THE GEYSER www.parkhighgeyser.org
DECEMBER 19, 2019 Volume 104 Issue 2 Park High School Livingston, Montana
INSIDE
4: Childcare shortage 6: Charities during the holidays 8-9: Trends of the decade 11: Making a change to school policies 13: PHS & SGMS collaboration
Cover Photo by Kodie Booth
2 Opinion
December 19, 2019
Internet escapism a failed experiment for humanity It’s hard to fathom there was ever a time when the internet was an option; perhaps it never was. I miss the days when I could at least pretend there was a choice. Sometimes it feels like what we’re talking about when we refer to the ‘internet’ is really just compulsory escapism. It’s difficult to come to grips with the fact that 2010 was a whole decade ago; it’s even more difficult to say something like that and not feel a little bit of dread (and there’s also the whole ‘getoff-my-lawn’ connotation too) Aimless and care-worn cadavers shuffling mindlessly through their rote actualities, fantasies and daydreams - It was
a fun experiment, but I think it’s time to shut it down now, Doc. It’s real easy to hate on something. I actually feel a sense of personal creative failure on my part for writing about something that’s SO cliche to hate on that zoomers and iGen-ers alike have coined the grandest new proverbial maxim in response to the absolute codswallop that IS hating on the internet: Ok, boomer. I don’t hate the internet. The internet and that which it contains has been my most loyal friend - Google knows my deepest inner thoughts and understands me better than anyone else probably ever will - but I guess that’s the problem, right?
Editorial Policy The Geyser is published six times a year by students in the Multimedia Journalism class at Park High School. Opinions expressed in the newspaper are not those of the school district or its employees. According to school board policy 3221, “Material appearing [in student publications] should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be controversy or dissent. Controversial issues may be presented provided they are treated in depth and represent a variety of viewpoints.” Letters to the editor are welcome but are limited to 200 words. All submissions must be signed. The editors and/or adviser reserve the right to edit all letters for grammar and spelling as well as content that does not meet editorial guidelines (profanity, libel, obscenity, or invasion of privacy). Submissions may be dropped off in room D-10 or emailed to geyserstaff@gmail.com.
Table Of Contents Page 3. Student Opinions
Hunting Day Absences, Becoming Tik Tok Famous, 1914 Christmas Truce
Page 4. News
Struggle To Find Daycare, Hidden Costs Of Attending Public School
Page 5-8 Features
What To Buy People For Christmas, Shopping Locally For Christmas, Looking Back At The Decade’s Fads, Activities To Do Around Christmas Time, Helping People In Need
Page 7, 10, 12 Profiles
Brianna Pittman, Lori Dust, Laden Ricketts, Edd Enders
Page 11. News
Students find Compromise on Headphone Policy
Page 13. News
PHS/SGMS musical mentors, Hallmark Movies
Page 14. Profiles Kelly Dick
Page 16. Reviews
Disney +, Frozen Two
I don’t hate the internet but I hate what I think it’s doing to us. I’ve lived in practical isolation my whole life, as in, I’ve not been around many people outside of school (because there are none). It’s very draining coming from a place of isolation (by circumstances) to a place of isolation brought on willingly. Life is hard. I think the only times it feels as though it isn’t are the times when you’re most aptly equipped to deal with it. It feels like the internet used to be a fun escape. In 2007 there was the innocent and wholesome Yahoo Answers; In 2019…Tinder (which is a crime against
all that is good in this world) With life being as hard as it is, it feels like at some point we all agreed implicitly we’d escape together from our separate miseries to create a grand distraction somewhere else together. Nyan cat brought us some laughs and le epin rage comic was something different, sure, but the exodus didn’t stop. It feels like we traded in our real problems in for imaginary ones (and it was a ten-for-one early bird special that never ended) The internet taught me a thing or two, sure. But I feel like I’m forgetting how to be human.
IN MY OPINION
Tom Sargis
How To (W)rap BY DANIEL NELSON Geyser Staff Writer Yo yo yo. It’s ya boy Danny D, here to teach you how to rap. Before you begin to rap you need to have the right crap. Scissors and tape are needed now with good quality paper. None of that cheap stuff that tears or wrinkles like butter. The last piece of material will be unveiled later on in this How To! First you will need to measure the paper and make sure you have enough. A little more than what you need, just in case it gets to be a zoo. The paper should be roughly ten times the size of the gifted stuff. Before you fold, put the gift in the center of the paper, Now you are ready to fold, so let’s get with the flow. Fold the paper long side first because you are in the know. Or if all the sides are the same length, fold any of them over. Tape the top together, one side over the other, Keeping it nice and clean because you’re a good rapper. After that step, fold the end sides, and that will be quite different: Fold the sides of the ends into themselves, and then tape them to the present. While doing this step, be sure to not rip the paper or it will make a big noise! The paper on the top and bottom will now look like trapezoids. Fold the topside down first and then the bottom side over it. Tape them together, but be very careful to not rip. This last step is what makes or breaks your gift rapping: You now need to add a bow on top of the present. The bow lets the receiver know that you are caring And that you did some hard work instead of napping. Follow these steps and your present rapping skills Will make you capable of rapping anything And set you for life with all of its thrills! That’s all from ya boy Danny D, the king of rapping.
3 Opinion
December 19, 2019
Should students be The Quest For Tik Tok Fame allowed hunting days?
Having hunting days would benefit all hunters and their family. With hunting days you would be able to get out of school for that day. I think this would benefit all students that hunt. Since most hunters will miss days of school to try to hunt this will provide them with the ability to not have that day count against them. Students that hunt also work on the weekends and do not have the time to go hunting during the shooting hours allowed. Having hunting days you are able to spend more time with family or friends. When going hunting with others provides time for you to bond. I believe that it would provide time for you to have a one on one conversation with your parents or friends without it feeling artificial. I experienced time to talk to my dad when he took me hunting. I was able to learn quite a lot from my father taking me hunting. As a hunter you provide for your family. Though I have not killed anything. Go-
ing hunting and getting food for the family helps save money from buying meat.. When my father shot a white tail buck a few years back we were able to make it last about two months. Bigger families can hunt and get more food that will last them longer and save them money. Park high school already works with kids that would like to go on a hunting trip, but those absences count against the seven for sick days. “Traditionally we try to work it out for kids so that they can hunt. A lot of families rely on that meat to feed their families…” said Melissa Cahoon the Park high Attendance Secretary According to Cahoon some students do use their sick days to go hunting or personal days. The office has worked out with students and parents to let the student go hunting. The student needs to have decent grades and attendance that way they don’t fall behind. “We always try to work with them if a student will come and meet with Ms. Dust or myself to arrange it ahead of time…” said Cahoon. Cahoon does support the idea of hunting days that way students still have lunch bunch and still have those sick days. As long as parents and students come in early to plan out those days being missed she is supportive of the hunting days. One could argue that the school already offers personal days to students, but many students do not qualify for them. Also, as dean and math teacher John Gannon points out, not all students hunt, and some are opposed to the practice. All things considered this would be an idea worth looking at if we would be able to satisfy both sides of the issue. Photo Courtesy of Marshall Pierce
Marshall Pierce with his buck he shot November 23 this season.
