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Testing results show promise
Well Said:
I know k that she looks at each individual student to see what she can do to inspire them to become a bett ter person through rough physical activvity.
--John Ericksen, on why he believes NS P.E. Teacher and Athletic Director Sharon Christensen has a lasting eff fect on her students
BY CHRISTIAN CARR Northwest Testing is a system of adaptive tests taken throughout the school year. The tests are taken three to four times a year and are designed to measure students’ progress during the year. These adaptive tests allow students to see their grade level and where they are at. They are given a RIT score, which is equivalent to a grade level. Students are then expected to receive higher scores and progress during the year. “[These tests] help us to place kids, and identify which ones are struggling,�
said Nan Ault, VP at NS. The tests help teachers to focus on areas that students are struggling with. There is a possibility that the NWEA Testing will replace the CORE test given at the end of the year. An advantage to the NWEA Testing is that it is given throughout the year rather than just at the end. “[The CORE Test] is an end of the year test and the teachers usually don’t see the students again,� said Ault. “The adaptive testing allows the teacher to see what areas the students are struggling in.� Recently students at NS took the
test for the first time. They will be takk ing it twice more in the year. According to Kaylene Johnson, an English teacher at NS, the tests show what areas need to be covered more. Johnson believes that overall the students were right where they were supposed to be. “It tells us how the students align with the country, and that we are measuring up,� Johnson said. Ault thinks that the difficulties in the tests lie in their language and wording, and the way they are set up. She thinks that these problems were more in the SEE PAGE 2, NORTHWEST TESTING
Six Seniors vie for title of ‘Most Preferred Man’ BY LEVI STUM
Upcoming events: Today: Minimum DaySchool Excused @ Noon Boy’s Basketball @ Carbon 3:30-9:00 p.m.
Thursday:
No School-
Christmas Break Moratorium-No practices or competitions
Friday: Christmas Eve No School-Christmas Break Moratorium-No practices or competitions
Saturday: Christmas Day No School-Christmas Break Moratorium-No practices or competitions
By the Numbers:
Amount of money raised by NS for the annual Sub For Santa drive
Number of local children who participated in this year’s Shop With A Cop program
Percent of NS students who drink at least one energy drink a week
Milligrams of caff affeine in one 8.3 oz. can of Red Bull. In comparison, a 12 oz. can of Pepsi contains only 38mg.
Contents A & E................9 Crossword.........10 Features.............4 News..................1 Sports................5
On Saturday, Dec. 11, the FCCLA Masquerade Ball was held. This was the first date dance of the year for NS, and it was girl’s choice. Leading up to the dance, six seniors were chosen as the ‘preferred men’ candidates. They were: Hunter Erickson, Ezra Hainsworth, Parker Christensen, T.C. Ivory, Shane Mickel, and Dallen Bird. These candidates participated in various activities during the week. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, the men had diff ferent pictures taken of various parts of their bodies, specifically their eyes, biceps, legs, and mouths. The pictures were then put out at lunch. Every picture had a jar, and the students voted for their favorites by putting money in the jars. Whoever raised the most money won for that category. Also on Monday, all of the preferred men got together and made cupcakes. On Tuesday they sold the
Photo byy Jesse Richmond
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cupcakes for about a dollar apiece, while also wearing their favorite apron. Most of the candidates sold all of their cupcakes. For Wednesday’s activity, each senior received an electronic baby from Adult Roles teacher Jody Black. They were then tasked with taking care of them over the night and bringing them back safe-
ly the next day. Ivory scored the highest out of all the competitors, earning a perfect 100 percent. The preference assembly was held on Friday, during which the guys dressed up as girls and danced to Shania Twain. They also participated in a “minute-to-win-it� competition, which was won by Christensen. After that, FC-
CLA members escorted the candidates onto the stage, where they were honored with letters from parents and asked questions. At the Masquerade Ball on Saturday, Ivory was announced as the most preferred man for the 2010-11 school year, as voted upon by the female population of NS.
Snow Riders club offers new opporoff tunities to students BY MARIA REYES Over the years, NS has developed many clubs and organizations. Some have been a part of the school for a veryy long time. Clubs and organization give students manyy opportunities to be involved w ithout being in any academic sports. With winter season here, students may find it hard to be involved. The Snow Riders Club is a great opportunity for students to enjoy the w inter. In the ‘94-’95 school year, P.E. teacher and athletics director Sharon Christensen and former drama teacherr Sue Rasmussen started the Snow Riders Club. “There was a Ski Club, but it wasn’t organized as a club,� said Christensen, “So we got the bylaws and developed the Snow Riders Club.� The club would go on few w trips each year and was veryy active for the following years. However, due to Christensen giving birth to her youngest daughter, Snow Riders was discontinued in 2001. “Sue didn’t want to do it by herself, so we just let it go,� said Christensen. It wasn’t until last yearr during a Safety Routine Presentation given by former assistant principal Jason Strate that the topic came up again. “Mr. Strate said to find an advisor, and I said I would do it,� said Elizabeth Woodard, teacher and advisor of the Snow Riders Club at NS. Continuing this club has given students more opportunities to do something at NS and be more involved. SEE SNOW RIDERS, PAGE 2
Teachers begin new EMIA New cross-country skiing track installed by NS healthy lifestyle program coach and ski club at Skyline Mountain Resort BY TYLER R GLAD Many NS teachers have been paying closer attention to their overall health. These teachers are participating in a new self-awareness program provided by EMI Health. EMI Health is the company that provides health care for all of the district workers in North Sanpete. They have initiated this new program in order to keep the teachers healthy and happy. The main idea for the program is to decrease teacher sick days in order to increase the amount that students learn
and to lower the health-care costs. “If teachers are healthier they need fewer sick days. This helps instruction, which is better for the students,� said Christy Bird, the program’s district coordinator. The program also helps the district financially. If teachers aren’t sick, then insurance premiums could go down or stabilize, which will save the district money. “[This] benefits us as a district,� said Bird. The monetary benefits also extend to the teachers. “[EMI Health] gives us a SEE TEACHER HEALTH, PAGE 3
BY HUNTER ERICKSON Along with other winter sports available in Sanpete County, a Nordic ski track is minutes away for those who love cross-country skiing. “There really isn’t anything of this sort south of Sundance,� said Bill Bedford, a member of the Skyline Nordic Club. Bedford has been setting a ski track around the Skyline golf course with his own equipment for a while, but the club was able to get a grant for new equipment two years ago. State Parks and Recreation issued the grant to the club, which was used to buy a new snowmobile, and drags to pull behind it. Other members of the community who have been interested in the track have also contributed to purchasing this equipment. Bedford and other members of the club are able to groom the trail by pulling the drags behind the snowmobile, creating two options for skiing. “Most of the track is wide enough for freestyle or skating, and there is also a set-in track for classical skiing,� said Bedford. Although the track is accessible from multiple areas, skiers are encouraged to get on at
