Merry Christmas!

COWBOY CHRONICLES

December 2013 Edition Issue 2

By: Deidre Mecham

As the weather gets colder, we welcome a new season that brings along new activities. The students are getting busy again, hustling to new practices of new things. The winter activities at Conrad High School include boys’ and girls’ basketball, speech and drama, wrestling, and cheerlead-ing. Although these are not the only activities students can become involved in. A new season comes with new hope of success.

Basketball practice began on Nov. 25th. The teams hope to get a good start in traveling to their first competition in Manhattan, the 13th and 14th of December. For CHS this year, there are 14 girls playing and 27 boys. The girls welcome in new assistant coach Heather Rutherford, and bring back head coach Tyler Bucklin. The returning head coach for the boys is Tyson Anderson, with Jeremiah Pearson as his assistant. From the girl’s perspective, they are anxious about this year’s season. They are hoping for a season like the last year or even better, having made it to state the previous year. The boys are also hoping for a great season and will see where the season takes them

The speech and drama season is already off to a great start, with participants placing high at meets. The returning coaching staff for their year is head coach Wayne Reynolds and assistant coach Ashley Buswell. The team is very confident about their season and hope to take all of the members to the state competition in January.

Wrestling, another winter sport, has also had practices underway the past two weeks. The wrestling program brings in 15 boys this year ready to compete. Head coach Kevin Moritz returns and they bring in a new assistant coach Willy Mello, with Ralph Diedrich’s retirement. The wrestlers are confident this year because they have plenty of boys to fill a team and a new coach to bring a new aspect.

The cheerleading program is making big changes, with a new head coach from Iowa, Ashley Opheim. Conrad fields a cheer-leading team of 5 seniors, 1 junior, and 3 sophomores, with a total of 9 girls. The girls are excited about the season and ready to get to know their teammates better. As with all the winter activities, the program is a great way to explore and meet new people you wouldn’t have known before.

Winter Activities

Anonymous Giving at it’s Best By: Trinity Cox

Every year there is a small group of people in Conrad who recognize people in need around the Brady/Conrad communities. The local organization, start-ed by a local woman, is known as The Giving Tree. Ads go in the paper ask-ing families or individuals who are in need of something this Christmas to write a note and send it to those who are the head of The Giving Tree. This is a way to make sure everyone has something to open on Christmas Day.

It is an anonymous act of charity. Those who choose to participate in the giv-ing do not know to whom the gift goes. Those receiving do not know whom the gift is from. Tags are passed out by a representative of The Giving Tree, usually one per church, possibly more. The tags include a coded number which the head organizers have connected to someone in need. Gifts are then bought by those willing to help make Christmas a special time for every-one, not just those who can afford everything that goes along with Christmas. The wrapped gifts are then returned to who passed out the tag. All the gifts are taken to the Education Hall at the Catholic church where they are orga-nized by family. At a certain time on a Sunday about two weeks before Christmas, the families are called to come pick up the gifts that were collected for them.

In an interview, Betty McBratney, a representative who possesses the responsibility of making sure each tag is filled, commented on how both the Brady and Conrad communities “are very giving and generous. The people have really big hearts.” She also commented on how numerous people are willing to give.

McBratney also shared her favorite memory of volunteering to help the Giving Tree run. “It is stressful because I worry if people aren’t going to come through. There was an individual that took tags for two children and didn’t get them back to me. I stopped at the store when a wom-an I know asked me if all the tags were filled. When I answered no she walked into Village Drug with me and purchased the toys. She stepped up to the plate and felt inspired to help me get it done. I was impressed with her generosity. There was no hesitation.”

The Giving Tree also has a fund for filling the tags that require making mad dashes to ShopKo or Village Drug, but McBratney takes it seri-ously to get each tag she is responsible for filled, as most representatives do.

“[The Giving Tree] helps individuals to give anonymously, and that is the beauty of it,” said McBratney. Isn’t that really what the Christmas spirit is all about anyway?

