S jazz band excells t region, prepares for state see page 9
Boys socce off on the see page 6
Voice
Well Said:
“
March Madd ness is the sickest, coolest, baddest event of the year. It’s full of miracles and splendors and magical what-ifss of all kind!
of
the
Mighty
Hawks
Super retires after years of service BY BRANDI PEAHL
”
Said by senior, Nathan Aagard about the NCAA March Madness tournament.
Upcoming events: Today: Region drama @ Emery Parent teacher conference 6:00-8:30 p.m. Cheer tryouts 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Thursday:
Parent teacher
conference 6:00-8:30 p.m. Boys tennis NS @ Wasatch Softball NS @ Delta Boys soccer NS @ Maple Mountain Cheer red and white night 7:00p.m.
Friday:
JV softball tourna-
ment NS @ Payson Track NS @ Pineview State Jazz Festival Baseball NS @ Delta
Saturday: Track NS @ Pineview JV Softball tournament NS @ Payson
Byy Brandi Peahl
Courtney Syme, Superintendent of the NS School District, has decided to retire after many years of service. Syme has spent 34 years working in the NS school district and 10 of those years as Superintendent.
3-2
Final score of the boys soccer game against Gunnison. Ending with a NS vicotry.
34
Number of years Courtney Syme has served in the NS School District
I Score the NS jazz band received from every judge at region which is the best score achievable.
Contents A & E................9 Crossword.........10 Features.............5 News..................1 Sports................6 Opinion.............4
After 34 years of service in the North Sanpete School District, Superintendent Courtney D. Syme will retire on June 30, 2010. Syme has been superintendent in the NS School District for 10 years. He has put 25 out of his 34 years into administration, much longer than most. “It’s time,” Syme said, “Thirty-four years is a long time in education of any endeavor.” Syme attended several colleges before obtaining his associate degree from Snow College with honors. He then attended Brigham Young University, with an academic scholarship, where he majored in elementary education. He later obtained his Master of Education Degree in Public School Administration from Brigham Young University. “I felt that [education] was something I wanted to do, and was a worthy endeavor,” Syme said. Syme began his teaching career at Fairview Elementary School in 1976. He has stayed in the district ever since. He taught at Mount Pleasant Elementary and Spring City Elementary unP 3, SYME RETIRING til he switched to administra- SEE PAGE
UBSCT postponed, new testing proposed BY CARLYY CHAPMAN
By the Numbers:
tion in 1985. He was the vice-principal and principal at North Sanpete Middle School for five years. It was about this time that Assistant Superintendent Leslie Keisel began teaching at NSMS. She has looked up to him for many reasons since then. “I respect him as a leader,” Keisel said. “He shows a lot of respect for his administrators under him.” These leadership qualities helped him to be a principal at NSH for ten years, longer than most people in his position. After his time as principal at NSH, he moved up to the position of superintendent. During his time as an administrator, Syme has received awards for his dedication and excellence in the district. He received the award for Outstanding Middle School Principal in 19891990 from the Utah Rural School Association. Among others, he also received an Award for Excellence in 1994 from the North Sanpete Board of Education. He has also served and participated in outside educational activities such as positions on state and local committees. “[Syme] is a pillar of
The Utah Basic Skills Competency Test has been completed by unenthusiastic tenth graders for over a decade. Now, the test comes to a standstill and perhaps to its demise. The UBSCT has been suspended for two years, which means students in grades eight through eleven are excused from the test. But before students get too excited about this elimination, they must be informed of the plans our school district has on future testing.
BY SADIE IVIE With the school year well on its way to the finish, seniors are feeling the pressures and stress of making their final college decisions. Many are still undecided about where they are attending college, how they are going to pay for it and where they are going to live. “I’m either going to Weber State or Snow,” said senior Carissa Lynn Garff. ff “I’m not sure yet.” A lot of planning and thinking goes into making these decisions, and the task may seem very daunting to some. However, many fac-
“I really would be surprised if we went back to the UBSCT,” said Leslie Keisel, Assistant Superintendent. She advocates a new system of testing sanctioned by the Blue Ribbon Commission of Testing and Accountability that couples a system of adaptive testing and another trio of national tests ending with the ACT. Adaptive testing is a computerized test taken three times a year in math, science, and English. “It’s more testing…but you have better data,” said Keisel. “It really zeroes in on your…grade level of performance.”
tors may help seniors make their final choice. Things like cost, location and friends may just be the thing that persuades a senior to choose one school over the next. After a recent survey takk en at NS, cost was ranked as the most important factor in making college choices followed by programs offered, ff family, friends, recreational and social activities, atmosphere, size, location, reputation and finally, appearance. With the economy still in recession, the cost of a college education rising and many people losing their jobs, it is not surprising that cost was ranked highest. Ac-
Adaptive testing monitors students’ progress throughout the year instead of one comprehensive exit exam, like the UBSCT. Keisel said it gives teachers a clearer picture of students. Teachers would be responsible for interpreting the results and modifying lesson plans to cater to students’ educational needs. “The teachers here teach because they want you to learn,” said Jason Strate, vice principal. The second part of the proposed new testing system includes the ACT trio of tests: Explore, taken in the eighth or ninth grade; Plan, taken in
cording to collegeboard. com students can expect to pay anywhere from $172 to $1,096 more for college than last year’s students. “Money was a big part in deciding to go to Snow,” said senior Lincoln Olmstead. Many students are finding a solution to the problem of cost through scholarships and grants. There are many opportunities to get free schooling out there and seniors are on the search to get as much money as they can. “My decision now depends on what scholarships I SEE PAGE P 3, COLLEGE DECISIONS
tenth grade; and the ACT, taken as an upperclassmen. Whereas the UBSCT simply tests students on the Utah core curriculum, the ACT would test students on a national level. Strate predicts that the requirement of taking this test would encourage more students to go to college. The ACT would serve as an entrance exam to college as well as an exit exam for high school, free of charge to the student body. The success of this new testing plan waits on a current study provSEE PAGE P 2, UBSCT
Top College Decision influences The Times recently polled of NS to find out what factors went into their decisions about which college to attend. These are their responses in order of most important to least important.
