1. the
ECHOES
Scottsbluff High School | December 2010 | Volume 94 | Issue 4
Senior Meghan Pritchard performs
in the One Act play. Pritchard and
six other actors portrayed furies,
demonic figments of Mary Girard’s
imagination. photo by Terry Pitkin
The
I n s a n i tyof
M a ry G ira rd
One Act play captures third at district competition | pg. 12
[also]
Transfer students are having a huge impact
on Bearcats athletics this year | pg. 20

2. A good cause that’s causing trouble BRIEFLY
s pe akin g
Breast cancer awareness bracelets hit school District DECA
is a more appropriate way to spread The Greater Nebraska
awareness and it seems like the only DECA Conference was held
people wearing them are teenagers. I at Scottsbluff in the Monu-
think it is a way for them to get away
ment Mall on Nov. 1st.
with something normally inappropri-
ate,” family consumer science teacher Over two hundred stu-
Lorna Davis said. dents from Scottsbluff, Hast-
“I find them more humorous than ings, Central City, NE and
offensive. It’s an excellent market- Gillette, Laramie and Chey-
ing scheme to promote awareness. enne, WY competed.
Students wear them to get a rise out The conference was a great
of it and at first it was humorous but success, due in large part to
it’s getting to another level,” science the contributions of 40 local
teacher Heather Haberman said.
business and community
Some students have been wearing
bracelets very similar, but instead of leaders who served as judges
the phrase “I (heart) boobies” it has for the conference.
been replaced with other more inap- Students were required to
Photo from mindschmootz.net propriate phrases. take a written test and par-
story by “I think that they are offensive. ticipate in a judged role play.
SCOUT WILSON | news editor and were suspended from school It is a bad play on words. It’s for a The scores of the two are
“I (heart) boobies,” is the latest until they would come back without good cause but they are distracting added together to determine
bracelet fad, as teens have bought into the armbands. They did not return to and some students wear them for the the top three places in each
the new breast cancer awareness cam- school until after the planned pe- wrong reasons. I think they should
marketing area.
paign. But are teenage boy’s using it riod for wearing the armbands had be allowed to wear them, but inside
expired, which was until New Year’s out,” science teacher Melodie Foos Scottsbluff DECA had 18
as a clever comical way of expression
or are they actually wearing them to Day. said. winners out of the 33 places.
support awareness? The answer may The fathers of the students soon So where does the money raised
just be in the eye of the beholder. filed a complaint with District Court,
which was dismissed but then moved
from the bracelets and shirts sales go?
The Keep A Breast Foundation
UNL Math Day
A recent fad that has hit youth
across America is the bracelets and through the system to find its way to webpage says: The funds raised Students competed in the
shirts being made by the Keep A the Supreme Court resulting in the from donations go to support Keep UNL Math Day on. There
Breast Foundation in support of breast following ruling: the Court found A Breast education and awareness were two competitions: the
cancer awareness. that the actions of the students in programs. These unique programs PROBE 1 competition (Prob-
Though in support of a good cause, wearing the armbands did not cause use art and artistic expression to lems Requiring Outstanding
some schools across the nation have disruption and held that their activity inform young people about meth-
or Brilliant Effort) and the
decided to ban students from wearing represented constitutionally protected ods of prevention, early detection,
symbolic speech. coping and support. Through these
Math Bowl contest.
the bracelets.
“ ”
These new breast cancer aware- programs, Keep A Breast strives to The PROBE 1 is a 25-ques-
This has brought a heap of con-
ness bracelets are stirring up a similar eradicate breast cancer by inspiring tion multiple choice test.
troversy along with it. Students, such
as two middle school students young people to adopt lifestyle Students earn four points
suspended from school in choices that have long-term for each correct response, one
There is a more appropriate way health benefits. point for each question left
Easton, PA say the school’s
dress code violates their First to spread awareness and it seems Principal Rick Porter has the blank, and no points for each
opinion many other principals
Amendment rights and are su- like the only people wearing them are taking towards the brace-
incorrect response.
ing the school district. PROBE 1 team scores
This situation sounds eerily are teenagers. lets.
are computed by taking a
similar to a past case brought -Family consumer science teacher Lorna Davis things certainappropriate. This
“In
aren’t
places certain
school’s top five students on
to the Supreme Court in 1968:
is a learning institution, and the PROBE 1 and averaging
Tinker vs. Des Moines.
In December 1965, a group of controversy today and the issue will students need to show respect. The their scores.
adults and students in Des Moines, have to be settled. bracelets can promote a bad image The Math Bowl contest is
IA, held a meeting and determined The Keep A Breast Foundation for the school because the first thing an oral competition in which
to publicize their objections to the background page states that the shirts visitors are going to see are the stu- teams of three answer fifteen
hostilities in Vietnam and their sup- and bracelets act as an awareness- dents and they will judge the school questions. Teams have 30
port for a truce by wearing black raising tool, allowing young people based on the how the students may be
seconds to respond to each
armbands during the holiday season to engage and start talking about a dressed,” Porter said.
subject that is scary and taboo and In the end, the guideline students
question.
and by fasting on Dec. 16 and New Scottsbluff finished 7th
Year’s Eve. making it positive and upbeat. should follow is to wear the bracelets
Though the campaign has good turned inside out or find another way in the Class A team results
The principals of the Des Moines
schools became aware of the plan intentions, the phrase printed on the of supporting breast cancer. Don’t just and made it to the 8th of 11
for the armbands and quickly held a bracelets may offend those people buy the bracelets to have one, actually rounds whick was the best
meeting in which they passed and ad- who have been through breast cancer donate to the cause. This will help bowl finish in school history.
opted a new policy that any student or know someone who has. keep confrontations with students
wearing an armband would be asked Many of the breast cancer survi-
vors have had to have a breast re-
and staff to a minimum.