By: Molly Gianarelli

On Wednesday, Nov. 20 you might have noticed students and staff as they walked down the halls with a red bandage on their arm and a pale face. These people just saved a life by do-nating a pint of their own blood to someone who needed it.

“The blood starts off here and all of the blood collected in the state will then be sent to a lab in Great Falls to be changed to something transfusi-ble,” said Christopher Quinn, team supervisor of the group that came to Conrad High School. The group is just a small part of the Blood Services sec-tion of the Red Cross. Quinn stated the urgency and importance of donat-ing blood because every person who donates can save up to 3 people’s lives.

One student who took part in this event was senior class president, Kaylea Killion. “It felt great to be able to give something to someone else. Now days people get so used to receiving and not giving, so it felt amazing being able to change it up,” said Killion, who was just one of the 28 students and adults that gave blood that day. At the end of the day, the blood drive collected a total of 24 viable units of blood, which will all go to help people in need all over Montana.

Students Show Goodwill by Donating Blood

By: Jade Shepherd

Most of the time when someone mentions the phrase “controversial topic” people tend to gravitate more towards subjects such as abortion, marriage equality, and gun rights. However, one of the more disputed subjects that doesn’t appear to receive as much attention with the populous as it may deserve is student employment, and yet, more specifically the employment of high school students.

Everyone remembers their first job. For some it was working in the local grocery store, for others it was babysitting the neighbor’s kids and the list continues with all the basic jobs we can think of in our communities. Most feel it fair to say that it taught them several important as-pects of life ranging from the importance of a strong work ethic to financial responsibility. Others will argue that it takes time away from the student’s studies and inhibits their academic future. Counterarguments begin to take root until all the arguments are on the table, and as most see it, student employment is depicted as a tool for America’s youth. However, in recent years the number of high school students employed has taken a dramatic turn, and not one for the better.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 1999 little more than 52 percent of youth aged between 16 and 19 years old held a summer job. As of earlier in 2013, economists predicted that the number of youth who would hold a summer job would drop to reach a new low of 32.25 percent. Reasons for this change vary considerably.

Some people speculate that this loss of employment amongst America’s youth is caused by the recession in the current market, claiming that adults are taking the jobs that we once associated with high school students. (continued on page 4)

Progression Through the Work Force

Senior, Pat Adams donated blood during the November blood drive.

Shining Librarian Staff Member of the Month

Comic Corner

By: Molly Gianarelli

Around the holidays, you may have noticed people more concerned with what’s under the tree, who is sitting by whom around the table, and the snow. Many allow themselves to become stressed with the ideas of perfection. However, instead of focusing on these trivial mate-rial items and issues, the holidays should be a time to come together with family and friends. To give back to the people whom have given so much to you. This year, the challenge is to stop allowing yourself to be stressed by the little things, and be perceptive to the needs of those around you.

During the holidays, remember how your actions and demeanor can greatly influence the people around you. Emily Harwood, a sopho-more at CHS, has a good grasp on what this means. Her car was stuck in the snow last week and someone unexpected helped her out. In return, she helped out someone else. “All of our days were better because we knew someone was able to take time out of their day to change someone else’s in a positive way,” Harwood said. Instead of letting other people influence you with their own mood, try to change theirs for the better. Whether it’s shoveling their walk, jumpstarting their car, or even giving them a smile, remember you can always make a difference in someone’s day. You eventually may find yourself on the other side of the good deed.

This season is a great time to be thankful for what you have. Remind yourself not to wish for things, but be thankful for the things you do have. As the holidays come around, make sure to not let yourself get colder as the temperature drops. A lot of people use the weather as an excuse to become less charita-ble. Keep in mind these simple things to make sure your winter season is a worthwhile one. If you remember to give back and keep others spirits high, it will keep yours as well. As my teacher Heather Rutherford would tell you, “The best way to spell love is T-I-M-E.”