We all know what TikTok is. Whether you love it or hate it, we all must admit that a big following on the app does give you clout, but I wanted to answer the question we all had on our minds: how easy is it to get Tik Tok famous? On my quest for TikTok stardom I found out the somewhat hard way that it isn’t as easy as it seems. I started off strong, my first video got a whopping two likes and one share. Although I was happy with those analytics, I knew I must do better if i wanted to truly become famous.
I started out copying all the trends from E- boy dances to more estranged redneck content. It wasn’t hard to make three or even four videos a day and upload them. They weren’t masterpieces but they did the job. I totally had the mentality of quantity over quality. I posted truck videos, redneck videos, dances, and other trends with a full send or no send attitude. After the first week I hit my single biggest setback. My account was banned after I was reported for violating community guidelines. It was a sad day, but I didn’t let it stop me from making a second profile, uploaded some videos from my backlog and tried again to achieve stardom, but as it happens most of my videos either wouldn’t post or again, somehow or another violated the guidelines and got taken down. I wasn’t really sure what I was doing wrong and to this day I’m not sure why I was
“shadowbanned” from the start. I think it may have been some deep government conspiracy against me. They don’t want me to gain a following, but I digress. My third and final attempt was just as ill-fated as the rest; I now am now in possession of a TikTok account with no follower and one video with a measly two likes. So I guess to answer the posed question from the beginning: No, Tik Tok stardom is harder than it would appear.
What you might not know about Christmas truce of 1914
There have been many acts of kindness on christmas. There’s always the christmas movies where nothing is going right for a person and they are just being dragged down, but then friends and family step in and the characters holiday is a lot better. This happens a lot and is highly exaggerated in some movies, but you wouldn’t think of the soldiers fighting in a war to just completely stop and enjoy this holiday with each other. On Christmas morning in 1914 on the WW1 battlefield,
German soldiers crossed no man’s land saying Merry Christmas. At first, the Allied forces thought it was a trick, but after they saw that the Germans were unarmed the Allied forces came out and shook hands with the Germans and exchanged presents. The Allies already knew there was something up the night before. Around 8:30 on Christmas Eve, the German forces lit up their trenches with Christmas trees and sang Christmas carols. The Allies and Germans exchanged compliments, but the Allies were still being cautious about the Germans. Both sidessent a few scouts out to meet in the middle of no man’s land. The scout for the allies received a note along with a glass of whiskey and a pack of cigars. The note said “if we didn’t fire at them, they would not fire at us.” when the Germans met the english soldiers, they greeted them by saying “english soldier, Merry Christmas.”
This is similar to today because everyone usually comes together and exchange gifts. No matter what is going on, there is always time to stop disputes and show that you still care for people. Christmas or any other holiday, everyone should at least go out and try to show the world that you care. It doesn’t matter if you’re donating a toy to a toy drop or holding the door for someone. There are many ways of showing kindness and even if it’s subtle, it still counts. A lot of times, people stay in a little bubble where the only thing that they care about is themselves and they only do things that benefit them. But, like in World War One, the Germans and the allies put aside their differences and enjoy the holiday with each other even though they were at war with each other. So no matter what you have going on, sometimes it’s best to put things aside and show other people that you care.
4 News
December 19, 2019
Teachers advocate for a school district daycare TYANNA CORTEZ Geyser Staff Writer Working 40 hours a week and needing a full-time babysitter that can work with your schedule can be impossible to find. As more teachers reach retirement age, new employees often have young children or are looking to start a family. In Livingston, a shortage of daycare providers has made it difficult for some teachers to find daycare for their children. Also, most of the options in Livingston are full, and some have a year-long waiting list. To address these issues, a group of Livingston school district teachers has talked about opening an in-district daycare. The teachers would still pay for the daycare, but they would be guaranteed a spot. Starting a school district
daycare program is one item being considered in contract negotiations between the Livingston School District and the Livingston Education Association, said Jenny Stringer, secretary for the superintendent. As a negotiation item, Superintendent Don Viegut cannot discuss the details of a possible daycare program, she explained. Sarah Dahl, a Park High English teacher, has two young children, and finding childcare in Livingston has been a challenge, she said. Since August, Dahl’s kids have been cared for by four different providers. First she had a friend watch her children (along with her own), then a Park High student who graduated last year took them, and since then she has taken her son and daughter to two different providers. Dahl explains the price of daycare a month. “I’m ac-
tually paying a lower amount for our daycare which is $1,000 a month for two kids, and the places I’d love to place my children are $1,800 a month.” Dahl likes the idea of opening an in-district daycare for the teachers, giving the child development class the chance to experience taking care of children. After the class is trained, they could spend a period or possibly even a couple of periods with the children. Licensed adults would provide the daycare, not the students. Dahl says “this would be more of an internship setting, easier to train students, and more of a reciprocal nature where the children would benefit from having the older students there to read to them, play with them and engage in activities, and the older students would benefit from being with the younger kids.” There have been sever-
Photo by Kate Lende
Sarah Dahl holds her daughter Ruby in the library Dec. 5. When one of her children gets ill at daycare, she sometimes has to bring them to school with her. al times when Dahl has had to bring her children to work with her, and the school has been very understanding and flexible when she has to do so. Dahl
says, “the administrators are really good about when I have to bring my kids to work. They trust that I will do anything to make my kids not be a distraction.”
Navigating the additional costs of high school Out of all the grades, the seniors seem to have to pay more than the others. An anonymous senior talked about the stresses of senior year and all the money you spend just to graduate. Between the gowns, caps, announcements, and senior pictures, they have a lot on their hands. If they want to go to college they have to pay for application fees and standardized tests. Park High tries to help the students by offering a week for Photo by Natalie Davis the seniors to be able to apply to Montana colleges for free, and Park High students practice their survival skills during their fall every spring juniors survival science field trip. called the Angel fund to help offset take the ACT for free. SYDNEY BOOTH Brittney Hampsome of these costs for students Geyser Staff Writer son is Park High’s who can’t afford them, whether family and consumit’s to eat lunch, buy tennis shoes A free public education is er sciences teacher, for gym, or pay for sports fees. one of the benefits of living in this teaching classes like Attendance secretary Melissa country, but there are a surprising fashion design, culiCahoon is one of the people number of additional costs that who helps with the Angel fund. nary arts, and others. some students face in high school. Many kids don’t know Most of her classFrom buying extra materials for that it exists. The money comes es require different class, to field trip and activity from the community and business materials and foods, fees, to all the expenses that go donations. “It warms my heart to but her district-proalong with graduating, sometimes know our community is always vided budget only an education isn’t free, after all. able to help out,” said Cahoon. pays for the culinary Park High offers something arts supplies (food).
