic, isn't it?
So
how did this seemingly disgusting plant become a
part of Christmas? One French tradition states
that mistletoe is poisonous, because it fed off the
tree that was used to make the cross Jesus died on.
In
the eighth century the Vikings believed that
mistletoe had the power to raise humans from the
dead. The myth revolved around this legend:
"Balder had a dream that he was going to die.
His mother, Frigga, the goddess of love and beauty,
said that if he died, everything on Earth would die.
To ensure her son's safety, Frigga went to all the
elements -- air, fire, water, and earth, as well as
to to all of the animals and plants -- and asked
them not to kill Balder.
"Balder's
only enemy, Loki, found a loophole in Frigga's
request for her son's safety -mistletoe grows on the
tree. It attaches itself to it, therefore has
no rots of its own and could not be affected by
Frigga's request. Lokie made a poisoned dart
with mistletoe and tricked the blind brother of
Balder, Hoder, into shooting the arrow that killed
Balder.
"For
three days all the elements tried their hardest to
bring Balder back to life but failed. Finally,
the tears that Frigga cried for her dead son changed
the red mistletoe berries to white, raising Balder
from the dead. Frigga then reversed
mistletoe's bad reputation and kissed everybody who
walked underneath it out of gratitude for getting
her son back."
In
America we kiss under mistletoe for much simpler
reasons. We simply believe that men have to
kiss any young girl who, without realizing it, finds
herself accidentally under a sprig of mistletoe
hanging from the ceiling.
And,
according to correct etiquette, a man should pluck a
berry when he kisses a woman under mistletoe, and
when the last berry is gone, there can be no more
kissing.
Surviving Stress
By: Andrea Moeller
Stress is something people everywhere have to deal
with everyday. Everyone is familiar with what it is
like to be stressed, but not many people know where
it comes from and how to eliminate it.
"I
think that stress comes from problems in daily
life," said Christine Bickford.
Many
people think that stress is something that makes you
worry, but it can also be cause by happy things, sad
things, allergies, and physical activity.
Anything that causes a change in your life my cause
stress.
"Stress is the little voice inside your head that
tells you something is wrong, and that you can't fix
it," said Matt Stensland-Bos.
Brain cells "talk to each other" by means of
chemical messengers. When a person is exposed
to too much stress, the chemical communication in
the brain begins to fail. This can lead to
overstress, which is when a person suffers from
sleep disturbance, aches, pains, depression, and
anxiety.
High
school students are often in situations where
they may be overloaded with stress. Things
like homework, getting assignments done, and even
after-school activities cause stress.
"Homework causes stress in my life," said Kayla
Raddle.
Of
the general population 75% experienced at least some
stress in a two-week period. Stress
contributes to heart disease, high blood pressure,
strokes, and other illnesses in many people.
It is also linked to physical and mental health.
It isn't healthy to be stressed.
"When I am stressed, I read," said Nicole Baker.
Below are some other helpful tips on how to
eliminate some of your every day stress.
Identify the sources of stress in your life:
Understand what is causing your problems.
Rest up: Get enough sleep every night.
Alter your physical environment: Make
your environment as easy-going as you can.
Cut down on caffeine: Caffeine can send
your stress levels soaring.
Don't go hungry: To deal with a
stressful day, you've got to have fuel and energy.
Tackle excess noise: Decide how much
noise you're comfortable with and reduce or
eliminate unwanted distractions.
Take a day off to do something you enjoy: Pursue
a hobby; it is good for your health.
Try not to take life too seriously:
Laughter is the best way to heal.
LMS teacher named KTWB Teacher of the Month
By: Chessa Ossefoort
Each month one teacher from the Sioux Falls area is
chosen by the radio station KTWB to be the Teacher
of the Month. For the month of November, Luverne
had the honor of having the lucky teacher, and that
was Ms. Geske.
Ms.
Geske is originally from Jasper. She was in
the first class to graduated from Pipestone/Jasper
after they had combined into one school. She
was involved with speech, jazz choir, choir,
marching band, concert band, jazz band, basketball,
and volleyball, just to name a few activities.
She is still involved with speech. She joined
the staff at Luverne from Marshall this year as a
7th grade English teacher and the teacher for
Foundations of Writing. She will be helping to
coach the speech team this year in place of Mrs.
Roberts.