the start of hole one of the golf course. The track is a little over 4 miles long, with overlapping trails and different ff areas of difficulty. SEE SKYLINE RESORT, PAGE 3
Photo byy Hunter Erickson
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New Writing Club offers ff chances for improvement BY HUNTER ERICKSON Avid writers can get excited about a new club being formed at NS. The NS Writing Club had its wheels in motion last year when students started signing up, but the club didn’t get board approval until this past October. Ben Cox, an English teacher at NS and the advisor of the club, came up with the idea. “We want to help students to write more frequently and give them an opportunity to write and share their work,� said Cox. The first meeting for the Writing Club was held on Dec. 8, and the club will continue to meet once a month. At these meetings the members of the club will get a chance to talk about types of writing as well as discuss grammar concepts. They will also be able to bring their finished writing products to share, as well as get help with unfinished products. Along with meetings, the club will be communicating with its members through Facebook. The participants are encouraged to share what they are writing weekly through Facebook, and look at the grammar tips that will be posted. Kimberly Larsen, a senior at NS and the President of the Writing Club, has high hopes. “We hope to improve the grammar of NS
students, as well as our writing and communication skills,� said Larsen. Cox also hopes to influence students at NS through the writing club. “I want them to be more cognizant of their grammar,� said Cox. “I want to create a culture of writing.� The club has developed a way to recognize and remember good writers in the school. If the members of the Writing Club meet a certain criteria, they will have their name written on a plaque. Although the criteria is not set in stone, it will probably consist of writing a certain amount and contributing to the grammar board in Cox’s room. The Writing Club will get involved in diff ferent Writing and English competitions throughout the year. One of these is the Poetry Out Loud competition. Students will recite poems in a competition at their school, and then move on to region and state competitions. Although students are able to write in English and other classes, Cox doesn’t believe that most people write enough to begin with. “Writers write, and they write often,� said Cox. This new club will give students more chances to write and have their work recognized. “We can help students appreciate writing
Northwest Testing, continued from page 1 Language Arts tests and not the math tests, since they are more direct. “These tests give us scenarios where we need to support students,� said Ault. “I think that what we are finding is that it’s asking questions that our students haven’t seen before.� Some students prefer the NWEA testing because of its adaptive nature. The CORE only tests on the class they are administered in and the grade of the student taking the test. Adaptive testing goes beyond grade and class
level and challenges the students on a personal level. “I liked it because it became your own personal test,� said Brent Watson, a sophomore at NS. The testing is part of a pilot program going on in Utah. It is new to the state but not to the nation. Since it is a pilot program, districts will be deciding whether it is a viable alternative to the Core, or whether it isn’t right for our schools. “We’ll have to make changes, or decide that it’s just not right for us,� Ault said.
Photo byy Jesse Richmond
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and see how fun it really can be,� said Tiffany ff Christensen, a sophomore at NS and the Vice President of the club, “We can help them see that they can be good writers.� If students participate in the Writing Club, they will have the chance to improve their writing. According to Larsen, this is a beneficial skill to have. “In anything you do you’re going to have to write,� said Larsen.
Along with Larsen and Christensen, Matt Lindow and Rachael Howard are also in the presidency, as secretary and historian/reporter respectively. Students who are interested in participating in the Writing Club need to talk to Cox. “More people should join because it’s a great opportunity to improve your Writing and English skills,� said Larsen.
Snow Riders, continued from page 1
Photo provided byy Tyson Stewart
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Several students have joined this club because they simply enjoy snowboarding. “[For] people who don’t do other things and like to snowboard, [the club] gives them the chance to do it,� said Jacelyn Sorensen, senior from Mt. Pleasant. Besides giving this opportunity to students, the club also a great way to socialize. “The best thing is hanging out with your friends,� said Dallas Springsteed, sophomore from Indianola and president of Snow Riders Club. In the past, the Snow Riders would only go on three # "$# ! " $ % $ # " # #$% $# $ $ " $ ! $ ' trips per year. Now, in the new club’s second year, they $ plan to go on trips every three weeks from now until the snow lasts. “We want to go to Brigh-
ton at least twice this year,� said Woodard. �We do go to Sundance a lot more often just because its closer and cheaper.� Many students enjoy snowboarding and find it even better going to trips with their group of friends. “It’s nice to have a group to go up with,� said Woodard. “It’s a fun activity and parents don’t have to worry about it.� With Woodard taking charge of Snow Riders, students who may not have been involved otherwise now have a chance to join a club. “It addresses a different ff group of kids who wouldn’t be in a club,� said Christensen. “[Woodard] has a lot of energy, and I’m glad she’s doing it.�
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Police officers help needy children
Photo byy Zackeryy Ence
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BY ZACKERY ENCE On Dec. fourth, 51 specially chosen children took part in the eleventh year of the Shop With A Cop program in Sanpete. Every year officers take children to a restaurant somewhere and give them breakfast after which they give them around $100 to spend at Wal-Mart on Christmas presents. This year, the children were taken to McDonald’s and Wal-Mart by 42 officers who all volunteered for the activity. Some of them volunteered with their wives and were able to take more than one child. The police officers and their spouses were each assigned a little boy or girl to get to know and take around. They then drove the children to breakfast in their police cars. “It give officers a chance to bond with kids,� said Bob Wright, the Snow College
Public Safety Officer. Wright was the officer who brought the program to Sanpete from Sandy City where he previously served. On the way the officers tried their best to make the children comfortable and make sure they were having a good time. They played games and the officers even let the children play with things in their cars. “The officers were way nice,� said Tesiann Johnston, a student at NS who participated in this program when she was 11. After a meal prepared by Mcdonalds, the children piled into the cars again to go to Wal-Mart. When they arrived, they each went off with their designated officer to shop. Each child was allowed $110 to spend on whatever they wanted, and the officers made sure to help them spend it wisely. Some officers remarked about how selflessly most of
the children spent their money. “I was really impressed when she picked out presents last for herself,� said off ficer John McCaul about the child that he got to know. After all the children had finally picked out presents, they went over to the Ambulance Association who had volunteered to wrap all their presents. After all the presents were wrapped, the children collected another gift from Wal-Mart consisting of soda and chocolates. This program was instituted to help out some people who are financially struggling. Money is given to their children to spend on Christmas presents so that less money is spent at home. This program is also run to help with children who have issues with law enforcement. Shopping with a kind police officer usually serves to desensitize them towards law enforcement.