Holiday Karma

By :Ali Wakkinen

Father Christmas, Kris Kringle, Papa Noel, Saint Nicholas, Santa Claus Whatever you call him, you know who he is, along with his legend. The story dates back hundreds of years to a monk named Saint Nicholas. It is believed that he was born sometime around 280 A.D. in modern day Tur-key. The monk was known for his piety and kindness which he showed to others. It is said that he gave away all of his inherited wealth and traveled the country side helping the poor and the sick. Thus, many legends of Saint Nicholas were born.

Since you know the legend of Santa Claus, I’m sure you know about the controversy of Santa Claus, which also dates back hundreds of years to when the Puritans made it illegal to light a candle, give gifts, or even sing Christmas carols. These activities were illegal because of religious beliefs or other thoughts that may have formed elsewhere, and a lot of “Santa Controversy” is still around today for these same reasons. It is perfectly okay to have different beliefs and it’s good to stay strong to them, but you should not belittle other people’s religious practices or fun thoughts about Santa Claus. So this season, instead of thinking of Santa as a contradictory factor against your beliefs, you can think of him as a spirit within us, of giv-ing and not expecting anything back. After all, that’s what this season is all about. So give what you can, believe what you want, and have a great, giving-full, holiday season!

Christmas Controversy

By: Trinity Cox

The votes are in. Conrad high school's Dec. staff member of the month goes to the beloved librarian, Mrs. Ruth Fladstol! Whether it was her positive attitude or her aptness to rescue a student in need, or if it was just her smile, we’ll never know for sure. Students here at CHS have a special kind of respect for Fladstol. Fladstol can be seen around the school pumping up students for games, pep rallies and fundraisers with a bellowing microphone and sometimes silly costumes. You could say, #schoolspirit is just her “thing.” Fladstol’s willingness to answer any question and her sense of humor are what really captivates all who walk into her library. She’s never too busy to help out a student with technology problems, class roadblocks, or even just a decision in life. One student commented on her upbeat attitude, and another on her kindness. Fladstol loves to help students who think they hate books find a good read. She is the co-advisor for the National Honor Society and the Action Commitee, “Sunshine Person” for the staff, and text-book repairer. Fladstol will proofread anything and loves “being able to talk to students and listen to what’s going on, to share advice to keep from getting into trouble.” To Fladstol, it is the connection between her and the students that makes her happy as CHS’ faithful librarian. As a young lady, writing, reading, and even chemistry kept Fladstol’s love to learn burning bright. Her role model has always been her mother, the late Verna Brastrup. Fladstol says, “She taught me how to live my life.” Being a good person, thinking of others, and being re-spectful was all taught to Fladstol by Brastrup. She has 10 brothers and sisters. Students at CHS are incredibly thankful for the service and love Fladstol provides. One stu-dent said, “She brightens my day everyday I come in the library.” This is easy to believe be-cause Fladstol has an infectious smile and a great attitude. Another anonymous academic shared their thoughts on the great Fladstol, “ She’s a great person and always helps every-one. She is a huge part of our school and does more than people realize.” So in conclusion, #thanksFladstolfor #brighteningourdaysandkeepingit #real. #Congratulationson #staffmemberofthemonth.

By: Meranda Mareel, Cashley Redd, and Cari Lytle

On Nov. 21, the Conrad High School students and faculty were high-ly privileged to watch the witty performance of Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The original language was not changed, but the setting was changed to places in the United States that was easier for students to relate to.

This was a great opportunity for the students to expand their knowledge of acting and classic literature. Sasha Kostyrko, an ac-tress for Shakespeare in the schools said, “ I wish someone could have performed for my school. I’m giving students what I never had.” Kotstyrko stressed that it is important for students to be able to watch a Shakespearian play instead of just reading the plays because ac-tions make the play come alive.

The play was put on by a carefully selected collection of actors and actresses chosen from locations throughout the United States. The actors now are part of the Montana Shakespeare in the Schools pro-gram, which is based out of MSU Bozeman.

