November 2022

November 2022

SM Theater ‘TIL DEATH DO US PART A sneak peak into the comedy that will make you die laughing

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SWEATSHIRTS VS SWEATERS

40 DAYS FOR LIFE

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The hardest wardrobe decision of the Autumn season

A description of the candlelight vigil and what it fought for

St. Mary’s Central High School | 5802 Ridgeland Dr. Bismarck, ND 58503

November 2022

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hello SMCHS Student Body!

I hope you enjoy this month’s edition of the SM Messenger! This edition is centered around the season of fall as a whole. As the weather trends ever-colder, we can cling to the last vestiges of warmth by enjoying fall-related activities and happenings. Thanksgiving approaches, and with it a reminder of gratitude, as well as fall’s last hurrah before we move, slowly but surely, into those beloved six-months of North Dakota winter. Treasure these days, as you treasure your personal copy of the November Edition of the SM Messenger.

Fiona Kelly Editor-in-Chief

OUR EDITORS FIONA KELLY Editor-in-Chief

JULIANNA LENGOWSKI Entertainment Editor

EVA RYKOWSKY Social Media

ELI DAVIS Co-Entertainment Editor

MARGARET KATHOL Feature Editor

EVA STEIER Religion Editor

NATE LETTEER Opinion Editor

MAJA DOJS Layout Editor

SAM HUNTINGTON Co-Opinion Editor

BELLA SLETTELAND Co-Layout Editor

MAKENZIE MILLS Activities Editor

OUR MISSION Here at Messenger, we love to see the groups of people huddled around our paper, the proud smile when students read articles about themselves, and the slight laughs as students make fun of our bad attempts at jokes. Our mission at the Messenger is to produce a quality newsletter that provides insight into SMCHS by featuring our own students and their accomplishments and goals.

ON THE COVER Fall Play cast

CONTACT US Instagram: SMMessenger Email: smmessenger@locstudents.org

READ IT ONLINE https://issuu.com/smmessenger

OUR WRITERS

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Daniel Wojciehowski Hannah Koch Kylie Aus Marie Wilson

LAYOUT Rory Milbradt Libby Kadrmas Liam Turman

Kayla Hilzendeger Kerstin Hilzendeger

Table of Contents

Question of the

Month

If you could, which bird would you replace the Thanksgiving Turkey with?

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Chicken

Page Overview

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‘Til Death Do Us Part

A sneak peak into the comedy that will make you die laughing

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Sweatshirts vs Sweaters

The hardest wardrobe decision of the Autumn season

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Movie and Album Review

Review of Don’t Worry Darling and Taylor Swift’s Midnights

Pheasant

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40 Days for Life

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Pigeon

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Ostrich

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Penguin

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Barn Owl

Data gathered by Kenzie Mills and Rory Milbradt

A description of the candlelight vigil and what it fought for

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Food and Toiletries Drive Reach the milestones and get sweatpants days during finals

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Senior Spotlight

Highlighting Lily Haag and Tommy Kraljic 2

FEATURE

HS THEATRE SMC PR

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‘Til Death Do Us Part

A sneak peak into the comedy that will make you die laughing | Kerstin Hilzendeger

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Inisde View

ou’ve been invited to the most offbeat wedding of the season, where murder takes center stage and all the guests are suspects. This is a wedding like none other.

The SMCHS Theater Department cordially invites you to the wedding of the season in its production of ‘Til Death do us Part, by Craig Sodaro, a murder-mystery comedy that all will enjoy. The wedding of herbologist Lotus Blossom to zookeeper Leo Lomax begins like any other wedding. But when one of the guests mysteriously dies, it is up to Ms. Polly Peabody and the rest of the wacky guests to identify the killer before any more of them drop dead. Is everyone really just a guest, or are there secrets lurking in every corner?

This year’s cast has been working hard to perfect this play’s unique blocking and all around chaotic antics.

They’ve had enormous fun working on this production for the past few months and can’t wait to reveal this brillliant comedy; a perfect marriage between humor and suspense.

If you enjoyed last year’s fall play, Strange Days at Summer Camp, then you are going to love ‘Til Death do us Part, a play packed with comedy and chaos with a mystery that will keep you guessing until the end. So mark your calendars for November 18-19th at 7 pm and 20th at 2 pm in the William J. Schmidt Auditorium for a night of fun like no other.