A
student from one of her classes entered her in the
contest. Ms. Geske believes that she was
entered by Alis Galenbeski, although she is not 100%
sure. Alis had to write a little bit about why
she thought that Ms. Geske deserved this title, give
her birth date, e-mail address, etc. On
November 16, Ms. Geske was presented a plaque and
cookie bouquet. She also was given cookies to
share with the class.
Her
career accomplishments include earning her Masters
in Education in 2004 and having the privilege to
take a student to the national speech tournament.
Ms.
Geske's room is located in the 7th and 8th grade
hall, across from Mr. Antoine's room, just south of
Mr. Phelps. Stop by and congratulate her.
Winterfest teachers float
By: Meghan Orvis
Teachers at Luverne High School have been
participating in the Winterfest Parade of Lights for
about six years now. The LEA committee was
responsible for forming a committee for the
Winterfest LEA float. This year the committee
consisted of Mike Wenniger, Jim Lunder, Bill
Thompson, Elaine Harms, and Angie Swenson.
This
year's them was Frosty's Christmas. Some past
themes for the float were Winter Wonderland and
Season's Greetings. This year the float took
them about 25 to 30 hours to build. That is a
pretty typical time frame for them to build the
float. It took an estimation of $100 to $200
in order to build the float. The money for the
float comes from the Luverne Education Association.
The
people who rode the float this year were the Teacher
of the Year, Kim Schmidt, and Friend of Education
Betty Mann. The floats always have an
educational piece to them.
"It's fun to work o it, because you're also working
with and for the community, and I enjoy that very
much," said Mr. Thompson. Mr. Thompson also
said that after the parade the float was dismantled
so that the parts may be either saved and reused for
next year's float or recycled.
Features
Opposing Viewpoints
Big City vs. Small Town
By: Stephanie Christensen & Jamie Wessels
We are debating whether small towns or big cities
are better. Jamie would rather spice things up in a
big city, and Steph likes to kick it in a small
town. Maybe after reading our different
viewpoints, it will give a new perspective on the
different lifestyles that are in big cities and
small towns.
J-Dubz:
Shopping in a small town?! Definitely not as
fabulous as being able to shop in a big city.
How many malls do you see in a small town? Try
zero. Big cities offer a lot more places to go
shopping for anything compared to a small town.
Big cities have many, many different stores, malls,
outlet malls, and many other places to shop.
For me, I would rather live in a big city where I
can have lots of different choices of stores to shop
at instead of maybe one or two stores in a small
town.
Stephie: Yes, there are definitely a lot more
places to shop in big cities. However, this
also means that there are tons of people from out of
town swarming into the city to shop. I would
rather be an out-of-towner traveling to the big city
to do my shopping. That way, at the end of the
day, I can return to the safety and comfort of good
ole L-town. This also gives those of us who
live in suburbs a reason to get out of town and
spend a day shopping without having to stay in the
city when we are finished.
J-Dubz:
There are definitely more places to eat in a big
city than a small town. Wouldn't it be nicer
to have a variety of nice restaurants and fine
dining than only have one or two nice restaurants
and the rest being fast food?! Personally, I
would rather have places where I can go sit and have
a relaxing breakfast/dinner/supper. Having the
variety of big city dining is a great benefit over
the occasional time it would take to wait for a
table.
Stephie: Who says it is impossible to sit and
relax while dining in a small town? Of course
you can! Smaller towns don't have as much
variety as big cities, but they still have a few.
Here in Luverne we we have a Bed & Breakfast,
Country Kitchen, and Magnolia Steakhouse -- just to
name a few. Yeah, it's nice to try something
new in a big city once in a while, but I think I'll
stick to eating in Luverne for the most part.
That way you don't have to deal with the hassle of
waiting for tables.
J-Dubz:
Oh, the drama of life in a small town! Every
one everywhere knows everything about your life!
There is still drama of friends in a big city, but
at least the whole city doesn't know everything
about your life. In a big city school, it is
hard to know who all your classmates are, so that
should make for a little less drama. Also,
since it is common to move from school to school
from elementary, middle, and high school, it should
make it easier to meet new people and new friends.
I for one absolutely cannot stand drama, so that is
a big issue on why I would definitely rather live in
a big city than a small town.
Stephie: I'd have to disagree with that.
More people equals more drama. Here in Luverne
we have about 400 kids in our entire high school.
