November 2017

November 2017

Preview the upcoming school play The Westing Game before opening night |page 2

A student shares thoughts on society’s false view of music and how to fix it |page 5

The Girls’ Golf team celebrates a runner-up at the state tournament |page 13

November 2017

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR Dear readers, This edition is full of exciting material that everyone is sure to enjoy.

This month, readers will take a special inside look at the inner workings of this year’s fall play, The Westing Game, a student’s thoughts on musical education in today’s society, Mr. Emmel’s love of Irish music, and much more. Everyone is sure to find something in this edition that they will live to read! Here at the messenger we hope you enjoy our Thanksgiving edition and hope you have a wonderful start to the holiday season! Happy Turkey Day!

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Jordan Aberle Editor-in-Chief

OUR MISSION We value our readers, plain and simple. We love to see the smiles on people’s faces when their names make headlines. We love to hear people laughing at our bad jokes that always seem to make their way into everything we write. We work our hardest to make the Messenger something St. Mary’s can be proud of.

OUR EDITORS JORDAN ABERLE Editor-in-Chief

ANTHONY VECCHIA Layout Editor

KAMRYN HELLMAN Feature Editor

AUDREY WENTZ Opinion Editor

AMELEA CALDWELL Entertainment Editor

AMALIA THOMAS Religion Editor

ANDERSON HAGEROTT Sports Editor

OUR WRITERS Megha Bharadwaj Allison Braun Darian Coghlan Andrea Frank Kathryn Goettle John Goettle Julia Jaramillo

Aubrey Roemmich Trysten Ruhland Rachel Rusch Kendall Tibor Grace Volk Sydnie Welch

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AMERICA’S FALSE VIEW OF MUSIC A student shares thoughts on society’s perspective of musical education and how to fix it SURVIVING HIGH SCHOOL: DON’T FORGET TO BREATHE Grab a couple tips on how to deal with stress to help get you through second quarter

GIRLS’ GOLF: A DRIVING AMBITION FOR GREATNESS The girls’ golf team recaps its fun-filled season as it celebrates runner-up at the state tournament

CONTACT US Website: www.smmessenger.wixsite.com/2017-18 Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org Facebook: SM Messenger Instagram: SMMessenger Twitter: @SM_Messenger

FEATURE

Where There’s A Will, There’s a Play Preview the fall play, The Westing Game, before opening night | Rachel Rusch & Kamryn Hellman

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f you’ve ever wandered past Room 304 after school hours, you may have noticed some interesting activity within. Students are dancing around the room, chanting nonsense words, and practicing outrageous emotions. You’ve stumbled across practice for the fall play, an event that will come to fruition the evenings of November 16-18.

MYSTERY OF THE YEAR

Directed by Mr. Jordan Vetter, the fall play involves over thirty students who have worked hard since September to create an incredible show. This year, the company will perform The Westing Game, a mysterious story about Sam Westing, the wealthy owner of Westing Paper Products, who was recently murdered. In his will, he says to gather a group of fourteen specific people who will have to partner up to solve the clues he gives them to win $10,000. In this play, you will meet many different characters, such as Turtle, a sassy girl who likes to kick people in the shins. This is a fun, mysterious story full of crazy events, showing how they all try to work together to win The Westing Game. This script was a good choice for the fourteen seniors, because there isn’t just one lead role. The talented group is able to shine in individual strong parts with the help of the rest of the cast.

One senior, Amalia Thomas, says the entire cast loves the play, and she expects the audience to enjoy the mystery-comedy as well. She has acted all four years of high school, enjoying “the challenge acting presents in pushing you to…transform into an entirely different person on stage.” This year, her stage persona is “Angela,” a soft-spoken beauty who doesn’t realize her full potential. Still, her favorite part of participating in the fall play remains bonding with other members of the cast. Sophomore Aubrey Roemmich, who plays aforementioned “Turtle,” agrees. She enjoys the aspect of character development, as well as “working with some pretty awesome people.”

A LOOK BACK

The fall play is a long-standing tradition at St. Mary’s. It

has been performed in several different locations under various directors. In fact, our librarian, Mrs. Stromme used to direct as well!

“This

script was a good choice for the fourteen seniors, because there isn’t just one lead role.”