Following the performance, the students were encouraged to engage in workshops including: Stage combat, understanding Shakespeare’s language, comedy and improvisation. Many students participated in these exciting workshops. Junior student, Deidre Mecham signed up for as many workshops as possible. She said, “I thought the work-shops were an excellent opportunity to expand on my knowledge of acting and classic literature.”

Kostryko, who played Lucetta and the outlaw in the play, has been in theatre since she was a child. She said that she loves acting in front of students because they are the most honest audience. She imagi-nes acting for students is similar to what acting was like at the Globe Theatre in England during Shakespeare’s time. “You get an instant reaction and they will let you know when something is funny,” she said.

The actors want students everywhere to understand and experience

Shakespeare to the fullest of their abilities along with becoming

knowledgeable of the message that is conveyed throughout each

play. “Shakespeare isn’t as removed as we think he is. He’s pretty

tangible today,” actor Michael Gonring said.

Shakespeare’s Plays

Are Tangible Today

By: Jade Breding

Leggings became a fad in the 1960’s by rocker chicks and people like Audrey Hep-burn. They weren’t worn publicly until the 1980’s, then slowly faded away. Recently the fad has come back full force.

Dress code changes in the school now forbid anyone to wear leggings or yoga pants without covering their bottom. School dress code states that, “Conrad High School students are expected to be neatly and decently dressed, exhibiting a well groomed appearance at all times.” When leggings are worn without covering the student’s bottom, some students and staff feel it isn’t appropriate attire for school. “The dress code standard is not in place because we secretly like to make students miserable,” said staff member Kristi Calvery, “On the contrary, I want to see stu-dents dress for success and have self-esteem that goes beyond the attention they get for tight clothing and low cut shirts. It is hard to gain respect for your intelligence and ideas when you dress provocatively. I am not saying that you shouldn’t care about your appearance, but think about what you are advertising with your clothing; sex or success?”

Mrs. Fladstol informed the students of the change after a discussion between staff and student council. This was necessary because the dress code is unclear in the handbook. From then on, there has been much debate about the change.

A poll was sent out to students. Twelve questions were asked, and 17 students re-sponded. This showed that 90 percent of students think that both yoga pants and leggings should be allowed.

An anonymous 10th grader said, “Many girl’s pants are just as revealing as leg-gings.” Students agreed that the dress code is enforced unfairly. Suggestions on enforcing the dress code included; put the rule in the handbook, or make a better effort to catch everyone that violates dress code. Deidre Mecham, a junior, said “I think that if they’re not going to send everyone that violates dress code home, then no one should get sent home.”

One question asked was “Do you think the dress code limits your ability to express yourself?” 82 percent of students agree that it does limit their ability to express themselves. When asked if someone has ever offended them by wearing leg-gings,10 percent of students said they had been offended, showing that the way students dress can have an impact on others. Students should look in the mirror before they go to school and make sure they look presentable and appropriate.

Poll Shows Students Oppose Dress

Code Change

By: Cashley Redd

Brrr, its cold outside! This winter you’ll need numerous layers to stay warm. “I like all the outfits in magazines and that I see around school and stuff, but I never know what to buy, or what to put together to make the outfit look good. It’s hard to wear a super cute shirt or accessory if you’re not sure what to pair it with,” said sophomore Colleen Adams. Well here are a few ideas. The most popular look right now consists of boots, leg-gings, sweaters, and lots of layers. Jeggings are also super in, but if you prefer the jean look you could stick to that. Start your outfit off with a plain kami or tee and bottoms of your choice. Then start layering! Flannels are always good, especially if you’re cold. Same goes for cardigans, jackets, vests, or other flowy tops. After adding some boots and boot socks, your amazing winter outfit is almost complete. Finish off your look with lots of accessories such as necklaces, belts, bags, watches, or bracelets. Don’t forget a super cute scarf to add some flare.