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Cast

Herb Lomax Eula Lomax Betsy Crocker Ramon Escobar Howard Aunt Hildy Glinda Rhoda Fanny Fishburne Polly Peabody Cousin Etta Leo Lomax Newton Figg Lulu Depew Mother Gearth Lotus Blossom Wedding Guests

Nate Letteer Bella Sletteland Elizabeth Siemers Sean Hughes Brogan Kral Maja Dojs Marie Wilson Margaret Kathol Katja Dojs Eva Rykowsky Natalie Kincaid Samuel Huntington Daniel Wojciehowski Rebekah Roller Fiona Kelly Eva Steier Alex Hagerott, Ange Asongkeng, Elizabeth Heinert, Jackson Kirkeide, Katie Dahmen, Kayla Hilzendeger, Kerstin Hilzendeger, Kylie Aus, Liam Turman, and Samantha Gray

Who dunnit?

Good luck trying to solve the crime before the secrets come out.

Senior Spotlight

Bella Sletteland

Eva Rykowsky

Enjoy these fun interviews from two SM Theater Seniors who have been with the program for all 4 years!

My favorite memory was my freshman year play, Under the Big Top, the last one we did at the UMary auditorium. Being backstage and running around was chaotic and so much fun. I made really great relationships with the upper classmen that year and was very inspired by them to work hard to grow my own acting skills.

My favorite character was definitely Scar, the evil henchman I played in last year’s Strange Days at Summer Camp. There were some great physical comedy bits and lots of slapstick, which was very fun to perform. Scar had so much energy at all times which was really fun to bring to the stage!

What has been a favorite memory from participating in theater?

Who has been your favorite character you’ve played?

That’s very difficult to answer, there have been great plays every year, but I think this year’s play, ‘Til Death do us Part, is my favorite. Its really cool to have such a big cast of characters and see everyone shine in their own roles. I think the cast this year has amazing chemistry and it just makes everything so much fun.

What has been your favorite SMCHS play so far?

I will miss the running jokes and all the fun games we play as a cast at rehearsals. Most of all, I will miss the great relationships I made through the theater program. I’ve met some amazing upperclassmen and underclassmen throughout my years in SMCHS theater and I can’t wait to come back to watch future performances.

What will you miss most about being involved in theater?

Being in theater has presented me with so many good memories, it’s hard to pick just one! I think my favorite memory of participating in theater had to be after last years play. It was my first year receiving a leading role, and I remember feeling super proud of how I performed and having a really fun time with the rest of the cast.

Every character I’ve played holds a special place in my heart, and I see parts of myself in each one. I think my overall favorite character has to be Corky, one of the evil (but also bubble-headed) sidekicks from my freshmen year play, Under the Big Top. This character is who initially started my theater journey and I have so many good memories from that play.

Each SMCHS play I’ve been a part of is so unique in its own way, and I love aspects of every one. I’m really excited for this years’ play though, as the plot is super fun and I love a good mystery (especially when there’s humor involved!)

Theater will forever be a part of who I am, and I think that’s what I’ll miss the most. The time I spent being a part of the SMCHS theatre department has allowed for me to form such amazing relationships with other people while improving my performance skills. I am so grateful for all the people, memories, and performances that shaped me into the person I am today, and will remain a staple memory from my high school experience.

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Interview With V eller An interview with our wonderful SM Theater director | Kayla Hilzendeger Why did you decide to pick this play to put on this year?

I wanted to do something different from last year. I’ve always thought a murder mystery would be fun, and I’m getting married this summer, so I just think it’s kind of funny!

Have there been any funny rehearsal stories?

Everyone’s energy is amazing but specifically, Sean and Daniel tangoing is the highlight of my life.

Have you learned any lessons from directing the school play?

As a director, I’m the one that is supposed to be in control, but there is a lot of stuff that I actually can’t control. Once you guys are on stage, whatever happens is what happens. For me, it’s learning how to accept that I am not in control all the time, and just being confident that you all know what you’re doing.

What is your favorite part of being a director?

All of the actors that I get to work with.

What kind of audience is going to enjoy this production most?

Everyone! I love it when students come, obviously, because it’s their friends that are on stage and that adds a fun element too, but this one is family-friendly: parents, kids, there’s comedy for everyone!

Which qualities did you see in the lead cast that made them perfect for their roles, and who is most like their role?

Another reason I picked this play is that it is so ensemble heavy, and I had so many seniors this year that I wanted something that would give something to everyone. I think what I look for at auditions and in previous shows is someone who is just willing to go for whatever crazy thing the script asks.

And, I don’t want to offend Fiona but I think Fiona fits Mother Gearth really well! Sorry, Fiona!