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2012

2014

TIMELI Sommer Wild in The Song of Bernadette

Katie Mastel and John Windsor in The Ash Girl

2013

Kylie Rusch, Alanna Carlson, Reece Burckhard, and Nick Van Sickle in The Mouse That Roared

The current director, Mr. Vetter has been involved for the last five years. Here’s a look at his summary of that time:

PLAY

BY THE NUMBERS

28

6 crew members

cast members

1040

26

rehearsals, starting on October 2nd

lines memorized

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“Back when I was assistant director under Mr. Arntson, St. Mary’s performed The Song of Bernadette- a religious drama about St. Bernadette of Lourdes- in 2012, and then The Mouse that Roared- a comedy about a tiny country accidentally going to war with the US in 2013. Both of those were performed in downtown Bismarck, at Dakota Stage. Then when I took over after that, we took our act out to the campus of UMary, where we have been ever since. In 2014, I chose for my first play as solo director The Ash Girl - a retelling of Cinderella [...] After doing a fairy-tale drama, we shifted gears the next year and did a modern comedy called Too Fabulous to Fail. That was about an overeager young singer (Emilie Voeller) who moves to New York in hopes of becoming a Broadway star but only ends up causing all kinds of trouble [...] Then there’s last year’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Despite everyone being nervous in the beginning about doing a Shakespeare play, it ended up being the most enjoyable and most successful play I’ve been a part of.”

Mr. Vetter came to St. Mary’s in 2011 having no theater experience—a surprise to anyone who has taken an AP English class.

Although Mr. Arnston had been the director, he performances on the was expecting to retire 16th, 17th and 18th of soon and was looking for someone to take his place.

November As Mr. Vetter says, “Being

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2016

Tatum Butz and Grace Letteer in A Midsummer Night’s Dream

INE 2015

Emilie Voeller (and Elmos) in Too Fabulous to Fail

the young new guy, I was the obvious choice.” He was Mr. Arnston’s apprentice as assistant director until 2014, when he became the sole director for both fall play, as well as One-Act in the spring.

BEHIND THE CURTAIN

In the weeks leading up to the performance, the cast continues to grow closer as friends as they prepare to put their hard work on stage. An average rehearsal begins with warm-up games, to help the cast become more comfortable with each other and develop their respective characters. In the early stages of practice, students read through the script as a group and then started working through it from the beginning. Mr. Vetter directs the actors in specific movements he wants to see on stage, stage directions which are scribbled in their scripts next to lines. This portion of practice is called blocking. The director also leaves room for the actors to put their own twist on character motions.

As the weeks progress, the majority of practice consists of running through scenes. At this point, the emphasis is placed on memorizing lines and character development. Students find consistencies in their character which are dramatized on the stage. In this process, they are able to decide how to interact with each other on the stage. While the relationships on stage begin to blossom and become almost real, the relationships between students grow stronger as well.

Next the cast moves to the big stage at the University of Mary. With all lines memorized, the students are able to bring the blocking they practiced in 304 to the bigger platform. Eventually, the students who help work behind-the-scenes technicalities such as lights, sound, and backstage help, are incorporated into the show. Dress rehearsals take the place of regular practices in the final week before performances. Mr. Vetter is in the audience to shout out any last-minute directions, such as vocal projection or

2017

The Westing Game

changes in movement. This week the actors are under a lot of pressure to keep their lines memorized, as well as to remember every aspect of the performance they have worked on over their weeks of practice.

Finally, with some extra-credit incentive mixed with desire for peer entertainment, butts fill the seats of the auditorium and performances begin.

MAGIC ON STAGE

One of the things that has changed most about this year’s fall play is that its performances are in November, rather than early October as they have been in the past. This was decided in order to work around busy schedules. Although performances are later than, the quality will definitely match the high bar set by past years.

Kelli Vetter, a junior who has been acting since her earliest years, encourages students to come and support their classmates. She says the different style, a mysterious comedy, should draw people in.

Mr. Vetter is just as excited as the actors, if not more so.

When asked what his favorite part of directing is, he said it is “getting to know and work with the students on a different level than just in class.” He has made many of his closest bonds with students over the years through the play.

It’s certain to be an incredible show. With nearly half the cast performing for the last time, it’s the end of an era for the play.

Everyone who has been a part of making the play possible, both on the stage and behind the curtain, would encourage SMCHS students, faculty, and family to attend on the 16th, 17th, or 18th of November and see the results of many weeks of effort. “We have a ridiculous amount of fun throughout the process,” Mr. Vetter says, “And then in the end when it all comes together and I get to see them come alive and work their magic on stage…it’s one of the most satisfying feelings I get in life.”

The cast does a wacky warmup at rehearsal in the library.