In big cities that is the size of each grade.
In a small town, it is common to know almost
everybody. Everyone grows up together, and by
the time high school rolls around, everyone knows
everyone else. In bigger cities, usually you
go to new elementary, middle, and high school with
an entirely new group of people. In small
towns like Luverne, we make those transitions with
the same friends from previous years, which makes us
act nicer to each other.
J-Dubz:
Wasting gas? I think not. Instead of
driving your own car to your job or somewhere around
the city, it is easy to hop in a cab or ride with
someone else, such as your date when going out to
eat. Even if people have their own cars, it's
a lot less gas to use than driving around out in the
country or cruising around town all night trying to
find something to do (something many teenagers do
here in L-town). Driving might be kind of hard
in the big city because of all the traffic, but gas,
to me, wouldn't be a problem.
Stephie: Gas prices these days are outrageous.
They are a problem for nearly everyone that I know.
It makes me feel very fortunate to live in a small
town that is only a couple of miles long, and all
the destinations that you have to reach in town take
less than five minutes to reach. It is hard to
get lost small towns, because people are familiar
with everything.
So,
there you have it...our different opinions on small
towns and big cities. As it is clear, they
both have their advantages and disadvantages.
We won't let this disagreement affect our
friendship, so it's all good!
The Great Outdoors
By: Derek Johnson
Grab your heavy coat and pair of warm gloves because
winter has fast approached, and the possibilities
are endless.
Many people think of winter as the season to stay
inside of your house as much as possible while
lounging on your couch, sipping a cup of hot cocoa.
I
enjoy hot cocoa as much as the next guy, but I
insist on adding some outdoor activities to your
busy schedules. If you're thinking that a
Minnesota Winter is not your idea of a good time
consider some of the following suggestions.
When
the temperature drops and snow is everywhere,
snowmobiling becomes a major attraction.
"I've been anxious to get out and ride my snowmobile
all year," said Jordan Siebenahler.
Sure, taking classes for it and the hassle of
getting a snowmobile to ride may seem like a lost
cause, but I believe it's worth trying at least one
time.
For
those of you who don't like taking risks, try ice
fishing. Some of you may be thinking that ice
fishing is not for you, but I truly believe that you
get the best of both worlds when you ice fish.
First of all, you get to relax and lounge in a cozy
ice house. Secondly, unlike being at home on
the couch, you get a sense of accomplishment,
because you're attempting to catch some fish.
"Ice
fishing has a relaxing but enjoyable way about it,"
said Jon May.
Like
I said, Winter is mistakenly accused of being boring
and uncomfortably cold. These were merely some
suggestions that many people of all ages enjoy
doing. Use your imagination and find an
activity that fits you best.
Restaurant Review
Cherry Creek Bar and Grill
By: Derek Johnson
If your searching for a nice sit down
restaurant with a sports bar atmosphere, east 26th
street in Sioux Falls is a good place to start.
Though Cherry Creek may not be too well-known,
overall it is as good a restaurant as any that I've
dined at.
"Restaurants are okay, but combined with a sports
bar makes it much better," said senior Jake
Hendricks.
Once
you step into the eatery, it's easy to notice
televisions everywhere. I could see 12 from my
spot alone, and that included two big-screens.
The
music was a solid mix of upbeat tunes that suites
just about everyone, so between the music,
televisions, and athletic decorations on the walls,
it was a feast for the eyes and ears. A minor
setback was distinguishing the football game on TV
from the music that was playing.
The
menu was a very wide variety of dishes but consisted
largely of American classics. The titles in
the menu were creative and went well with the theme
of the restaurant.
The
"World Cup" category consisted of some favorite
international foods, such as pasta and pizza.
The "Main Event" category consisted of main dishes,
and the "Post Game" category was the desserts, of
course. The prices were fair, only adding up
to $35.00 for two people, including an appetizer and
beverages.
The
chicken parmesan turned out to be a splendid
occasion for me. A grilled chicken breast
topped with a bed of past in a creamy Alfredo sauce
served with a dinner roll and salad -- what more
could you want?
Well, if you're thinking of steak, the 14-ounce New
York strip topped with onion rings was equally
delicious but was a little bit expensive at $15.99.