To be chosen to take part in this program, a child must be recommended by their elementary school teacher or principal. These authority figures recommend children who they believe to be having trouble at home, whether financial problems or traumatic experiences. The children chosen must be in elementary school and are usually 7-11 years old. However there is always an occasional 12 or 13 year old who an authority figure thinks could use the experience. During this program, someone from every city and division of law-enforcement is represented, so a lot of people get to take part in this program. Policemen say they love and look forward to taking part in this program every year and have fun experiences every time. “This is a good program,� said McCaul, “and it has a lot of community support.� Everybody hopes that next year this program will show the great success that it has shown all 11 years that it has been in Sanpete.
Teacher Health, continued from page 1 small cash incentive if we complete the challenges,� said Jeff ff Ericksen, a teacher NS and the program’s high school coordinator. The amount of money is yet to be determined. The program consists of four challenges. NS started the program later in the year so the teachers are only participating in three of the four. The first challenge is called Healthy Habits. This consists of five habits that the teachers are to complete daily. They are: sleeping seven hours each night, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables, engaging in 30 minutes of physical activity, reading the nutrition facts label on one of the foods you eat, and giving one sincere compliment each day. The rest of the challenges will be created as the year moves on. The district has the teachers fill out what they have done for each day on a website that keeps track of their progress. Each teacher needs to complete at least 85 percent of the habits in order to receive the cash incentive. “I like that the district trusts us to be honestly involved to receive our cash incentive,� said Ericksen. The program also includes
many small things that teachers can do all the time to become healthier. One of these is a test that the teachers take online that shows how old they are in health standards. Some teachers came up as ten years younger than they really are. The teachers who got older ages were encouraged to work on improving their health. Another of these was a health risk assessment that showed where each individual needed to improve and where they were strong. It helped teachers see what they needed to work on. The program is very large with many participants throughout Sanpete County. “[The program] has over 120 participants in the district,� said Bird. The program also extends out of Sanpete County and into other parts of Utah. Most of the people involved in the program like it and want to do it more. In an e-mail sent to all of the teachers involved in the HMI Health program, Bird encouraged teacher participation. “For me, this program is about self-awareness, and if we can all walk away with a greater to desire to improve our overall health, we will have succeeded,� said Bird.
Skyline Resort, continued from page 1 “There are many different ff possible routes,� said Bedford. “Some are flat and easy, suitable for beginners, and some are hilly and technical.� Nan Ault, vice principle of NS, is also heavily involved in the Skyline Nordic Club and believes that this track is a great option for skiers. “We’ve upped our game,� said Ault. “It’s as beautiful as anything you’ll ski at Park City or other resorts.� Those who are looking for another form of outdoor physical activity in the winter have
this option of cross-country skiing. “This sport is a good activity for all around exercise,� said Bedford. The skiing winter conditions have been fairly consistent over the last few years, but this year has had ups and downs so far. The club has had to deal with the recent meltdown of snow. “We got off ff to a really great start but then things went bad quickly,� said Bedford. All community members are welcome to ski on the track, but are encouraged to pay a season fee of 25 dollars, or 3 dollars per use.
Editor-in-chief seeks “true meaning� of Christmas NS Times Staff Editor-in-Chief Jesse Richmond Managing Editors Kimberly Larsen Alyssa Hall Business Manager Alyssa Hall Advisor Ben Cox News Christian Carr, editor Levi Stum Tyler Glad Maria Reyes Hunter Erickson Features Hunter Erickson, editor Kim Larsen Jesse Richmond Taylor Purcell Zackery Ence
A&E Jenahsea Long, editor Whitney Nafus Ellie Nix Austin Sanders Sports Dustin Allred, editor Alyssa Hall Kaytie Nielson Benjamin Larsen Layout Jesse Richmond Kim Larsen Alyssa Hall Chris Larsen Photography Christian Carr, editor Hannah Aldridge, helper
Ah, December. A time of happiness, warmth, and cheer. A time for all to feel the spirit of Christmas in its entirety. Well, all except for me, anyway. In recent years, the sheer giddiness I once felt at this time of year has faded (this is compounded by the fact that recent days have felt more like October than December). No longer can I passively enjoy Christmastime simply because of the date. The Christmas spirit is still in my reach, however, but I have to work for it. So, how do I find the spirit of Christmas? After discarding several options that seemed less than ideal (dressing up like Santa Claus, chugging eggnog and apple cider, spending time with friends and loved ones), I found a solution almost guaranteed to work. Like so many protagonists of made-for-TV movies before me, I decided that I would try to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Now, I could embark on this quest in a traditional manner, which would send me on a long series of events (usually involving Christmas magic of some sort, along with either some angels or some elves) that would eventually teach me the true meaning and leave everyone
with warm fuzzy feelings at the end. However, I don’t have time for this. Instead, I’ll just look at a few classic Christmas movies, analyze their themes, and try to find common threads (that’s right: Christmas just met science). This method should be foolproof. After all, how can there be more than one meaning to Christmas? I’ll start with the biggest classic in my family, A Christmas Story. Admittedly, I enjoyed this movie a lot more when I wasn’t aware that the characters were cursing like sailors, but the overall message should point me in the right direction (fun fact: this movie also made me believe that the word fudge, when used a certain way, was actually a curse word). So, what can we glean from A Christmas Story? Some would argue that the movie’s main message is that you can have a wonderful holiday no matter what you get or what you do. I, however, choose to see it as a triumph of nagging perseverance: plead for something hard enough, and you’ll be sure to get it. Next up, we’ll look at Dr. Seuss’s How the Grinch Stole Christmas, in which a grumpy green fellow decides to steal
any Christmas paraphernalia he can find from the local village. It’s generally seen as a tale of forgiveness and changes of heart. Upon analysis, though, it’s really just about pure, unabashed ignorance. You see, the Who’s of Whoville aren’t happy because they don’t need a tree: they’re happy because they still think they have one. But why then, cry the opponents of this theory, did the Grinch return all the presents in the end? Well, as any good prankk ster knows, the fun of a practical joke isn’t necessarily in the execution. It’s in the reaction from the recipient of the prank. The Grinch, upon seeing that the Who’s were too naïve to notice the damage, likely returned the presents in disgust. He even got a free dinner out of it, too, since the townsfolk couldn’t even recognize him as the thief. The last classic in our study is the timeless A Charlie Brown Christmas. The film is often lauded for its traditional, anti-commercialistic views. Subliminally, though, it sends its viewers the exact opposite message. Toward the end of the film, the titular character Charlie Brown buys a thin, frail excuse for a Christmas tree. Now, no offense ff to Mr.