OPINION

America’s False View of Music

A student shares thoughts on society’s perspective of musical education and how to fix it | Anthony Vecchia

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usic is a major aspect of everyone’s life, whether one realizes it or not. Without music Mass would be silent, Christmas time would be unrecognizable, and the school song would cease to get people on their feet at sporting events. Personally, all people have a favorite song that they would stop everything to listen to when they hear it come on. It has been proven that the production of new music will never repeat itself, meaning that same favorite song of yours is truly unique. All of these contribute to why music is one of God’s greatest gifts to humanity. However, despite all of these, students at St. Mary’s and across the nation continually ditch music for other activities, and, for many reasons, they are wrong to do so.

According to The Music Parents’ Guide, just over 50% of band students quit within two years of beginning musical education and there are thousands of reasons as to why; although, behind each one is an ignorant view of musical education. Before delving into the main problem among the thousands, one must debunk the bigger small reasons to quit. Perhaps the biggest reason for sidelining a musical instrument is a lack of time for practice. The truth is: there is time. Prioritizing comes in handy here. If you set aside time, yes, you will be able to watch The Office three times through.

The same goes for a musical instrument. Even ten minutes every other day to sit down at the piano or pluck the guitar can be very productive. Finding time to practice is also a simple answer for the second reason to abandon an instrument: the student isn’t musically talented. If this is true then I’d bet the student isn’t talented at anything to begin with. Just like everything else, music too takes time to master. For the same reason we go to math class every day and shoot hoops after school, practicing music daily will see the student succeed. Sticking with music can also teach kids to be perseverant not only with the instrument but in everyday life, something that is becoming increasingly uncommon yet remains important. Another huge fault in the disinterest of students is a lack of fun and recognizable music. Every student has different musical taste and it can be hard to satisfy everyone’s wants in band and choir, but playing an instrument is not just a group activity; it is also personal. Music is as fun as you make it. So, on your own time, you are free to learn whatever tune you want, and, if you’re up for it, show it off at the next rehearsal. My favorite times as a musician are often when I’m playing alone and testing my abilities rather than in a group.

All of the previous reasons to quit stem back to one main

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FAST FACTS Elementary school students in music score around 20% higher on tests than those not in music.

Music students scored around 107 points higher on the SAT than non-musicians.

70% of university admissions offices in the U.S. said achievements in the arts are significant in application consideration.

60% of CEOs said creativity is the most important leadership quality.

The Concert Choir sings at their fall concert. problem: society doesn’t view music as important when in fact, it is. Why do we set aside time and press so many other activities but write music off as unimportant? When students make music their primary focus they can push past the obstacle of mastering an instrument and put emphasis on simply creating music. It is this final level of music that gives it life and makes it such an important part of humanity. In order for more students to reach this level, the solution must be to make music a priority at a younger age. Whether it be in the school or in the family, music at a young age is a necessity. Teach Piano Today discovered that children who begin music at age 6 are much more likely to stay in music for life rather than those who begin at age 7 or later. This statistic is vastly important in education overall because it is a gateway to many other benefits in school. A 2014 study by Arete Music Academy found that children who participate in music have larger vocabularies and enhanced reading skills when compared to students with no musical experience. An article published by The National Association for Musical Education dug deeper into this fact and found that students in music had better developed the left side of the brain, which deals with language and reasoning. Switching to test scores, in 2007 a

professor at the University of Kansas observed elementary students in music had standardized test scores of around 20% higher than their classmates. Looking further down the line in high school, a project called Stay in Music claims that on average students in musical performance scored 107 points higher on the SAT than those not in music. This trend of higher scores among musicians is also likely to be no different on the ACT, which most of us Midwesterners take. Also, for everyone trying to build a stellar college application, 70% of university admissions offices in the United States said achievements in the arts are a significant consideration in admission. Although strong, these facts just barely touch the surface of evidence proving music’s academic powers.

Even though the academic statistics are intriguing, we music students don’t play for the educational benefits, we play because we enjoy it. We play for the things that go beyond the facts. We play because it is our nature. Humans are created to recreate and music is the prime outlet for this innate need. Playing an instrument is enjoyable for the same reason we change the background on our phones or decorate our rooms. It aids our ability to customize something. In school, music electives are one of the only classes in which the textbook is not mandatory but a template. What is written on the page is simply the bare bones, which allows for students to focus more on being creative. The creativity is not only enjoyable for students, but it has been shown to aid in advanced problem solving across all aspects of life; as a society we must fulfill our own need to be creative through music. In the workforce, a New York based magazine, Fast Company, observed that 60% of surveyed CEOs “cited creativity as the most important leadership quality” and often look for it when hiring employees.