I
believe that Cherry Creek could qualify as a top
restaurant in the Sioux Falls area and would be a
nice place to bring a date. One thing, ladies:
If you plan on going to Cherry Creek on a date,
choose a day when there are no big sporting events
on TV, or you might find that his eyes are paying
more attention to the game instead of you!
Teacher Feature: Dale Nelson
By: Bethany Brandel
Eighteen years have passed since band director Dale
Nelson joined the teaching staff. From that time he
has taught musically-inclined students how to
appreciate their gifts. The concert-marching band
has been impressing residents of the Tri-State area
(as well as visitors to Disney Land) since.
After having graduated from Sisseton High School in
northeast South Dakota, Mr. Nelson followed his
passion for music to South Dakota State, where he
graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree.
“The
fact that I get to work with students between fifth
and twelfth grade” is an aspect of his job that Mr.
Nelson enjoys the most. During the time he’s spent
with them, he’s had a lot of fond memories,
including a time where one of his trumpet students
used Vicks instead of Vaseline – a smell which, he
said, “almost knocked me over.”
Concert band has recently been given the honor of
performing in the Cities over Presidents’ Day
weekend at the MMEA Convention. They were one of
four bands, chosen from eighty, to be a part of this
opportunity.
They
will have a pre-convention dress rehearsal on the
twelfth of February for any family or fans wanting
to hear them perform their challenging pieces.
Prior to the rehearsal will be the traditional
winter concert on the ninth of January.
Coaches Corner
Experienced coach leads gymnasts
By: Nick Heronimus
Coach Phoebe Flom has been the face of Luverne's
gymnastics for the past 12 years. However she didn’t
get her start here. She began coaching as an
instructor at the All American Gymnastics Academy in
Sioux Falls, because she needed a part-time job in
college. She eventually coached for two years
at Sioux Falls Washington before coming to Luverne.
She
has turned Luverne's program into one of the
strongest in the area; year in and year out, there
are plenty of girls that are involved in the sport.
This year there was a record of 25 gymnasts as
either J.V. or varsity competitors.
Flom
started gymnastics when she was four and was a
member of the Luverne team when she was in high
school. This was when she fell in love with
the sport and jumped on the opportunity to be the
Luverne coach.
"The
best part about being a gymnastics coach is being
able to work with the girls. I start working
with them when they are very young, and I get to
watch them grow up. It is almost like they
become part of my family," said Coach Flom.
She
hopes that this tight-knit bond that the team has
with each other will lead them to success during the
season. "This is the most talented squad that I have
ever had."
Coach Flom's goals for the season are to be stronger
mentally, which will help the girls on the beam,
improve on last year's record, and hang with
conference powerhouses Worthington and Jackson.
With improvement on the beam, Flom feels that this
is very possible.
In
her 12 years of coaching, Coach Flom has changed her
approach to coaching gymnastics. She has
mellowed out and become more knowledgeable about the
sport through many different clinics.
"The
hardest part about gymnastics is dealing with
perfect," said Flom. That is why Coach Flom
will try and keep her cool in leading the girls to a
successful 2005-2006 campaign.
Movie Review
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
By: Jenna Leslie
Do you want to watch an action movie? Don’t mind
fantasy? Some of the greatest books written have
been turned into movies, and Harry Potter and the
Goblet of Fire is the newest movie made from the
seven-book series.
In
their fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, Harry, Ron, and Hermione face new
challenges.
"When you watch the movie, you get the big picture,
however, they leave out some big parts that make the
book fun to read," said Kirk Oldre.
This
move was just an outline of the book, but some
scenes were very intense, such as some of the tasks
that Harry has to complete in order to win the
Tri-Wizard Tournament. Harry faces deadly
creatures, mermaids, and a giant, creepy maze.
It
was rated PG-13 for some language and violence, and
there were also a few scary scenes. Through
the years, you can definitely tell that the actors
have developed more maturity and have learned more
advanced magic along the way.
"It
was a well-made movie, but they left out too much of
the book," said Spencer Wynia.
So
if you liked the books and the other movies made, I
highly would advise you to go see Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire. This movie is definitely
not just for kids!
Activities
Spreading
the joy of music
By: Wyatt Sprecher
Choir has an upcoming concert tomorrow night at
7:30. It is a combined concert of both the
middle and high school choirs in the little theater.
The choir has rehearsal every day for the high
school students during second hour, but it is still
open to anyone who wants to join at the end of the
semester.