“I (heart) boobies does get your at-
Senior photos
to remove it, and if he refused he
would be suspended until he returned moved to combat the cancer and these tention, but in the school environment Seniors must senior
without the armband. bracelets are saying “Keep A Breast,” it is not appropriate. As a staff we will pictures into the Journalsim
Three students wore the armbands which seems like something offensive discourage the wearing of the brace- room by Winter Break. Pic-
to school, aware of the new policy, to someone who had no other choice lets. Some will be taken away and oth-
tures taken by local photog-
but to have their breast removed. ers will be asked to cover them up,”
2 | NEWS “I think it is sort of offensive. There Porter said.
rapher are exempt.

3. Smoking Statistics
A life turned to ashes -There is enough
nicotine in four or five
story by with their friends or family and feel headaches that can stop me from do-
RYAN MEISTER | news writer pressured into trying “just one” to fit ing my homework,” Keith said. cigarettes to kill an aver-
in. However, teens that have smoking Smoking while in school also has age adult if ingested
Millions of people are affected by relatives are more likely to try smok- an influence on what the student does
smoking each year, hundreds of thou- ing, as in the case of Keith. in the way of school activities. whole. Most smokers
sands of people die and hundreds “Now I am completely addicted “When I was a freshman I had take in only one or two
more become addicted to the nicotine to smoking and do it about 7 times a planned on going out for basketball,
found in the smoke from a cigarette. milligrams of nicotine
day.” Keith said. but with my smoking causing health
When most people think of the The average pack of cigarettes has problems and a back injury earlier in per cigarette however,
seasoned smoker, they have a vision 20 in a pack, which means that Keith the year I just couldn’t,” Keith said. with the remainder be-
of the grandfather smoking a pipe or is smoking about one pack every two A common question for teenage
a big wig in New York City puffing ing burned off.
to three days. smokers is ‘why did you start?’
his imported cigars. Smoking is also an expensive habit “I don’t really know why I start-
But even the high school student on top of an unhealthy, with one pack ed,” Keith said, “I guess I was just so -Kids are still pick-
will take what cigarettes they can, costing as much as 6 dollars. Also pressured to just try it once that I felt
once addicted, in order to get their fix. ing up smoking at the
they are much more expensive for like I had to.”
We see them every day walking teens that have to go around the law Smokers also experience problems alarming rate of 3,000
across Second Avenue to Frank Park in order to get them. that the normal teen might not. a day in the U.S., and
to “light up” and get their fix. “I spend about three to six bucks “I have a lot of health problems
Some don‘t care about possible 80,000 to 100,000 a day
on every pack I buy depending on and if I don’t have one it will just keep
side effects, some try to quit, but the the brand,” Keith said. “And, I have bugging me. It also completely kills worldwide.
withdrawal is so severe that even probably gone through 3 cartons easy me financially.” Keith said.
when trying to quit, the stress over- since I started 2 years ago.” However Keith, a smoker of 2
whelms them and forces them to re- -Worldwide, one in
With each carton having ten packs years, is now trying to take on the
turn to the highly addictive substance in them and each pack containing impossible task of quitting. five teens age 13 to 15
to take the “edge off.” twenty cigarettes this means Keith “It’s my senior year and I have smoke cigarettes.
Most smokers are addicted after has smoked 600 individual cigarettes been regretting the decision of starting
only one use of tobacco, and at least since starting. since I started and now I think it will
half of these people will become long “I regret the decision of starting be a very good thing to quit before -Every eight seconds,
time smokers of 15 to 20 years. and have even tried to quit before, I college,” Keith said. a human life is lost to
Around the world one in five teen- went a whole school week without it Smoking ruins the lives of millions
age people start smoking with up to tobacco use somewhere
and thought that I could make it and and millions of people whether it’s
100,000 teens starting each day. then the weekend came and when I the life of the person who smoking or in the world. That trans-
“I remember that when I started was around my friends it was just so the life of loved ones who lose their lates to approximately 5
smoking, I was 15 and I was with my hard not to have one.” Keith said. parents, siblings, or grandparents
sister and brother in law.” Keith* said. million deaths annually.