What this means for students is that the benefits of music can last much longer than four years of high school. Creativity is not just an important life skill, but it is why those of us who play music continually come back to it.

Despite music’s large part in the world around us and its many useful benefits, American society has continued to promote dozens of other activities over the complexity and beauty of music.

America’s false view of musical education fails to give music its due in society, which deprives our students of its many profound rewards. The simple solution is that we must make music a priority in school and in the family. After all, by playing music we further become human and learn how to become an independent character.

However, even if you don’t have an interest in playing music, we musicians understand that it is not for everyone, but we hope you will still enjoy listening to our incredible works.

The Jazz Band performs at last year’s Note-able Feast.

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Surviving High School: Don’t Forget to Breathe Grab a couple tips on how to deal with stress to help get you through second quarter | Kathryn Goettle

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as someone ever asked you, “What are you doing this weekend?” and a million things run through your head and you have a mini heart attack because you have no idea how you’re going to do it all? Me too. Sometimes it all can be overwhelming, and you are tempted to quit everything and go into hiding in the jungles of Brazil. But don’t do that quite yet, because I have a few suggestions that might help you discover the secret to coping with all the stress. There are many different methods to relieving stress, from watching TV, to exercising. Each person much find what works for them, but if you have absolutely no clue where to start, I have a few steps to start you off.

1 Take a deep breath.

Somehow, someway you will survive- at least I’ve managed to so far.

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Make lists. Write down everything you need to do, what you need to bring, and who you need to talk to. Being able to physically cross these things off will make you feel accomplished.

3 Focus. If you find yourself beginning to tear your hair out, get away from the noise, find some way to gather your thoughts. Step into the chapel to quiet all the outside pressure. It is much easier to think in the quiet, away from other distractions. Another very helpful thing is to exercise. I know you may hate it, I do too at times, but a few laps of running up and down the stairs can help your body to release tension.

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Be disciplined. I know it’s hard and even I fail sometimes, but always strive to put the important things first.

For example, make it a rule that you must finish your homework before you watch YouTube or check Instagram. By doing this, you will be more motivated to accomplish unwanted tasks.

In Defense of Thanksgiving: Why It Shouldn’t Be Forgotten | Amelea Caldwell

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hanksgiving: one of America’s oldest holidays celebrating a crucial early historical event by the brave pioneers of our country. In its heyday, Thanksgiving was celebrated through feasting and various events for days. They also didn’t use any utensils, so I’m not saying this version of celebrating was perfect, but there was enthusiasm behind it. Now, Thanksgiving is treated as a fun break between Halloween and Christmas. Everyone tries to get past this poor holiday as fast as possible. I am surprised if I see a turkey decoration in between the trees covered in fake snow and the creepy masks. It’s understandable. Halloween allows us to dress up like monsters and take candy from strangers, that’s amazing. Christmas is known for bringing families together, celebrating Christ’s birth, and giving our loved ones gifts we hope they will like. There’s enjoyment in the hustle and bustle to prepare for these holidays that bookend turkey day, but Thanksgiving is fun in a different way. It’s not as complex or deep. There’s no huge meaning behind it; it’s just a historical celebration. Some people got on three stinky boats, came to America, and had a huge feast with the Native Americans for about a week to celebrate the fact that most of the pilgrims had survived the voyage. It hasn’t changed all that much, like other holidays have in recent years. For example, during the first Thanksgiving, the feast consisted of deer, fish, corn, and a

Picture found on thanksgiving.com couple gourds. Now, during our modern celebration, we pig out on mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy, various salads, and pumpkin pie.

That’s essentially the biggest difference, and it’s one that I wholly support. Thanksgiving is a day to relax, eat, and be together with family. It’s possibly the chill-est holiday that we, as Americans, can celebrate. We should enjoy it.

QOTM

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MOLLY THOMAS “My cousin and I made microwavable popcorn without checking the expiration date. It started on fire in the microwave because it had expired years ago.”

Student Polls

November Question of the Month What’s your family’s biggest Thanksgiving meal fail?

DARIAN COGHLAN “A few years ago my family spent Thanksgiving in Hawaii. We cooked a full Thanksgiving meal. I noticed a few tiny bugs crawling across the table. I went into the kitchen and found our entire meal covered in bugs.”

| DC or Marvel?