Cost Programs Family Friends Rec/Soc activites Atmosphere Size Location Reputation Appearance
2
NS sterling scholars receive top awards
Photo byy Kim Larsen
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BY KIMBERLY LARSEN On March 16 nerves ran high and hearts raced for the Sterling Scholars in the central Utah region. After much hard work and dedication, 134 students gathered at Snow College-Richfield to see who would be chosen from each category as the Central Utah Sterling Scholar winners. Out of the thirteen categories that NS participated in, three NS students were chosen for the top
three in their categories. Michael Edmunds was the finalist in Foreign Language, Alexis Fryer was chosen for a runner up in Visual Arts and Amy Bangerter was also a runner up in the English and Literature category. This year’s Sterling Scholars for NS were Alexis Fryer for Visual Arts, Travis Christensen for Trade and Technical Education, Kody Kleven for Business and Marketing Education, Raberta Garlick for Family and Consumer Science, Bradley Holman for Dance, Bran-
di Peahl for Social Science, Amy Bangerter for English and Literature, Michael Edmunds for Foreign Language, Brooke Seely for Mathematics, Brandon Mabey for Science, Dominick Kiefer for Speech and Drama, Devin Shelley for Music and Elisabeth Fullmer for General Scholarship. “It was hard, but it was a neat experience,� said Bangerter. The finalists were chosen based on their leadership, work completed in their category, citizenship and service done and also academic
achievements. Each Sterling Scholar completed a portfolio based on the above four categories. Nan Ault, the Sterling Scholar advisor and librarian at NS, was one of the many people who helped the students put together their portfolios and prepare for competition. She has been working with the Sterling Scholars at NS since 2003-04 and knows how this program can benefit those who participate. “It pays off ff beyond anything they can imagine,� said Ault. The Sterling Scholar judging was
High school custodian reveals hidden talent BY ALYSSA A HALL If you ever find yourself wandering the halls of NS between the hours of 3 and 11, you might expect to find the hallways barren and quiet. However, on some nights you may hear singing coming from the classrooms. In this case you can nearly bet Thom Stimpson is on the job. For Stimson singing isn’t just a way for him to entertain himself as he performs his custodial duties, it is a way of life. “I enjoy and take pride in my work and seeing that it gets done right,� said Stimpson regarding his work at NS, “but my passion isn’t custodial work, it’s singing and being on stage.� Since age four Stimpson has been developing his singing voice. He surely hasn’t let his talents go to waste. On more than one occasion he has used his abilities to help those in need and now, at the age of forty-six, he has been sing-
ing professionally for seven years. Stimpson has spent nine years workk ing as a school janitor. Eight of those years were spent in Idaho, but since December of this year NS has had the pleasure of having his work dedicated to them. While he was working in Idaho, Stimpson became very involved with helping the community around him. He has made six CDs and put the proceedings towards charitable organizations. He also put on eight benefit concerts that he organized for different ff causes. One of the fundraisers was to raise money for fireworks for the city. Another was to raise enough money for the drill team to be able to travel to Florida to perform at the Gator Bowl. A Toys for Tots organization in Oregon also once received the donations from one of the concerts. As a member of the Relay for Life council Stimpson also held a concert to bring in donations for those suffering ff with cancer.
Concerts were also put on for the city’s Christmas Council. The remaining concerts were held for two individuals in need of medical treatments. At the school where Stimpson was working in Idaho, there was a boy who got in a car accident three weeks aff ter graduation, paralyzing him from the waste down. A fifteen-year-old girl from the same school was diagnosed with cancer. The medical bills the students had to pay were helped along by the contributions from Stimpson’s benefit concerts. The concerts were an obvious success bringing in $11,000 between the charities in Idaho and the one in Oregon. This accomplishment should be no surprise when you realize the talent Thom has. His professional career has allowed him to participate in the Utah State Fair, sing the national anthem in 2007 in Dodgers Stadium and open for Joe Nichols in Kansas in 2008. This year he will be opening for John Michael Montgomery in Kansas on July 1. SEE PAGE 3, SINGING
held on March 9 in Richfield at an LDS chapel. The contestants were interviewed by a board of judges who where specific to their category. The contestants were asked questions about various things such as their portfolio and projects that they completed. The judges chose the winners based upon the interviews and portfolios. The judges saw and read through the portfolios prior to the interviews to acquaint them with the candidates. Although the majority of the NS Sterling Scholars weren’t chosen by these judges to be in the top three for their categories, they all worked very hard and long on this project. “It taught me to be dedicated and to take responsibility,� Bangerter said. Their dedication showed through not only to their fellow seniors but also to those younger than them in high school. “I look up to them,� said Kaylee Holgreen, a sophomore at NS. “They have put in so much effort.� ff Holgreen isn’t the only one who sees the sterling scholars this way. Many other students see them as examples. David Kling, a junior at NS, is one of them. “They show that it’s possible that you can become Sterling Scholar and get scholarships,� Kling said. The Sterling Scholar program is one of many scholarship opportunities that high school students have. “It’s all worth it,� said Ault.
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UBSCT, continued from page 1 this method’s effectiveness. ff If results are satisfactory, our district may be able to eliminate all other CRTs (Criterion-Referenced Tests) if in compliance with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. While approximately $1.5 million will be saved a year by suspending the UBSCT, this funding will not be allotted. Consequently, the reality of this new system of testing relies on the funding our district is able to receive. Keisel said a grant has been written to cover the costs of the new testing system for four years, but to get the money is a competitive process. If funds are not acquired through this grant, Keisel said the district will find another way to pay for the testing expenses. Approximately 91 percent of this year’s senior class passed the UBSCT, leaving only eighteen seniors struggling to take the test again before graduation. Strate said that most of these eighteen are just below passing in one of the sections (math, reading and writing). During retakes students are taken out of class, missing schoolwork and getting further behind in their current academic
studies. The UBSCT tests eighth-grade-level material to determine whether seniors are competent for graduation. Even if students do not pass one or more sections of the UBSCT, they can still graduate, minus a little dignity.
3
NS chess team exceeds expectations, takes fourth
NS Times Staff Editor-in-Chief Chana Thompson
BY CHRIS LARSEN The Utah State High School Chess Championship was sponsored by West Jordan high school on February 26 and 27. The NS chess team departed Friday after lunch for West Jordan high. Once they arrived at the high school they waited around for about an hour and then signed in to the championship. Next the official’s announced the rules, being
Managing Editors Brandi Peahl Sadie Ivie Advisor Ben Cox News Brandi Peahl, editor Hannah Aldridge Whitney Nafus Chris Larsen Sadie Ivie Features Jesse Richmond, editor Kim Larsen Alyssa Hall Austin Sanders Alexis Fryer
that there was no talking during the matches, and that you were only to move your chess pieces with one hand. Then the first matches were announced to be individual games. “Individual matches last around 30 minutes,� said Trevor Black the chess team captain. Then the second round match was announced to be a blitz chess match, which is a very fast moving game were you win by taking your opponents king, meaning
there is no check or check mate. Black and teammates battled through chess matches until 8 p.m. and then returned to their motel for the night. Black admits that his team didn’t do well during their matches on Friday. The chess team then returned back to the championship Saturday morning to compete in the rest of their matches. They arrived about 8:00 am. and waited around till 9:00 am. for the announcement of the fourth
round. “My teammates and I did great on Saturday, and we won most of our matches,� said Black. With the addition of points from Saturday the chess team ended up tying for third place with Wasatch Academy. The decision for third place came down to a computer analysis of the teams and our chess team ended up taking fourth place. “If we would have had only had one more point
throughout the championship we would have taken second place,� said Black. Despite the outcome Black and his teammates are still happy with what came out of the championship they fill it’s a great start and they only hope to get better. The chess team hopes to prepare and compete in the next chess championship during the summer. The chess team would also like to invite everyone to come and have fun, and join the chess team.
Singing custodian, continued from page 2
A&E Carly Chapman, editor Amanda Johansen Kim Larsen Sports Amy Bangerter, editor Paul Cook Amanda Clark Layout Sadie Ivie, editor Chana Thompson Brandi Peahl Photo byy Alyssa Hall
Photography Hannah Aldridge, editor
Heard
In 2009, Stimpson had the opportunity to audition for America’s Got Talent. His trip to Seattle was not easy. According to Stimpson the weekk end was filled with many delays and setbacks. His hotel reservations didn’t pan out, his credit card wouldn’t work, his car got hit while it was parked at the motel he was staying at, and in the end he did not advance into further rounds of the competition. “I personally try not to live with what-ifs,� said Stimpson. “You never know until you try.� He kept this attitude even though in the end nothing came from the competition. He didn’t regret it, and stated that it was fun so it was worth it. Stimpson missed the 2010 competition of America’s Got Talent be-
cause he was misinformed of the audition dates. He is sure however that he will be auditioning again next year. “I don’t give up that easy!� Stimpson said. “It doesn’t matter how old you are,� said Stimpson. “If you’ve got a dream you can achieve it if you put your mind to it and do whatever it takes to get there. That’s what I’ve done.� It’s obvious that Stimpson has followed his own advice. Being the night custodians at NS is just one of Stimpson’s four jobs. He enjoys this job, but would like to get to know more students. He urges that the students don’t hesitate to say hi. Thom is living proof that if you have a dream and work towards it you can achieve it no matter your circumstances.
