February 2016

February 2015

March For LIFE 2016

The Messenger Staff 2015 Senior Editors

Emelie Swonger Editor-in-Chief

Courtney Emmil Layout Editor

Lauren Nordberg Religion Editor

Ally Reichert Feature Editor

Emilie Voeller Entertainment Editor

David Schwartz Sports Editor

Writers and Photographers

Megan Krantz

Nathan Marcotte

Bethany Materi

Riley McLean

Maria Fleck

Kamryn Hellman

Anthony Vecchia

Madelyn Schweitzer

Madisyn Rusch

Victoria Schweitzer

Kellie Burns

Emily Splonskowski

Jenny Nagel

Dawson Rouse

Eden Volk

Jordan Aberle

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How to Improve Your Game: Acceleration Written by David Schwartz

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One of the best ways to improve your game in the off-season is with the Acceleration training program through St. Alexius. The Acceleration program was started in Bismarck in 1992 and has been training athletes ever since. The Acceleration program isn’t just for the best of the best, because the least skilled players areactually the ones that benefit most from it. “Anybody can benefit from this program.

You don’t need to be the best player; you just need to have a good work ethic,” said Jordan Moman, a trainer at Acceleration. “The harder athletes work, the more results they see.” This program definitely sees results, but you can’t just do it at home since their patented equipment is what helps you improve. Some of the more notable equipment includes the hockey treadmill, the super treadmill, and the plyo press. The super treadmill can go from 0-28mph in about 3 seconds. Even better, it can go up to a 40% incline to help you to train your stride length. Training 3 sessions a week for about 6-8 weeks at this facility is going to cost about $300.

If you want to do even more training, you can increase the price by $70 and train 4 times a week to get even more of an edge over your opponents. If the price is too much you could recruit three or more teammates to benefit from a discount, so gather your friends and get started!

THAT’S A SPORT?! Quidditch Written by Megan Krantz

Anyone who has read the Harry Potter series knows all about this magical sport full of flying, danger, and excitement.

Not many people, however, know about “muggle Quidditch”, or the non-magical version of the game. Many American schools, including Harvard, have added this fast-paced fan favorite to its list of collegiate sports. University teams in Sydney, Australia and Canterbury, United Kingdom have also sprung up.

While a few teams have tried to recreate the sensation of flying by playing on bicycles and even unicycles, the game is typically played by running around a field carrying a broomstick between the legs. The United States Quidditch Association was founded to regulate Quidditch in the United States in 2005. It has since become a very popular activity for college students. Many schools even host their own Quidditch Cup tournaments, getting the chance to relive their childhood fantasies of flying around a Quidditch field with Harry and his friends.

Saintiques Written by Riley McLean

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The St. Mary’s Central High School dance team, better known as the Saintiques, is a collection of young women who express themselves through one of the finest forms of art there is: dance. After speaking with Emilie Voeller, the sole senior on this year’s dance team, and Hannah Tibor, a junior dancer, I found out a lot about the 2015-2016 dance season.

The girls said that the best part about their season was the Spirit of America dance competition in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They said it was so fun to spend an entire weekend with their team and grow closer while having the chance to dance in such a cool environment with so many other teams that they don’t usually see. Hannah and Emilie said that the hardest part about their season was during the beginning of the year when they were trying to find a new coach and get their teams organized, because it was almost a totally new group of girls.

“I am most looking forward to coming back next year and watching the girls to see how they are doing,” Emilie said.

“What I am looking forward to most next year is finally being a senior and getting my own banner,” Hannah added.

The team is mainly focusing on their novelty dance routine for the state competition and are expecting to do pretty well with it. The girls said that having new coaches this year was a learning experience for everyone on the team.

They also said it was difficult to re-adjust to the new coaches during the first few weeks because they had to learn all about them and their coaching styles. The coaches used to be Saintiques, and Emilie remembers looking up to them as a seventh grader and now says that “they are fun and very sassy!”

With only one senior on the team this year, Hannah said “it was definitely weird at first because usually the seniors do all the choreographing, but Emilie is the best and super fun.” The girls have both been dancing since they were little and say that dance has taught them about teamwork, leadership, and patience while challenging them to be better people. The St. Mary’s Saintiques had a great season, finishing strong at the state competition on January 22-23 in Jamestown.