Go to www.smmessenger. wixsite.com/2017-18/qotm to submit you answer for December’s QOTM!

JORDAN ABERLE “My aunt announced that she was pregnant at dinner and my grandfather, who hadn’t heard her, was the first to respond with ‘can someone pass the wine?’”

AMELEA CALDWELL “My cousin was trying to make a smoothie and somehow the lid of the blender fell off causing the contents to shoot out and cover our kitchen. It got everywhere!”

ANTHONY VECCHIA “When I was young my grandma went to light a candle and accidentally lit the whole centerpiece on fire. Instead of simply putting it in the sink she proceeded to run around the whole house with it while it burned.”

| Favorite Thanksgiving Food? | Favorite Thanksgiving Activity

We asked 60 students to share their thoughts and here is what we found | Kendall Tibor DC

Marvel

Mashed Potatoes Turkey

Ham Stuffing

Gaming w/Family Sleeping

Eating Shopping

ENTERTAINMENT Movie Reviews

The Messenger summarizes somes films to watch with your family this season | Allison Braun BLIND SIDE (PG-13)

The story of Michael Oher is told in this wonderful family movie about the power of love and the impact that it has on even the most damaged souls. Michael is a homeless and troubled boy who becomes an All-American football player after the Tuohy family takes him in. The Tuohys help Michael out of his impoverished life and give him the confidence to use his size and strength to be a successful offensive lineman, eventually helping Mike become a firstround NFL draft pick. This movie will pull at your heart strings and make you realize how blessed you are this Thanksgiving.

WONDER (PG)

Wonder, the 2012 novel by R.J. Palacio, tells the story of 10-yearold August “Auggie” Pullman, who was born with facial deformities that prevented him from attending traditional school. The book begins with Auggie about to enter the fifth grade at Beecher Prep.

For any student, starting a new school can be a scary experience, but it is especially daunting for Auggie and his parents, who worry

how he will be treated by the other students. If you are looking for a heart-warming movie this holiday season, Wonder won’t disappoint. The courageous tale of Auggie Pullman will definitely inspire young and old, and be a reminder of the good in the world!

It premieres November 17th.

A CHARLIE BROWN THANKSGIVING

Charlie Brown is in a pickle when Peppermint Patty invites herself and a group of her friends to come over to his house for a Thanksgiving feast. Charlie Brown, with the help of Linus, Snoopy, and Woodstock, pull out all of the stops in order to pull off a Thanksgiving feast to remember. This movie is a Thanksgiving classic and is great if you are put in charge of entertaining your young cousins while your older relatives make the meal. Plus, who doesn’t love Charlie Brown?

Teacher’s Pick: Mr. Emmel

Mr. Emmel shares with us his favorite things about Irish music | Kathryn Goettle

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n any given day when the students of St. Mary’s are walking past Mr. Emmel’s classroom, they may hear sounds of foreign music blasting loudly from the speakers in room 308. What is this strange music, and what about it makes it so alluring and exciting?

In order to answer these pressing questions, the Messenger decided to research Irish music and dance.

We found that the harp is the most popularly known Irish instrument, but there are many more that make Irish music so charming. A few of the most commonly used instruments include the bodhrán, fiddle, and uilleann pipes. Most Irish music includes reels and jigs which are fast-paced and fun to dance to. This type of dancing however, is no easy feat, Irish dancing requires enormous calf strength and leg coordination along with the ability to be so light on your toes that you create the illusion of floating over the floor. Traditional Irish dancing consists of mostly leg movement and almost no arm movement. The moves include those such as jumping, clogging and kicking. Even though it is a difficult type of dance, it is not impossible and if you learn, you can impress your friends with your newfound skill of doing the Irish Jig.

This was all interesting, but still not satisfied with the research, we decided to interview one of Irish music’s biggest fans: Mr. Emmel himself!

MESSENGER: What is your favorite Irish song and why?

MR.EMMEL: I like the song “Wild Rover” because it is a story

song about a prodigal son and is full of hope for all the goodnatured-screw-offs in the world. When you listen to the “Wild Rover” you can’t help but think- “I love the wreckage that is me.”

M: What is your favorite Irish band?

E: Besides U2? I would have to say the High Kings.

M: Do you ever play any Irish music?

E: Yes, I am in an Irish band called Asher. We enjoy stomping our feet to Irish pub classics.

M: What is your favorite thing about Irish music and why?

