Volume 88 ∙ Issue 1 ∙Sept. 26, 2013

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by Cilly GeraniosGood deeds should be re-

warded so as to train that those good deeds should be repeated.. If the dog pees in-side, it is punished. If the dog pees outside it is rewarded. Eventually, even a dog real-izes the prosperity of using the correct bathroom. The new attendance policy fol-lows the same basic vein.

Nearly a month into the new school year, the new in-centive attendance policy has had 4 weeks to begin exert-ing its impact over the school. The policy, stating those with good attendance and a cor-respondingly good grade may be exempt from taking a fi-nal exam, was not new to the country or even the state of Montana. Rather, the policy

has been seen in other high schools as close as Flathead.

The incentive proved suc-cessful there however some of the details seem to raise concern amongst student. For example, junior Alek Ray said, “The policy seems pointless for those of us taking an Advanced Place-ment or dual credit class.”

This isn’t entirely true. Principal Jane Gregoire said, “[AP students] can take the AP test which is totally separate. As far as the end of the course, we’re required to take a dis-trict assessment and it will occur in AP and dual credit[...] we’re required to give district assessments but we’re not told when we have to give it.”

Associate Principal Brad Barringer said, “By this

time last year the SRO, Of-ficer Reeves, was already dealing with more cases of students who had missed over 35 days of school and now he only has three.”

The plan already seems to be making an impact but whether the improved atten-dance will continue is under contemplation by both teach-ers and students alike. Senior James McGary said, “I think it’ll motivate those students who already have good atten-dance. The less motivated will continue to ignore school.”

The incentive policy is not the only new implemented at-tendance based policy to the school. The new robo-call technology has been added to the attendance office’s supply of phone cords. This system

is set to automatically call all numbers on file for a student if the student has been marked absent without an excuse.

The common misconcep-tion of the robo-call technol-ogy is that the phone will call and leave a pre-recorded de-vice immediately 15 minutes after the beginning of the pe-riod until the parent answers. Attendance clerk Sherri Clark said, “At 5:30 at night it calls to try to catch [parents] at home and again at 10:15 in the morn-ing and 1:45 in the afternoon.”

The attendance issues of yesteryear have been ad-dressed by more than Great Falls High. Charles M. Russell is also looking into potential incentives for good atten-dance. Their incentives do not include test exemptions. Gre-

goire said, “I don’t know a lot about it but [the rewards are] things like prime parking spots and a free activity punch.”

The incentive plans from both schools are current-ly experiments monitor-ing their ability for success.

Gregoire said, “[If our attendance plan works] we’ll continue with it. Right now, CMR is watching us and we’re watching them.”

Though the plan is only in debuting stages of its in-tegration into school pol-icy, Gregoire said, “[ab-sences] are like 75% lower, part of that is freshman are all on the same lunches.”

So far the new initiative policy and robo-call tech-nology seem to be work-ing to incentive students.

Top Story 1Index

Attendance policy debuts with success

ATTENTION TOATTENDANCEIF YOU CAN’T TAKE THE HEAT Mrs. Bohannon’s first period english class works on an “article of the week” assignment outside on the senior stairs. Class outside is a simple solution to avoid the heat and the cramped space inside. Mrs. Bohannon said that she was “Taking advantage of the beautiful weather and trying to get away from the stiffling heat. Luckily what I was teaching allowed me to adapt that way.” Photo Dustin Senger

Marching band works diligently on super Saturday to prepare for the halftime show during the homecoming football game. Page 8–9

Homecoming

FootballVarsity football improves this year holding a record 1–3. Page 15

News Sept. 26, 20132

by Ashlen Botzet

Slowly, bit by bit, the school is start-ing to crumble. Through a heart-wrenching pro-cess, positions are

cut due to lack of funds and classes start to overload be-yond their limit. Everything is up in the air, and nobody is sure exactly what to do.

Last year, the Mill Levy failed because the commu-nity didn’t have a majority that wanted to raise their taxes in order to support education. Schools are funded primar-ily by one of the two: levies and enrollment. Although our enrollment is higher than it was last year--which hasn’t occurred in several consecu-tive years--the school bud-get is still cracking under

the weight of a stationary revenue attempting to bal-ance school costs that are still rising. The scope of our school’s financial manage-ment alone is breathtaking.