This is a common problem for early to one of the hundreds of dis-
Teens, like Keith, often times have smokers who try to quit “cold turkey” eases related to smoking.
a much lower level of tolerance to the
nicotine found in cigarette smoke than
while their friends continue with their Every smoker has the choice and Common Diseases
habits. It becomes incredibly stressful the opportunity to quit whenever they
adults and are much more likely to for the person attempting to quit. get the chance but many don’t and
get hooked faster. Smoking can also have some major many never will, but Keith has seen
• Lung cancer
“I remember we were in a bowl- repercussions on the health of the what mistake he has made and is try- • Cancer of the mouth
ing alley for my 15 birthday and both
my brother in law and my sister were
smoker. ing for a better future. • Cancer of the throat
“When I first started I couldn’t stay *Name changed
doing it. Then they just convinced me in school for more than about 2 weeks Information abtained from: www.fami-
• Stomach cancer
to try it and I was hooked instantly.” at a time because it made me so sick lyfirstaid.org/teen-smoking.html • Kidney cancer
Keith said. www.soundvision.com/Info/teens/
Often times this is what happens
to my stomach. Now I have chronic
stat.asp
• Cancer of the bladder
cough and shortness of breath and it
to teens who try smoking- they are can make me have horrible nicotine
www.teenhelp.com/teen-health/teen- • Liver cancer
smoking-statistics.html
• Prostate cancer
A false alarm, but still to be taken seriously • Heart attack
• Cardiovascular disease
story by freezing rain, watching and waiting • Stroke
RYAN MEISTER | news writer to see if their school would burst into • Leukemia
flame or whether it was just “some
On the 16 of Nov. 3:15 p.m. stu-
kid” playing a prank.
• Emphysema
dents were anxiously standing around
waiting for the final bell. All was Minutes later students were called • Chronic bronchitis
quiet in the hallway until the annoy- into the building to retrieve their • Pneumonia
items and once inside heard another
ing blare of the fire alarm resounded
discouraging warning “students
• Asthma
around the school.
Many teachers hid their initial we have not been cleared by the fire • Diabetes
shock from the students and went on department to be in the school, please • Stomach ulcers
exit the building.” department.
as if it was a normal fire drill, some
Students hurriedly grabbed their Events like this although not • Cataracts
teachers told their students this was common in Scottsbluff happen all
not a drill, but once outside everyone items and left the building with one • Gum disease
question in mind. too often around the nation causing
had one question. unwanted stress on students and • High blood pressure
“What just happened?”
“Is this a real fire or just another
It is obvious now that the school teachers. • Crohn’s disease
drill?” With this stress and the stress of fi-
The question was answered sec- did not burst into flames and burn to • Premature aging of the skin
the ground, instead what happened is nals pressing down upon the students
onds later when the roar of the fire of Scottsbluff high school we would • Loss of smell and taste
someone had pulled the alarm.
engine was heard racing around the
This, although not taking valu- like to remind students to make good •Reduced fertility
corner. decision in regards to what might
3
able class time away this time, caused
NEWS |
Students waited outside in the cause a class room disturbance.
a major disruption to the city’s fire

4. The future of alternative energy
SHS finds environmentally-friendly ways to produce energy
The AIr
SAmpLe mONITOr
The weather unit isn’t getting much solar data on this fine foggy morning, but no doubt
it is still collecting some information, possibly humidity. Photo by Scout Wilson
they’re testing the ground level ozone,
which is where a lot of respiratory
Alternative energy
problems can be caused and finding One of the more sobering
story by about the air sample monitor needing that in the city the particulate matter
solar power facts is that in one
SCOUT WILSON | news editor a new location.
She called the National Depart-
in the air is pretty high,” Haberman
hour, the
said.
Gaze into the crystal ball of the ment of Environmental Quality The challenge now with the unit is earth re-
future and see all the endless possi- (NDEQ) because they were in charge getting the data program to be more ceives more
bilities the future of alternative energy of the unit and they said they could user friendly. The program that stores
could hold: entire homes completely put one up on the school campus. energy than
all the data is called the Environ-
self-sustaining or cities powered by Next the idea was pitched to the mental Systems Corporation which the entire
the rays of the sun. One day all the school board. It was approved, and planet con-
located on a computer in Haberman’s
power consumed by society could be the unit has been on campus since.
produced solely by alternative means
room and must be running in order to sumes in a
Now what does this unit do, record the data.
and the concepts of self-sustainability. exactly?
full year. The
The data at first glimpse is a screen
The key to this future is the oncoming The unit is equipped with a fair full of numbers and can be very hard
sad part of this statistic is that
generations and their set of skills and sized wind generator, two sets of solar very little of this free energy is
to decipher. Mrs. Haberman wants to
knowledge they will bring into the panels, an air quality sampler, large find a way to present the data graphi- currently being converted for
world. batteries, and other equipment used cally such as in bar graphs or charts use. Even though the tech-
Students in science teacher, Heath- in recording data. The unit collects which would be easier on the eye.
er Haberman’s classes are already meteorological data such as wind nology exists to harvest this
Along with the unit on campus,
being exposed to means of alterna- speed, precipitation, solar radiation, Mrs. Haberman, with the help of power, it is only being used
tive energy as well as the concepts of humidity, temperature, and air qual- by a very small portion of the
students, has been landscaping the
self-sustainability. This opportunity ity- just to name a few.
provides students with knowledge
school’s inner courtyards. The idea world’s
The wind generator and solar pan- behind the landscaping is to cre-
they can apply to their everyday lives els provide important energy data for
popula-
ate a place where students could be
and in-turn form habits that can help this region and as a result also make outdoors and can also be used as a
tion.
save the planet. the unit self-sustaining in conjunction From
learning environment for classes that
All of Haberman’s classes have an with the large batteries that store its want to use it. - http://
environmentally friendly tone which, energy. One idea Haberman has in mind www.