College decisions, continued from page 1
IN THE
Halls
While walking down the halls at the school, you hear some bizarre things that make no sense when taken out of context. Here are a few of the funniest ones we’ve heard. # " " ! " $ ! ! $ # $ " ! # #
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Syme retiring, conitued from page 1 strength in or district,� Keisel said. Syme has enjoyed his time in the district, especially the time he has spent working with people. “[The best part of the job] is the good people we work within schools. People who are dedicated, caring individuals who really care about kids,� Syme said. For his retirement Syme has simple plans: hunting, fishing and playing golf. He also wants to get caught up with house chores and spend time with his family. Syme plans on remodeling his home himself, because of the experience he has received in the construction field. “You get to a point [where you have] a lot of life behind you and not much in front,� Syme said. With Syme leaving, others will have the chance to take over. Some such as Keisel plan on applying for the new position. Others, such as Jim Bowles, the principal at NSH, do not plan on applying for the position. Instead Bowles has already asked Syme if he can call him if there are any problems.
“I’ll miss his wisdom. I’ll miss his friendship. I’ll miss his leadership,� Bowles said. Syme has earned much respect throughout the years. He has influenced the lives of many people of all ages. He has even had four of his children continue in his footsteps into the field of education. “I respect everything Mr. Syme does and stands for,� Bowles said. “He’s an awesome guy.� The Board of Education will not begin to fill the open position. Applicants will have about 30 days from the
time the application is released to submit their applications. These applicants can come from outside or within the district. Interviews will then take place and the new superintendent will be announced in a board meeting in April and May. “[The Board of Education] should look for the very best candidate to move our district forward,� Syme said. What happens in our district in the following years will depend on who sits in that chair, according to Keisel.
can get,� said Garff. ff While some remain undecided because of financial considerations, others have already made choices based largely on finances. “I’m going to Snow because I got a full tuition scholarship there,� said Derek Erickson, senior. Although money may be the most important factor,
programs and degrees offered ff are also high on the list. “I’m going to Snow because of the pre-engineering program,� said Olmstead. “It’s supposed to be really good there.� The college you choose to attend today can affect ff your career in the future. If someone were studying nursing they would never want to at-
tend a school that didn’t offer ff a nursing program. To get the most out of their time and money, students are searching for schools that off fer the best programs for their field of interest. “Both Weber and Snow have really good photography and arts programs, so it just depends on the cost,� said Garff. ff
4
UBSCT testing provided important feedback for students BY CHANA A T HOMPSON A major issue plagues Utah right now and lawmakk ers worked this past legislative session to find the answer. The problem: money. The economical impact of the recession has taken a toll on how Utah’s education system is working. Most Utahns are familiar with the UBSCT test. This test is taken in grades 2 and 10. In high school it is currently required that sophomores pass the test to graduate. Lawmakers approved HB 166, which would suspend UBSCT for 2 years, and students in grades 8-11 would not take the test in order to graduate. In its place computer-
adaptive tests that adapt in difficulty would be given. This bill most likely will be effective ff in the near future and the money put towards restoring funding to other education programs facing cuts this year. And it would also be put towards implementing the computer-adaptive tests. In my opinion I believe eliminating this test has its ups and downs. One positive factor of eliminating this test is that it will save money. But is it worth it? I believe that the UBSCT test is an eff fective way to prepare students’ for the ACT and other tests they will need to take that change their future. If this test is taken away, students’ may lack confidence when preparing to
take bigger tests. Of course the UBSCT is a test that is at a lower level than the knowledge 10th graders are taught, but I believe it truly helps them see what level they are currently at and if their knowledge is not sufficient to pass it, then they realize that they have to work harder. In my mind the UBSCT is like a checkpoint in life. Like on the Wii game Super Mario Brothers when you reach half waypoint and get the flag so if you die you can start where it was. I know that is a stupid metaphor but I think it relates to this situation. Taking away the UBSCT is not a good idea. It may be good for funding and people may think that this test
is pointless anyways. But I think that requiring previous generations to take this test and then not requiring present generations, is a little unfair and also offers ff a disadvantage to this decades youth. I don’t like the idea of letting students’ feel the relief of not having to pass a test that essentially determines whether or not they should graduate unless they meet all other graduation requirements. It just makes it all too easy. Students’ should feel the pressure of passing or not passing this test. It teaches important life lessons. Life is not easy and if they get out of taking this test just by the legislature eliminating it for money purposes, I think
they might get the idea that they can get out of other situations. Call me a hippie but I believe life lessons are extremely important and even though I have already takk en the UBSCT, and hated it all three days, and even fell asleep one day. I am grateful that I got it over with and took it like a man. I feel like it helped me to overcome my nerves for other times in my life where I needed to perform well, the “checkpoints� I have had to face along the way. Do you see what I am saying? Even though the UBSCT is a simple test, it takes away learning opportunities that students’ need to experience before they go out into the world.
But I am not totally opposed to the idea if legislators and educators could find another way to maintain a less expensive test that resembles the UBSCT and is possibly shorter and takes up less time. It could work. A little extra funding for other programs never hurt anyone, and neither does finding another way to get some cash. I just don’t believe getting rid of the UBSCT is the way to do it. Students’ need to experience the challenge the UBSCT offers. ff For those who care it can be scary, but for those who don’t care, they are forced too. If they care about graduating they have to care about their performance on this test.
Do you think the UBSCT served a purpose? BY W HITNEY NAFUS Nan: “I think it was worth it as a school, it showed us our weak points and were we should focus our direction.�
Sarah Healey: “I think it’s good they cut it. That way students have more time for their education. They make us take the ASVAB and core testing. Making us to all these big required test puts a strain on students education.�
Brent Watson: “Yes. If you’re in the job force and someone was trying to get a job with the UBSCT, they would be chosen over a person who didn’t. It’s kind of nice not to have to worry about it.�
Christina Coates: “Yes, it helps the state to decide what we need to learn. Also it gives us the opportunity to go farther in out future.�
Kallie McCulloch: “I think it did serve a purpose because it let’s us know what we have learned, and what we as a school need to work on. So it did serve a purpose.�
Casie Durrant: “ I think that the UBSCT test did serve a purpose, it made you think and prepare for something, and I believe it will help a lot for our future.