There are 50 high school students and 65 middle
school choir members. The high school performs
seven concerts including participating in the
graduation ceremony at the end of the year.
The
middle school performs three major concerts, and one
is with the high school students for Christmas, a
concert on March 7, and the last one on May 19 is
the Spring concert.
Since middle school students in choir do not perform
as many concerts as the high school students, they
get to go to festivals, where they have solo
performances and more.
"The
only bad thing," said Mr. Eastman, "is that there
aren't as many boys joining choir as girls."
Back on trial
By: Craig Oeding
It's Mock Trial time once again, and lawyers and
witnesses are gearing up for another strong season.
If you aren't involved in Mock Trial, you might not
know exactly what goes on; It goes a little
something like this: There are two teams that
compete for Luverne -- the Green and Blue teams.
Each team creates a defense as well as a case for
the prosecution (if it is a criminal trial) or the
plaintiff (if it is a civil case). They then go
head-to-head with their counterparts from other
schools in a two-round competition, once as the
defense and once as the prosecution/plaintiff.
Coach Sanden and local lawyer Alex Miller are at the
helm, and seniors Jessa Dahl, Bethany Brandel, Logan
Sawtelle, Thomas Pinkal, Abby Lange, and Em Juhl
lead the team. Practices run every day after
school from 3:30 to 4:30 but may go longer.
Witnesses familiarize themselves with printed
testimonials in preparation for defense against the
opposing team's attorneys, while the lawyers pick
apart the testimonials for key plaintiff points,
defense points, and irrelevant information that will
be exploited to punch holes in the opposing team's
case.
This
year's trial is a civil case (criminal and civil
switch every year), meaning that there is a
plaintiff suing a defendant; in this case high
school soccer player Shannon Spain is suing opposing
team member Linn Anderson for back problems
resulting from a play on the ball made by Anderson.
Spain alleges that the force employed by Anderson
was beyond that of soccer regulations, and therefore
Spain is entitled to compensation.
Though the case is challenging, this team ranked
12th in State is off to an early start and is moving
at full force.
"I'm
thrilled at the way everyone has jumped right into
this season, especially the new people," said senior
Em Juhl. "We'll be able to hone our arguing skills
all throughout the season."
High-quality entertainment
By: Alissa Johnson
The boys' basketball team has gotten off to a good
start. December is the first month of their
almost three-month long season, and December has
been a busy month for the team. The boys have
had five games already this year.
Leading the squad as captains are seniors Jake
Hendricks and Nick Heronimus, both selected by their
fellow teammates. They will use their talent,
experience, and leadership to continue last year's
winnings.
"We
are trying to build on last year's success," said
Jake Hendricks.
The
team saw its first win in the first game of the
season. They best the Southwest Christian
Eagles by a score of 59 to 49. As always, the
team had a few kinks to work out after the first
game.
"Our
team motto is improvise, adjust, and overcome," said
senior Tim Miller. The team made the necessary
corrections to be victorious in the game. When
the players can think on their feet, they are able
to capitalize on scoring opportunities. They
can also steal the ball a lot on the defensive end
of the court.
The
team is primarily made up of fast players that can
move the ball well. This gives the boys the
opportunity to have fast break opportunities.
However, without defense the team cannot play a
complete game. The boys are concentrating on
their man-to-man defense and boxing out to get the
rebound.
As
always, the fans are a huge part of the atmosphere
of the game. The boys perform much better when
the stands are full, especially the student section.
When the students are rowdy, it makes the whole game
much more fun. Remember, though, that the
front row is reserved for seniors, so underclassmen
must sit somewhere else.
"Basketball games are so much fun," said junior
Erica Knips. Basketball games are the perfect
form of entertainment for cold Winter nights when
there is nothing else to do.
The
team is very hopeful this season. With the
successful previous year, there is some pressure to
continue that this year.
The
seniors that graduated last year left very big shoes
to fill. The entire school and community are
excited about basketball right now. Current
juniors and seniors will have to fill the void left
after graduation.
Girls’ hockey
A rebuilding year
By: Alison Brands
The girls’ hockey team is off to a
rough start, but don’t let their record get you
down. The girls started the season with a tough
schedule, playing teams like New Ulm and Benson
right...