In our school alone, we have lost several positions. Many subjects have directly suffered due to this, including the art, physical education, drama departments and a few others. As a result, many elec-tives are taking losses and students are quickly filed into classes that they cannot take. This year, 150 people signed up for Stagecraft, but a major-ity of the people that signed up had to transfer to a different elective, many were placed in electives they did not neces-sarily desire. Similarly, this is why there are an abundance of people in C lunch, because many students were forced

into similar classes. While ini-tially it may seem hard to com-prehend how devastating this can be, the impact on educa-tion in our school is immense.

As a speculation to what would happen if the levy continued to fail, Princi-pal Jane Gregoire said, “We would see changes happen that have happened to oth-er schools in similar situ-ations. The building would go into disrepair, through things like plumbing and general custodial work due to a lack of funding. Technol-ogy advancements will stop.”

Aside from the sus-pected structural traves-ty at the school, it is also possible that the school may lose accreditation.

In reference to the contin-uous loss of money, Gregoire said, “The school will become

less respected, causing a lower overall enrollment rate. Eventually, costs will begin to shift to students and parents after options start to run out. Unfortunately, the money that is needed to prevent all of these things is much less than the money to fix them all once they’ve become a problem.”

Another problem Great Falls Public Schools is faced with due to these cuts is ex-cessive class size. The fewer the teaching positions in the district, the larger the class sizes for existing teachers.

Mike Picking, the Great Falls Education Association President said, “Some of the major things I’ve seen [per-taining to] the budget cuts are overloading of class siz-es. Classes with 32-33 kids. We’re down 60 less teachers on the district, that is where

we get larger classes and less time.” Picking fears that the large class sizes will af-fect the quality of learning.

Overall, with our school alone there are several prob-lems that need to be fixed. There’s an extremely sig-nificant impact on education every time the levy fails, be-cause schools cannot depend on enrollment to fund them-selves. As students, we need to advocate for our education regardless, but right now it is of the utmost importance. It isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a complete degradation of the way school operates. There are so many opportuni-ties that we have that we are currently neglecting. We are truly the people, the lead-ers, the men and women of tomorrow. Support today, or tomorrow will never happen.

Budget cuts impede on education

MEAN, GREEN INTRUDINGTHINGSWeeds overrun the solar panels by the main campus of Great Falls High. These solar panels were installed prior to the new project last year. Photo Dustin Senger

by Kristen HanningThey said going green was a good thing however;

the solar panels are a little more green than expected.Over the summer the amount of weeds on the

campus has become absurd. Partner on the solar panel project, Dan Wilkins said, “Overall I think we have a beautiful, well-kept campus however I think there are a few places that could use more atten-tion. When they mow, the lawn, they don’t get in-side the chain link area [around the solar panels].”

Wilkins worries that the weeds hinder the ap-pearance of the campus. Wilkins said, “I think [the solar panels] show the forward thinking of Great Falls High and should look its best. Keep-ing a beautiful campus shows we have pride in our campus and what goes on at Great Falls High.”

Wilkins has recognized the improvement of the up-keep of the campus such as the reduction of the litter-ing problem. Wilkins said,”Our campus has been im-proving, there are just a few areas being overlooked.”

Problem areas strike attention

Officials worry about school’s ability to provide quality education due to budget

S

Briefing Sept. 26, 2013 3news TidBiTs Unrest in Syria creates turmoil

The civil war in Syria still rages on after two and a half years of conflict. Casualties are rising every day. With chemical weapons being used, everybody is left wondering what is going to happen.

It all started in the past. In 1993, the Chemical Weapons Convention was signed. It is an arms control agreement that outlaws the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. Syria has not agreed to the CWC, and Syria is one of two signatory states in regards to the Geneva Protocol. The main problem is that the Geneva Protocol only prohibits the use of chemical weapons in war, but doesn’t cover the terms in the CWC. This distinction is one of the driving forces of the entire conflict, especially significant because chemical weapons have been used three times since the Geneva Protocol. Once with Hitler, once with Hussein, and now we see al-Assad using them.

But the present is really concerning. The Syrian government has been reported to have completed multiple chemical attacks,

but the most devastating are the 2013 Ghouta attacks. The death toll isn’t completely confirmed, but it is perceived to be quite possibly the deadliest use of chemical weapons since the Iran-Iraq War. The Russian government has been trying to convince Syria to put its stockpile under international control.