College Athletics Written by David Schwartz Currently, 97% of students at St. Mary’s go off to college after their senior year. Most of these students will need financial aid to help pay their tuition. It is certainly possible to get scholarships with a good GPA, but is it worth it to get a scholarship through athletics? Getting a full ride into a college is very unlikely, but you can still participate in the sports you love if you are willing to put in the time.

Jackson Grad, an athlete from last year’s SMCHS state championship football team, started off his freshman year with a football scholarship and he knows a thing or two about college sports. “Being a college football player and being a high school football player are two very different things. Yes, you still play the game you love, but you are now on another level,” Jackson said. “Camp is longer and workouts are earlier, more frequent, and more intense. Plus, the competition in a college program is very high. You must be ready to put in the time it takes to become successful!”

Not everyone is lucky enough to get a scholarship, but Jackson was. His scholarship may even increase in the years to come, if he continues to play to the very best of his ability. “It’s all based off of what you show you can do to make the team better.” In Jackson’s case, joining the college football team was definitely worth his effort.

Caribou vs. Starbucks: A “Latte” Talk About Written by Jordan Aberle Now that Caribou Coffee is located so close to our beloved 3rd Street Starbucks, some might fear that this new addition to the area will cause a commotion. I have taken it upon myself to interview some St. Mary’s students to see how they feel about the whole thing. *Darian Coghlan, whose motivation is 99% derived from coffee, believes that, “Because Starbucks is right next to Caribou, a lot of sabotage will ensue. One day at Starbucks, all of the blender covers will be broken, so when they blend drinks it will splatter everywhere. Or one day at Caribou, all of the coffee grounds will be replaced with glitter. Eventually, Caribou will release some live caribou, and Starbucks will release some live bucks, and they will battle it out until there is only one remaining coffee shop.” *Brianna Scherr, fueled by coffee and Jesus, has no preference for Starbucks or Caribou and will decide where to get her caffeine based on: “Whatever mood I’m in or whichever line is shorter so I can get my coffee faster.” *Sydney Aberle, a Starbucks gold card holder since 2012, is an avid Starbucks drinker who stated, “I’m just excited for Caribou to open so the lines at Starbucks won’t be as long...” She also feels that with the coffee shops so close to each other, “There might be a major collision on 3rd Street from some caffeine driven hockey moms and tweens in ugg boots.”

Feature Crazy Little Thing Called Love Written by Megan Krantz

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, all of St. Mary’s is buzzing with anticipation for this romantic holiday. Everyone knows Mr. Ruggles’s definition of love: “to will or desire the good of another” --- but I figured there were people who know better than even Mr. Ruggles what love truly is, so I asked some children what they think love means.

“Love is when you like someone a lot and you treat them very nice. Love is when you’re not mean to people.”

-Carter, age 7 “Love means you really care about someone and you never do something mean to them and you want to live your life with them.”

-Morgan, age 9 “KISSING!!!”

-MeKayla, age 6 “It’s when you find someone who’s like your soul mate, but they aren’t always your soul mate so sometimes you break up and it’s sad.”

-Samantha, age 10 “It’s when you love someone so much you will never fall out of love with them.”

-Rebecca, age 8 “When you like someone in your family or an animal or somethin’. Like when you are on the playground and you invite someone to play with you.”

-Caeli, age 6

Senior Spotlight Written by Amelea Caldwell Emilie Voeller

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Has danced in Saintiques since seventh grade.

Messenger: What got you interested in Saintiques?

Emilie: I have been dancing since I was three, so once I could be on the school team, I jumped on the chance. I really wanted to be a part of the school team.

M: How did it feel being the only senior?

E: It was kind of cool, but it was also kind of sad because I didn’t have my friends. It was also a lot of work since usually seniors choreograph the routines, so having just me I needed a lot of help from the rest of my team.

M: How was the Spirit of America competition in Minneapolis?

E: It was a lot of fun. It was cool to get a chance to perform somewhere we usually don’t dance and to see teams from all over the region rather than just our little area.