Brown, but he fits the typical description of a loser to the letter. He wears the same sweater every day, is often socially awkward, and frequently hangs out with a kid who still carries around his blanket. The poor guy can’t even kick a football properly. Because of this, when we see Charlie Brown buy the tree, we feel repulsed deep down, since only losers buy the small tree. Additionally, this socalled beacon of non-commercialism doesn’t even hold to its standards, as it becomes quite gaudily decorated by the in-crowd. It’s only after the tree is thus improved that a happy conclusion is reached. So, what is the true meaning of Christmas? Based on my research, I’ve arrived on the following conclusion: The true meaning, the essence of Christmas, is nagging your parents incessantly, being blissfully unaware of everything around you, and making sure that you’re not the guy with the puny tree. Ah‌that’s better. I can feel the Christmas spirit already. -Jesse Richmond
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NS athletic advisor teaches, inspires BY JESSE RICHMOND
Sharon Christensen, Athletic Director at NS, has had a profound impact on the athletic program at the high school for nearly a quarter of a century. Christensen has coached or taught at the school for 24 years. For 22 of those years, she coached volleyball, often in conjunction with basketball, which she coached for nine years. Additionally, she coached softball for seven years, and track and field for two. “She has a passion to see student athletes excel,� said John Ericksen, former principal of NS. Ericksen was athletic director over Christensen until a year and a half before his six years as principal, at which point she received the title. Ericksen said he was confident that Christensen would be able to fulfill all the duties attached to the position when he left. “I didn’t have to worry about a lot of things I knew should happen,� said Ericksen. Christensen brought new ideas to the program, as well as a desire to make the public more aware of the various NS sports teams. “She just jumped right in and took off ff from where the programs were at that time and made them better,� said Ericksen. According to Ericksen, one of Christensen’s main plans as athletic director was to bring more recognition to the student athletes of the school. She initiated and saw through to completion the installation of the trophy case in the senior hall, feeling that something needed to be done for athletes past, present, and future. In addition, Christensen was responsible for purchasing the banners in the main gym that show the schools’ accomplishments, as well as organizing separate letterman banquets for the different ff seasons of sports, all so that the students could be better recognized. Ericksen says that she was a great
coach, mainly due to the concern she showed for her players. “She was always thinking about the girls that played under her,� he said. Along with this care, Ericksen said that Christensen tried to teach her players valuable life lessons, a goal that sometimes took the place of winning. “Some of her most precious seasons, I think, were the ones in which she didn’t win,� said Erickk sen. He said that Christensen was constantly trying to teach her athletes how to deal with unfair situations in life, as well as coping with both the highs and the lows they might encounter. As volleyball coach, Christensen led the lady hawks to four state championships, which she describes as the “ultimate goal� of the season. She said that achieving such a feat requires confidence, dedication, and a strong work ethic from the athletes. Christensen said that she would work hard to instill these traits in the team, and it was a relief when the students began to exhibit them on their own. This dedication to the sport was also Christensen’s first indicator that a potential championship was in sight. “That’s when you know you can do it,� said Christensen. “When they discipline themselves, that’s when you know you have a chance.� Rickie Stewart, NS volleyball coach, admires Christensen not only for her coaching abilities, but also because she sees her as a “good example of a human being.� “Not only is she a good coach, but she’s a better person,� said Stewart. The traits that Stewart says make up this character are honesty, integrity, trust, and over all, a good work ethic. As well as working with Christensen as the volleyball coach in recent years, Stewart played under her on the school’s volleyball team. Though Stewart says the experience was enjoyable, she said playing under Christensen was also intimidat-
Photo provided byy NS High
ing. “It was a bit frightening at times,� said Stewart. Stewart says she felt this way because she saw the work that Christensen put into the team and didn’t want to disappoint her coach. “You never wanted to let her down,� said Stewart. Stewart said that she played under Christensen during one of the four years that the Ladyhawks won the state tournament, the 1998-99 school year. She said that the team had a lot of talent that year, and because of this, Christensen felt that a loss would have been her responsibility. Stewart said that, since becoming the school’s volleyball coach, her respect for Christensen has increased. Stewart frequently goes to her for advice, and admires the support that she gives to all sports in the school. Christensen said that one of her
favorite things about coaching was the friendships she developed with the athletes she coached. Though many have graduated and moved on with life, they still send her emails, Christmas cards, and wedding invitations, all of which make Christensen feel like she made an impression on the student. The biggest thing that Christensen misses about coaching is the close relationship with the athletes. “I miss working with the kids at that level,� said Christensen. Despite this, Christensen said that she enjoys being able to go home to her family after school, something she couldn’t do as a coach. She also finds satisfaction in teaching P.E., and is a strong supporter of the ideals of the class. “I believe in what I teach,� said Christensen. Christensen finds that the components of a healthy lifestyle taught in class are useful because anyone can do them and that
the students can use them for the rest of their lives. Christensen sees the effects ff of her work in the lifestyles of students she has taught or coached. Though she says very few of her athletes went on to play their sport at a college level, most of them still carry out an active lifestyle. Furthermore, Christensen says that she sees students to whom she only taught P.E. following this active trend as well. Indeed, she says that many of those who never were actively involved in a high school sport end up being the fittest of their peers later in life. “I know that she looks at each individual student to see what she can do to inspire them to become a better person through physical activity,� said Ericksen. “She really, really cares about the students of North Sanpete High School.�
Energy boost comes with negative side Netfl tflix offers variety and convenience BY TAYLOR PURCELL
Photo provided by veryeasyenergydrinks.com
BY KIMBERLY LARSEN
Over the years, energy drinks have become increasingly popular in many places, Sanpete included. In a recent survey, over half (52%) of the students at NS said that they have had an energy drink and 69% of these students have at least 1 per week. Along with the growing popularity of these beverages, the knowledge about their negative effects ff is also increasing. One of the unhealthiest things about energy drinks is the amount of caffeine ff that they contain. In one 8.3 oz can of Red Bull (one of the more popular energy drink brands) there are 80 mg of caffeine ff as opposed to 38 mg in a 12 oz can of Pepsi. The Red Bull has about three times the amount that Pepsi does and this is a similar comparison with other brands. Because of all this caffeine, ff you can see why energy drinks have their name.
The energy comes from caff feine, triggering the release of adrenaline and glucose into the body. The adrenaline makes the heart beat faster. Over time this can weaken not only the heart, but the whole circulatory system as well. “People who drink lots of energy drinks shorten their lives,� said Ed Staker, a human phys and biology teacher at NS. He explained that along with the effects ff on the heart and circulatory system, energy drinks will actually make it harder to concentrate and sleep in the long run. “ I guess they have a place if they are wisely used,� said Jeff Erickson, a health teacher at NS. Erickson explained that, in some sports, energy drinks are allowed during games but with discretion because of the negative effects. ff Angela Hatfield, a sophomore at NS, was one who experienced the negative side of en-
ergy drinks in sports. She said that when she was fourteen she woke up early and had to miss breakfast to make the bus for a basketball game. On the way, the bus stopped at a gas station and she bought and drank an energy drink before the game. While out on the court she started to hyperventilate and fainted. She was hospitalized for about two hours while they monitored her heart. Shelby Rasmussen, a freshman at NS, has seen similar occurrences during school. “People in P. E. would drink them because they thought it would give them energy,� said Rasmussen. “They (would) get sick and dizzy and would pass out sometimes.� With all of the negative eff fects, some may wonder why people drink them. Many students at NS drink energy drinks obviously for the energy but others drink them just for the taste. It’s just a drink to some.