In the end, it’s about the future. There is a lot of speculation concerning what should be done internationally. Syria has agreed to let international forces retrieve the stockpile of chemical weapons, but it could take a year to destroy the weapons. Obama still leaves the threat open of intervening if the situation gets out of hand, so it is unclear if we are involved or not. In essence, the future is one of the most important factors in the way that we handle the conflict, so it is important as citizens to stay informed and question how to deal with the situation.

For additional and upcoming information visit: www.iniwa.com

Articles by Ashlen Botzet

SPACING OUT Freshman Brandon Walker waits for his flight to Texas at the Airport. Walker was accepted to a space camp for people with impaired vision.

Brandon Walker loves space. Not the kind between each of these words, but out-er space. Just take a minute and imagine being the first to set foot on Mars, to cre-ate a home and to explore.

These goals are what Walk-er dreams to accomplish af-ter he attends a full-expense paid trip to a space camp in Texas, which is funded heav-ily by Vision Services and lo-cal community organizations.

The camp is made specifi-cally for people that have im-paired vision or have conditions that result in impaired vision.

Walker said, “I want to be an astronaut so that I can be the guinea pig of as-tronomers. Scientists have guinea pigs, so I guess as-tronomers have astronauts.”

Everybody has motivations, a desire to complete or accom-plish something. To set foot on Mars, to create a home and to explore are Walker’s dreams.

His closing advice, “If you ever get this chance, take it. It may be the only chance that you get.”

Student earns adventure

to space camp

news BiTesGreat Falls High’s Drama Department will perform at Mountain View Elementary School. Oct. 8, Krystina Thiel will lead students from the drama department to Mountain View. The students’ production is an anti-bullying skit, aiding the school’s Bully Free Starts With Me program. Two performances will be held for grades kindergarten through third, and one for grades four through six. by Levi Mael

In honor of Grey Osment GFH is fund raising to place a tree and plaque at the skate park. Grey Wolf Osment, a recently-graduated senior and former webmaster of Iniwa.com, passed away on Aug. 8, 2013. Donations are very much appreciated and are tax-deductible. To donate, please send money or checks to The Park and Recreation Department P.O. Box 2106 or to Tina Price at the GFHS finance office. by Levi Mael

Great Falls High Student Council is re-visiting their past success with Make A Wish. Last year Great Falls High sent a local 6 year old with Sclerosis to Disney World. We would like to do it again, in the same tear jerking fashion. During the pep assembly on Fri. there will be a Miracle Minute. As students leave the fieldhouse, they can place donations into buckets to send another child on a memorable wish.by Dustin Senger

The Annual Trades Ro-deo and Career Fair is set to occur on Oct. 15. The event is designed to educate high school students about careers in apprenticeships and trades fields, such as sheet metal work or weld-ing . This will be the fifth annual Trades Rodeo and Career Fair. The event is open to any freshman high school students in Great Falls. The fair will occur at the Montana Expo Park. by Levi Mael

54%Half of Americans see Russia as an unfriendly nation and 54 percent view Vladmir Putin negatively. (Gallup)

60%Sixty percent of Americans believe the U.S. government has too much power. (Gallup)

48%Rather than guns, 48 percent of Americans now blame mental illness for gun related shootings. (Gallup)

6.2%The student loan debt in the U.S. increased 6.2 percent from last year totaling $1996.7 billion. (NerdWallet)

10/25/2013Job shadow online applications are due on or before Oct. 25. For more information on this opportunity visit your counselor.

10/08/2013Lifetouch will be back at GFH for school photo retakes. If any student is not pleased with their photo or missed the first date be here Oct.8.

10/07/2013Senior Photos are to be submitted online by Oct. 7. This is the final deadline. If you need a copy of the guidelines come to room 112.

10/5/2013SAT testing will be at GFH in South Campus Sat. Oct. 5. For more information contact Kathryn Van Tighem at (406)268-6330

How To... Avoid outstanding debt, stress, abuse of college credit cards

$2,169 as of 2012

Outstanding balance

AVERAGE COLLEGE STUDENT1/7%

Credit

by Levi MaelFor students, college is as much a time for change

as it is for searching for change under the couch cushions. College credit cards, however, may force students to dig much deeper.