We also had the opportunity to bond together as a team.

M: How did you feel the season went?

E: It was a really weird year. We had a lot of transitioning with getting new coaches.

We also had a pretty small number of girls try out, but I’m honestly really surprised at how well it went, considering all of that. Everyone really stepped up to the challenge of doing what we needed to do and getting it done. It went really well for us and we’ve become really close. I’m really sad that it’s over!

Henry Fleischacker Has participated in speech since seventh grade.

Messenger: What got you interested in speech?

Henry: I’ve always had an interest in being in speech and being in acting. It’s what I plan on doing for my career. I wanted to try out speech for a while and Mr. Arnston really made it interesting for me.

M: What’s your favorite category of speech?

H: Probably poetry.

M: What do you have to say to anyone who’s interested in speech?

H: It really helps you learn how to speak and how to be more comfortable speaking to others. It’s also about knowing what to say and when to say it. It’s a really fun activity, and I enjoy it a lot. You meet a lot of new people and can make a lot of friends.

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Cold Bus Rides, Caramel Rolls, and Another Step Towards Victory Written by Kamryn Hellman

What’s a regular Saturday for you? For members of the St. Mary’s Speech Team, it consists of taking a freezing bus to an out-of-town high school, spending the entire day in formal clothing, speaking a few times in front of a small group of peers and a judge in a classroom, and (hopefully) making it to final rounds to ultimately win a coveted trophy for the top eight in a category—all in the name of speech.

It sounds insane. However, the team is used to the full day, and ready for whatever each competition may bring, all the way to State. St. Mary’s has taken the last five State Championships. Of course, this has been a cause for celebration, as well as encouragement to work harder this year, even with the number of changes the team has experienced since last season.

“It’s been a year of change for the speech team with the retirement of Mr. Arnston,” said Mrs. Burckhard, the head coach. “We have moved to the library, where Mrs. Stromme has been very helpful and accommodating.” This is not the only alteration for the team this year. With the loss of 13 seniors from last year, the team has a very different feel.

“However,” Mrs. Burckhard added, “the future looks bright, with several returning and a large group of Academy students joining.”

As the team is constantly reminded, victory doesn’t always come in the form of a trophy. Sometimes, victory is simply getting up at six in the morning to load the bus. Or maybe, victory comes in the form of one of Richardton’s amazing caramel rolls. (Seriously, they’re incredible.) Or perhaps victory is just calming your nerves enough to give the speech without a shaky voice. It’s the little things.

There is a real sense of family in the team, which fosters encouragement and kindness. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter who has a trophy and who doesn’t; everyone stepping back on that cold bus should feel accomplished to have assisted the team a little bit closer to victory.

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Religion

When The Saints Go Marching (For Life) Written by Megan Krantz and Alexandra Bear Reichert On January 19th, 131 students and chaperones from St. Mary’s, Bishop Ryan, Dickinson Trinity, and Watford City set out for Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life pilgrimage. As they traveled across the country, they had no idea what was in store for them.

Many people from the east coast were really surprised to see students all the way from “Nort’ Dakota, you be’cha”.

One woman even asked to take a selfie with some students, then asked for their help to post it to Instagram. The March itself was high energy and radiated a brighter hope for our country’s future. Different ethnicities and cultures all came together to fight for the same cause: the preservation of human life. Students from North Dakota and Ohio stood together with a group from Texas chanting: “¡Por la Vida!” (For Life!) Our very own Mr. Emmel got to wear the fluffy hat that belonged to a man wearing a kilt and playing the bagpipes. It united people from all over the country. However, students would soon find that this trip would unite them as a school and as a community.

As winter storm Jonas moved in, the groups moved out. Everyone piled on the busses to try to outdrive the fast-approaching storm, but to no avail. Though they thought they could make it through the snow, they found their bus inching to a stop where they would be parked for the next 20 hours. Though it was a long 20 hours, students managed to keep spirits high. When asked if he would sing to lighten the mood, Fr. Johnson said, “No. This is penance enough.” Luckily, Monsignor Shea and the U-Mary crew were also stranded, and Monsignor graced the students with the gift of an Irish tune.