Her other classes are supported by grants such as the Perkins fund, but this often doesn’t allow for the purchase of consumable materials like fabric. Hampson’s classes aren’t the only ones that sometimes require extra fees. Electives like Survival Science take numerous field trips, and sometimes students have to help pay to offset these costs. Dual credit courses sometimes require students to purchase their own curriculum materials, such as books, and to pay for the college credits
they receive (at a reduced cost). Co-Principal Scalia mentioned that the Livingston Education Foundation offers scholarships for dual credit courses and other certifications that students pay for. Teachers of these classes usually emphasize that, if a student can’t afford something, they should let the school know so they can find a solution. “If I really need something, the administration would find a way to get it,” Hampson said. “I feel very supported.”
Page 5
December 19, 2019
BY PJ TUBAUGH Geyser Staff Writer 1. Catherine Lane’s is perfect for a present for the ladies in your family. They have a variety of jewelry that can fit anyone’s taste. They also have a lot of different types of home furnishings and everything your mom or grandma could ever want. 103 S Main St. 2. The Obsidian Collection has a range of things. This store can appeal to almost anyone. You will find lots of little knick-knacks here along with some “Montana must haves” with all sorts of locally and Montana made items. There is everything from mugs, stickers, pajamas, hats, jewelry, to games and gifts for kids and babies. There are even things here for your dad such as books on camping or “roughing it”. 108 N 2nd St. 3. At Home on the Range is a culinary store for cooks in your life. Featured here is all the kitchenware you could ever possibly want. There are also cook books, table linens, aprons, and all the cleaning supplies for you to use after they make a mess in the kitchen with their shiny new tools. 105 W Park St.
Flow Chart By Kodie Booth 4. Copper Moose is an oil and vinegar taphouse, so it’s perfect for cooks, as well. All the flavors of oils you could imagine are here such as vanilla maple, garlic, peppered bacon, and even truffle. Many types of vinaigrettes are available here ranging from summer peach to jalapeno lime. Copper Moose also carries a wide variety of salts and seasonings, pasta, risotto, and houseware to help you serve these products. 316 E Park St. 5. Yellowstone Gifts and Sports is full of all sorts of items for your dad and brother or even your mom. This is the place to go for all your outdoor needs. Here you will find a wide variety of sporting goods for hunting, fishing, hiking, and many more activities. They carry everything from clothes to water bottles and have all sorts of cool little gifts to choose from. 1106 W Park St. 6. Timber Trails has all the perfect gear for outdoor adventures. This store will appeal to anyone that hikes or bikes or even skis. Here you can find small-
er gifts like warm hats, jackets, or just your simple Hydro Flask and socks. 309 W Park St. 7. Ace Hardware is the perfect place to go if your dad loves to build or tinker with things. If your dad would simply just enjoy a box of nails you will find a wide variety here. BBQ accessories,flashlights, yeti cups, and many more are here. 1106 W Park St. 8. The Spurline has the more western basics. This would be the place to go to get your dad, mom, or older siblings their gloves, hats, muck boots. They also have a wide supply of crazy cool scarves. Or, if your looking to buying treats or accessories for your furry friends there is a wide variety here. 1370 Hwy 10 West. 9. Dan Bailey’s Fly Shop has everything an avid fisher could need. Options include flies or waders. Pretty much anything you need to go fishing. You could sure spoil someone at this store. 209 W Park St. 10. Riverside Hardware is per-
fect for to shop for your dad. It is full of all the supplies a dad would need to complete his latest project. 107 S Main St. 11. Western Drug has all sorts of small gifts to use as stocking stuffers. This store will most fit your mom, sister, and friends. One extra bonus of shopping here is you can stop and treat yourself to a milkshake in between shopping! 1313 W Park St. 12. Calamity’s has clothes most fit for the teenage girl. They have jeans, shirts, shoes, and everything that is in style. They also have small gifts like Bluetooth headphones that you could use as stocking stuffers. 129 N Main St. 13. Cactus Blossom Collective carries primarily clothes. Their style is very Boho so will most appeal to a sister or friend. You can find very distinct styles here that can turn into an amazing outfit. 111 W Callender St. 14. Livingston Kite Company is the perfect place to go for a little brother or sister. Not only do
they have all sorts of supplies for kites, they also have puzzles, toys, and lots of different activities for them to do that don’t involve technology. 113 W Callender St. 15. High Trash Boutique has new and thrifted clothes. Your brother, sister, and mom are who you want to shop for here. There are so many options on what you could get here. They have outfits to fit anyone’s style. There are also some small gifts you could buy, such as soy candles or some jewelry. 113 S Main St. 16. Montana Brewery has all of the local breweries’ gear. If your dad likes to get gear from any of these places, this is the place to go. Hats, tee shirts, and long sleeve shirts are some of the more expensive options but also sold here are pint glasses, cookies, and keychains. 108 W Callender St. 17. Murdoch’s has everything for anyone. They have clothes for work, play, and events. They also have a whole section for kids toys such as dump trucks or horse sets. 240 S Park St.
6 Features
December 19, 2019
What you can do to stay busy this Christmas LEINEE SMITH Geyser Staff Writer Indoor activities: Watch movies: Stay inside with friends and family and watch Christmas movies, or go to the Empire Twin Theater on 2nd Street. Some of the movies that will be playing over the break include “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” and “Jumanji: The Next Level.” Decorating for Christmas: Set up and decorate a Christmas tree. Christmas baking: Make sugar cookies and decorate them with frosting and sprinkles. Art Galleries: Visit one of the many art galleries in Livingston, or go to Fireflies to paint pottery. Go bowling: Go to the Treasure Lanes bowling alley. Wrap presents Drink hot chocolate Make a gingerbread house Outdoor Activities: Christmas stroll:
Go
to the Livingston Christmas Stroll on December 6 from 5:00pm-8:00pm, or the Bozeman Christmas Stroll on December 7 from 4:30pm-7:30pm. Snowmobiling: Go to a rural place and ride snowmobiles in the snow. Sledding: Find a good snow packed hill to go sledding on with friends and family. One good place in Livingston is the 9th Street Hill. Build a Snowman Have a snowball fight Ice skating: If it’s frozen enough, bring your own ice skates and head out onto the lagoon. Ice fishing: Find a good frozen solid area to catch some fish. A good place to go could be the Sacajawea Park Lagoon. Things to do outside of Livingston: Go to Chico Hot Springs: Go swimming or soaking anytime between 7am and 11pm, with a small fee of $8.50 for adults, $3.50 for seniors 65+ and kids three to six, and all kids under the age of 2 free. Afterwards, enjoy a nice meal at the Chico Grille.