Hockey in history
By: Nicole Boelman
Hockey has always been a popular sport, but where
did this game originate? Thousands of years ago,
foreign countries made their own ways of playing the
sport and also had their own name for it...
The girls are flipping well this year
By: Abby Lange
The gymnasts are working hard at flipping and
twirling. The team consists of three seniors,
Victoria Arends, Brittany Boeve and Brittany
Sandager, who are also the team captains. Brittany
Mulder and Morgan Bosshart are the...
Leave it to the pros
By: Thomas Christiansen
Business Professionals of America (BPA), led by Mrs.
Erickson, is hitting the books again and preparing
for business-related tests, that pave the way to
state and nationals.
Students involved in BPA study a variety of...
Roll out the mats
Cardinal wrestlers up for another season
By: Thomas Christiansen
The wrestling team is in the
midst of a new season, and they are lead by new head
coach Craig Schneider. There are several new faces
on the team that show a lot of potential...
Three!
Girls’ basketball starts season with a bang
By: Dave J Nelson
The girls’ basketball team opened
their season by defeating Murray County Central at
home. The girls’ teams are looking to have a great
year this year, and it looks like they have started
things off...
Strike!
Intramural bowling season opens
By: Dave J Nelson
If you are looking for a little
friendly competition and some fun after school on
Wednesday’s, intramural bowling could be the game
for you. The intramural bowling season opened
recently, and it’s off to a...
Editorial
From the Red Carpet
Christmas vacation is next week, and everyone will
have plenty of time on their hands, so here are some
suggestions on things to do over the break.
The most important thing to do during the...
Opinion Poll
If you could have anyone accompany you under
the mistletoe, who would it be and why?
By: Stephanie Christensen & Jamie Wessels
Jason Schomaker: "Carla VanSanten, because
she's good-lookin'."
Mitch Bowman: "My girlfriend, because she's my
girlfriend."
Seth Goembel: "Britney Spears. She could
be my suga mama!"
Derek Elbers: "Caleb...look at him!"
Eva Halfman: "Brandon Boyd; he's a FOX!"
Mr. Janiszeski: "It's a close call between my
wife and Steve Prefontaine..."
Stephanie: "Talan, cuz he's fine!"
Jamie: "Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Need I say
more?"
Seniors
Nawamin (Art) Burirat
Activities
Basketball, Graphic computer, soccer, and
boxing
Future Plans
Go to college, study computer engineering.
After college I want to own and operate a computer
store in Thailand.
Favorite Movie
Star Wars, The Patriot
Favorite Quote
"With great power comes great
responsibility."
Birth Date
-- |
Andrew Michael Haakenson
Activities
Basketball, Golf
Future Plans
Go to college
Favorite Movie
Biker Boys
Favorite Quote
"You gotta know it."
Birth Date
September 27, 1987 |
Eva Suzanne Halfman
Activities
Band, German Club
Future Plans
Go to college, get married, have kids
Favorite Movie
All the Harry Potter movies
Favorite Quote
"Most people would rather be certain they're
miserable than risk being happy."
Birth Date
October 27, 1987 |
Nicholas Paul Heronimus
Activities
Football, Basketball, Tennis, Peer Helping,
Echo/Annual, 4-H
Future Plans
Graduate from high school, go to college, find
high-paying job
Favorite Movie
Incredibles
Favorite Quote
"Stop going through the motions." - Mr. Oye
Birth Date
July 20, 1987 |
Alissa Dawn Johnson
Activities
Band, NHS, Peer Helping officer, co-chief
editor of the Echo/Annual, FFA, School Board Student
Representative, Student Council, intramural bowling,
4-H, IJLA, working at Pamida
Future Plans
I plan to go to the University of Minnesota in
the Twin Cities to study physical therapy.
Then I plan to get married and have six kids.
Finally retire at a young age and live happily ever
after.
Favorite Movie
Jerry McGuire
Favorite Quote
"Love doesn't make the world go round:
Love is what makes the ride worthwhile."
Birth Date
October 9, 1987 |
Meghan Leigh Johnson
Activities
Work at Mary Jane Brown Home
Future Plans
Go to college for nursing, get married, have
seven kids, and live happily ever after
Favorite Movie
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
Favorite Quote
"May your life be like toilet paper: Long
and useful."
Birth Date
April 23, 1988 |
Christopher Kenneth Klay
Activities
Wrestling
Future Plans
Go to school, get a job, and maybe work
internationally
Favorite Movie
--
Favorite Quote
"Lead me, follow me, or just get out of my way."