E: In my opinion, the most enduring quality of Irish music is that it is grounded solidly in reality. An Irish song doesn’t sugar-coat humanity. It does attempt to address human joys, sufferings, and quirks. Irish songs weave through the stories of heroes and antiheroes, all the while teaching the listener about the human story and challenging one to consider, “Where do I fit in the tapestry?”

The second most enduring quality of Irish music is that it seems to transcend all ages; children to older folks can’t help themselves but stomp their feet and hum along. It connects people.

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Marvel’s Big Film Presence | Russell Koch

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arvel is one of the biggest film franchises in the business right now and with the release of the highly anticipated Infinity War this summer, fans are starting to get excited for the next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU); but will it live up to the hopes and dreams of the many fans expectations? With such a big film, Marvel has fans wondering if they can truly pull off such a big piece of comic book history. Many fans see this possible with Marvel’s impressive track record of films and because Marvel does something that most other franchise don’t: giving a franchise the time to grow.

Marvel first made their big film debut in 2007 with the live action adaption of Iron Man and they have been hard at work ever since making fan’s favorite comic book characters come to the silver screen. After the release of Infinity War, Marvel will have made 18 films in the MCU and this isn’t even counting their multiple Netflix shows.

This really shows that Marvel knows that to make a good franchise. Building it character by character and show each of these pivotal character’s backstory. This is why so many fans are confident that Marvel can pull of this big, complicated storyline that Infinity War will surely be. Expect to see Infinity War when it hits theaters this summer and don’t forget to see the other installments coming out in 2017: Thor: Ragnarok this November and Black Panther in February.

CARAMEL PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE

Thanksgiving Dessert Alternatives | Sydnie Welch

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o you ever get tired of pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dessert, because you have it every year? Here are two delicious recipes that you can consider this year. Your guests will INGREDIENTS: come running for seconds!

-¾ pound of Murray

-1 can of pumpkin puree (15 ounces) gingersnaps (optional) -1 tsp cinnamon -½ cup pecans -½ tsp nutmeg -2 tbsp. brown sugar -1 tsp allspice -A dash of salt -4 eggs - 1 stick of butter -2 tbsp. heavy cream -4 blocks of cream -1 jar of Smuckers cheese (8 ounces each) caramel sauce -1 ½ cup white sugar

CHOCO-CARAMEL BARS INGREDIENTS: -3 sticks of butter (melted) -2 c. oatmeal -2 c. flour -½ c. brown sugar -1 tsp. baking soda -½ tsp. salt -70 caramel squares (Kraft Caramels work the best) -5 T. cream or milk (Cream works better) -1 c. milk chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS: Mix together first six ingredients.

Keep ¾ of this crust mixture for topping. Spread remainder of crust in a 9’’x13’’ pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Melt caramels and cream in double boiler. Pour over baked crust. Sprinkle chocolate chips then the rest of the crust mixture on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool before serving.

DIRECTIONS: Put ¾ lb. of the gingersnaps into a food processor to crush them, or put them in a large plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin. Then add ½ cup pecans, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and a dash of salt to the bag/food processor. Crush all these ingredients together to combine. Microwave one stick of butter until it completely melts, then pour it over the crumbs. You then combine the crumbs and butter. If you used a food processor, you and combine the crumbs and butter in that. If you used a bag, I’d recommend moving the crumbs to a separate bowl, then adding the butter. It’s easier.

It should be slightly sticky when mixed. Then pour the mixture onto a springform pan. Pour the crumbs into the pan and press the crumbs into the pan. Press the crumbs up the side of the pan and keep working the crust until it’s evenly pressed all over. Put in the fridge or freezer while making the filling. For the filling, put four blocks of softened cream cheese into a bowl, then add the white sugar. Mix until it looks fluffy and light, then scrap the sides and mix again. Add the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Mix again until nicely combined. Add the eggs one at a time, beating mildly between additions. Scrape the sides, add the cream, and mix one last time. Take the crust out of the fridge and cover the bottom of the crust with the caramel. Optionally, you can add more chopped pecans on top of the caramel sauce. Then take the cheesecake filling and pour it into the crust, and smooth out the top. Then bake at 350 degrees for no less than 1 ¼ hour. The cake should be jiggly, but not soupy when you remove it. Set on counter for 30 minutes after baking, then pour some more caramel sauce on top and spread it around to get an even glaze on top.

Remove the springform pan and cut slices with a serrated knife. Enjoy!