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5
ClearPlay provides a cleaner viewing experience BY JESSE RICHMOND Before 2006, movie rental stores such as Clean Flicks offered ff popular movies with offensive ff content removed. This brought previously restricted films to a tamer rating, giving more people the opportunity to watch the latest epic without the stuff ff they didn’t want to see. Then, on July 6, selling edited movies was deemed illegal, and many films were out of reach. However, another way to watch movies without the unwanted content still exists: ClearPlay. ClearPlay DVD players edit movies through the use of downloadable filters. The filters, made by a special team of developers, tell the player to skip over certain scenes based on whether or not they contain undesirable content, ranging from crude humor to images of nudity or extreme violence. The filters can also edit
things out by degrees. The twelve different ff categories for filtering can be filtered out on four different ff stages of severity: none, implied, explicit and graphic. The ClearPlay enabled DVD player costs $119.99, and comes with 250 free filters. The filters are downloaded onto a USB drive called a FilterStik, which then plugs into the front of the player so that the movies (or television shows on DVD) can be filtered. After the initial 250 filters, a subscription to the service is either $7.95/month or $79.50/year, which gives you unlimited filters. Alternatively, filters for new releases can be downloaded for $2.95 per movie. Mitchell McClellan, a junior from Mt. Pleasant, said that he enjoys having a Clear-
Play because it broadens his selection of available movies to watch. “I can watch all sorts of movies that usually I wouldn’t want to watch,� McClellan said. McClellan names Shaun of the Dead, eaad ad Pan Pan’s n s La Laba ab yrinth, and The Matrix trilogy as some of the movies that ClearPlay has allowed him to watch. m
McClellan said t h a t , while the player often does skip things, the storylines of the movies are comprehensible nonetheless. Fountain Green sophomore Charity Henderson also found movies understandable with the ClearPlay. Though she says her player doesn’t work anymore, she liked watching movies without things like cussing or violence. Slade Roundy, another sophomore from Fountain
Green, doesn’t hold the player in as high esteem. Roundy says that, while the player was useful for editing out blood, guts, and gory scenes, it did have its faults. On occasion, the player wouldn’t be able to keep pace, censoring inoffensive ff words while curses went unbleeped. “[The player] messes things up,� said Roundy. Roundy said that, while the player was convenient, he could’ve just as easily used the remote to skip over the offensive ff scenes, and he wouldn’t consider paying for such a service. So, it is still possible to watch a movie without all the offensive ff content that comes with it. The ClearPlay system is allowed to exist because, unlike the rental services, the player doesn’t cut out sections of the movie, but rather skips or mutes them. It’s one more step towards a cleaner world.
NS students sound off ff about muffins BY ALYSSA A HALL The word muffin was first introduced to print in the 1800s. This was a time when muffin-men were known in more than just nursery rhymes. In fact laws had to be made to keep these muffin men in line and under control. In the 1840s a parliamentary law was based prohibiting the use of the muffin-man’s bell at tea time because of townspeople objections. Muffins seemed to gain their greatest popularity in the 19th century. This muffin craze caused the prohibition of the muffin-man’s bell to become ineffective. ff Although you don’t often find muff fin-men ringing bells in the streets these
days there is still something to be said about the love and popularity of the muffin. In fact, in NS alone 88.5% of students enjoy being able to indulge in a muffin from time to time. As the years have come and passed the muffin has evolved in numerable ways. What was once just left over bread dough has now been mixed with so many ingredients and baking methods it has, in many instances, claimed the title of being gourmet. There are hundreds of thousands of recipes for making countless flavors of muffins. Adding condiments such as butter, cream cheese, or honey can also make a huge difference ff for the flavor of your muffin. For some individu-
als at NS the condiments on the muffin are just as, or more important, than the original flavor of the muffin itself. Some of the NS student body’s favorite muffins happen to come from Mt. Pleasant’s own Casey’s CafÊ. However, blueberry muffins are by far the majority of NS student’s favorite flavor of muff fin. Perhaps muffin-men are a trend that should come back in style. Do you know the muffin-man? Based upon the general love for muffins at NS, to have a connection with a muffin-man when asked this question could be quite an advantage
Speech and Debate competes at region and state contests BY AUSTIN SANDE A RS On March 3, the NS speech and debate team competed in the region tournament held at Emery High. Two debaters from NS did well at region and were able to go on to the state competition which was held on March 12 at Carbon High School. Junior Cody Case and senior Joya Fontaine placed third in Public Forum (PF). Tanya Roundy, the speech and debate coach has brought the students of NS to the point they are at now. “Our team is doing well but we still need to work with them and get more people excited about speech and debate,� Roundy said. Many of the debaters enjoy having Roundy as the coach for several reasons.
“She has been right the whole time,� Case said. “She teaches you how to debate and how to make yourself seem intelligent.� The speech and debate team competed at state in many events. Though much preparation was made, the team did not do as well as they had anticipated. Nobody placed but the team is looking forward to future competitions. The president of speech and debate this year was Trevor Carter. He had many responsibilities but his main one was to keep the team focused. The team is looking forward to next year because they will be more experienced. They had very few senior debaters this year, but they are hoping that the team will be stronger next year.
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Students and staff ff divided on class choices
Ten Ways to Pass a Test
BY CHRIS LARSEN
BY W HITNEY NAFUS
This year NS offers ff new classes, but students argue there is still not enough class choice. Some students are disappointed with this year’s class choice, while others haven’t had any problems with this year’s selection of classes. This year a total of 115 classes have been made available to students, 109 classes coming from the first semester and 111 in the second. Although some classes have been accepted some have been rejected such as Astronomy, which was thrown out by a process called remediation by the school board. “The school has limited teachers and students, and we must cover core classes,� said Dax Higgins who was
hoping to teach Astronomy. Despite some of the rejections, many new classes have started up this year, including word processing, in which students manage an on-line business; sport sewing in which students make athletic stuff; ff student government for the student body officers, drama two, an advanced drama class; pre-algebra for the special education students; calculus, which gives students college credit; UBSCT prep class; and a credit recovery class. “This years’ class selection is better than from previous years,� said O’Dee Hansen, NS Counselor. Although there are more, students are having problems with their class choices. “Our class choice is crappy, and I wish there were
more electives,� said Kenyon Anderson, a junior from Spring City. Anderson would like to see classes be more spread out among periods and would also like to see more classes be offered ff such as a bass guitar class. Another student, Eddie Moroney, a freshman from Mount Pleasant, thinks most classes are pointless and only some classes help for the future. Moroney enjoys wood shop and would like to see an advisory class at the end of the school day similar too what the Middle school had a few years ago. “It would be great if I could take weights because then I wouldn’t have to come to school early to go to the weight room,� Moroney said.
Senior competes at state Poetry Out Loud contest
Photo Provided Byy Jennyy Cox
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Moroney feels freshman should be given the chance to take weights. While some have conflicts with the current classes offered, ff others don’t have problems with the classes. “I am just fine with my class choice,� said Braden Parish, a sophomore from Mount Pleasant. Parish stated that he has small diversity in his classes, but he is happy with the classes he has taken. While Parish wishes he could have enrolled in some other classes such as Foods 2 and History, he feels that having certain classes only available at certain times is good, and it doesn’t bother him. Although some have problems with the current classes offered, ff others find the classes offered ff are fine.
A major portion of student’s high school career is taking tests. Students at NS are often tested to see where there are at and what they’ve learned. The issue that most students suffer ff with is finding the right method of studying. Students were asked to share how they prepare themselves for a test. Here are the top ten:
Study by using different ff methods: flashcards, using a study guide, reading the chapter, or review out loud. Teach someone else. Don’t procrastinate. Pay attention in class and take good notes. Study a little bit each day. Have a cram night. Get a tutor. Ask questions and seek help. Get a full nights sleep. Have a good breakfast.