In Aug. of 1997, Reed Hastings and Mare Randolph founded a video rental store called Netflix. Other video rental stores have been battling Netflix for market supremacy ever since it started. However, Netflix is more popular mostly because of the way they deliver their videos, through instant online streaming, and through the mail. Online streaming is definitely one of the bigger guns for Netflix in the battle. A subscriber to Netflix can watch a selection of videos instantly online for $7.99 a month. “Instant streaming is definitely a bonus. It’s really cheap and it has South Park,� said Wes Holman, a sophomore from Mount Pleasant. Not all of the videos that one can have mailed to them are available on instant streaming. However, when Hastings founded Netflix, his goal was to be able to deliver all of the videos over the internet someday. Even though instant internet streaming is the company’s main focus, their idea of mailing the movies to people has also been very successful. “Netflix is cheaper, more convenient, and has more movies than other video rental stores. Plus, no due dates or late fees,� said Klynton Frederick, a junior
from Mount Pleasant. Subscribers to Netflix each have their own “Queue.� They choose what movies go on their queue and which order they go in. When they send a movie back in the mail, Netflix sends them the next movie on their queue. A Netflix subscriber can have unlimited DVDs mailed to them one at a time for two dollars more a month, (on top of the $7.99 for instant streaming). Differ ff ent plans allow a subscriber to have more than one DVD at home at a time. “I wouldn’t normally get more than one DVD at a time except for the fact that they take about two to three days to come in the mail. Since I have more than one at home, I can still have a movie to watch while the other one is in the mail,� said Frederick. Netflix isn’t only pulling ahead in video delivery but also in video quality. “I’ve never gotten a damaged disk from Netflix,� said Holman, “Neither has anyone else that I’ve talked to.� Netflix is starting a new generation of video rental trends by breaking the old traditions and becoming something new. “Netflix is doing something that no other video companies have tried before,� said Holman, “Who knows, in ten years video rental could be totally differ ff ent because of Netflix.�
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NS wrestlers improve on season, take recent duel vs. Emery BY KAYTIE NIELSON NS varsity wrestlers took a win against Emery High, one of its rivals, with the score of 48 to 39. The dual was the teams first home match, which took place Dec. 2nd. “I thought it was a good way to start the season,� said Oliver Silva, a sophomore at NS. “But the team knows that we must work to fix our mistakes and work even harder since we have much tougher opponents we must take on, such as Delta.� Five of the boys pinned their opponents, including three seniors. Also there were three that won their matches and five that lost theirs. “I was expecting for the team to work their hardest and kick butt, due that a lot of our wrestlers are great wrestlers,� said Silva. The team also went to the two day, Iron Man tournament Dec. third and fourth. This tournament placed the team in the way they were compared to some of the top teams in the state. “I feel like we did alright but we mostly
struggled. We learned a lot and I think that’s the main point of that tournament. It’s one of the hardest in the year,� said Aaron Lee, junior at NS. Lee did well at the tournament and went 7-3 throughout the two days that they wrestled. Michael Brewer, a junior who lives in Spring City, broke his collar bone during his fourth and final match at the tournament. He had won his previous three. The match was against Delta, at weight 145. The Delta wrestler was disqualified and Brewer won, unfortunately he is out for the rest of the season. “It sucks being out because I was really looking forward to some upcoming matches,� said Brewer. One of those matches were Manti before they went 2a next year. He also said that he would just miss playing the sport. The team didn’t do as well as they had hoped but they are still staying positive. “We have been doing pretty good, especially with being conditioned, but our weakk nesses are that we have been struggling with
Photo byy Kaytie Nielson
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shots and standing up,� said Chad Watts, junior at NS. The team knew going in that it was go-
ing to be tough since a lot of the best schools around would be there but they still tried their hardest.
Former NS All-American returns as an assistant to coach girls basketball
Jazz chemistry leads to improved record
BY ALYSSA A HALL
If the Utah Jazz were a product to be bought and sold, now would be the time to be buying and they would be the top Christmas gift of this holiday season. Right now the Jazz are red hot and are leading the Northwest division of the Western Conference. They currently have a record of 19-9, and with a little less than three-fourths of a season less to play, they look to be on track to possibly win 60 regular season games. One of the Jazz’s few losses came Wednesday Dec. 8 night when the Jazz’s took on the Heat at home. Lebron James scored 33 points leading the Heat to a 111-98 win over the Jazz. The Jazz also had another little hiccup on Dec. 3rd against the Dallas Mavericks. The Jazz were out scored 93-81, with team leader Deron Williams only scoring 12 points, tying his season low for points scored. “We’re still one of the best teams,� said Deron Williams in espn.com. “This is one of those nights. Things didn’t go our way. The Mavericks played better than us.� The Jazz has shown that they are one of the best teams. Before the Dallas game the Jazz were on a seven game win streak. Also, earlier in the season the Jazz won four in a row as they went on an eastern road trip, which included games at Orlando and Miami. Last Saturday the Jazz came by another win when they faced Milwaukee at home. The Jazz surged forward in the fourth quarter to take a 95-86 win over the Bucks. C.J. Miles showed up in a big way for the Jazz, coming off ff the bench and sparking the team when it needed to be sparked. The explosion of energy that the Jazz’s bench can produce is unbelievable and is an aspect of the Jazz that sets them apart from other teams. The Jazz’s success may be contributed to the team’s new chemistry. The on-court relationship between newly acquired center Al Jefferson ff and team leader Deron Williams is one of the many reasons that the Jazz have excelled this year. Paul Millsap has been a huge surprise this season, helping the Jazz to excel. He has averaged 17.6 points, 8 rebounds, and leads the team in 3-point shooting percentage (.571). The Jazz have also gotten noticeably better defensively. They are currently eleventh in the nation with points allowed per game, only allowing other teams to score an average of 97 points. This team may have stars, but they are unselfish stars. The Jazz are third in the nation for assists per game with an average of 23.8. Moreover, the team leader and star of the Jazz, Deron Williams leads the team with assists, averaging 9.7 assists per game. The Jazz played Miami last Mon. Results were available at press time. Now, the question that faces the Jazz is if they can continue to win and if they can achieve the first Championship in the history of the Jazz.