helps students to learn about helping These parts of the unit can give us for the courtyard is to make labels
the planet and even become active in important data about the efficiency bakhuso-
for all the plants and provide a guide
the issue. of wind power and solar power in booklet. Teachers could use the book- lar.com/
One piece of equipment that has comparison to the changing seasons. solar-power-statistics/
let to take students out and have them
led to further exposure of alternative For example, the data can show the learn about the many varieties of na-
energy and also helped students to solar power efficiency in the summer tive plants in the courtyard.
learn hands-on is the air sample moni- versus the winter when the solar rays Today, one-fourth of the
Something Haberman has in the
tor located on the northeast part of are at a more indirect angle.
campus. This unit provides students
works is applying for a grant to have electricity used throughout
The air quality monitor on the unit a certified organic garden in the small
with the opportunity to view data and contains a small filter that opens every
the world is generated with
courtyard north of the counselor’s
apply it to their classes. few days to collect the air. Then the office. This would give Meyer’s foods hydroelectric power. In total,
The chance to get such a unit for filters are sent to Lincoln for analysis hydroelectric power meets
classes the opportunity to work with
the high school came about a few to see if we are meeting the Environ- fresh organic produce. 5% of the
years ago when the Scottsbluff Li- mental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “If the organic garden starts to take global de-
brary started its renovation. There had standards for air quality in regards to off, we are considering starting a gar-
been an air sample monitor on the li- particulate matter. mand for
dening club for students interested,”
brary but after they began renovation, So, how is the quality of our air? Haberman said. energy.
it was determined they would need to Haberman assures that our air http://
Haberman’s classes are helping to
find a new location for the unit. quality is good and the only major
At the same time Haberman was
create environmentally enlightened library.
contributor of emissions in the area is students and these students are the
looking into a school project that the Sugar Beet Factory.
thinkquest.
building blocks to the future, promot-
would bring wind generators to the “When you get into bigger cities ing others to have a healthy green org/26026/
school. Then, someone contacted her like in eastern Nebraska where the Science/
earth.
4 | NEWS NDEQ is doing most of the sampling, hydroelectric_power.html

5. Confucianism Jainism Wikka
Taoism
Deism
Shinto
Atheism Umbanda
Buddhism
Zurvanism
Islam
Hinduism
Judaism
Students who reject the faiths
Gnosticism Christianity
story by discovered her own beliefs. to have a point, and if it doesn’t, it’s “I’d like to think that when I die I
ASHLEIGH SMITH| feature writer Samantha, along with almost one just based on chance,” Roger said. would come back as another animal.
It’s Sunday morning. Tired eyes billion others in the world, is an athe- “We are here on this particular planet Maybe not my soul itself, but when I
pry themselves open to make out ist. Although atheists are a minority, not because we were placed here by am done my life would still continue
the blurry red numbers on a buzzing she isn’t alone at SHS. *Roger shares God, but because it just so happened on,” Roger explains.
alarm clock - 8:00 a.m. *Samantha Samantha’s atheist beliefs as well. that we evolved here.” At this point, some religious
crawls out of bed and drags her feet Even after debating and explor- Most atheists, including Roger and students may be in an uproar. They
across the floor towards the shower, ing other religious beliefs, both have Samantha, believe in the theory of are probably wondering how these
“
wishing she had one extra day to come to the conclusion that there are evolution rather than the belief that minorities have friends - but they do,
sleep in. no gods, or any other higher powers. a higher power created mankind. and lots of them. While Samantha
After primping and throwing on Samantha was We are here on this particular This scientific and Roger’s friends do not agree with
raised in a family planet not because we were point of view their beliefs, they are still accepting
”
her Sunday’s best, Samantha joins her
with Christian is consistent and look past their differences.
family to head to what seems like the
beliefs, but de- placed here by God, but be- throughout “They don’t dislike me because
inevitable for some teens: church.
Sure, many kids look forward to veloped her own cause it just so hpapened that atheism be- of my thoughts. We are just alike in
those Sunday mornings; they jump thoughts during we evolved here. liefs concern- other ways. We’re still able to get
out of bed with anticipation for the her teenage years ing many along even though we don’t agree.
sermons and ceremony that awaits - her parents weren’t exactly thrilled. other matters as well. I really don’t like when people hate
them. Many others, however, are “It was between seventh or eighth “I don’t really believe that God other people just because of their
merely forced to accompany their grade that I started to have doubts. created the earth either... I agree more religion,” Roger said.
parents and sit while religious words The Bible began to sound sort of with the Big Bang theory,” Samantha While Roger and Samantha have
stream through one ear and out the fictional to me... then I just gradually said. found accepting friends, there is still
other. became an atheist,” Samantha said. Many religious people would ar- a vast majority who strongly and
Samantha used to drag herself Roger, who is unsure of his fam- gue that there are books and scripture blatantly disapprove. The typical
out of bed and attend church with ily’s religious thoughts, has had his to prove the existence of God or gods, response to these students’ atheism is
her parents, but that was before she own atheist beliefs since he was about but atheists tend to question their negative.
twelve. authenticity. “There was a time in class that we
“I was never “I think the Bible is just a docu- were discussing religion. When I said
really defined as any- ment. Parts of it are probably true, I was atheist everyone turned around
thing. I have thought but about God making the earth and and looked at me in shock,”Samantha
about various other doing all those things... I don’t really said. “Most teachers question me to
viewpoints, but the believe that,” Samantha said. death and students usually roll their
point of view from Many Christians, Hindus, Mus- eyes if I tell them I’m atheist.”
the atheist side just lims, and other religious peoples Although many disapprove, it
makes the most aren’t afraid to die; they believe there doesn’t appear that Samantha or
sense to me.” is life of some sort after death. As for Roger will be changing religions
Many might the most atheists, this is ludicrous. anytime soon. Both have thought long
judge and wonder Samantha admits that she fears and hard and weighed their options,
why one would death, but believes nothing will hap- but have agreed that atheism is what
choose to not believe. pen after she dies and that the world suits them best.