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Boys soccer overcomes weather issues, plays hard BY CHANA A T HOMPSON The 2010 boys’ soccer season starts with bad weather but good intentions. So far two games have been canceled due to weather but the team feels that they will do well this season. The first game was on March 4 in Delta. The game was not a very good start for the season, with varsity losing 8-1. “At the first game I learned a lot about the team,� said Head Coach Mauricio Montano from Moroni. “They need to break the barrier of when a game starts because they forget what they did at practice.� According to Alan Montano a junior from Moroni, the team was just fine during the warm up but as soon as the whistle blew everyone panicked. Although the team had a rough beginning, the players feel that they will play well enough to go to region and possibly even the first rounds at state. “We only have one challenge,� said Alan Montano. “[And that is] beating Delta; since I’ve played on this team we haven’t beat them. They’re not invincible, but we get “Deltitis� and we’re scared to play them.� Despite the fact that the team has had trouble with
Delta, Mauricio Montano said that the team is full of talent and there are also nine returning varsity players. Some of the strengths that the boys’ have are passing the ball with remarkable skill and all of the players know each other well. But where there is strength there is also weakness. “Sometimes they don’t talk as much as they should,� said Mauricio Montano. “They don’t see with their eyes, they think their team will be there.� The athletes choose to stay positive and to improve upon the things that they can already do. “We’ve gotten a lot better,� said senior Bradley Holman from Moroni. “We’ve learned to play as a team and we motivate each other to get better. We find our mistakes and we fix them.� Not only does Holman feel that the team contributes to improvement but he feels that the coaches help immensely. “We have good coaches that know what they’re talkk ing about,� said Holman. The coaches have been preparing the boys in a variety of ways for this season. “The coaches teach a lot of footwork within our drills, and we do a lot of conditioning,� said Alan Montano. “They teach us mental strat-
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egies through motivational speeches.� Six weeks prior to the season coaches encouraged cardio, ab, and lower back workk outs along with running as optional conditioning. Also many team members played indoor soccer throughout the winter. But as soon as tryouts ended on February 22, the team jumped right into playing games. On March 13 they played
Hurrricane and lost 0-2. The team played the Manti Templars last Wednesday and were victorious 4-2. They were very happy for the first win of the season against their rivals. Last Friday NS played Gunnison. The Hawks won the game 3-2. As the season warms up, the snow melts and it reduces the amount of challenges that NS boys’ soccer team faces. Already the team has
NS girls’ golf prepares for the upcoming season
had to clean snow from the field four times to be able to practice on it. Besides the weather many difficulties have already been endured this season. Eligibility has been an issue; many athletes have had a rough time keeping their grades up. “It’s too bad [they can’t keep their grades up] because we’d love to have them play,� said Mauricio Montano. Another problem the team
Boys’ tennis faces a rocky start for the season, hopes for success BY AMANDA A C LARK
Photo byy Amyy Bangerter
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BY AMYY BANGERTER Though inches of snow continue to cover the Skyline golf course, the NS girls’ golf team has found alternate places to practice. Although it is just the beginning of the season, the team is lookk ing forward to developing their talents and the younger players are looking to the four returnees for their experience. “They’re really supportive and they really help me a lot,� said sophomore Sara Fowles. “They’re fun to be around, they tell me rules, and give me advice.� Those returning from last year are senior Raberta Garlick, junior Heidi Shelley, sophomore Annie Johnson, and sophomore Kallie McCulloch. The rest of the team is made up of new, young athletes and their coach, Todd Hansen, believes this year will be full of new experiences. “We’re just going to be kind of progressing this year and learning,� Hansen said. The team had its first pre-season match in Delta on Tuesday, March 16. Though they were beaten by Delta and Carbon, they showed promising talent. “Delta was a learning experience,� Hansen said. A couple younger players stepped up to take the place of two key members of the team, Garlick and Shelley, who were unable to golf . Annie Johnson received a final score
of 18, Kallie McCulloch an 11, and Shannon Davidson a seven. With the new scoring system, a par is worth five points. Every stroke over par causes one point to be deducted. A birdie is six points and a bogey is four points. After nine holes, the points are added together and the highest score wins. There have been challenges with the weather but the team has been practicing at the high school putting, chipping, and hitting balls against Dax Higgin’s trailer. According to Hansen, once the team starts practicing it will be up to the girls how fast and how much they want to learn. “I’m not really saying where they’re going to be,� Hansen said, “because we haven’t had the chance to practice.� Garlick started playing golf her sophomore year, the teams’ first year at NS. Younger players look up to Garlick and her coach feels she is an important player. “Raberta Garlick is our only senior,� Hansen said. “The girl is the most experienced.� Garlick injured her collarbone in a snowboarding accident and the team is hoping it will not affect ff her game. Although the injury may prove to be a setback, Garlick is hoping for a successful season. “My goal is to take state this year,�
Garlick said. “Hopefully I’ll make it in the top ten. I’ve been in the top ten the past two years and I plan on being one of the top ones in the top ten.� The team as a whole is shooting for state, and that will depend on the drive they have. “The talent is there,� said Hansen. “If the desire is there they will definitely be able to work their way into the state playoffs.� ff According to Hansen, the region competition will be tough due to the experience of the Delta and Richfield players. Delta lost a lot of seniors, but they have younger players who will likely place well. He is hoping the girls will be in the top three teams in region so that they can go to state. “Hopefully we make it to state as a team this year,� Garlick said. “We haven’t done it in the past, but hopefully this year we can.� With the entire season ahead of them, the girls are continuing to work towards their state goal and get past the obstacles of a young team and a late start. “It’s going to be a tough, uphill battle this year,� Hansen said. According to Garlick one of the challenges may be overcoming the age of the team, but she feels the beginners will help the team as much as they can and that they will be good in the future. “I’m just learning--just trying to get a feel for things,� said Fowles.
faces, that takes players away from the field, is sickness. “It’s hard to play an 80 minute half when you can’t breathe,� said Mauricio Montano. But even when the team faces challenges, Mauricio Montano helps them to remember that it is better to win by playing well then to lose by playing bad. “They should strive to play well every minute,� said Mauricio Montano.
Although boys’ tennis struggles to get on their feet this season due to the lack of seniority and young athletes, they have high hopes for a successful outcome. The first tournament preparing the team for the coming season was held on March 12 at Lehi High School. Assistant coach Brad Bentley notes that the team was fairly successful. “We did surprisingly well,� Bentley said. “It was the first varsity match for many of the players -- they were still learning.� The team took second overall, losing only to Lehi but beating Salem Hills. Since it was the first tournament, the team was able to see how they will be throughout the year, and how not only the team but each individual can improve. “We will do pretty good,� Derek Erickson, senior of Mt. Pleasant said. “We have a lot of young players but they’re all pretty good.� The majority of the team this year consists of younger players. There are only two seniors on the team. And the team has lost several of athletes that played last year. Although the team is
young, many of the athletes believe they will succeed. “I think we should all do good during the season,� said Dallas Gardener, sophomore. As one of the younger players, Gardener started tennis this year, only recently began playing, but made the traveling team. He was amazed at how much he enjoys tennis. “It’s really fun, and I didn’t expect it,� Gardener said. “It always seemed like a sport for nerds.� The fun tennis is what seems to draw new players into the sport and challenge them to pursue their talent. Although the young players are excelling, the older players are not exempt. Bentley believes that junior Hunter Erickson is an excellent tennis player who will do very well during the season. A ladder tournament was held between the players deciding the rank of each team member landing Hunter Erickson on top, playing as number one singles. The team has high hopes for not only the present season but the following seasons to come. “We are young,� Bentley said, “but if they stick to it we will have a good team for the future.�
Team faces tough competition at St. George BY AMANDA A C LARK This past weekend the NS boys’ tennis team had the opportunity to travel south for a tournament held in St. George. According to assistant coach Bentley the team did surprisingly well for such a young team. There was a definite improvement in just a small amount of time, as the team played better on Saturday than on Friday. The coaches were thoroughly impressed with the way the younger players took the opportunity to grow. The team placed 11th out of 16 teams altogether.
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Ladyhawk softball off ff to a good start for season
Photo provided byy McKelle Anderson
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NS soft o ball team hopes to gain more experience with their ooffffensive skills so that they may be able to compete in the state tournament this year. BY PAUL COOK The Lady Hawk softball team is off ff to a good start with a record of 2-1 while being ranked third in state. Coaches and players have set high goals for the season. “We’re going to play hard every game,� said head coach Tyler Bailey. “We would like to win region and get a good seeding for state.� NS fans have high expectations as well.