Down by one, the NS boys’ basketball team of ’69 only had one more chance at becoming victors during a game located in the old gymnasium of Mt. Pleasant. As their final attempt, a plan was drawn up, giving forward Dave Bailey the opportunity to play the role as team hero for the evening. Without disappointment, Bailey took a shot at the buzzer, landing the team with a win at the final second of the game. This however, was not the only time Bailey pulled through for his team. The ‘69 team manager, Eddie Cox, recalls Bailey being so reliable he was referred to as ‘Mr. Clutch’. “Dave Bailey was the star of the team,� said Cox. His numbers spoke for themselves. That year Bailey averaged 18 points, 11 rebounds and six assists per game. He was named to the All-State team his junior and senior year. He was also named All-American his senior year, which meant that he was selected as one of the best 100 players in the United States. “It was quite an honor,� said Bailey. Not only was he a skilled player in high school, but he also received a full-ride scholarship to Brigham Young University where he played for four years as a roleplayer. While he was there they won the Western Athletic Conference, and out of the three years he played varsity they went to the NCAA playoffs ff twice. Although he was not a starter, he got quite a bit of playing time and enjoyed the experience. Not only was Bailey an asset as a player, but his leadership on the team also contributed a
great deal. “He was a leader in many categories,� said Bailey’s coach of ’69 Mack Wilkey. “He was about the best rebounder in the state, well respected on the team and outside of the team for his hard work, very conditioned, easy to coach, obedient, and he kept himself clean.� For Wilkey, the morale of each one of his players was the most important criteria for each player to meet in order to be on the team. On more than one occasion Wilkey let go of players if they were messing around with things such as drugs, alcohol, or even bullying. This is one of the reasons why Wilkey felt Bailey was such a great team leader. Bailey seemed to be the image of a product of a successful coach. Wilkey’s rules and standards could be seen as difficult to accommodate to many, but according to Bailey, Wilkey’s players had no desire to rebel against their coach’s rules, for the majority of them agreed with the rules being set. “I was just looking out for their welfare and it really paid off. ff I’d do it again,� said Wilkey According to Wilkey, another one of the reasons he had so much success with the team in ’69 was because he was fortunate to have a group of such smart young men. The majority of the team held true to being students with an A- average. He only had one student with a C average. “I had some smart players,� said Wilkey. “When you have a team that can think and has good grades, you can talk to them and they’ll carry out [what you’ve instructed].� SEE BAILEYY, PA P GE 6
Photo from 1969 Salt Lake Tribune T , provided byy David Bailey
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Hawks pull out last-second victory BY DUSTIN ALLRED Tied at 66 points a piece with 4.9 seconds left on the clock, the ball was inbounded to Kyle Seely on Dec. 10 against North Summit. In a last second shot, Seely hit the buzzer beater as time ran out. Colton Dunn made this play possible. With less than ten seconds left on the clock, Dunn disrupted the dribble of North Summit causing them to lose the ball out of bounds with the score tied and 4.9 seconds left. The game was fought hard on both sides of the basketball. NS only had a 2-point lead going into the half and the game was tied going into the third quarter. Dunn was a huge factor in this game scor-
ing 24 points and hitting four three pointers. Carl Peckham also had a great game scoring 17 points. This win snapped a 4-game loosing streak that the Hawks were previously on. The loosing streak was caused in part by injuries that the Hawks suffered ff earlier in the season. Birdless is the word that comes to mind when trying to describe the status of the NS Hawk basketball team. Brothers Rhett and Dallen Bird were both out with injuries. The two brothers were instructed by their doctor not to play because their ACL’s may become stretched. “I will be out for the next three weeks,� said Dallen. “I tore my meniscus and strained my ACL.�
“I’ll be out until some time next week� said Rhett. “I just strained my ACL so I am not out as long as Dallen.� The Bird brothers were the two lead scorers from last year and they were coming into this year bringing experience and leadership with them. In the absence of the Bird brothers, the Hawks have suffered ff some tough losses. The Hawks are 2-5 on the season and were on a 4-game loosing streak until the North Summit game. Their first loss of this streak came when the Hawks took on South Sevier on Dec. 1. South Sevier was dominant throughout SEE BOYS BASKETBALL, PA P GE 6
BY DUSTIN ALLRED
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Young Ladyhawks improve, but drop game to N. Sevier BY BEN LARSEN When the buzzer sounded at the end of the game on Dec. 9, the score was 35 Hawks, 42 North Sevier Wolves. The Hawks and the Wolves where extremely close the whole game; the Hawks would score the then wolves would make a shot. In the beginning of the first quarter the Lady Hawks got off ff to a good start, and were the leaders on the score board for the majority of the first quarter. The Wolves stayed strong and caught up to the Lady Hawks. Then through the second and the most of the third quarter, both teams were neck and neck. Later in the third quarter the wolves stared to take the lead, but not for long. Both teams kept playing hard and they were almost dead, even until there was about one minute to go. The Wolves had possession, and made two points. The Hawks tried to come back and score, but it just wouldn’t come through. They fouled a few times to gain some time, but the Wolves kept making their free throws. The Lady
Photo Byy Ben Larsen
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Hawks did there best and worked hard, but just couldn’t come out with a win. Since then, the lady Hawks have
a new coach this year that is trying different ff things and coaching in a way that most of the girls are not used to, so the team is still trying to
Bailey, continued from page 5 Wilkey’s instructing and dedicated players brought forth the most successful team NS basketball has ever seen. For the first time in February of 1969 the boy’s basketball team took state. To begin the tournament, their chances looked grim. Coming into the tournament fourth in their region, NS wasn’t thought of as contenders for the title. In the end however, NS was found in the championship game battling it out with Dixie, whose players on their second team were bigger than the players on NS’s first team. Of the whole experience, Bailey most remembers the relationships he made. “I can tell you experiences, but I don’t remember details, I remember the relationships,� said Bailey. Bailey remembers the team starting to come together very well at the end of the season. The boys peaked just in time for the tournament, leaving their best game on the court every time. The team unity really came forward at this time. “The team came first,� said Bailey. “It’s amazing what you can accomplish when it doesn’t matter who gets the credit.� Many saw Bailey as a player who was extremely valuable, yet humble about his abilities at the same time, which is what made him such an asset. “He was a team player, but when he needed to take charge, he did,� said Cox. “The good thing about Dave Bailey is it’s not just about basketball. It’s about life skills and being a better person.� Forty-one years later, Bailey is now assisting head coach Tyler Schlappi on the girl’s basketball team. He plans on implementing some of the coaching techniques that Wilkey showed him as a coach. “It’s learning from those who are successful,� said Bailey.
pull it together. Their record for the season, at this point, is 1 win and 3 losses. They started out the season
Senior wrestler expects greatness from team, self BY KAYTIE NIELSON
Photo byy Alyssa Hall
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Wilkey expects for Bailey to be a great asset for the girls. “They are fortunate because of his experience and the kind of man he is. He will be a good example and leader for these young girls,� said Wilkey. Although Bailey is aware a lot has changed in the game since he last played basketball, he plans on teaching the team the fundamentals he learned in his basketball prime. His goal is to help influence the lives of the girls in a positive way and teach them the way of winning. “I would like to help the girls project an expectation of winning and an attitude of winning to the point where they demand it of themselves,� said Bailey. Having a coach like Bailey at NS is an excitement for many, as great things are expected to come forth from having him there. “I’m sure on and off ff the court the girls will become winners,� said Cox.