Photo by Leinee Smith
Putting up ornaments is a great way to get into the Christmas spirit. Bozeman Hot Springs: If the Haynes Pavilion ice skatyou want to go swimming but ing rink for a fee of $5.00 for somewhere a little bigger, you adults, $3 for ages six to 12, could go to Bozeman Hot Springs and ages under 6 get in for free. for a single admissions cost of Shopping in Boze$10.50 for adults, $9.50 for ages man: Go Christmas shopfive to 13, $5.00 for ages zero to ping for friends and family. four, and $9.50 for seniors 60+. Skiing at Bridger Bowl: The Bozeman Ice Skat- Go to Bridger Bowl for a day of ing Rink: Go ice skating at skiing and snowboarding. Single
Photo by Leinee Smith
As winter begins, nothing warms the soul like a nice cup of hot cocoa.
day tickets cost $63 for adults 13-69, $25 for children seven to 12, and $35 for seniors 70-79. Go to a movie: Go to the Regal Gallatin Valley Cinema in the Bozeman mall to watch a new movie.
Good samaritans choose to help out those in need Fairchild and Melissa Cahoon. “We never imagined it would be something this big EDEN KIRK when we started it years ago,” Cahoon said. Geyser Staff Writer With local shopping being limited since Shopko closed, Fairchild and CaThis holiday season, there are sevhoon are taking students, each with a $100 eral ways to give back to the commugift card, to Target in Bozeman on Dec 18. nity through charities and donations. Donations for the fund come from The Angel Fund began ten years ago parents of students, local organizations, and with just 10 students but has grown into community members. The students then an annual fundraiser that supports many have an opportunity to purchase new clothes students and families. This year, the fund and shoes. “We always make sure they get is being run by PHS secretaries Donna clothes, shoes, and things they need first,
and then if they have money left over, they can use it for something fun,” Cahoon said. There are several families with younger siblings. Wrapped gifts were brought to Park High School by community members and will be handed out to the children in time for the holidays. The remaining funds will be used to aid students throughout the year with necessary items such as athletic clothing, shoes, and hygiene products. This gives students the opportunity to participate in school events and activities. Another way to get involved this holiday season is through Livingston’s Annual Community Christmas Dinner. This is a free public event at the Park County Fairgrounds where everyone is invited. The Community Christmas Dinner will be held on Dec. 25 from noon to 2 p.m. To aid in the success of this event, you can volunteer your time or make a food donation. Monetary donations will also be accepted at the First Interstate Bank. Along with these charities, donations can be made to the Livingston Food Pantry, the Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, and the Community Clos-
Photo by Melissa Cahoon
Bray Holmes and Denie Hampson help wrap gifts for the Angel Fund last year.
et, among other nonprofits. Charities are a great way to give during the holidays.
December 19, 2019
Page 7 Profiles
Pittman expresses her passion for showing appreciation career, and been a National Honors Society member for two years. Somehow, Pittman still finds time to regularly sing to the elderIt’s true that most people ly and participate in plays at the appreciate the role that the crossShane Lalani Center for the Arts ing guard plays in keeping people along with attending youth group. safe while crossing the street, but “I want to be rememdo they strive to let their apprecibered as a happy, caring peration be known? Park High senior son that put others before myBrianna Pittman went the extra self and made a difference in mile to acknowledge how much people’s lives,” Pittman said. she values the work the crossing On top of all this, she is guard does by giving her flowalso Park High’s student body ers. This is just one of many exampresident. As student council ples of Pittman’s giving character. president, Pittman leads the stuSenior Izzi Petry said dent council meetings, makes the that she is inspired by Pittman’s student council’s weekly agendesire to give back to the peoda, and helps with the preparaple she respects and cherishes. tion of school events. She also Pittman gives back by beregularly meets with Dr. Lynne ing involved in the school and the Scalia and the school adminiscommunity. She participates in tration to discuss the most effecseveral school organizations such tive ways to better Park High. as Speech and Drama, NationShe has this insane motivaal Honors Society, and Student tion to help everyone around her. Council. Pittman has been a part She is very selfless, and that is a of Student Council and Speech very good quality when it comes and Drama all of her high school to being a leader,” Petry said.
EDEN KIRK Geyser staff writer
“I am very dedicated. When I’m passionate about something, I work really hard to accomplish my goals,” said Pittman “I have this crazy goal. I went to Africa in 2016 and I absolutely loved it. My goal is to go back to Africa and teach English or help with orphanages.” Currently, Pittman is learning French with plans to go to Togo, Africa. She hopes to change the view on Africa by helping others recognize that we can learn from them just as much as they can learn from us. Along with her goals of going to Africa, Pittman is also passionate about mental health awareness.“It is something I’m passionate about changing, making people more aware, and helping people that suffer from mental illnesses get the help that they deserve,” Pittman said. “What I admire most about Brianna is how happy she is. Photo courtesy of Larry Stanley She has this inspiring, beautiful, contagious kind of happiness Brianna Pittman looks in the mirror at herself dressed in costume that I truly idolize,” Petry said. for “Beauty and the Beast,” last spring’s school play
Co-Principal Dust shows another side of herself
DAVID DURGAN Geyser staff writer
One can often find Lori Dust standing with her arms crossed and a straight face, most of the time wearing jeans and a button down shirt. She has a stare that makes students talking during assemblies instantly cease and regret it. However, if you have spent any time with Dust, you would know that she has a bright smile, a loud, jovial laugh, and that she enjoys nothing more than using both. Being a Co-principal is hard work. It takes “difficult conversations” Dust says. It’s easy to hate rules and discipline, but as Dust puts it, it is “necessary for the goodness of people.” Solid boundaries open doors for positive leaders, and Dust is comfortable enforcing those boundaries, for the good of all students. The first thing that everyone needs to understand about Dust is that she loves Livingston. She always knew that she wanted to retire here, so she bought a house in Livingston while she
Photo by David Durgan
Lori Dust and Melissa Cahoon pose for a picture by pointing and laughing at eachother, as they do was still working in Hardin. Dust Indiana, before moving to work petition to see if anyone loved says that the location and the peo- in Hardin, and then finally to Liv- the kids of Park High more than ple are what attracted her to Liv- ingston. Since moving to Living- Lori Dust. She says she sees so ingston. She enjoys hiking, float- ston, Dust has made it her goal much potential in every student, ing, and spending time outdoors. to make a positive impact on the and she feels fortunate to be a part Dust has taken a long path climate and culture of the school. of the community. Since taking to end up in Livingston. She startMelissa Cahoon has the job at Park High, Dust has ed her education by playing bas- worked closely with Dust since offered consistency and stability ketball at Indiana State Univer- she moved here. “Although she within the realm of discipline in sity. Next, she attended Indiana can come off as tough, her heart the school, but she does it all out University, followed by Montana is with the kids,” Cahoon said, of love for the kids of the school. State University. She has ob- “She’s one of the best bosses I “I love kids enough to go there,” tained two Master’s degrees. She have ever had, but I don’t want that Dust remarked. She added that started off teaching strength train- to go to her head,” Cahoon jokes. discipline can get heavy, she tries ing classes. First Dust worked in It would be a tough com- to handle situations with dignity
and respect. She tries to offer “discipline wrapped in all of the caring we can give.” Dust attributes her success in the high school to her team, which she called “solid”. Being able to laugh at yourself and not take yourself too seriously is important. Dust is a person who lives by this. She is usually smiling, and she always has a witty comeback for any situation. One thing that Dust does not take too seriously is her nickname. She thinks that being called the DustBuster is hilarious. “Everybody likes to laugh,” Dust said. “You get to laugh quite a bit if you don’t take yourself too seriously.” Melissa Cahoon says that Dust’s sense of humor helps her day go by faster. “It makes things lighter and less overwhelming,” she commented. Dust says that she knows that she has not always been the most popular. However, she thinks that she has came out better, and she values the relationships that she has gained. Dust says that moving forward will take “courageous conversations, facing hard issues, and wrapping it all with love.”