Hawk baseball takes 6th out of 8 at Gunnison tournament
“I want them to win state,� said junior Carl Peckham. And state is not out of the question with the amount of experience the Lady Hawks possess. The majority of starters are seniors, and all six of them started last season as well. One problem the Hawks have had so far this season is struggling offensively. ff In the last two games they scored a maximum of just two points. “We haven’t done so well offensively,� ff said Bailey, “but that is partly because we haven’t had much time outside. But they have made up the ground lost on offense ff with exceptional defense. In two of their last three games the Lady Hawks have
held their opponents to one point or less. “We’ve done way bad on offense ff the last couple games but our defense has been awesome,� said senior pitcher Shelby Earl. Their defense stood out in the first game of the season played in South Sevier. The Hawks shut the Rams out with a score of 10-0. The following Tuesday the Lady Hawks faced the Union Cougars. The Hawks struggled both offensively ff and defensively losing the game 6-0. “One of our biggest problems against Union were all of our errors in the field,� said Earl. The next day the Hawks returned home to play the Grantsville Cowboys who are ranked
NS baseball has high hopes for a success- March madness tournament B P C ful season, would like to go to region Every year as March approaches, people all over the Y
BY CHANA A T HOMPSON On Thursday, March 18, NS boys’ baseball team played against the Gunnison Bulldogs. The game started off badly with the Bulldogs up to bat. By the end of the first inning the Bulldogs led the game 7-0. The Hawks’ were out of the tourney on Friday due to a loss on Thursday to the Bulldogs with a score of 8-1. The tourney continued on Saturday and the Hawks played two games. The first game was against American Leadership Academy. The Hawks won the game 9-7. “I felt pretty good about the ALA game,� said Kaden Poulson, a freshman from Moroni. “We hit pretty good.� The second game on Saturday wasn’t as good. The game was played against Richfield and NS lost 6-1. According to Poulsen the team could have improved the attitude they had towards their Richfield game. “We didn’t have our heads in the game,� said Poulsen. The team feels that they played well during the first half of the game but didn’t have a good finish during the second half. The athletes look to the future and not on the past. “I think we are doing okay this season, but being realistic I don’t think we’ll go to region or state,� said Garrett Jenkins, a junior from Fairview. “But there is always that chance.�
fifth in the state. The Hawks struggled offen ff sively once again scoring two runs during the first inning and not again for the rest of the game. But their defense got the job done, holding the cowboys to just one point. One obstacle the Lady Hawks will face on their path to a region championship is their rivals the Manti Templars, who are currently ranked second in the state just above the Hawks. The Hawks hope to overcome this challenge with their abundance of experience and outstanding defense. But they still have a lot of ground to make up on offense ff if they want to be major competitors in the state tournament.
Photo byy Chana Thompson T
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BY CHANA A T HOMPSON Baseball at NS started at the very beginning of March and has kicked off ff into the season eight days after tryouts. The teams’ first game was on March 9 against American Leadership Academy. Unfortunately the game ended in a loss of 6-5. “We lost because we made errors,� said Head Coach Lee R. Sorensen from Fairview. “We should have won.� Senior Colbey Bentley from Mt. Pleasant agrees that the game should have ended with more positive results. He feels that the first inning is where most of NS errors came from. But if you think that the first game will hold back this team, then you’re wrong. The team has high hopes for this season and is very confident the results will be epic. “We’ll take first or second in region and get far into the playoffs,� ff said Bentley. “We have a good team this year and our region [competi-
tion] isn’t too tough.� Hawk athletes realize the great advantage they have this year with six returning seniors, four of whom are starters, and the new region situation will be a great contribution to the outcome of the season. “We don’t have as tough as a region as we have in the past,� said Parker Christensen, a junior from Fairview, “especially with the loss of Juan Diego and Carbon.� Although the team is enthusiastic with the results of the season, Sorensen said that Emery will be one of their most challenging teams to beat because they have many returning players. Other members of the team agree that Emery will be a difficult team to beat. “Emery has good pitchers and baseball runs in their veins,� said Christensen. NS played their first region game against Emery on Tuesday March 23; the results could not be obtained before this edition was printed. As the season has quickk
ly approached, the team will not be stepping onto the field blindfolded. They have put in many strenuous hours of practice and conditioning to prepare for this season. “We’ve been throwing for a couple months,� said Sorensen. “We’ve been to camps and clinics. Several boys [also] played in the Mt. Pleasant summer baseball league.� According to Christensen the players work hard, hustle and always do their best. “We have done a lot of off season work,� said Bentley. All of the training will hopefully be enough to pull the Hawks through to a region title. “Baseball has never won region,� said Bentley. “We want to show everyone we can win, and that’s a big drive for me.� With their eye on the goal the team still focuses on their strengths and weaknesses so that they can improve. “Pitching and defense are [two of our] strengths but we still struggle on hitting,� said Sorensen. “We’re get-
AUL
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country begin to get involved in the college basketball tournament known as March Madness. It is one of the biggest gambling events in the United States and the highlight of many sports fans’ year. “[March Madness] is the sickest, coolest, baddest event of the year,� said senior Nathan Aagard, “It’s full of miracles and splendors and magical what-ifs of all kind.� People can bet on the tournament in many ways. Some will simply pick one team to win, while others will enter a contest and have a team randomly selected for them. But the most common method of betting is by filling out tournament brackets in an attempt to get the most winners correct. “I love seeing unheard of teams upset the good teams,� said senior Austin McColluch. And this year was no different ff than any other, with several upsets taking place in the first and second rounds. A few of the most notable upsets were the victories of 14th ranked Ohio over number 3 Georgetown, and a little known University called Old Dominion over Notre Dame. In addition Vanderbilt suffered ff a loss to 13th ranked Murray. But the most surprising upset occurred in the second round when number 1, Kansas, lost to Northern Iowa. “[March Madness] is where miracles happen,� said Chaz Jorgenson. On the local level BYU was able to get past the first round for the first time since 1993. However they suffered ff a loss in the second round. Kentucky is the favorite to win the tournament, but other teams such as Syracuse, Duke, Ohio State, and West Virginia will be tough competitors. The tournament will continue with the Sweet 16 beginning on March 25th.
ting there; we’re just trying to put everything together so we have our best nine on the field all the time.� One thing Sorensen hopes to change this season is the
physical fitness of the boys. He said that they will be running more than usual. “The harder we work at practice, the better we play in our game,� said Sorensen.