Eventually, the busses were able to move out again thanks to the help of the National Guard and the seniors who helped push out stuck cars. The group spent the night in a hotel in Somerset, PA and the students were able to get back on the road again after a hearty lunch at Pizza Hut. The pilgrimage was a great opportunity to offer up suffering to Christ and become more united with Him.

Ask Father Written by Bethany Materi Q: How does the Church determine when Lent begins?

A: The date on which Ash Wednesday is celebrated is determined by when Easter Sunday is celebrated. Easter Sunday takes place on the first Sunday after the first full moon, or after the Spring Equinox (March 21st). Ash Wednesday is 40 days, excluding Sundays, before Easter.

Q: How long has the Catholic Church observed Lent?

A: Since the very beginning of the Church, there has been some type of penitential preparation for the celebration of Easter. After the public practice of Christianity became legal in 313 AD, a more formal 40 day penitential season began to take place.

Q: What was your favorite Valentine you ever received?

A: When I was in the second grade, I received a stuffed animal of Beethoven the dog. It was from my mom.

Religion

Saint of the Month: St. Valentine Written by Eden Volk Feast Day: February 14 Patron of: Love, young people, and happy marriages

St. Valentine of Rome, is a third-century Roman saint commonly associated with “courtly love.” Not much of St. Valentine’s life is reliably known. The legends attributed to the mysterious saint are as inconsistent as the actual identification of the man. One common story about St. Valentine involves the healing of a blind girl. The Bishop of Terni and his friend Judge Asterius put St. Valentine’s faith to the test by telling him to heal the Judge’s blind daughter. After placing his hands on the child’s eyes, her sight was restored. Soon after, Asterius broke all the idols around his house, fasted for three days, and became baptized, along with his family. Another variation of this legend says that when he refused to sacrifice to pagan gods, he was imprisoned and while imprisoned he healed the jailer’s blind daughter.

On the day of his execution, he left the girl a note signed, “Your Valentine.” St. Valentine is also believed to have secretly married couples so husbands wouldn’t have to go to war. St. Valentine refused to renounce his faith and Christianity and was executed outside the Flaminian Gate on February 14, 269.

Prayer: O glorious advocate and protector, St. Valentine, look with pity upon our wants, hear our requests, attend to our prayers, receive by your intercession the miseries under which we labor, and obtain for us the divine blessing, that we may be found worthy to join you in praising the almighty for all eternity: through the merits of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Trivia of the Month Written by Lauren Nordberg 1. To whom did Jesus say, “Get thee behind me, Satan”?

A. Joseph C. John B. Peter D. Paul

4. Golgotha means “the place of the ______”?

A. Dead C. Weak B. Skull D. Weary

2. Who was the father of John the Baptist?

A. Benjamin C. Zacharias B. David D. Levi

5. How many books of the bible are named after women?

A. 4 C. 5 B. 8 D. 2

3. What famous city did Nebuchadnezzar rule?

A. Babylon C. Cana B. Jerusalem D. Rome

Bonus: Cupid was the son of what Roman God? A. Apollo C. Jupiter B. Venus D. Bacchus

ANSWERS: 1) B 2) C 3) A 4) B 5) D 6) B

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Promposals Written by Riley McLean

With prom right around the corner, promposals will start to become more and more evident in the lives of SMCHS students. I’ve asked 3 boys and 3 girls from both the junior and senior classes about what their idea of the perfect promposal would be. From these classes I have asked Sam Harris, Chauncey Turner, George Niblick, Hayley VanderVorste, Kayla Ellison, Baylee Leonard, Zachary Vetter, Nathan Marcotte, Joe Schlinger, Jenny Nagel, Lindsey Schweitzer, and Regan Bradley. Be sure to take note if your sweetie’s name was listed. ;) Sam Harris- No puns. Just straight up ask.

Chauncey Turner- If someone made a poster that said “Would you roll to PROM with me in style?” with a picture of a pickup on the poster and #TANK. George Niblick- At Huff Hills when I’m coming down the slope, someone would be holding a sign at the bottom of the hill that said, “Would you ski into prom with me?”

Hayley VanderVorste- Being taken to an outdoor rink where prom is spelled out in candles.