Cozy and Cute Winter Fashion

E Espresso Gift Card, for when you pull those double shifts or need “study coffee” when you start school again in January.

M Movie- This isn’t just a movie, it is a movie, popcorn, and people who want to watch the movie with you!

I Inspiration- We found this bracelet at the Things Remembered Store. It is the “I wish you bracelet” that is supposed to bring love, luck, and dreams to the wearer. The bracelet says that each strand is supposed to be a wish you can give to the people who inspire you most.

L Lavender Candle for when you need to stop and relax. Lavender has a soothing quality that helps you forget your problems and feel calm.

Y York Peppermint Patty for a sweet treat on an I-NEED-CHOCOLATE kind of a day.

(story continued from page 1)

Others say that this could be caused by a gradual climb in university employment over the last several decades and that students are now studying longer and spending less time in the work force.

One thing hasn’t changed with this drop in employment,

which would be the view of employers who hire high school

students. Kit Miller Finlayson, manager of Creative Addic-

tions in Conrad and a current employer of high school stu-

dents, stated this about the topic, “I think that it is very im-

portant, especially in this day and age with all the things that

are keeping their attention away from progressing in their

lives.” In interviews with several teachers at Conrad High

School and other Employers of high school aged students

around Conrad this became a recurring theme, paired with

the acknowledgement that idle time and what it can do

amongst this age group is always a fear.

Give Gifts That Will Be Remembered Recently I had to do some shopping for friends and family who seem to have just about everything they need or want. It is hard to buy something that will be remembered for a friend or family member who really doesn’t need much. My advice is to make your gifts thoughtful and stop equating expensive gifts to great gifts. When I think back about the most meaningful gifts I have ever received, they didn’t really cost much, but they did come from the heart of someone I cared about. Here is an example of how to create a thought-ful gift for around $30. First, purchase brown paper bags. Then one letter on each paper bag until you have spelled the name of the person you are planning to give the gift to. Spend some time thinking about several small gifts that correlate with the letters in the person’s name and write an acrostic poem to include with the gift.. You will be surprised how a few small tokens that are thoughtful will be much more appreciated and remem-bered than an expensive present that will eventually break or be outdated. Check out my example below, then try it for yourself.

How To Stay Fit During The Holidays

By: Brooke VanEyk

Let’s be honest. We all don’t really seem to think of how to stay fit during the holiday season. Here are some ways you can! The food during the holidays is so good, that it can be pretty tempting to go back for more and more! Try having small portions of everything you eat. Instead of taking two pieces of pumpkin pie, take one or share with a friend. On Thanksgiving, instead of taking two or three helpings of turkey and stuffing, take small amounts. The smaller your por-tions, the easier it will be to stay fit and you can still enjoy your favorite holiday meals just as much.

There are a lot of substitutions you can do to your holiday meals. Use skim milk in your mashed potatoes along with a soft spread instead of butter. Eat until you are satisfied, not until you are stuffed. If you overeat on one meal, try to keep it light on the next. You can bring your own healthy holiday dish to holiday gatherings as well. Don’t skip any meals; try snacking regularly throughout the day instead. Anna Jones, a freshman at Conrad High School said, “I try to eat less fatty foods and take smaller portions during the holidays.”

A question that is also often asked is how can you stay fit when it is too cold to do any of your

regular outdoor activities? Well one popular thing to do during the winter is ski and snowboard.

Skiing or snowboarding is a perfect way for you to stay active. Studies show that a person can

burn up to 250-630 calories per hour while snowboarding or skiing. You can also do exercises

indoors, like sit ups or weight lifting.

Sophomore, Hailey Yeager pictured above

The Book

Nook

Dear Shaniqua,

Why do people get to put a person down on

twitter or other online accounts? Why do they

judge when they have no right to?

Signed, Against Online Accounts

Dear Against Online Accounts,

Girl, people don’t know how

to talk to each other in person.

Some girls go around tweeting about

you like it’s their job. They say

things that they will never say to

your face, because they are scared.