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NS sprinters work ethic drives her to seek third state title
Photo byy Chana Thompson T
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BY AMANDA A C LARK Shyanne Ison, a two time state and region champion, has recently begun her fourth season of track. Ison started the sport as a freshman because she felt like she was a contribution to help out the team with her talent. “I run track because I am fast and can be
a good representative for our school,� Ison said. With three region championships and two state championships in the 4X4 relay, Ison has been represented NS well in the years she has been a member of the track team. Not only has she helped bring the team success but she has also succeeded individually. Ison received three individual region cham-
pionships and holds the school record in the 200M and 400M. Ison along with her achievements, likes to have fun along the way. Her team members enjoy her fun loving attitude, and joking throughout practice. “She is an amazing team member,� said Haley Ence, senior of Fairview. “She is also a fun dependable person.�
Coach Scott Butler notes that because of Ison’s great skill she is a good role model and teammate because she can mentor younger athletes. “She is driven to be the best,� said Butler. “Her work ethic is really strong.� Ison’s success not only comes from her ability to run fast, but also from the dedication she has to train hard. “[Track] requires very intense training, hard work and dedication,� Ison said, “and therefore it’s fun to reap the rewards of our efforts� ff Hard work, practice and increasing her skills are important but not all that is required to succeed. The runners also have to be able to work together as a team. Ison notes that one of the things she enjoys most about track is the athletes she gets to work with. She says that together they have brought track into the spotlight and helped people realize that it is a valuable sport. “We work hard, and we win,� Ison said. “We love winning -- it’s the best.� Ison’s number of successful winnings have not just stayed on the track, but have been in other aspects of her life. Ison helped bring her team to win the state championship title in 3A volleyball earlier in the year, as well as being a member of the girls basketball team. Ison also has kept up a high grade point average and enjoys doing things with friends and family. She loves to sew, read novels constantly, loves music and shopping for shoes, and refers to herself as a complete movie buff. ff Although Ison has achieved many of her goals in life, she continues to set goals and hopes to receive two to three more individual region championships as well as a team championship in the season to come.
Athletics fund-raiser concert does not earn as much money as intended Athletes at NS raise money to contribute to their future participation in sports. BY AMYY BANGERTER The athletic department raised over $16,000 with the Bar-J Wranglers concert on February 24. The fund raiser was headed by Casey Jenson, Sharon Christensen, and Janet Ashworth. The money will be divided amongst the students who sold tickets. “Each athlete gets to split what they earned into each sport they play,� said secretary Brenda Aagard. “That’s the fairest we could do because the spring sports were not functioning at the time of the fund raiser.� Some athletes raised over $400 and many were close behind. The potential profit from the concert was around $50,000 and nearly 1,500 tickets were not sold. “It was fun,� said principal Jim Bowles, “but we didn’t make as much as we needed to.� According to those associated with the fund raiser, one thing that could have been better is the amount of sales made. Some student athletes did very well in selling tickets while there were some who did not participate at all. “We could have sold more tickets,� said Christensen, NS Athletic Director, “but I think the concert went well.� Despite the fact that there were many empty seats, the concert was still successful due to several different ff components. “We got the support of the administration,� said Jenson, NS P.E. Teacher and football coach. “Essentially everyone in
a position of authority was behind it and that’s what made it so successful.� The administration also credits the athletes and parents for the success. “I think the students who got into it and went out and sold is what made it successful—and the parents,� said vice-principal Jason Strate. “I had a lot of comments from people that they liked this a lot better; they liked the idea of a one-time fund raiser.� The idea of one large, school-wide fund raiser came about at the football banquet during Jenson’s first year at NS. Jenson thought it would be easier on businesses and could turn out to be a success. Janet Ashworth, parent of NS athlete Quirt Ashworth, told Jenson she had connections with the Bar-J Wranglers and that is how the idea for the concert came about. “It was nice for the Bar-J Wranglers because it got the elderly out from the community,� Jenson said. “There wasn’t an age requirement; it was fun for all ages—the entire family.� According to Strate, the school will likely do similar fund raisers in the future. “I like the idea,� Strate said. “I think it’s a better public relations feel. People get hit so much with so many things, but this was something with some entertainment value.� Not only was the concert beneficial because of the entertainment value, but also for the athletic accounts at NS. “It’s definitely going to help the athletic accounts,� Aagard said. “There’s going to be enough profit.� The administration and coaches are deciding if they want to do another large fund raiser next year, and there are several
factors that will play into the decision. “We’re just talking about that now, and we are undecided,� Christensen said. “There are some coaches who did a lot of work and in the future they could do their own fund raiser and still raise a lot of money.� According to Aagard, they are trying to compare if one big fund raiser will benefit more than individual clubs and organizations doing their own fund raisers. “The thing that we’re trying to do as a school is not raise the pay-to-plays so that it’s hard to participate,� Strate said. Being able to help students with the costs of being involved in sports and organizations is something the administration and coaches want to accomplish. “We understand that we live in an economically depressed area and we don’t want to price people out of being able to participate,� Strate said. The support of the parents will also play into the decision. For the Bar-J Wranglers concert, a meeting was held at NS for the parents of all the athletes to let them know what the fund raiser was for and what was required for it to be successful. “At the parents meeting there were tons of parents who were opposed to selling the tickets,� Jenson said. “They thought it would be too hard.� Although it is undecided whether or not a similar fund raiser will occur next year, the struggles and benefits from the Bar-J Wrangler concert are evident. Many are hoping to see a positive change no matter what the final decision is. “All too often in this community new ideas are rejected because people are afraid of change,� Jenson said. “Sometimes change is necessary in order to make progress.�
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Jazz band earns highest marks at region, prepares for state
Burton’sWonderland s dazzles with visuals, falls fl flat with story BY ALEXIS FR YER
Photo byy Alexis Fryer
BY ALEXIS FR YER The NS jazz band directed by Tim Kidder is, once again, headed to state. At the competition held on the tenth of March, the band received the highest possible rating on each of their songs, winning region for the third year in a row. Each song is judged on a scale of 1-5, one being the best. The jazz band received straight 1s on their three songs: “Feel So Good� by Victor Lopez, “Goodbye Porkpie Hat� by Charles Mingus, and “Cliffs ff Riff � by Shelton Berg. “[The songs] are a lot of fun,� said Erik Johansen, senior. “They help us show our strengths and we have a lot of fun playing them.� Andrea Shelley, sophomore, said that she enjoyed the variety of styles shown in the song selection. When rating the bands, judges consid-
er several areas of focus. These include: Improvisation, Style/Interpretation, Rhythm/Time, Ensemble, Intonation/ Tone, Technique/Articulation, Rhythm Section and Choice of Selections. “I thought we played some things better than we’d ever played before that day,� said Aaron Johnson, senior. Several other band members as well as Kidder said they felt good about their performance. “I thought it was a fair representation of where we are now,� Kidder said. However well things went, there is always room to improve. After the region performance the judges gave advice on how the band could develop their songs and what areas to work on. “[The state competition] will be held to a higher level,� Kidder said. “I look forward to going and watching,� said Jason Strate, vice principal at NS. Strate attended the region perfor-
mance and was very impressed by the talent shown in the jazz band. He also commented on the positive affects ff the band has on school spirit and the good feeling it brings to the high school in general. “[The jazz band] was extraordinary,� Strate said. The jazz students are hopeful for success at state this year and are prepared to work for that accomplishment. “We need to work hard, but we can do it if we devote a lot of time to practice,� Johansen said. The band rehearses together every morning and members practice on their own time. In addition, groups of students playing the same instrument meet in special practices called sectionals. “[The students] have worked hard and deserve the success,� Kidder said. The state performance is to be held on March 26 or 27.
Antsy Does Time delivers timely humor and insight BY JESSE RICHMOND Halfway through the book Antsy Does Time by Neal Schusterman, Anthony Bonano (also known as Antsy) finds himself recreating the dust bowl, pouring ice water on a senator’s head, and becoming the self-proclaimed The Master of Time. While this may seem strange to some, Antsy is by no means a stranger to odd happenings. In The Schwa Was Here, Antsy helped an invisible boy named Calvin Schwa with identity problems, kidnapped the richest man in his neighborhood, and blew up a crash test dummy named Manny. When strange things happen now, he takes it in stride. The plot of Antsy Does Time picks up quickly, and after 12 pages, Antsy has a new prob-
lem on his hands. A full year after The Schwa ran away, Gunnar Ăœmlaut, Antsy’s classmate, informs Antsy he has a terminal disease and only has six months left to live. Frustrated by Gunnar’s acceptance of his fate, Antsy takes action, and he signs over one month of his life to help. Word of his donation spreads, and soon the entire school wants to donate a month. Antsy acts as the collector, the so called “Master of Time,â€? and the stage is set for the real conflict to come into play. Antsy Does Time is about much more than a kid with Pulmonary Monoxic Systemia. Just as helping Calvin Schwa made Antsy reevaluate his own identity, Gunnar’s impending death brings about a discovery of what life is about.