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OPINION Forgotton Fall Foods | Sam Huntington

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umpkin spice makes everything nice… right?

Pumpkin spice often takes the spotlight of fall flavors, even though there are so many great foods forgotten during this season. Here are some of the foods that we have forgotten, or forgotten were supposed to be fall themed.

Reese’s Pumpkins:

Are they just Reese’s peanut butter cups? Yes, they are, but they are shaped like pumpkins. Does that make it a fall food?

Also yes.

Apples: Since apples can be bought practically at any time, people often forget that one of the common times to harvest apples is in the fall, making apples a fall flavor.

Stuffing: You know the stuffing that your grandmother serves on Thanksgiving? That, as well as most of the other foods at the Thanksgiving table, qualifies as a fall food.

Caramel: Yes, caramel is a flavor supposed to be associated with fall. As a society, we seem to have forgotten that, so we get it in our Starbucks in mid-July.

Butterscotch:

Sweatshirts vs Sweaters

This is actually debatable, because it can be used in lots of different things, and when you eat it you don’t really feel like you have the brown autumn leaves falling around you.

However, it pairs well with almost all other fall foods, making it something that can be considered a fall flavor.

| Nate Letteer

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s the cold weather creeps upon lovely North Dakota, the choice is presented to the population: the diversity of sweaters or the comfort and practicality of sweatshirts?

Although both are highly comfortable, when it comes to leisure sweatshirts are far more practical. There are two main sweatshirt options to decide between: crewnecks or hoodies.

Crewnecks offer a sleeker more basic design, but hoodies offer elemental protection with the hood, as well as storage, which is highly advantageous for women, as female pants offer no pocket space. Now, deciding between those may seem hard, but either way, you are set for comfort throughout the whole day. Sweaters, on the other hand, have far more options to choose between. Only a few will be mentioned.

The larger classifications are cardigans and pullovers. Sewn

together or not together? That is the question. Most Sweaters can be used for comfort and formal attire. If you decide on a cardigan, chances are you’re wearing it with a dress or a nice shirt for a formal occasion. They can also, however, be comfortable when lounging around in your spare time. Now, if you decide on a pullover, you must decide based on the shirt you have underneath if you wear a crew cut or v-neck cut sweater. Both can look classy or be used for comfort, but if the shirt underneath is collared, v-necks are highly encouraged. If you just want to have the sweater be the focus, a crew neck is best. In the end, no matter which you prefer, there is always a time and a place for both sweatshirts and sweaters.

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ENTERTAINMENT Movie Review:

Don’t Worry Darling | Eli Davis

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on’t Worry Darling is one of the biggest and most talked about films of the year, but is it really worth all the hype? The film centers around a 1950s community in the company town of Victory. The town is home to many couples, the men all working on a top secret project while the women are free to enjoy their environment. What should be a perfect community slowly begins to reveal itself as something much more sinister. The film is a thriller/mystery, starring Florence Pugh as Alice and none other than Harry Styles himself as Jack. Don’t Worry Darling is a commentary on the unhealthy relationship standards of the 1950s and how women were unequal or subordinate to their husbands. On paper, the film is a rather interesting concept and, given the cast and producers, had the potential to be a very high quality film. However, the film falls short on a number of levels. The script and storyline can be rather confusing and inconsistent, and Styles’ acting leaves something to be desired. Due to negative reviews, the movie did not do as well at the box office as anticipated, making $85.1 million as of November 8th and a disappointing 39% on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite this, the film has gained a lot of traction due to its casting of Harry Styles, whose acting career is beginning to take off (whether that is a good thing is up for debate) Don’t Worry Darling is available for streaming on Hulu and HBO Max as well as in theaters.

Album Review: | Eli Davis

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Midnights

asily the biggest album to drop this year is Taylor Swift’s Midnights. With some incredible releases in the past few years, including evermore and folklore, the standards for Swift’s new album were very high. Whether it lived up to the hype surrounding it is up to the listener, but there is no denying the massive traction and success this album has generated. Midnights strays from the folky singer-songwriter vibe of her previous albums, and explores a more electronic and synthy sound. If there’s one thing this album has, it’s consistency with its simple drum loops and synthy progressions in almost every song. The album is coherent and flows beautifully from one song to the next, which creates an immersive experience. This can, however, lead to a sense of repetitiveness and lack of diversity for some. Swift once again teams up with Jack Antonoff as her producer,

something that, for me personally, is one of the biggest issues with this album. Despite his work with critically acclaimed artists, Jack Antonoff’s production leaves something to be desired, and is truly the main factor holding this album back.