RELIGION

TRIVIA 1

Which of the following saints has a feast day in November? a. St. Cecilia b. St. Rose of Lima c. St. John Paul II

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3

What special Catholic feast day is celebrated on November 1st? a. The Holy Innocents b. All Saints Day c. St. Joan of Arc

What is November dedicated to this year? a. The Virgin Mary b. Immaculate Conception c. The souls in Purgatory

4 Catholic Trivia by Amalia Thomas Pictures found on catholicnewsagency.com

Answers1. A 2. B 3. C 4. B

Where was St. Andrew from? a. Ireland b. Scotland c. England

Saint of the Month: St. Martin of Tours | Megha Bharadwaj

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t. Martin was born in modern-day Hungary around 316 but grew up in northern Italy after his father was stationed there.

Martin, at the age of 10 and despite his parents being Pagans, chose to convert to Christianity and follow the Gospel. Because Martin’s father was a soldier, he too was urged to follow the same path. During his tenure as a soldier, he witnessed a naked beggar outside in the cold. He took out his sword, cut his cloth in two, and gave half to the beggar. That night he had a vision saying “Martin, a mere catechumen has clothed me.” Catechumen, the process of becoming a Christian, was a very long, arduous process at the time. So he gave up being a soldier and decided to follow God’s plan for him.

He converted his mother to Christianity, built a monastery, learned from Hilary of Poitiers, who is now a doctor of the Church, and even became bishop of Tours, despite initially not wanting the office. He is the patron saint of the poor and soldiers and his feast day is November 11. We can learn a lot from the life of St. Martin of Tours, especially about how unexpected life can be and how even

A Fall Prayer

though we think we might be on the right path, we need to listen to the voice of God. He could have had a nice life as a soldier, slowly rising up the ranks, maybe eventually becoming a commanding officer. Instead, he was able to discern between what the world thought was best for him and what God knew would be the best for him. He made bold choices and stood up for what he knew to be right when he converted to Christianity. He shows us that choosing Christ, and making virtuous decisions helps us follow God’s will for us.

The Messenger shares a prayer of thanks during this season | John Goettle

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s Thanksgiving approaches, we should take the time to thank God for all he has given us. Reflecting on the beauty of fall and the harvest is a great way to see all he has done in our lives. Here is a prayer for you to meditate on.

Prayer found on faithandworship.com

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“[Martin] was able to discern between what the world thought was best for him and what God knew to be right.”

“We see signs of summer’s passing in golden leaves, shortening days, misty mornings, and autumns glow. We sense its passing in rain that dampens, winds that chill, harvest’s bounty placed on show. Creator God, who brings forth both green shoot and hoar frost, sunrise and sunset. We bring our thanks for seeds that have grown, harvests gathered, storehouses filled, mouths fed. And as your good earth rests through winter’s cold embrace, we look forward to its re-awakening when kissed by spring’s first touch.”

SPORTS

Girls’ Golf: A Driving Ambition for Greatness | Kendall Tibor

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he girl’s golf season was filled with laughs, fun times, and hard work. The team had a good year, winning nearly all their tournaments. Not only was the team successful on the course, but they were successful in creating strong team bonds. Having such close bonds with each other makes it near impossible to not have fun and make lasting memories. A few of these are the bus rides, team Mass, team dinner, and simply the interconnectedness between each member; they can joke around and laugh with one another.

One of sophomore Abby Schmidt’s favorite moments was going back to the course after the first day of state, playing in the sunset and going out for ice cream after.

Forming the varsity team was Sydney Smith, Tonya Dvorak, Gabby Easton, Cameron Easton, Abby Schmidt, and Kate Mongeon. The junior varsity team also had a good year, as they all improved greatly. The JV team included Hannah Hellman, Erin Jahner, Kierra Oukrop, and Lily Haag. An essential part of every team is good bonding, and these girls have that well established.

From team Masses and dinners to pushing each other to do their best, they did a good job at focusing on working hard when work needed to get done, yet having fun and joking around nevertheless.

The team worked very hard to prepare themselves for their tournaments, and the results can be seen with the girls winning seven of ten tournaments, and also winning the East-West tournament for the second year in a row. This preparation includes

“

“With

no defense in golf, you can’t control how other teams perform. You can only control how you perform.”

competing with each other during their practices and always pushing each other to do their best. And like senior Tonya Dvorak said: “There’s something about knowing you pushed everyone on our team to be their best this week… it will impact their scores at the tournaments significantly.” So yes, golf does involve teamwork.