As the events of the book unfold, Antsy narrates with a wit that I’ve never seen in any other character. Though his language is a tad juvenile, it never grates on my nerves, which is more than can be said for other fictional teens. A few of the old characters from Schwa return, like the darkly sarcastic Old Man Crawley and the oblivious Howie, but the new ones really make the story shine. These include Skaterdud, an almost sage-like burnout, Antsy’s meditative little sister Christina, and Gunnar with his constant misquotings. They all flesh out the story well, adding depth and heaping amounts of humor. The book does stumble a bit, though. When Antsy begins trading months around like stocks, it reminded me of
If anyone can successfully create a magical wonderland of strange and impossible events, it is Tim Burton. Burton’s latest film, Alice in Wonderland, is a visually amazing, though its storyline lacks somewhat in strength. Alice (Mia Wasikowska), now nineteen years old, remembers her first trip down the rabbit hole as only a dream. She is bored and confined by her current lifestyle. In addition, Alice discovers that a snobby English lord is planning to publicly ask for her hand in marriage. In a moment of pressure, Alice rushes away and finds herself following the very same White Rabbit down his rabbit hole. The crazy world she finds is dark yet childish, a great representation considering the transition from a children’s cartoon. However, the environment seemed to rush by as if Alice, and the audience, would not have wanted to see more. Both untrue. Burton’s colors and visual focal points did a marvelous job of bringing a surreal, fairytale feeling to the screen--perfect for Alice in Wonderland’s impossible events. The storyline as I said, felt incomplete. Alice’s fate was foretold at the beginning of her journey, leaving it to crazy detours to lessen the dramatic predictability. The craziness was not necessarily a bad thing. The story of Wonderland is traditionally built upon weird situations and mad characters. Perhaps it was the objective described in the beginning that should have been removed. Wonderland’s two rulers, rival sisters, are challenging each other for the crown. Alice must be convinced to be champion for the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), a beautiful though tacky character, continually acting like she’s‌ well, acting. Opposing her, the Queen of Hearts, is a huge-headed, feisty individual brilliantly played by Helena Bonham-Carter. Aiding Alice in her predicaments are several familiar characters including, the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), Absolem the Blue Caterpillar (Alan Rickman), and the mad Hatter ( Johnny Depp). These and others were cast and created very well, fitting in with great energy to the magical world. Through her journey Alice gains courage, finds her purpose and answers many question - though not all of them, for she still wonders: how is a raven like a writing desk?
a similar stunt in Schwa where he started a sort of Rent-theSchwa service. The characters all seem to have matured aff ter a year, and the month trading didn’t seem like something the new Antsy would do. As Antsy goes about collecting months for Gunnar, he tries to stay uninvolved as an observer. However, he soon must face the trials of life and death when his father collapses from a heart attack after donating two years to the cause. Antsy Does Time is an excellent book, both as a stand alone novel and a sequel. Though the book does drop a few references to The Schwa Was Here, new readers should be able to enjoy the story without having read the original book. I fully recommend it to anyone looking for a good laugh.
Movie ratings fail to reflect wishes, standards of many moviegoers BY AMANDA JOHA HANSEN Movies are part of today’s culture; they are seen all over and by almost everyone. A student can walk through school, and at any moment someone might strike up a conversation with, “have you seen that movie?� Students like to go out to watch new movies with their friends; yet when inappropriate material appears on the screen the situation suddenly becomes unsettling. Inappropriate material is found in all ratings of movies, insinuating the question: should I, or should I not laugh at the innuendo, cuss word, or other awkward situation? What society deems to be “okay� is not exactly what all people feel comfortable with watching. “Our society has become desensitized,� said Sarah Allan, sophomore. This so-called ‘society’ is a full-time rating board in Los Angeles, consisting of 10-13
people. These people are volunteers only required to think critically and put themselves into the position of the “average American parent.� Members who view the films decide on what would be the best interests of parents and their children. The decisions of the rating is then put to a vote and, whatever the mutual decision, becomes the rating. “I don’t believe that they ever think about what parents want their kids to see,� said Sherene McClellan, Flix Co-Owner. Movie ratings are based mainly on certain content such as language, violence, sexual content, under-age and regular drug/alcohol use.
“Now it’s as if R is for Ridiculous,� said an anonymous parent explaining that ratings are inconsistent. McClellan has found many instances where she has been surprised as to what people will find acceptable. When she finished viewing a movie with a friend she had mentioned that the film had a PG-13 rating. Her friend was rather shocked to discover it wasn’t rated R. “You look at one PG-13 movie, then look at another, and wonder how they got into the same category. It just goes to prove how irrelevant the rating system is,� McClellan said. Few people at NS agree with the rating board and what they allow to be put into movies. Senior, Mike Edmunds is one of those students who find that the difference ff between R
and PG-13 ratings are switched around. “Violence is R, and sex is PG-13. Sex is more demoralizing than violence,â€? said Edmunds. The values depicted in movies have dramatically changed from the 1950s when famous movies like Gone With the Wind and the Wizard of Oz first revealed themselves. Few people know that Gone With the Wind was the first motion picture containing a swear word. In the modern day this would be overlooked; yet, in the 1950s, it was enough to cause controversy with many of the viewers, and complaints were filed. Now the public is more lenient on what they allow themselves to view on the silver screen. As the population evolves, they think they are able to deal with comprehending risquĂŠ situations. One must stop and think about what society is willing to accept, and how far film-makers are willing to go to make “risquĂŠâ€? more acceptable.
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Times’ Monthly Jams NS entertainment writers review and recommends several songs from a variety of artists.
1. Break Your Heart (feat. Ludacris) Taiocauz This song is currently the most downloaded song on iTunes. It has also received outstanding reviews. Pop 2. Rude Boy - Rihanna Rihanna has yet again wowed audiences with her latest hit. This song, which debuted on her latest album entitled Rated R R, quickly climbed to the top of the charts. Pop 3. Hey, Soul Sister - by Train Train has yet again impressed audiences by releasing this current hit. This song has a happy and upbeat tune that is sure to draw the listener in. Rock 4. Bad Romance - Lady Gaga This song has an electric and rhythmic beat. Lady Gaga continues to impress audiences. Pop 5. Need You Now - by Lady Antebellum This harmonious country song has a mixture of passion and sincerity. Country 6. White Flag Warrior (feat. Tim Mcllrath) - Flobots This is a fasted-paced song that adds an entirely new level of alternative rock. Its passionate lyrics are worth listening to. Alternative 7. Nothin’ on You (feat. Bruno Mars) B.o.B This single is currently the second most downloaded song on iTunes. It is done in a very unique and individual way. Hip Hop/ Rap 8. Welcome Home - by Coheed and Cambria This is a raising rock ‘n roll band that knows how to capture an audience. Hard Rock 9. All The Right Moves - OneRepublic This song moves away from the older One Republic style and into a new and refreshed style. Alternative 10. Stay Together For The Kids - by Blink-182 This is a great song it is on blink-182 Greatest Hits album. It tells you that even though life sucks it can get better. Listen to it, and you will not be disappointed. Alternative