Bradee Sunderland, a senior at NS is on the wrestling team and the football team. He works hard for the sports he plays and gives it his all. Sunderland is currently wresting. He has nothing but high hopes for the team, and for himself, this year. “I expect that we will have a very good team. Our seniors have a lot of experience and if evPhoto Byy Kaytie Nielson eryone gives it their all I would expect to see # & # (# $% $ # % % $% #) ! ( $ !&% ! %!" $% % " #% $ some state champions at the end of the year,� Sunderland took 6th and wrestling. shown in football by said Sunderland. place. He was one of Lee went on to say how much time he put There are four of his the few to place. that Sunderland was into the offff season. He fellow classmates on “I was excited, but also a leader on the put a lot of time into the team this year in all I have ever wanted football team and al- the weight room, footwhich he’s had years of (was) that number one ways goes hard in wres- ball camps, and studyexperience with. spot,� said Sunderland, tling practice. ing film. “This year has been talking about how he He believes that Sunderland was all I’ve been looking felt about his achieve- Sunderland should named defensive player forward to for a long ment at state. take state this year in of the year, MVP, and time, I just try to go as Many of his team- wrestling if he keeps had the most tackles hard as I can everyday,� mates look up to Sun- working hard. and sacks on the team. said Sunderland when derland. They say he’s “Bradee is a gift“He’s different ff from asked about this being an amazing athlete and ed athlete. He worked all the other players behis senior year. a leader to everyone. harder than anyone cause of who he is as a Sunderland knows “I think he is a freakk and did what he had person,� said “He’s rethat this year in wres- ing stud. He is my ex- to do and what he was spectful, disciplined, tling it’s been tough, ample of all the seniors supposed to do wheth- and he cares about his but he knows they have this year in sports,� said er it was fair or not,� coaches and his teama solid team and that Aaron Lee, a junior and said Casey Jensen, head mates.� they will do their best. one of Sunderland’s football coach. At state last year teammates in football His dedication was
Boys Basketball, continued from page 5
Photo Byy Dustin Allred
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the game leading 38-19 at the half. South Sevier when on to win the game, 76-43. The Hawks then traveled to the Sevier Valley Center on Dec. 3 to take on Cedar. Cedar pulled away early, outscoring the hawks 29-5 at the end of the first half. Cedar went on to win the game by a convincing margin of 55-37.
playing Union which didn’t make them happy, because at the end of the game the score was, 22 to 42 Union. The girls kept working hard the whole time, and then they took another loss against Carbon. Although the score was 59 to 38, the girls didn’t get to down on themselves and kept working hard with the encouragement and positive attitude of their new coaching staff. ff “He is always telling us that everybody has something special to offer ff the team,� said Jennifer Nuttal, a senior basketball player at NS. The coaches encourage them in ways such as telling them to have a good attitude because it effects ff everyone one on the team. Instead of the dwelling on their losses the team tries to have positive attitudes and build on their mistakes. When someone on the team is down, other teammates step in and try to help them. Even if it might not seem like the team has been doing well this year, most of the team thinks that the season has been going really well, and that they are improving.
The Hawks then took on ranked Hurricane the next day on Dec. 4. Hurricane dominated throughout the game and only allowed the Hawks to score one point during the entire fourth quarter. Hurricane won 43-19. On Wednesday Dec. 8, the Hawks took on the North Sevier. Although the Hawks
had an 18-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, North Sevier battled back through the next three quarters and took the game into overtime. North Sevier won the game in overtime 76-71. Last week on Dec. 14 the Hawks suffered ff another loss at the hands of South Summit. South Summit was impressive in their win as they held every single Hawk player to under ten points and had three of their own players in double digits. The loss of the Bird brothers has had and obvious aff fect on the NS basketball team, but head coach Russ Keisel does not think that the loss is completely bad. “The temporary loss of Dallen and Rhett has had a huge effect ff on this team,� said coach Keisel. “But it is makk
ing us better as a team. Kids are stepping up and getting more playing time and experience than they normally would.� As coach Keisel put it, kids are definitely stepping up. Colton Dunn has become the team’s new lead scorer, averaging 12.5 points per game now that the Birds are not playing. “There is definitely more pressure to step up and perform now that we cannot rely on the Birds,� said junior Colton Dunn. Tonight the Hawks will take on the Carbon Dinos at Carbon. “Our goal is to win games and become better,� said coach Keisel. “Now when our injured player return, we will be better that we ever were.�
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Spiriteers struggle at state-wide competition
Photo byy Alyssa Hall
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BY ALYSSA A HALL As the NS Spiriteers exited Davis high school’s gym on Dec. 4, they carried with them five trophies. Having placed second three times, third twice and fourth once at the competition it was apparent that there were things to improve upon, however, they felt it was a great start to their competition season. “I felt that for a first competition we did very well, even though things weren’t perfect,� said junior Cali Anderson. Coach Alisa Cheeney agreed with Anderson, commenting that the execution of the girls in their routines gave her high hopes for the rest of the season, especially because of some inconvenient circumstances that caused emergency preparation for a few girls the day before. On Dec 18th the Spiriteers hit the road for their second competition of the season held at Jordan High School. The routines ran pretty smoothly for the most part, with the exception of the
performance of their military routine, in which senior Amber Mecham’s opinion seems to be one of the team’s most polished routines. A short period into the routine, the music the girls were performing to skipped and turned off. ff The team kept on doing their routine, counting out loud for the rest of the dance. “When we finished everyone in the entire gym stood up and clapped and cheered for us as we walked off ff the floor. The other teams even cheered for us as we walked through the hall,� said Mecham. “It was a great feeling because even though we were
disappointed, we were so proud of ourselves for finishing the routine.� Despite the setback, the girls and their coaches felt pretty confident that they would place well during the awards ceremony. Leaving Jordan high school this last Saturday night was not quite the same for the Spiriteers and their advisors as the competition previous. A different ff feeling was brought onto the bus as they made their departure back home. They left with no trophies this time, but with the ranking of seventh place. Although Cheeney and the girls were disappointed with the final decision of the judges and felt their placement was unfair, they decided as a team to react in a positive manner. “We were unhappy with how we placed, but everyone decided that it was okay,� said sophomore Mandy Peckk ham. “We did our best and felt good about how we performed. We don’t only dance to win, we dance because we love it.�
NS cheer places third, qualifi i es for nationals The NS cheer squad recently competed in the Salt Lake Regional Cheer Competition held in Murray. The team competed against seven other cheer teams from across the state. All other squads were from the 5A classification. The Ladyhawks placed 3rd overall and qualified to attend nationals in the spring. However, the team will most likely not attend due to financial considerations. Photo provided byy Sheri Anderseon
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Choir sings with jazz band, elementary students
Live Nativity held in Ftn. Green BY ELLIE NIX
Photo provided Byy Steve Sanders
BY AUSTIN SANDERS At 5:30, choir members start to arrive for rehearsal. Only 5 show up on time: the others are running late. At 6:00, the choir starts to rehearse and go over songs with accompaniment. Now it’s about 6:30. The crowd starts to slowly pour in from the back of the auditorium to find a seat. It’s 7:00, and the moment of truth has arrived for the jazz band. Directed by Timothy Kidder, they perform 3 songs. Stephen Lewis has a sax solo in one of the songs that rocks the auditorium. In another song, Hunter Erickson has a blues-y guitar solo that makes the audience get more into the music.