To some it may even will just go back to the way it was “If something ever happens that
seem outrageous. before she was born, which coincides can only be explained through reli-
But Roger and with many other atheist beliefs. gion, I might reconsider. But other
Samantha have their Roger, however, strays from the than that, everyone has their right to
reasons: Roger’s rely strict atheist viewpoints and wonders their own beliefs, and I have chosen
on science, Samantha about death and the afterlife. Here, mine,” Roger said.
on other options. his views are similar to those of the *Names have been changed.
www.religioustolerance.org
“Everything has Hindu religion.
FEATURE | 5

6. Adoption
adopted. Being adopted is a very posi- rysm when he was 10 years old.
tive thing, but can also be negative. He was living with his mother’s
“In grade school kids would actu- dad prior to 2009 until a tragic event
ally try to pick on me for being adopt- happened: Wheeler’s grandpa passed
ed,” Rein said. “I got over it quickly away in a car accident four years ago.
because I know that my parents chose This is when Wheeler went to
For some it’s the best thing that me to be their son and the other kids
parents just got stuck with them.”
live with his stepdad’s mother. Four
years later she legally adopted him.
has ever happened to them However, Rein’s grandparents
treat him and his siblings a little bit
Wheeler was happy that his grand-
mother could take him in.
story by Rein’s biological parents did tons differently because they are adopted. Senior Matt Hall’s type of adoption
RACHEL CLEMENS | feature writer of research to find the right parents “My grandparents act a little more is called Fost-Adopt because he was
for their newborn. Rein sees his careful when we are around,” said adopted by his foster family.
Junior Cody Rein will never forget biological father once a year. He has Rein. Hall was placed with a foster fam-
“
the day he came home from kinder- met his birth mother, but doesn’t have Rein is glad he is adopted and ily when he was six months old and
garten to find a stranger sitting on the contact with her as thinks he is they adopted him at age seven.
couch.
“Who are you?” asked Rein.
“Cody, I am your biological fa-
ther,” the stranger said.
“I’m adopted?!” Rein yelled.
Rein was very surprised, shocked,
often.
“My birth mother
and father are both
really nice people. It
is a privilege to be
able to talk to them,”
...I know that my
parents chose me to
be their son and the
other kids’ parents just
“ better off than
he would have
been if he
wasn’t.
Junior Alex
Wheeler also
Hall’s biological father was a
heavy drinker, his biological mother
was a smoker and the case worker
didn’t like the environment so he was
placed with a foster family.
“When I was younger I didn’t
and excited at the same time. He Rein said. got stuck with them. has an under- really think about the fact that I was
had so many questions that needed Every now and -Cody Rein, 11 standing of adopted. I knew I was in a good home
answered. again Rein wonders what it is like and they took care of me and that’s all
Rein was adopted when he was what it would have been like if his to be adopted. He was adopted by his that mattered,” Hall said.
three days old through a private biological parents would have raised grandmother in 2009. Hall was very glad to be adopted,
adoption, which is different from an him, but he wouldn’t want to change His father is in prison and Wheeler and he was excited to change his last
agency adoption in that agency adop- anything. hasn’t seen him since he was four or name from Judd to Hall.
tions are funded by and go through a Rein has an older sister, a younger five years old, and his mother passed He is proud to be adopted and
state or agency. brother and sister, all of whom are away in her sleep from a brain aneu- wouldn’t want to change anything.
SHS One Act captures Sophomore Derrick Goss assumes major role
third place at districts
three days prior to competition
Goss said. lows the downward spiral of Mary
“We all started clapping for Der- Girard (senior Sara Frederick), the
rick right after he finished his scene 18th-century wife of a well-to-do
that night,” senior Jessica Schluter, a Philadelphia businessman, Stephen
story by Act Class A-4 district competition.
KARIN SHEDD | editor-in-chief “After Tuesday (Nov. 30) night’s fellow cast member, said. “Everyone
was so proud of him and very grate-
Girard (Harvey), into insanity during
her time in the Pennsylvania Hospi-
rehearsal, when (the two seniors
Sophomore Derrick Goss, dressed ful. He really pulled through for all tal for the mentally deranged. While
performers) got kicked out, I got a
in circa-18th century white shirt, of us.” there, Mary is plagued by ‘furies’
text from Ms. Rada at 11:30 saying to
calf-length black pants, and black coat The cast competed against eight (seniors Meghan Pritchard, Taylor
memorize Mr. Philip’s lines,” Goss
with tails, waited for his cue back- other schools at the district competi- Ziegler, Madelin Parsley, Layton
said. “The next morning, I got another
stage at the North Platte High School tion on Saturday, Dec. 4 in North Croft, Jessica Schluter, Paige Steinle,
text from her that said ‘It’s final.’”