Pages 8-9
December 19, 2019
decade the of e Timelin In honor of the decade’s end, take a journey back in time by reflecting on the memories of the past ten years.
BY RYLEAH FLOYD, ABBY KOKOT, HALEIGH GILLIAM AND MATT LANCE
“Zhu Zhu Pets always got stuck in my hair .” - Ryleah Floyd
“I went hard on the Wii, Wii Resort specifically” Scott Tatum
“Around the holidays I would always watch “Grandma got run over by a reindeer.”” - Reagan Frantz
“We had a lot of 2k tournaments. If there was 2k, there were hands being thrown.”-Rylee Watt
“One Direction really got my soul going.” - Rob Wolf
Song: “Baby” by Justin Bieber Movies/Shows: “Despicable Me” & “Good Luck Charlie” Trends: Bieber Hair 3D T.V. Toys/Games: Angry Birds Fruit Ninja
2010
Toys/Games: Temple run
Song: “Party Rock Antheme” by LMFAO Trends: Dip Dyed hair Movies/Shows: “Rio” & “Jessie”
2011
Trends: One Direction Movies/Shows: “Wreck it Ralph” & “Gravity Falls” Song: “Call me maybe” by Carly Rae Jepsen Toys/Games: Candy Crush
Song: “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Toys/Games: Trivia Crack Vine
Movies/Shows: “Frozen” & “Liv and Maddie” Trends: Big Scarfs & The Dance Gas
2012
2013
Toys/Games: Crossy Roads
Trends: Twerking & The iPhone 6 Song: “Happy” by Pharrell Williams
“Sometimes the Gravity Falls theme song just plays in my head.” - Malea Coleman
“I used to always watch “Shrek” and “Wall-E”.” Aden Rogge
Movies/Shows: “Inside out” & “Minions” Song: “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson Toys/Games:
Movies/Shows: “Big Hero 6” & “Girl Meets World”
Kinetic Sand
2014
2015
“I just remember my fidget spinner being taken away and bottle flipping being banned.” - Taylor Young
Trends: AirPods, Stanky Leg & Bottle Flipping Toys/Games: Tik Tok
Movies/Shows: “Moana” & “Finding Dory” Song: “Love Yourself “ by Justin Bieber
2016
Toys/Games: Nintendo Switch & Fortnite
Song: “God’s Plan” by Drake Toys/Games: iPhoneX
Song: “Despactito” by Luis Fonsi & Daddy Yankee
Movies/Shows: “Toy Story 4” & “Frozen 2” Toys/Games: Farmers io
Movies/Shows: “Incredibles 2”
Trends: Vans & The Triangle Dance
Movies/Shows: “Boss Baby” & “Jumanji”
Trends: Flossing & 3D Printing
Song: “Old Town Road” by Lil Nas X
2017
2018
2019
Trends: Dabbing
Page 10 Profiles
December 19, 2019
Park High’s Ricketts making his mark at MSU BY RYLEAH FLOYD Geyser Staff Writer Described as a silent leader, on and off the court, Park High alum Ladan Ricketts now plays basketball for the Montana State Bobcats. He is in his senior year and plans to have a successful season with his team. From a Little Tykes hoop in his basement all the way to the college court, Ricketts has a long history with basketball. His teachers and mentors recall that he was always in the gym. After hours, he would ask the janitors to let him in, just so he could shoot. Before school, after school, even outside his house when snow was on the ground, you could always find Ricketts with a ball in hand. Pastor Shad Durgan recalled that, in junior high, Ricketts would play and shoot in the church gym after every youth group. Durgan often played with Ricketts and remembered that “in 8th grade he turned from a boy to a man,” Ricketts was much faster and stronger than the years before. Durgan has been a mentor for Ricketts off of the
court; he loves watching him play and enjoys seeing how far he has come in his basketball experience. “The best player to play at Park High” was just one of the heartfelt comments he gave about Ricketts in an interview. Ricketts is not just a hard worker on the court, he is in his classes as well. Daniel McGrath had Ricketts as a student for all four years of high school. He said “Ladan was as sharp as a tack.” He was the type of student to lead by example. “He wasn’t shy but he was reserved, polite, patient, mindful and one of the kindest people you’ll meet,” McGrath recalled. He went on to say, Ricketts was universally liked by students, staff, parents and the public. He doesn’t take anything lightly but that isn’t to say he can’t take a joke. Ricketts can go from quiet and shy to flashing a bright beaming smile at you. Described by mentors and past teachers as the type of person you want to be around, Ricketts is very respectful, disciplined and the kind of person who will push you to be your best just by watching him. Some believe he didn’t always know that he was leading others. He just did what he knew and others followed, on and off the court. Standing at 6 foot 5 inches and 185 pounds, Ricketts is definitely one you can pick out from a crowd. He has brunette hair and a great smile. Growing up in Livingston, I remember watching him play in high school. Ricketts always stood out with his height but his skills on the court is what caught my attention. It looked like he always had fun playing; his teammates respected him and so did his coaches, the Park High fans loved him and were always very excited to watch him play. Ricketts played at Sheridan College in Wyoming after he graduated Park in 2015 because this college showed how much they “WANTED” him, Ricketts said in an email. He played for two years there with some great stats before he was recruited by multiple Division 1 colleges. He decided on Montana State “due to their level of recruitment of me and the fit and pride I had for playing in my home state,” he wrote. Last year Ricketts was ranked highly for shooting percentages in the Big Sky Conference Standing. In the 2018-2019
Courtesy of Garrett Becker
Ladan Ricketts shoots the ball against University of Wisconsin, Green Bay in a game on November 30. season he averaged 9.9 points per game and his 3-point percentage was 45.7. This year, just starting the season, he is averaging 8.4 points per game and his 3-point percentage is 51.2. For more statistics about the Bobcats and Ricketts, go to msubobcats.com. Ricketts has so little free time, we had to conduct our interview via email, when doing so, I learned that with the small spare time that he has around classes, practices, homework and games he enjoys “relaxing and watching t.v. shows, playing cards with friends and occasionally going out on a weekend.” He also likes to be outdoors, hunting, hiking and fishing or working on his truck. “The pros of playing college basketball definitely outweigh the impact it has on my social life,’’ he explained. He says he wishes he would’ve known the importance of weight training and nutrition in high school. He did not take either one very seriously and it had a “major impact on his performance,” he said. Since his freshman year of college, Ricketts said he had gained 30 pounds, and it has benefited him a lot. Ricketts isn’t sure of his future at the moment. He said he has considered playing professional basketball overseas, but if that doesn’t happen, he will be working in marketing somewhere in the western states. The Cats’ next home game is December 28 at 4 p.m. against the 5-1 Sacramento State, so get out and support the Bobcats and a Livingston native.