-George S. Patton
Birth Date
December 5, 1987 |
David John Nelson
Activities
Football, Golf, Weight Lifting, Bowling,
Band
Future Plans
Go to college in Sri Lanka and pursue a
successful business career
Favorite Movie
Sin City
Favorite Quote
"Get off my property!"
Birth Date
March 3, 1988 |
Craig Walter Oeding
Activities
Band, Jazz Band, Drum Major, Speech,
Baseball, Cross Country, FCA, Echo, NHS, and LYF
Future Plans
Get married, become an engineer, and own my own
business
Favorite Movie
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Favorite Quote
"You can accomplish anything if you don't care
who gets credit."
Birth Date
December 5, 1987 |
Spencer Allen Wynia
Activities
Choir, Youth group, Praise team, hanging out
with friends
Future Plans
Go to college, get married, live in a two-story
house with two and a half kids and a dog named Rover
Favorite Movie
Shawshank Redemption
Favorite Quote
"A man's dreams are an index to his greatness."
Birth Date
June 8, 1987 |
|
Kimberly Kay Xaisongkham
Activities
Spanish Club, Youth group, working at the
China Inn and Mag Cafe
Future Plans
As of right now I'm undecided. I would
like to get a degree in RN nursing or be a
Pediatrician. Then get settled down and get
married.
Favorite Movie
Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Favorite Quote
"Whatever you want to do, do it. There are
only so many tomorrows."
Birth Date
-- |
|
|
Creative Writing
Endless Hope
By: Jessa Dahl
A touch upon the shoulder,
A whisper in the grass,
The sound of water falling.
Hope leaps
And is quickly crushed
Beneath the tremendous load
of terrible truth.
Always he is waiting,
But she will never come. |
He holds her hand
By: Jessa Dahl
He holds her hand
When the pain becomes too much,
Giving her strength.
But the strength
Is not enough.
She is fading,
As a flower,
Crushed beneath
The onslaught of winter.
As the flame insider her dims,
He leans close.
"Wait for me,"
He whispers.
And she will
Beyond the reach
Of pain,
And of sorrow,
She will wait. |
Once I went out to
find myself
By: Jessa Dahl
Once I went out to find myself,
Leaving a note on the door,--
In case I should come back, you see--
I headed down the street.
I wasn't at the neighbor's,
Nor was I in the empty lot nearby --
Although I did find a kitten,
A spider,
A beetle,
A bottle of pop,
Twenty-three cents in change,
And a shiny rock!
After fitting all that I could into my
pocket --
The kitten, unfortunately, didn't fit --
I pressed onward.
Will I ever find myself?
Well, it's been almost eighteen years
since I lost myself --
What do you think? |
Line them up
By: Jessa Dahl
Line them up,
One by one.
Anger,
Pain,
Grief,
Hate,
Fear,
Violence.
You get one shot.
Which
One? |
|
Good life to live
By: Anonymous
I do not look; I read my book.
The one you bought me, and so I took.
Life is so sweet, I'm loving each week,
And so are you, but still I knew.
Knew all your ways and ways you have
changed.
Changed what I hear and see as sad,
but your words say this is the best you've
had.
Not one night goes by that I do not dream of
you.
I wake up asking myself what in the world
should I do?
I then sleep softly as God watches me.
Watches me struggle,
Good is life and life is good.
Won't you please take off that hood?
I do not recognize that face,
but only because I do not look or retrace.
Sweet day by day, I live it away.
Away I shall go, not going with the flow.
Do you recognize me anymore?
I think you still do,
I'm the girl next door. |
CHANGE
By: Anonymous
Tired of all those holding hands.
Making out and stupid romance.
I'm just jealous of all those who remain,
but I don't need a man to be my domain.
Come find me quick, I'll be by the stars
upon which you look.
All the sappy names I see, I only wish
sometimes, is it me?
Fed up with waking up!
Your face always there.
Go away from my thoughts, only to leave me
there.
My smiles I may fake, wishing to just break.
My soul.
Come and rescue me from this reality because
it's driving me insane!
I only want a fairy tale, but I won't be
your fancy girl.
Don't waste your time changing me,
change yourself for all that matters.
Because of me though, you know no better.
Fix it. |
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