“ ”
auditorium. Platte. They beat out fourth and fifth and sophomore Mahalah Booth),
Speech/drama teacher Kara Rada,
Deep breaths. Don’t panic. Re- place Grand Island imaginary creatures who mock and
the director
member your lines.
of the play, Everyone was so proud of North- tease her. The furies allow Mary to
Goss and senior Sam Harvey, who west
was similarly attired, silently sidled to
cited Goss’ him and very grateful. He really High
revisit people and scenes from her
experience past and future, including the warder
their places on the stage.
on the stage
pulled through for all of us. School of the asylum (senior Nick Roussel),
‘Generosity.’ I always forget that
word in one of my lines. ‘Generosity.’
and speech -Jessica Schluter, 12 (Doubt) her mother, Mrs. Lum (junior Karenna
team when and Lex- Booth), one of her husband’s mis-
Seconds later, a spotlight lit up ington High School tresses, Polly Kenton (junior Ashleigh
asked why she
Goss’ and Harvey’s side of the stage. (The Long View), Smith), her unborn baby, the nurse
picked such a young performer to
Game on. respectively, to capture third place who adopts the baby, Mrs. Hatcher
replace a senior.
Goss is no newcomer to theatre. behind runner-up North Platte High (senior Victoria Bravo), and Mr.
“Derrick is a dedicated member of
He has played many roles in numer- School (Snappy’s Happy Half-Hour) Philips (Goss), all of which contrib-
the speech team, so I knew he could
ous theatrical productions since his and champion Kearney High School utes to Mary’s eventual insanity.
pull it off,” Rada said. “He is a team
elementary school days. (Mother Hicks). Along with their third-place
player and I knew he would take it
What was new for Goss regarding Though they had hoped to win dis- title, four members of the cast won
very seriously.”
his role in this year’s One Act play, tricts, members of the cast didn’t lose additional honors: Roussel, Harvey,
Take it seriously he did - Goss,
The Insanity of Mary Girard, was the their own sanity. Senior Allie Brisco, a Frederick, and Smith each received an
with the help of several other cast
amount of preparation time: due to first-time One Act performer, was just Outstanding Actor award.
members, spent all of Wednesday
the last-minute expulsion of two se- glad for the experience. From the long nights and lunches
practicing his lines in order to have
nior performers from the show, Goss “I’m so glad I did it this year. I love of rehearsals to the hours of applying
them memorized by that night’s
was thrust into the role of Mr. Philips, how well the cast mixed together,” and removing eery stage makeup, ask
rehearsal.
the head of the insane asylum where Brisco said. “Everyone was really nice any One Act cast member about their
“I rehearsed during homeroom,
Mary Girard was kept, a mere three and accepting.” experience, and they will sum it up in
6 | FEATURE
classes, lunch, and even stayed after
days before the One The Insanity of Mary Girard fol- one word: insane.
school until rehearsal started at 7,”

7. A WEST NILE NIGHTMARE
A mosquito bite changed one sophomore’s family forever
story by and tremors in his hands and head. doing so that we
MEGHAN PRITCHARD | feature editor “My pain on a scale from one to can do things as
ten is always a three when someone a family,” Martha
School had drained everything out else’s would be a zero,” Randy said. said.
of sophomore Allison Stricker. She He now has holes in his stomach Randy’s battle
was exhausted, ready to just be home. from taking so much Ibuprofen for with West Nile has
She walked into the kitchen, set the pain. impacted his faith
all of her books by the computer and From what the doctors can deci- in God.
prepared to shovel through a pile pher, the virus attacked Randy’s brain “I am on the
of homework when her dad, Randy and nerves. board at my
Stricker, walked in. “Before we knew it was West Nile church and teach
She greeted him with a smile, there was a big scare that my dad had Awana and Sun-
prepared to hear him ask how her day a brain tumor,” Allison said. “I was day school. I’m a
had gone. so relieved to find out that wasn’t the strong Christian,”
But she knew better than that as case.” Randy said. “But
she watched his hands twitch and his The family tried everything with for a while I was
eyes glare in pain. persistence and hope, from acupunc- angry at God for
As quickly as Bruce Banner turns ture to epilepsy medicine, and then fi- not curing me. It
into the Hulk, her dad became a nally decided to send a letter to Mayo took me a while to
monster. Clinic in Minnesota where some of accept it.”
“Young lady! You didn’t do any of the best doctors researched cases like Randy and
your chores! I come home expecting a Randy’s. Martha know that
nice clean house and all you’re doing “I got a letter back in the mail al- hard times are
is sitting on the computer!” her dad most like a college rejection letter that ahead, but have
screamed. made me lose all hope,” Randy said. promised each
As he stormed out, Allison fought “My wife was very hopeful in all that other that divorce
back tears that threatened to stream we were doing, but it was too expen- will not happen -
down her face. sive, so after this I knew I needed to no matter how bad A KISS Sophomore Allison Stricker is shown
with her dad during happier times,
“I know it’s not his fault. He can’t accept the circumstances.” things get. FROM before he contracted the West Nile virus.
help it,” Allison thought. After battling it out Randy realized “I made a vow to love him in sick- DAD Courtesy Photo
In the fall of 2005, Allison found this is how it’s supposed to be. ness and in health, for good or bad,
out her father had contracted the West Unfortunately, the after-effects of and I will not let that change,” Martha
Nile virus. West Nile have changed the Stricker said. virus so in reality I am lucky,” Randy
The effects of West Nile now over- family’s life forever. Looking at the situation postively said. “It could always be worse.”
take his better judgment and he can’t Randy is now like a ticking time is not easy, but Randy remains accept- The Stricker family has overcome
always control his temper. bomb. He has to pace himself, other- ing. huge obstacles, but their faith, deter-
Randy played softball in the sum- wise his effects get worse. “I know people who are wheel- mination and love have kept them
mers with friends. The family now has to be able to chair bound or lost their life to this strong.