11 News
December 19, 2019
Principal’s Advisory Members Work for Change BY DESIREE SWANSON Geyser Staff Writer
Photo by Kate Lende
Ciara Madden and Zoe Bradley propose changes to the headphone policy, allowing students in art class to listen to music if the teacher allows it. Staff voted at the meeting to approve the change.
Students from the Principal Advisory recently made a change to the student hand book. Since the phone policy changes this year,no headphones are allowed in school. With a lot of planning and working together, Zoe Bradley and Ciara Madden presented an idea to the teachers at a recent faculty meeting. Teachers voted to approve the change, which allow earbuds in art class at the teacher’s discretion. There are many ways to make a change here at Park High. You could go to Principal Advisory where you could talk to students and Co-Principal Lynne Scalia about something you would
like to change or to find out what needs to be different. They meet both lunches on Wednesdays. You could also go to Student Council to present your ideas and share your opinions. Student Council members meet on Tuesdays right after school with teacher Caitlin Chiller. The way Principal Advisory made the change in the art classes, is by meeting. It was amany multi week process to come up with a solution. When they narrowed it down, they talked about what exactly needed to be changed. The problem with trying to change the policy was not everyone would be satisfied with such a minor change. With changing the earbud rule to allow them in art classes and not in study hall
or during the day, it took alot of planning to be able to explain the how the chnage would be inacted and how to keep stduents from taking the change too far. Making a change at Park High school is easier when you have other people to help. Junior Jack Miller, recently elected as vice president of student council, ran on a platform of empowering student voice. “I think that more people need to be heard than just the niche group in student council and who they talk to,” Miller said. He would like to do more outreach to the student body, but is open to ideas about how to make that happen.
Livingston’s historic buildings have stories BY RYLEE BEASLEY Geyser Staff Writer The town of Livingston was founded in the late 1800’s, and at that time it was well known because of the railroads in town, and the nearby mining sites. Livingston, Montana was the halfway point between St. Paul, Minnesota and Tacoma, Washington on the Northern Pacific railroad. People also know of Livingston because it is sometimes called the Yellowstone gateway, due to Yellowstone National Park being less than 60 miles away. Another thing that Livingston is known for is the buildings from when the town was first established, and they are still standing, in good condition, so most are considered to be historic or preserved even if they are a different business than they used to be. As you travel through downtown Livingston, you can look up and see all the old buildings that have been changed into new businesses. A building downtown that many people go to each day will soon be torn down and entirely rebuilt as a more modern, environmentally friendly building to match area branches. The building is currently known as First
Livingston’s historical downtown, taken in the early 1900’s. Interstate bank, located at 207 W Callender St. This building has always been a bank but back in the early days, the bank was known as National Park Bank. The new branch in downtown Livingston will be built in the same location, which is rich in history and features a unique style from the early days; however, the bank is not a registered historical landmark. The closure is expected to start in January of 2020, demolition is expected to start late March
2020, early April 2020 and be completed by December of 2020. Another building is the former hospital building, which was located at 504 S 13th St.This hospital is well known to the older generations including the early 2000’s kids, many of whom were born there. When the new hospital was built at 320 Alpenglow Ln, on the east end of town, the 13th Street building was vacated and sold. The Missoula based affordable housing development is in the process
Photo courtesy of: Family Old Photo
of transforming the building into affordable rental housing consisting of 34 studio apartments. An important historic building that many forget about is the Hefferlin Opera House. The history of this building is significant because in the early 1800’s, C.S. Hefferlin came to Montana and he first built the National Park bank on Park St in 1889, which was located on the Hefferlin block. He then constructed the Hefferlin Opera House in 1892, which he designed with
beauty, convenience for the people of Livingston and the comfort of a public place. This wasn’t the only theater in Livingston at the time, but it was a popular one for the time being. Hefferlin designed the glamorous stage to fit 50 entertainers at once. But sadly by the 1940’s the old opera and stage shows weren’t all that popular anymore. Then eventually it was torn down and rebuilt as part of the hotel. The hotel, and whole Hefferlin block burned down. That location is now known as the American Bank’s parking lot, and used by people everyday. Adding onto the Hefferlin Livingston’s history is truly interesting because each building has its own unique story. Livingston is a beautiful town and it is definitely crazy to think that our little town has so much history that goes along with it. It’s also really cool to understand how our town got established. If you are interested in learning about the historic buildings and locations in Livingston, a great resource is visiting the Park High library and asking for the old maps. Another interesting place to visit is the Yellowstone Gateway Museum, they have lots of information on the history of Livingston
12 Profiles
December 19,2019
Local artist embraces Montana lifestyle
Edd Enders, Park High alumni, sits amoung his art in his Danforth studio recently.
DANIEL NELSON Geyser Staff Writer There were 14 horses and mules; now they were all frozen to death and the only way back to camp was to walk 140 miles. Who would have an experi-
ence like that? None other than Edd Enders, Park High alumni. Enders is the definition of Livingston: he’s an artist and a cowboy. His studio is on the top floor of the Danforth building. The room is chilly, but it complements the old age of the Victorian building. The creaky wood floor has dust and paint on it,
Photo by Daniel Nelson
and there are paintings scattered across it, or leaning against the wall. There are a lot of tools just lying around, and some are on the lone table in the middle of the room. Most of the paintings are of trees and landscapes. Edd is dressed like a typical Montanan: he has a Carhartt jacket, jeans and fingerless gloves.