Of course it isn’t the only flaw, as Swift’s songwriting and lyricism bring nothing new to the table. She has proven herself as a songwriter in past projects, worthy of the praise she receives, but Midnights is a step backwards from her previous albums. All of this is not to say there aren’t some decent tracks on the album, my personal favorite being the opener, “Lavender Haze.” To sum it up, Midnights, despite its massive commercial success, leaves much to be desired and is truly a step backwards from her previous works. Regardless, I am still excited to see what Swift does next, and hope her next project is a step in the right direction.

RELIGION

40 Days for Life | Eva Steier

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arly this month, SM students gathered at the Bismarck capital for the annual Saints For Life Vigil. The vigil commemorates the worldwide 40 Days for Life campaign, which seeks to end abortion, protect the lives of the unborn, and aid women seeking an abortion in protecting the life of their child. The turnout was great, with over 100 estimated students gathering to pray the rosary for an end to abortion. This year, it seemed just as important as ever. As many may know, the Supreme Court case Roe v. Wade, which has protected access to abortion since its passing in 1973, was overturned late last June. After nearly 50 years of federally legal abortion across America, and millions of lives lost, the power to outlaw abortion has been returned to the states. In many states, trigger laws were set to criminalize abortion after a certain waiting period in the case of Roe ever being overturned. North Dakota was one of these. However, even though the state’s only abortion clinic has moved across state lines into Minnesota, leaving North Dakota theoretically “abortion free”, judicial blocks have prevented the trigger laws from passing. If passed, abortion would be illegal in most cases in North Dakota, with exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or direct danger to the mother. Students at Saint Mary’s ought to see this and seek to protect the unborn and the women who find themselves in difficult situations. That is why the 40 Days for Life Vigil event at SMCHS is only one of the ways in which the Saints For Life group plans to get involved, by recognizing the dignity of life at all stages.

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Annual Annual St. St. Mary's Mary's

FOOD FOOD

Annual St. Mary's and and

FOOD

TOILETRIES TOILETRIES and DRIVE DRIVE TOILETRIES DRIVE NOVEMBER 14-18 14-18 NOVEMBER NOVEMBER 14-18

Sweatpants days Contribute to your local Sweatpants days Sweatpants days community and compete with the during per other classes tofinals win sweatpants during finals per during finals per days during finals! class class class 500 items : 1 day 500 items : 1 day 500750items day items : :2 1days 750 items :: 32 days days 1000 items 750 items : 2 days 1000 itemsGet : 3the days Reach the milestone sweatpants 1000 items : 3 days TOOTHPASTE

TOOTHPASTE

TOOTHPASTE 9

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT 20 23

LILY HAAG | GOLF

MESSENGER: What is your golf origin story?

LILY: I was a seventh grader and my grandpa wanted me to

learn golf so that I could get a scholarship for college. I am still working on getting that scholarship…

M: Favorite memories from your high school golfing career?

L: My favorite memory was probably when one of my teammates got stuck in between a bus seat on a golf trip. The seat broke and threw her forward and then she got stuck in the pillows and no one was helping her because it was 5 am and everyone was sleeping. Then all of a sudden, I heard someone struggling and we all had to help her out of the seat.

M: Best and worst parts about golf?

L: The best part about golf is probably the people that you meet. The worst part is when we don’t have snacks while we are playing.

M: What is something you would like to be remembered for after you graduate?

L: I want to be remembered as funny and as a person that people feel like they can talk to. I want to be known as someone who people want to be around.

M: If there was one thing you could change from high school what would it be?

L: I would redo everything from middle school through high school. I would do it all again and try to enjoy it more. If I got to do everything again, I would definitely try a lot harder.

M: Future plans?

L: I want to become the assistant golf coach next year. I’m going to go to BSC or NDSU and get a business degree. Then, I want to go to trade school to become a mechanic.

TOMMY KRALJIC | FOOTBALL MESSENGER: How do you think the team did this year,

considering you were moved up a division?

TOMMY: We did okay. Definitely not the best but considering we moved up a division we did okay and at least we beat BHS. M: If there was one thing you’d say the team could improve on overall, what would that be?

T: Discipline and doing your job without worrying about others.

Just trusting that if you do what you need to and everyone else does too, everything will workout.

M: Do you have any advice for the next classes on how to make their seasons as enjoyable as possible?

T: Don’t play for yourself and come to practice everyday with energy and effort.

Interviews By Julianna Lengowski and Sam Huntington

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