At one of those games a mosquito tell if it’s a good day or bad day for
West Nile
bit him, infecting him with the virus. Randy.
“I just thought it was the flu or a “I have to gauge my dad in the
Breakdown
cold until I got a nasty rash on my mornings to see how he’ll react to
The
arms and chest a few weeks later,” stuff,” Allison said.
Randy said. Because of the headache pain
1
Martha Stricker, Allison’s mother, Randy has a harder time staying calm
2
is a nurse at Regional West Medical and keeping his temper.
Center, so she knew something was “I become an ogre with a club
wrong immediately. when something doesn’t go right
The virus is often People typically develop
“West Nile was very new around when in reality it shouldn’t be a big spread by the bite symptoms between 3
that time so no one knew how to treat deal,” Randy said. of an infected mosquito. and 14 days after being
it or what exactly it was because it At first Allison didn’t realize what
bitten.
3 4
affects patients differently,” Martha was going on with her dad, now she
said. “No case is exactly the same.” understands why he blows up.
After running countless tests and “It’s really difficult because it’s not There is no specific Use insect repellent at
figuring out all the diseases he didn’t normal for him, but I understand that
have, the doctors concluded it was his pain every day is my worst pain
treatment for the dusk and dawn when
West Nile. imaginable,” Allison said. infection. Every case the mosquitoes are
For the Stricker family, each day is
The virus has left him with a host
precious.
has different symptoms. most active.
of medical problems..
He is haunted by constant head- “When I know that Randy is up to
7
aches that can’t be relieved, short- doing things because his pain level is
term memory loss, unsteady balance, low, everyone will drop what they’re FEATURE |

8. SAME-SEX
With a same-sex marriage lawsuit making its way to the Supreme Court,
June 16, 2008. idea of homosexuals marrying?
Hundreds of couples flood California court houses. I’ve heard some of the more impractical reasons like
Their time together ranges from a few months to 55 homosexuals can’t reproduce and that they’re seeking
gabriellecarlin years, but they all had one thing in common:
They were homosexual couples who had endured
“special rights.” Since when is there a law that declares
that the purpose of marriage is to reproduce? If there
their fair share of discrimination and were at last being is, someone might want to inform all the sterile hetero
given a sliver of acceptance as the California Supreme couples of the world. Also, were the protesting mem-
Court ruled “the right to marry in California extends bers of the African American community of the 1960’s
equally to all, gay and straight alike.” seeking ‘special rights?’ when they asked to have a
Thousands of homosexuals and gay rights advocates choice in where they ride on a public bus? No - they,
came together and cheered on as one same-sex couple like the gays of today, just want the rights enjoyed by
after another left the San Francisco Court House with the rest of the population.
brand new marriage licenses. It was an exciting and However, neither of these arguments against gay
triumphant day for those supporting gay rights. marriage rights seem to be the most popular.
Little did these people know that their days of equal- The “homosexuality is a choice” argument is relent-
ity were numbered. less.
November 2008. First off, this argument is against gays and has noth-
Proposition 8, an amendment which eliminates the ing to do with their right to marry.
right of same-sex couples to marry, is passed in Califor- Secondly, it’s such a huge judgment. If homosexuals
nia. choose their sexual orientation then doesn’t that sug-
52.3% of Californians gest that heterosexuals
voted in favor of the
marriage ban, while those Not allowing homosexuals the do the same? And if this
is true, why should the
wishing to stop the ban
came up short with only same rights as heterosexuals is choice to be heterosex-
ual be favored over that
47.7% of the vote.
It keeps getting harder nothing short of bigotry. of homosexuality?
The second argument
for me to comprehend I hear a lot is Bible-
why people are so against same-sex marriage, and why based: gay marriages need to be banned because of
amendments like Prop 8 are being passed. some of America’s population’s religious beliefs.
Marriage, which, in all legality, is a contract between This is another useless argument. The First Amend-
two people has been twisted into something so much ment of the US Constitution bluntly forbids congress
more than it is. Social and religious connotations have from passing laws “respecting an establishment of reli-
been linked to the institution of marriage, which people gion.” Last time I checked, I didn’t live in a theocracy.
use as tools to fight against same-sex marriage. Look - this column could go on and on, but what it
Marriage is simply another right, and to say that a really comes down to is basic human rights.
person or significant group of people should be denied Putting it bluntly, it shouldn’t matter what your
the same rights that everyone else is given is not only opinion is on homosexuality. Whether you agree with
morally wrong, but intolerant as well. their lifestyles or not, they are people and they deserve
In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jef- the same rights as everyone else. To deny homosexuals
ferson states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, the right to marry is a massive step back for not only
that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the United States of America, but the world.
their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among According to Webster’s Dictionary, love is a pro-
these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” foundly tender, passionate affection for another person.