Kayla Ellison- If they bought me food that said, “Will you go to prom with me?”. I will always say yes if food is involved.

Baylee Leonard- Being brought to a softball field where prom is spelled out in softballs.

Zachary Vetter- If they filled up my car with balloons and had a sign that said “I thought I would ‘pop’ the question… will you go to prom with me?”

Nathan Marcotte- Get a full size whale and ask, “Whale you go to prom with me?”

Joe Schlinger- If they put a sign in a McDonald’s bag, because nothing is more romantic than heart disease and prom.

Jenny Nagel- If a guy wrote prom on a $100-dollar bill.

Lindsey Schweitzer- If they wrote prom out in Bearscat doughnuts.

Regan Bradley- If they took me to a tennis court and wove prom into the net or took me on a super cute scavenger hunt!

YAAS, Honestly: Valentine’s Edition Written by Brianna Scherr and Anna Frohlich

Q: What should I do if I don’t have plans for Valentine’s Day? A: Watching the Titanic and having a large tub of ice cream nearby is always a solid plan.

A Valentine’s Day Treat: Cupid Floats Written by Maria Fleck

This is a delicious Valentine’s Day drink that is super simple to make and so yummy! It is just like a root beer float, but instead of root beer you substitute Cherry 7-Up.

Ingredients: Q: What should I get my special someone for Valentine’s Day? •Vanilla Ice Cream A: Think brands: Michael Kors, Versace, Gucci, Dolce & Gab- •Cherry 7-Up bana, Louis Vuitton, Prada, and if you’re feeling extra generous, •Optional: red licorice chocolate.

Directions: Q: How can I ensure I look my best for my date?

1.Put a couple of scoops of ice cream into a cup or mug.

A: Think Prahm. Prom dresses/tux, make sure you get your fav 2.Fill the cup with Cherry 7-Up. hair gel, your best EOS, some classic fake nails, and your danc- 3.If you want, you can cut off both ends of a piece of ing shoes. With this look you’ll be sure to turn heads. licorice and use it as a straw.

4.Drink and enjoy!

Advice of the month: Don’t forget to run to your local super market to get that clearance priced chocolate.

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“Oh Brother!” SM’s Other Sibling Duo Written by Emelie Swonger

The Harris brothers. Beyond being one of SM’s newest sibling duos, they hold the unique distinction of being the only brothers in the entire world to ever share the classroom (don’t quote me on this one). While Sam dominates as student, Mr. Tanner Harris treads new territory in his first year of teaching. In order to better understand the nature of their teacher-student relationship, I sat down with the two of them to learn the secrets of the Harris brotherhood.

Messenger: Mr. Harris, what is it like having your brother for a student?

T. Harris: In one word, I think it’s been really enjoyable.

Maybe not for Sam (laughs), but for me, it has been a fun experience for my first year of teaching. It also helps me to be able to ask him what did or didn’t go well during class, and then he can give me a student perspective.

We’ve definitely developed more of a friendship!

Messenger: Sam, what is it like having your brother for a teacher? Are there any perks?

S. Harris: I guess he doesn’t really seem much different from any other teacher. It’s nice to be able to just call him up whenever I have a question about his class though.

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Messenger: If you happen to run into each other in the hallway, what is your go-to greeting?

T. Harris: We have done “knucks” on occasion, but I usually say, “How’s it going, Sam the Man?”, and he’ll respond with a head nod or just say “Sup!” Messenger: What is your favorite way to spend brotherly bonding time?

S. Harris: Lifting together or playing video games Messenger: Sam, if you could give your brother one piece of advice for his first year of teaching, what would it be?

S. Harris: I wish he would do more lessons on the white board, and then just lecture while we take notes. Kinda like how Mr. Mathern used to do it…

T. Harris: So… basically you’re telling me to be more like Rick Mathern?

S. Harris: No… Uh, yes.

Messenger: Mr. Harris, if you could give your brother one piece of advice for his last year and a half of high school, what would it be?

T. Harris: Enjoy each day and the moments that go with it! Give yourself fully to everything you do, whether it be sports, schoolwork, or living out your faith.