Everybody is judging each other

these days, nobody can help it. You

can’t change what they say, but

don’t give them the satisfaction

of beating you. The next time

someone says something about you,

you’ll hit that BLOCK button so

fast they won’t know what hit

em’.

Luv Yo Gurl,

Shaniqua <3

Shaniqua’s Advice Column

Dear Shaniqua,

What do I do when the guy I like doesn’t like

me and ignores me after I tell him I like him?

Signed, Hurt and Confused

Dear Hurt and Confused,

Oh honey, why are you so

worried? Boys are so not worth

your time. You don’t need to have

a guy to be happy. And you sure as

heck don’t need to change yourself

to make him like you. Remember,

this is just high school. Boys are

just a distraction. Someday you’ll

get out into the world and find the

perfect guy. And he won’t ignore

you. Keep your head up and keep

smiling.

Luv Yo Gurl,

Shaniqua <3

Internet Safety at CHS

By: Jenna Barker

Internet safety is a big deal. As the time moves forward the internet is becoming more dangerous. If you post or share something incriminating, millions of people can see it.

A woman named Mable accidently pressed an advertisement for a dating site while on Facebook. Trying to exit the pop up, she connected it to her Facebook and didn’t know until later. She received messages from many guys. She could only think, “What if I’m in public and one of these guys recognizes me?” She deleted the app, but kept receiving messages. A man found her on Facebook and messaged her asking if her picture with a cheesy smile and her arms spread wide was real.

These things happen every day. A downside of social networking is put into words by Deidre Mecham, a junior at Conrad High School, “I think anymore people are so focused on social networking that they aren’t focusing on what is important in life ,like work and spending time with important people in your life.” Jake Bender, a senior at CHS, adds, “Everything is published and you can never take it back.” Remember next time you post, someone might see that statement or picture before you remove it.

According to Ms. Bolmeier one of the most common things she sees with students is that, “The internet makes it easy to copy and paste rather than do legitimate writing and too many students believe if it’s on the internet than it must be true.” Mrs. Fladstol says, “They would rather search the net for sports, shopping, hunting, and other frivolous things instead of doing research for their homework.”

Here are some pointers on how to stay safe on the internet; Do not share personal information, make sure your screen name has nothing to do with you, don’t use a last name or a first name, don’t share passwords, don’t post stupid or incriminating photos, don’t meet people from online and don’t click on pop-ups!

Be safe CHS.

By: Deidre Mecham and Jenna Barker

The Fault in Our Stars has some-thing to give to every reader. The story is based on two teenagers who have been diagnosed with can-cer, but they deal with the diagno-sis differently than most; they tell jokes about their diagnosis. This book is tear-jerking, but don’t let that deter you. This book is about cancer, but it is not a cancer book. It causes you to question your life, and create new philosophies deal-ing with society. Being beautifully worded, The Fault in Our Stars will give you a different perspective on the life of a cancer patient, perhaps not in the way you would expect. The author, John Green, gives off less of the “feeling sorry” emotion and more of the “I’ve never thought of it that way” emotion. The plot starts with the main character Hazel who is in a support group with oth-er patients who have been diag-nosed with cancer. In the group, she meets Augustus Waters, who is instantly amazed by her. The two grow closer as their bond grows tighter while they discuss life and all of its many wonders. As they get to know one another, they are both troubled by the fact that they do not want to get close for fear of the fu-ture. They face many difficult trials throughout the book, but you’ll have to read it yourself to find out what happens.

The Fault in Our Stars

2013 Conrad High School

Journalism Staff

Editors: Cari Lytle and

Elli Garman

Contributing Writers: Brooke Van Eyk, Molly Gianerelli, Me-randa Marreel, Jenna Barker, Jade Shepherd, Deidre Mecham, Cashley Redd, Ali Wakkinen, Trinity Cox, Jade Breding

Advisor: Kristi Calvery

Senior student, Kaylee Taule working in the CHS Library