Thomas Jefferson wrote “all men,” not “all men, There are so many ways that a person can show their
except for homosexuals.” If the word “all” in that state- love for another, and one very popular way to do so is
ment does not in fact mean everyone, then how can by legally joining in marriage. When two people devote
anyone assume it pertains to them? the rest of their lives to each other it is a very bold and
And, the notion that marriage is not included in the intimate step.
pursuit of happiness is absolutely ridiculous. Heterosex- Now imagine loving someone so much but not
uals and homosexuals alike deserve the right to pursue being allowed to marry them because the govern-
happiness, which includes the right to marry. ment doesn’t view that particular type of love as being
For some reason, some people think they can de- legitimate.
termine what rights homosexuals are allowed and not Homosexuals need to be given the right, as hetero-
allowed to attain. Rights are rights, and it is time people sexuals are, to be legally joined by the institution of
realize that everyone is entitled to them. marriage. Not allowing this is nothing short of bigotry.
While I’ve been sitting here writing this column I
started to think: why are some people so against the
8 | OPINION

9. MARRIAGE
two reporters debate head-to-head on this explosive social issue
I almost feel trapped being asked to write this riage or not.
column. Among the “politically correct” crowd, any I suspect there may be some other ulterior motives
position that even slightly appears to be anti-homo- here as well. Perhaps those wanting gay marriage are
sexual will have me branded a bigot. truly interested in being able to add their same-sex
Because of my evangelical Christian beliefs, I spouse to their health insurance policy for economic meghanpritchard
agree with the Bible that homosexuality is unnatural reasons. Or maybe to get a family rate at the YMCA.
and wrong. Asking me to believe any differently is Or to save some money on their taxes by filing as a
asking me to deny my God. married couple.
However, people automatically assume that this I believe that marriage is more than just a li-
means I hate homosexuals. On the contrary, I have cense or a contract to give rights and benefits. It is a
many friends that are homosexual and I love and life-long commitment to building a family together,
care for them as much as any of my other friends. which includes having children. Overall, children
Proposition 8 is a statewide ballot in California in a family with two married parents turn out much
that eliminates the right of same-sex marriage. Vot- better than children in households with only one
ers approved Prop 8 on November 4, 2008, but their parent or unmarried parents. So it can be argued that
decision was shortly overturned by a federal judge as an important function of marriage is to raise a strong
unconstitutional and next generation of success-
barred its enforcement.
Before it was ruled Marriage has purpose and ful children. Extending mar-
riage to same-sex couples
null and void, Proposi-
tion 8 created a new meaning. It is not simply a only diminishes this very
important role of marriage.
amendment to the
California Constitution contract to guarantee rights. Until recently, it was
considered taboo to have
which said, “only mar- children outside the
riage between a man covenant of marriage. It
and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” seems to me that the same social liberals that want
Before Prop 8 passed, same-sex marriage was a to diminish marriage by making out-of-wedlock
constitutionally-protected right in California. Now it births mainstream, also want to use the institution of
is making its way back to the courts. marriage when it suits their agenda. They want all
People who take the opposite view of same-sex the benefits of marriage without taking on any of the
marriage might say that I’m intolerant. But isn’t it responsibilities.
interesting how intolerant they are of my views? Proponents of gay marriage will say that ho-
Almost everyday I am persecuted for my faith. mosexuals have just as committed, loving relation-
Since faith in God is not very logical to progressive, ships as a man and a woman. If that is the basis
politically correct people, I only see writing this for defining who should be allowed to marry, then
column as more ammunition against me. The reason logically we would then extend marriage to anyone
I write this is because I stand firm on my beliefs and who claims to be in a committed, loving relationship.
am not afraid to defend my faith. Should we allow a father to marry his eight year old
For thousands of years, it has been understood daughter or son? Or a polygamist to marry the three
that marriage is between a man and a woman. Even Thompson sisters? Or Aunt Matilda to marry her
40 years ago, the idea of saying 2 men or 2 women litter of cats?
could marry would have been ridiculous to most Only 1.5% of Americans identify themselves as
everyone. So how in the world has this even become gay, lesbian, or bisexual (adherents.com). It is not
such an explosive issue in our society? unreasonable for people to want to keep a traditional
Basically, a few activist judges have taken it view of marriage when such a small minority want
upon themselves to try to redefine the traditional to distort what most Americans believe marriage is
view of marriage without any input from voters. all about. The majority of Americans want to keep
Homosexual activists know that they are unlikely to marriage between a man and a woman. It has been
achieve their goals if voters are allowed to have a say that way for thousands of years and it is only very
in the matter, so they have bypassed the will of the recently that a small minority has wanted to force
American people and used liberal judges to redefine their views on everyone else.
marriage. There is a long-held traditional view of marriage
In the end, they hope that this will become an that has purpose and meaning in it. It is not sim-
issue in the federal judiciary, with the hope that ply a contract to guarantee rights, and it certainly
all states will be forced to recognize gay marriage, shouldn’t be the framework for pushing an activist
whether those states have laws allowing gay mar- agenda.
OPINION | 9