Colleges are offering credit cards for their students that double as their IDs. What students don’t know is that the companies providing these credit cards charge exorbitant interest rates, so if students don’t pay off their balances, they are left with astonishingly large debts.

“It just adds to debt if you can’t pay it off every month, which in turn harms your credit score,” said Bison Business teacher Tracy Milton. “This could hurt your chances of getting car and home loans in your name.”

Several students will have more and more debt pile up. According to a study done by the Student Monitor, 17 percent of students reported an interest rate increase over the past year.

With a higher interest rate comes a higher cost for those who have debt allotted to their credit card.

Even so, all is not lost for students; there are steps credit card users can take to prevent debt from accumulating.

Milton said, “You should create a budget and live in that budget. If you choose to use a credit card, it should be within your budget.”

2011–2012 average outstanding credit card balance of college students: $755Average amount of

college costs financed on credit cards as of 2012: $2,169

3 percent of college students borrow from credit cards to pay for college as of 2012

17 percent of students pay off their credit cards every month

2 percent of college students do not have a credit history

96 percent of college students have credit cards

Statistics via: College Parents of AmericaStatistic Brainipsos Public Affairs

VISA

iPhone 5S/5C

Apple released the new iPhone

last week. The 5s features a fingerprint identity sensor, a faster camera, A7 chip, a thinner and lighter feel, and comes in gray, gold and silver.The 5c comes in red, yellow, green, blue, white and black with a few different features from the 5s and is relatively less expensive than the 5s.

iOS 7 was also released by Apple last week. It changes the aesthetics of the phone.The downloading time is rather excessive.

Update

THE

OpiniOn Sept. 26, 20134

Religion is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion on, but for which no one has common courtesy for. Day in and day out, people make jokes directed at religious beliefs and yet no one says anything about it. Even though to some its more than just belief, its a lifestyle choice, the very foundation of how someone chooses to live their life.

Yet, people feel entitled to make a mockery of religious teachings and people’s choice to believe on a daily basis. There almost hasn’t been a day that

I go to school and don’t hear somebody put God and Jesus in air quotes. I can’t log into my Facebook account without seeing witty little arguments on why my entire foundation of life is wrong, and that I’m ignorant for living my life in the belief that I do.

Atheism is relatively new style of religious stance, people only started to identify themselves as atheists back in the 18th century. The disbelief in deities in a general whole has always been around of course, but people have not publicly

identified themselves as such until then.

Religious thought is on a rapid decline, especially within my peer group. Studies by a research group by the name of Penguin in 2009 says that out 1000 randomly selected teens, two-thirds of them are atheist, even more worrisome for me, 59% of them believe that religion has a negative impact on the world.

It’s not really a wonder why people make these jokes on a regular basis, there are bad examples of religious people

The

LINEBOTTOM

by Dustin Senger

Religous tolerance is at an all time low within the

United States

EditorialThis year’s student council is preaching

Bison be our best. Strolling around campus proves this is a task that is not being accomplished. The grounds outside of Great Falls High need an abundance of attention.

Over the past few years, student council, the administration and the students have made an accountable effort to reduce the litter on the campus. Fortunately, the progress is apparent. Every year there is less garbage littering the parking lots as well as fewer seagulls staking out food scraps. Unfortunately, these efforts are overshadowed touring a majority of the campus.

The litter has decreased however, there is still tainted grass all over the back and

northern parts of the campus. Garbage engulfs many of the bushes around the front of the school and the trees in the back. Aside from the over preached trash there are some larger disturbances to the campus. The solar panels to have had no attention with the weeds overrunning them all summer. They are covered by weeds, the whole gated area appears to have not been trimmed since the installation.

It is clear that effort is not being utilized to trim the trim the weeds and overrun grass all over campus. Almost all of the trees are surrounded by clumps of uncut grass.

Other problem areas include the sign above senior stairs in need of washing as well as the pillars at the bottom. The metal

fan off the automotive center could also use a coat of paint.

These are not large issues, but they hinder the pride and integrity a multitude of people have established in the school. Visitors at GFH should not have an impression short of classy. Students need to take more pride in all areas of the campus, not only the parking lots and in between the campuses. Everyone at GFH needs to put forth a greater effort to keep all areas of the school free from litter.