Edd graduated from Park High in 1981. He has been in Livingston for 47 years. He moved to Alaska the day after he graduated and worked there as a guide for an outfitter. He had the most harrowing experience of his life in the Alaskan wilderness: after the last hunters left at the end of October, the guides drew straws and it was left to Edd and his friend Joe to take the livestock back to the haul road from camp. They had to walk out of Brooks Range to get to that road, which parallels the Alaska pipeline. It didn’t go well: the horses and mules that they were bringing back froze to death. The boys had no other choice but to walk 140 miles back to the road, which took them two weeks, surviving exclusively on moose meat. Edd was only 18 and lost 40 pounds on that journey. The next 10 years of his life he ranched and guided, and during a winter in Gallatin Gateway, he decided to take art classes at MSU, and those art classes led to the study of art history. During his mid-20s, in 1988, he did his first oil painting: a still life with vegetables. “After that I found my calling,” explains Edd. He decided to become a full-time artist. While he was guiding he met a cook who would become his future wife. In 1995 his son Joseph was born, and Edd made sure that his son had art
all around him; Joseph soon became a critic of his father’s art. In 1998, the director of the Danforth building on Main Street in Livingston allowed him to set up his studio on the top floor. Edd said that he was influenced by the expressionists, and while only some of his works are dark, the majority of them are vibrant. “I love Edd’s use of primary colors; he reminds me of Van Gogh”, adds Kateri Bechard, a fellow artist. During the summer, Edd paints landscapes and during the winter he paints urban and still life. Edd is a hard worker; he works on the historic Nelson Story ranch in Paradise Valley part of the year. Edd met Nelson, the ranch owner, in the third grade, and they have maintained a good friendship for all these years. The painting is balanced by the work; Edd has worked on 15 ranches over his life. He has taught students how to paint with oil, and has even taught some of the students here in Park High. Edd has seen Livingston change over the years; he likes that there is more culture, but he doesn’t like that there are way more people than when he was growing up. He loves Montana, but if he had the money, he would move to a warmer climate. He gave the best advice to younger people: “It’s good for young people to leave Montana, so when they return they can have an appreciation for Montana’s beauty.”
December 19, 2019
13 News
Music students mentor middle school members MADDY HALL Geyser Staff Writer Imagine making a bridge between the high school and the middle school. Well, Nancy Curtis, Park High Choir teacher and Garrett Stannard, Park High Band teacher, are creating a metaphorical bridge between the high school and middle school by allowing high school student to mentor middle school students. “I just did it,” Curtis explained, saying she had an idea to allow her students to go help the middle schoolers in choir. Two of her students, seniors Kate Reid and Brianna Pitman, head cross the street to Sleeping Giant Middle School every day during third period. They dedicate their third period to help the 7th and 8th graders during their choir class. “It helps them [the middle schoolers] be motivated, respectful, informational and organized,” Curtis said. It allows the under-
classmen to have a role model, someone to look up to and to show what their proper behavior should be during their class. In addition to the high school students who work with the middle schoolers, the 7th graders get to come to the high school to watch the Chamber Choir rehearsal, to give them a perspective of what it’s like to be in a high school choir class. “I’m trying to open the eyes of the middle schoolers,” said Curtis. In the end, the upperclassmen students are trying to encourage their younger peers to continue choir in their high school career. “We are positive role models for the middle schoolers,” said Pitman. When the students are misbehaving, they are able to call them out on their actions. “There is growth that needs to happen,” explained Reid. Reid and Pitman witnessed this growth when they attended one of their choir concerts and they were pleasantly
impressed with the performance. Band director Stannard has started doing the same thing with his band students, acting as mentors for SGMS music students. His purpose is to get the kids more involved in middle school and what is going on throughout their day. Like Curtis, Stannard also works in the middle school, so he suggested the idea to the other SGMS band teacher. The band kids go over once a week to the middle school in groups. Stannard will pick certain groups within the band. Not only does it help the middle school, it also helps the high school. It allows Stannard to have more of a one-on-one time with certain groups of the band. “It increases quality and participation,” he said. “I call them Band-Aids,” Stannard laughed. Stannard hopes soon that he will be able to send over the freshmen to work with the 7th graders. Senior Hannah Harshbarger has been working with the SGMS jazz band and 8th grade
Photo by Maddy Hall
Brianna Pittman sits among the eighth grade choir class that she mentors, Dec. 12 at SGMS. “Essentially the goal is to band for several months now and says she has seen improve- teach them proper etiquette as ments in behavior and etiquette. well as to help them with their “As we’ve gone over performance skills, some of more and more, they’ve be- the things that, when you have come more quiet and atten- a classroom of 50 kids, some tive and are more respectful in of the instrument specific stuff their performances,” she said. gets lost on an 8th grade student,” Harshbarger explained.
Hallmark movies
Same plots but good acting DARIAN GILMAN Geyser Staff Writer Hallmark Christmas movies. We all know it has basically become a tradition with our parents to binge watch these movies during the holidays. However, in my opinion, all of the Hallmark movies are just remakes of previous movies. They all follow the same plot: man and woman meet each other, fall in love, break up, Christmas spirit brings them back together, and then it’s basically the end of the movie. The only difference between the movies are the characters, details of the movie, and sometimes there’s even some magic… sometimes. Honestly, the plot to these movies should just be called the Hallmark Formula, because every movie follows these steps every time. Although the plot is as
bland as unseasoned turkey, the acting is not bad. The directors cast good actors and it’s not the cringiest acting ever, but the movie almost spoils itself because you already know what’s going to happen. Out of the 33 movies my mom has forced me to watch, there has been only one heartbreak, and it wasn’t even a “we’re never ever getting back together” deal. The man was a ghost and had to go back to heaven on Christmas, and for whatever reason he thought getting into a relationship with a person who was still alive was a good idea. This story, the “Spirit of Christmas,” is the only holiday movie I could find that had a different plot, but maybe that’s because it was made for Lifetime network, and not Hallmark? “The Spirit of Christmas”: you already know the plot; woman moves into a new town,
woman meets a guy whom she thinks is cute, they fall in love, she realizes he’s actually dead, she tries to free him of some “curse.” The movie itself has good acting, with Jen Lilley and Thomas Beaudoin as the protagonists, but it’s got the same old “Hallmark Formula” (except for the ending). You can currently watch it on Netflix. One might think these movies never have any risk, as though the main characters can’t have a sad ending. One could argue that Christmas movies should be happy, but one of the most popular Christmas stories, “A Christmas Carol,” was quite depressing up until the ending. So this very much proves that Christmas stories don’t have to end in sunshine and rainbows, at least for Charles Dickens and the Victorian era. Hallmark has changed that in our modern era.
Page 14 Profiles
December 19, 2019
Kelly Dick tells us a story about pancakes There’s something to be said about the father-son dynamic. There’s something to be said for hot pancakes in the morning (and espresso). Kelly Dick, English teacher and father, is one to care about the little things. The pen he’s been twiddling tells a story all by itself.