After the jazz band finishes, the choir is anxiously lining up ready to go and sing while they are making the transition. The elementary choir then takes the stage and sings a couple songs. Then the high school choir comes in on their last song to accompany them, with the song “Jingle Bells�. Now it is the moment the crowd and the choir have been waiting for. The choir starts out with a soft but good version of “Still, Still, Still�. At this point the audience realizes the quality of the performance they will be viewing this evening. As the choir sings it feels as though the whole concert is building as a great big crescendo. Then it gets to Five Hebrew Love Songs, which many thought
was the climax. Then Ms. Hilton, the choir director, announces to the audience that the tradition will continue of having Dr. Roy Ellefsen direct the last song. This has been a long-standing tradition at NS. The last song of the night is Carol Of The Bells. Once Ellefsen steps onto the stage the audience and choir can feel the energy, joy, and love of the music he has. As he starts directing, he brings the choir up to their full potential, making sure that every accent is hit and not ignored. In the end the audience gives the choir a standing ovation and cheers for many minutes. The audience is happy, the choir is happy, and feeling rewarded for all of their hard work.
Tangled offers ff new twist on old tale
Photo provided by filmofilia.com
BY W HITNEY NAFUS The Brothers Grimm fairy tale Rapunzel gets some fun new twists in its Disney form Tangled. The film started with a bandit named Flynn Ryder. Right from the beginning he’s causing trouble. He introduces himself as the most wanted thief in the whole entire kingdom. Proud and confident of his skills and reputation, Flynn continues with the story of Rapunzel. It all began with a drop of sunshine that fell to the earth. When it landed it transformed into a glowing flower. As expected it was no ordinary flower. The flower had powers beyond reality. A witch named Gothel used the flower’s magic to stay young. The king’s wife became
sick and was close to losing their unborn child. The magic flower was found and used as medicine. The wife was cured and the child was born healthy with hair as gold as the sun. Gothel stole the child from the kingdom seeing as how the magic of the flower had been transferred into the infant’s hair. When Flynn steals a crown from the kingdom, the King’s guard then chases him into the forest. Flynn has the worst luck that only continues to grow. Maximus, a horse that belongs to the captain of the guard, becomes his number one enemy. Flynn is forced into a cave. When he comes to the end he stumbles upon a tower. He climbs the tower thinking it could be a place of refuge. What he didn’t know was that eighteen year-old Ra-
punzel lived in that tower. Rapunzel had never been outside her tower due to her mother Gothel not allowing her to. Gothel told Rapunzel she was keeping her safe from the outside world and the evil that came with it. Rapunzel isn’t the traditional Disney Princess. You actually get to see more to her than most Disney princesses. She shows the audience that having dreams is important. Rapunzel comes off ff as a lost teenager trying to find herself. With 70 feet of hair as her weapon and a frying pan, her clueless humor charms the audience, as well as her secret pet Pascal the chameleon, who sees himself as her protector. Rapunzel holds Flynn as a hostage by tying him to a chair with, you guessed it, her hair. After hiding the crown and promising he would never find it without her help, the two make a deal. Flynn would act as her guide and take her to see the floating lights. Every year, on her birthday Rapunzel sees lights float to the sky. She can’t help but feel that they belong to her. The ending is typical the two fall in love with one another and battle their evil. And then they live happily ever after. Perhaps one of the best parts of this movie is the animation. It isn’t the traditional 2D animation, yet it is still as great. The backgrounds and colors are amazing. The expressions and actions in this movie are spectacular. Maximus is well represented in this movie, even though he doesn’t speak. Over all it’s a great movie for the family
Although many forget what the spirit of Christmas is all about, some from Fountain Green have made it possible for us to go and remember the true meaning of Christmas, and why we really celebrate it. They take around a month to get everything ready for it, and they have around 25 people that the public see, and around 35 behind the scenes. This past Friday and Saturday nights, some of the community in Ftn. Green put on a live nativity for those who wanted to go. Participants were able to go walk around and watch what it would have been like for Mary and Joseph as they traveled. Some good things about this are that they always are able to get a live baby to play the part of baby Jesus, and the people are living and walking around. They also have people singing Christmas carols off ff to the side as the spectators walk along. An attraction that is very inviting to some is that they are taken to the nativity from an LDS church in Ftn. Green on a hay ride. Others are the hot chocolate and variety of cookies that they have for aff ter the tour is over. This is something that is a very good thing for this time of year, and it is something that many went to and enjoyed. It is also something that is good for the whole
family. All those that went seemed to have a good time, and not only that, but they seemed to grasp the feeling of what Christmas is all about. The whole reason that they put on the live nativity is for people to regain the sense of what Christmas is all about. The first live nativity was performed in Greccio, Italy in the year 1223. This practice has been spread throughout the world in pageants, church productions, professionally staged plays, and sometimes in school plays. It is sometimes said that it was first performed in order to place emphasis on Christ, rather than materialistic things and gift giving. It seems as if now days, a lot of people seem to forget what really started Christmas, and what the true meaning of Christmas is. The scenes are a replica of the original birth site of Jesus, and the nativity sets are an essential part of the Christmas celebration all around the world. The nativity sets are used when the productions are put on as a background, and are also used as a decoration. The nativity pictures are a favorite to use for painters, illustrators, and other artists. A lot of American artists draw their inspiration from the classic European painting, and the Bible illustrations.
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Photo provided by allrecipies.com
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NS Times Christmas Songs As chosen by A&E editor Jenahsea Long
Looking for some holiday cheer? Try some of these popular Christmas tunes.
“All I Want For Christmas Is You� - Mariah Carey “Christmas Lights� - Coldplay “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus By� - Jackson 5 “Trans Siberian Orchestra� - Christmas Eve “The Christmas Song� - Whitney Houston
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Heard 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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