The school district and grounds keepers also need to be aware of the problem areas that have been overlooked for too long. Everyone should be aware and involved in the current state of the campus so the Bison can truly be their best.

Excessive grass, litter on campus hinders reputation instilled by students, administration, student council

"I think most security threats will come from outside, so locking the doors makes sense. They’re still very irritating though."–Jared Evans,11

"Locked doors are not worth the inconvenience. If someone wanted to get inside, they could just use a different door."–Jordan Pottruff, 10

"Not really, I think the locked doors are kinda sketchy. There are too many people trying to get in and out of the buildings at the same place."-Keegan Nicholas,12

New security, attendance policies are more of a hassle than what they're worth

Do you feel that the added security in the school is worth the general compromise that the student body has to make?

PUBLICOPINION

by Ashlen Botzet In times of change, people

must weigh the benefits against the consequences. We’ve seen this throughout the ages, but especially during the 21st century, it becomes apparent that the struggle between freedom and security is a difficult one. We have to question and reflect on what the proper balance is between the two.

In regards to Great Falls High, many students say that the added security is sometimes creates more trouble than it resolves. It is interesting how attendance and security are so linked as well, that many attendance issues are caused by the security changes themselves. For example, hallways have become much more congested due to only two doors being unlocked in Main Campus and only one unlocked in South Campus. Getting through the main hallway is difficult enough, but it becomes very tedious when you have to go through the main entrance in South Campus because nobody held open the door for you.

But it’s not just that either. The newly added sign-out, sign-in system wastes quite a bit of class time as well. Although the idea to keep track of students isn’t inherently bad, it is the way that it is addressed that is a bit more troubling. As a school, we are all about Bison Pride and taking a mature and independent path.

However, this new system seems to be deemed unnecessary by many people, especially because many feel that the people that it punishes are those that follow the rules to begin with. Those that don’t follow the rules must be dealt with separately than those that do, because people that don’t follow the rules won’t respond when the rules become more restricting. They aren’t part of that construct to begin with.

Finally, some traditions are harmed due to the new rules, including Senior Stairs. Most seniors always aspire to walk among those steps, but right now they can only exit. It’s a tradition that can only be applicable half of the time that it is supposed to be. So in conclusion, the students view the added security to be more trouble than its worth. It often seems to create more problems than it fixes, and it seems that the problems that it usually creates are related to the rules that administration are creating, like signing out to leave the classroom. With all of this considered, it means that the added security is viewed as generally somewhat counterproductive in the student’s eyes.

As an age old tradition, high school seniors have been respected by not only the school district staff but by the underclassmen as well, unfortunately over the past few years, student support of the senior class has been on a notable decline. Too often upperclassmen complain about the lack of respect they receive from underclassmen.

The underclassmen show disrespect in many forms, from simply complaining about how “seniors have it so easy” to outright disregard for the sanctity of seniors’ property and long held traditions. As seniors become increasingly indignant towards the underclassmen, some students may ask why the seniors deserve respect at all. Many would argue

that surviving the four years of high school should suffice, but to many, this seems like a weak reason.

Survival in high school is inevitable; it’s the work to get to the top that constitutes a little higher level of respect. Not that working isn’t an integral piece of survival, but survival is almost an instinct after eight or more years spent in school before ever arriving at high school’s final year. However, as grades ascend, so does the difficulty of the work and workload. Commonly, people will say that freshman year challenges a person more than any of the following years. Though adapting to the new environment gives some people trouble, this does not compare to the stresses of jobs and college prospects that upperclassmen face. Though some sophomores and many juniors have jobs, the moment they become seniors, the difficulty of their juggling will increase exponentially when worries for college, jobs after high school, and adult life

in general are all thrown into the mix we call life.If younger students tried to put themselves in the

shoes of their upperclassmen senior counterparts, they might begin to realize just how stressful senior year can be. Realizing the difficulty of being a senior has the power to help younger students begin to change their perspectives on the hierarchy of high school and can help bring reformation to the issues caused by disrespecting those who went before. In order to earn respect, you must first give it.

SPILL IT Underclassmen over the years have lost general respect for uperclassmen's traditions, rights, privileges

by Levi Olson

OpiniOn Sept. 26, 2013 5

I set foot onto the plane, after checking my luggage and heard the lovely chorus of a screaming infant.