It’s not just a bunch of people playing individually, it’s a bunch of individuals working their hardest for the team.

With taking first at State high on the team’s list of goals, disappointment was bound to occur with the loss to Red River; however, as senior Sydney Smith put it: “Runner up was still good for us and we were just happy we beat Century.” With no defense in golf, you can’t control how other teams perform. You can only control how you perform.

As any good team would do, they have set some goals for next year including always playing their best and always improving. So, nicely done to you ladies. Good luck in your future years, and always be sure to have an extra pair of pants, because you never know when you’ll get a hole in one! (Get it? Golf puns, classic.)

St. Mary’s Wrestling: Are Jump Right In You Up for the Challenge? Learn more about competitive diving from | Grace Volk

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restling is a winter sport that boys may not have considered, but there are many reasons why they should! Wrestling gives athletes an ability to be a part of something fulfilling and have fun.

Even if you have never wrestled before, any year is a good time to start. Ben Yantes, ‘17, who only wrestled his senior year, gave this remark in a letter to future wrestlers: “I grew up never giving a second thought to [wrestling] but eventually, as fate would have it, I randomly gave it a try and loved it.” The team is always open to new members. Past wrestlers who first started the sport during their final years never regret their choice of joining.

It takes a lot more than people think to be a wrestler, and practices are never dull. A typical day at wrestling may involve a warm-up, technique drills, live wrestling scenarios, and strength and conditioning training. They even have a new area to practice; the outside garage in the SMCHS south parking lot was converted into a wrestling area last summer.

Their coach, Jayden Richter, has a deep love for the sport and his wrestlers. He has been an assistant coach for nine years and the head coach for the last three years. Before coaching, he wrestled for twenty-three years. You could say he has plenty of experience with the sport! He states, “Wrestling will give the individual discipline, fulfillment, and the ability to glorify God.” For many, wrestling is just a sport, but for wrestlers it is a way of life!

For more info or to join the team contact Mr. Richter.

Senior Spotlight | Jordan Aberle

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St. Mary’s student Erin Thomas | Amalia Thomas

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he sport of swimming is well known among students, but competitvie diving is lesser known. To help the SM community learn more about this interesting sport, we asked SM sophomore Erin Thomas, who competes for the BHS dive team, about it.

MESSENGER: Many people aren’t sure how diving is ranked,

but I hear you are doing quite well this season. How does the scoring system work?

ERIN: There are anywhere from three to five judges that score each of your dives. They each give you a point score ranging from 1-10. The higher the score you get, the better your dive was. The judges find an average of all of their scores for your dive and that will be your overall numbered score.

M: How long does a meet typically last?

E: If there’s many girls and it’s an eleven-dive meet it will last three hours and if it’s a six dive meet with less girls, it will last like 20 mins.

M: How many people are on your diving team?

E: There are actually only two divers for BHS, but we practice with Century and Legacy. Altogether, there are probably about sixteen of us divers at practice every day.

M: What are your favorite and least favorite dives?

E: My favorite dive is probably a forward double somersault, or I also love my reverse somersault. My least favorite dive is my inverse somersault because it is pretty scary. My first time doing it during a meet, I fell off the board by accident.

KAITLYN WANNER, Volleyball

SINCLAIRE CANDREVA, Volleyball

MESSENGER: How long have you played

MESSENGER: What is the main position

MESSENGER: How long have you been

KAITLYN: Thirteen years.

M: What is your favorite memory with the

SINCLAIRE: I play outside hitter.

M: What skills have you learned that you can

TRYSTEN: Four years.

M: What is your favorite part of swimming?

T: I like the sense of unity that the entire team

volleyball?

team?

K: Beating Legacy sophomore year and going to the state tournament.

M: What will you miss most

about volleyball at St.

Mary’s?

K: My teammates. They

are like family!

you play?

take to college next year?

S: I learned to handle situations I didn’t always agree with and I learned how to be a better leader.

M: What is something you would say to kids thinking about joining volleyball?

S: I would say join because it’s super fun and you make new friends and become close with them.

Trysten Ruhland, Swimming swimming?

has an the competitive yet cordial nature of it.

M: What is it like being in a co-op sport?

T: I think doing a co-op sport has allowed me to meet a bunch of new people and has made me more connected with other schools.

DUSTY CALDWELL

4120 Memorial Highway Mandan, ND 58554 www.openroad-honda.com

701-663-4023 1-877-663-4023 Sales@OpenRoad-Honda.com

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