TOM SARGIS Geyser Staff Writer Every morning, English teacher Kelly Dick makes his son ,Ezra, a pancake. He uses the ever reliable Krusteaz pancake mix and when he’s made his sonhis pancake he goes to the nearby Coffee Crossing for three shots of espresso (give or take). It’s a different pancake every day, sometimes blueberry, there’s always a chance for chocolate chips. This is a solid portion of a normal morning for Dick and without much change, how every day starts. “When your life is superficially exciting you have to channel all your energy into surviving” is Dick’s take when it comes to dealing with his daily routine and its superficially repetitive qualities. Kelly is ok with Groundhog Days - he says there’s freedom in routine, time spent living a superficially exciting life fraught with chaos and whimsy leaves you in
a state “just reacting.” In conversation, Dick is very laid back - he speaks casually of a time he cried at a wedding ceremony for a friend giving a speech (after the fact, wondering if people even understood what he was trying to say). He’s usually seen wearing a beanie or a cardigan of some sort, maybe a flannel shirt - He needs to stay warm in the cold labyrinth that looks to be his room. Some days papers are piled up high enough to nearly cover the keyboard on his desk, other days not so much (just a messy bookshelf, a backdrop to his day dreamy demeanor and the classroom wherein the relish is applied). His filing cabinets, man, his filing cabinets are a trip. Neverland? Alice In Wonderland? Try not being able to find where the ‘V’s start and end....nightmarish. Having spent 20 years at Park High, Dick had this to say about education (whilst twiddling a pen in-between his fingers): “Nurturing curiosity leaves a better place to live” - Dick isn’t about going through the motions and completing assignments for the sake of their completion; Anyone who has ever had a class with Mr. Dick knows this surely, and if they don’t, they’re liable to figure it out. There should be meaning in the work people choose to enof
Kelly Dick caught in the middle of a morning class in the D-Pod gage in, that’s Dick’s take - something he’d like everyone that crosses his path (academically, at least) to understand. It leaves him in a position of being challenged to break up the assumptions and preconceived notions people tend to hold about what ‘schooling’ should be or rather, is. In his free time, Dick is usually doing something with his seven-year-old son. Ezra likes to go fishing; he also likes football. Sometimes on the weekends they go into the rec plex and ‘play ball’ together. In the mornings Dick usually asks Ezra about his dreams, looking to discuss them - Ezra doesn’t usually want to talk about them, but he does enjoy playing with his
dad’s face (something of a handson alarm clock in the morning) “Why should it be about me? I’m just a conduit” Kelly doesn’t take to the idea of leaving behind a figure which people would look up to; he sees purpose in building upon the past contributions of others and he himself leaving something that would be built off of. He has a fear of apathy - going through the motions and meaninglessness. It’s about nurturing curiosity and understanding. Dick once lost a job opportunity teaching (some place other than Park’) because he made the mistake of describing himself in one word as “easy” - he wasn’t getting at the difficulty of his
Merry Christmas from
Photo by Reid Lende
teaching or lack thereof. Flexible and forgiving, and “optimistic about mankind” - Dick believes that one should be the change they wish to see. If there’s a problem that you can do something about fixing, it’s reasonable to do what you can to fix it. It’s single steps taken in the name of purpose, because as I imagine Dick would get at: What’s the alternative? The pancake he makes his son every morning -“they’re warm” he says. Warmly self-regulatory, mechanistically loving, purpose driven (and seeking), a shower; not a teller, and warm pancakes for his son: That’s Kelly Dick.
December 19, 2019
15
December 19, 2019
16 Entertainment
Disney introduces a new sequel to the big screen DAVID DURGAN Geyser Staff Writer
Pure nostalgia. “Frozen II” brought me back to my sixth grade math classroom with Mrs. Raw, listening to Malea Coleman sing the instant classic “In Summer” by Olaf. Back in the winter of 2013, Frozen was all anyone could talk about. Talk died down quickly, but the fond memories of the movie remained. Watching “Frozen II” will instantly rekindle those frozen memories. The past behind, “Frozen II” lived up to the excitement that it generated. The previous “Frozen” movie was the highest grossing animated movie of all time, and many expectations were put on it. I was not expecting to be so entertained by the sequel, but it did not disappoint. It was more thrilling than the first movie, with more danger, and fighting, and adventure. However, it kept the same happy demeanor of the first movie. Disney has been hyping up this sequel for a long
time, with teasers and short films , such as “Frozen Fever,” which was released in 2015. Spoilers aside, this sequel introduces more loveable characters along with all of the originals from the first movie. If one were to try to watch “Frozen II” without watching the original, it would probably make no sense. The movie is a direct continuation off of the first movie, even though it is released eight years later. In “Frozen II”, you can expect much of the same classic sing along songs and as many cheesy Olaf jokes as the first movie. Everyone would recognize the classics from the original movie, such as “Love is an open door”, and “Let it go”. The songs in the new movie did not quite live up to my expectations. They were not as catchy as they were in the first movie. There were no instant classics like “Let it Go”. My favorite part about the movie was the love connection between Kristoff and Anna. It was a cute romance, deepened
by Kristoff’s dramatic solo with his reindeer companion Sven. There were hints at the beginning of the last movie that there might be a connection between the two, but we did not get to see if fully develop until “Frozen II”. The theater was largely populated by young girls, but the ages varied largely. There were teenagers who were young when the last movie came out, along with many grandparent aged folks and parents, proving that “Frozen II” is the perfect family movie. When you go to watch “Frozen II,” make sure you stay until after the credits, as there is a short scene after, involving Olaf and his snowman friends. I would highly recommend “Frozen II” for anyone looking for something to do instead of sitting inside all day this winter. It will bring back memories of the first movie, along with the thrill of a new adventure, with Elsa, Anna, and Olaf. This sequel is a classic Disney movie that will bring joy to the whole family.
New streaming service instantly becomes popular LIBBY KINSEY Geyser Staff Writer
A new streaming service has entered the world of T.V. Disney+ offers movies and series that envoke a lot of nostalgia for many generations of people. Not only does Disney+ offer classic Disney movies and series from Disney Channel on cable T.V., but they also have content from Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and even some Disney+ originals. Disney geniously launched the service just before the highly anticipated “Frozen 2” came out. This expert timing got people excited to watch Disney and their old favorites as the decade they watched Disney for the first time came to an end. However, Netflix also had something nostalgic prepared. Nickelodeon and Netflix partnered right before Disney+ became available. The partner-
ship brought some cult favorites such as “Victorious”, “Sam and Cat”, and “Jinxed” to Netflix. The early 2000’s cable shows quickly became a hit on Netflix and brought them to the “Popular Now” page fast. Disney+ offers old Disney Channel shows that played when the high school and college students now were young. Some of these shows are “Hannah Montana”, “Jessie”, “Lab Rats”, and the beloved “High School Musical”, the original. Disney+ also has many favorite childhood movies such as “Home Alone”, “Wall-E, Toy Story”, “The Lion King”, and many more. These similar, nostalgia themed shows and movies create what one may call a “Streaming War,” a competition between two streaming services. While the Nickelodeon shows on Netflix bring back childhood memories, Disney+
has a little more to offer. Disney+ offers not just nostalgic, early 2000’s shows filled with fake laughter in the background, but it also has classic movies, documentaries, and even shows never seen anywhere else before. “The Mandalorian” is a popular Disney+ original favorite. Netflix has a lot to offer in other categories, but when it comes to early 2000’s childhood favorites, Nickelodeon is all Netflix has. Disney+ offers almost all the childhood nostalgia one could want and more. Netflix is also quite expensive compared to Disney+ as Netflix costs $9 per month at the minimum, and Disney plus only asks $6.99 per month. If you’re looking for a more affordable, child friendly, and nostalgic streaming service, Disney+ is the way to go.