I optimistically thought it would be over soon. Half an hour into my 4 hour flight to DC I became aware that opti-mism, much like sanity, is eroded by the shrill screams of children. Unfor-tunately the toddler seated behind me at this time had the same realisation. Naturally he started wailing and kick-ing the back of an already uncomfort-able airliner seat.

I arrived at baggage claim after sprinting off of the plane to get as far away from those children as pos-sible, and I saw the florescent pink of my luggage with the deep blue name tag slowly approaching me, I met her. She picked up my luggage and began to walk away. As mistakes happen I politely stated ‘exuse me mamm, you have my luggage’ to which she abruptly replied “no I don't.”

After devoting 16 hours of my life to arriving in Washington DC the last thing I want to deal with was an uncooperative, abrupt woman. With a tone regretfully harsher than I had ever used before I told her to “look at the name tag, the bag was mine” and commanded her to “give me my lug-gage.” Meekly she handed it over and I went on my quest to my escort me the hotel.

After half an hour and three phone calls we found each other and proceeded to walk past the baggage claim again where I saw her for, thankfully, the last time in my life. I was about to apologize, because I thought my display was unprofession-al at the very least, until I saw a blue leopard and jungle print suitcase that had been circling around the baggage claim for ages being whisked away in her hands.The moment I set foot outside the tragic realisation hit me; it

wasn’t her luggage. She didn’t make a mistake earlier with my bag. She was a baggage thief, and some unfortu-nate soul’s day would be crushed.

Upon arriving at the Reagan air-port for my flight home, once again at 5 in the morning, I waited in security for 2 hours to be informed my flight was once again delayed. The woman at the corrections desk then changed my flight so I would leave DC at 9am instead of 11am, the new time sched-uled for the delayed flight. Then I would be bumped to the second and only other flight into Great Falls at 3:30pm instead of 2pm. Giving me a 2 hour layover instead of a half hour layover. I gladly accepted this option. Unbeknownst to me, the 3:30pm flight was canceled during my boarding of the plane. After a 4 hour nap on a lovely plane ride we land in Minne-apolis and I was informed I had half an hour to reach my gate.

It took approximately ten minutes to even get off of the plane and find the terminal map. I found my gate, 32 C, was on the dead opposite side of the 3 mile long airport.

If anyone has ran on a moving walkway before, they know the chal-lenge before me. A challenge I would attempt in heels. Sure the running was easier and much faster than nor-mal, but most people forget about the strips of non-moving ground between the walkways. I all but face planted on the first non-moving strip I encoun-tered.

I arrived at gate 32 C seven min-utes give or take before take off time. So I sat for another two hours in slight disdain of all those around me who weren’t required to run to sit in their uncomfortable seats of the only flight back to Great Falls. 10000 feet above my hometown I decided that if I had to fly, never again would I do it alone.

di•a•tribeTraveling alone holds greater potential to go awry

Everywhere you turn. Westboro Baptist Church

of Topeka, Kansas is a prime example of religious teachings gone terribly wrong. It doesn’t help that for centuries wars were fought over religion, and throughout history blood has been shed, and innocents with different ideas were killed. It’s a period of human history that I would soon rather forget, the wrongs of the people who I and many others are connected to, by the name of our belief.

I apologize for those in D.C. right now protesting against

the rights of people with a different sexual affiliation. Those religious people have no right to trample upon the rights of others within this country. I apologize for anyone who’s been told they’re going to hell because of choices they’ve made.

However, through all the wrongs that have been made in the present and past, two wrongs don’t make a right. This country was founded upon the ideals of religious tolerance, amongst other things, and in today’s time,

tolerance is practically out the window.

The right to religious freedom is still in effect, and people showing disrespect towards anybody for any reason is an affront to humanity. There is a definite difference between jokes and being downright offensive.

I will grant that almost everyone I've talked to about it don't realize they are doing it. It seems to be a little blemish of our culture that gets overlooked regularly, though needs to stop.

by Daryle AlbertThe civil war against citizens that feel they are being

oppressed versus al-Assad in Syria has been escalating in the two years that the issue has been occurring.On Aug. 21st, Syrian revolutionists and innocents alike were sub-jected to the horrors that were developed to kill soldiers in the trenches during World War 1. Chemical weapons have been used and innocent civilians have been hurt and killed.

The gasses used on Aug. 21st was Sarin gas, a nerve gas that causes near immediate suffocation. Over 1,400 people are dead, because Bashar al-Assad's troops launched chemical warheads at 11 neighborhoods to eliminate resistance in that area.

President Obama has left the decision of sending troops to Syria up to Congress and they've been discussing this problem. It seems that Syria is in a crisis situation and could use a little help in moving it along. Not to mention what would happen if another dictator feels that they don't have to follow the rules about banning the use of chemical weapons. It would make any future issues with other countries even worse because they won't feel that they don't have to use chemical weapons.

We have limited protections against such weapons. What happens if our opposition feels the need to use a chemical weapon inside of the United States, in the middle of a populated area? We could possibly prevent such an occurrence by showing that we will not tolerate the use of chemical weapons being used in any and all situations.

If a terrorist organization with a grudge against the U.S. gets their hands on these chemical weapons, which are now much easier to obtain, they could do some serious damage; not structurally, but physically and emotionally. We need to show those other organizations that we will not tolerate anyone breaking the rules set by the treaty set by the Chemical Weapons Convention.

What needs to happen is for us to take control over the situation over in Syria and confiscate or destroy the warheads to make sure that al-Assad stops their use of chemical weapons. The United States is currently trying to find a more peaceful solution so we could avoid putting American boots in Syria. But if that approach doesn’t work and they refuse to stop using chemical weapons, it could mean we have no other choice.

Many soldiers are battle weary and may be against going into another conflict, but we are walking a tightrope with Syria right now. One wrong move could throw us into another war. The problem is that if we wait any longer it could be too late. Sending troops into Syria could be the decision we're looking for to keep the contry from collapsing upon itself.

by Colby VickersSince as long as I’ve been alive, and much longer, this

country has been at war, and it sickens me.I remember a day when I was five years old and my dad

was coming home from boot camp. I was really excited because it had been ages (or so my young mind thought) since I had seen my dad. The night he came back was September 11, 2001. The next day, my dad was ordered to leave again. It would be a couple months since I saw my dad again.

Now, I don’t think we should stay out of Syria’s affairs for my own mel-ancholic reasons, but for the fact that I, personally, am sick of war. I’m sick of hearing about the deaths, the heartache, the family members that have to leave overseas, and just war in general.

Syria’s use of chemical weapons truly is awful, but that doesn’t mean we have to go and save them, endangering ourselves in the process. We say that if we don’t step in, then it would look bad on us, but I don’t see any other countries jumping in and saving the day. The fact that we have to play hero for the whole world is pretty ridiculous, considering we have our own problems to take care of.

Syria has already said that if we attack them, they will retaliate. Now, to all of the people who think we can handle an attack, think about this. Right now, there are eight sovereign states that have nuclear weapons. If we at-tack Syria, that will put us on a one-way street to World War III and nuclear warfare will ensue.

Stopping the war from the outside is going to be impossible. We will only encourage the use of chemical and nuclear weapons. If we were to stop this with force, it’d have to be soldiers on ground. To do this, it would also be very expensive. And another war also means the possibility of another draft, which is unfair.

The thing that really bugs me about all of this is the fact that we have nothing to do with this whole ordeal. This was a Civil War that has to do with Syria and Syria only. Just because President Obama had his “line crossed” doesn’t mean he has to make decisions that do not promote the general welfare of the country.

Not only that, but people do not want another war. In a poll on CNN, seven out of ten people do not think going to war would be a good solution.

What I think we should do is should just stay out of it. The civil war that is going on over there is awful and is very wrong what the government is doing, but it is none of our business. We, as a country, have a lot of things we need to fix as well, and maybe we should just work on those and pro-mote peace instead of war.

The Syria Crisis prompts U.S. military involvement

Visit us: www.iniwa.com & Tweet @GreatFallsIniwa

Published approximately every three weeks, the Iniwa is the public forum for 1,362 Great Falls High School student voices. The opinions and views in these publications are not necessarily those of the overall Great Falls Public School District or Great Falls High School administration, faculty, INIWA staff or student body.

Volume 88, Issue 1Sept. 26, 2013

Contact Information: 1900 2nd Ave. S. • Great Falls, MT 59405 • 406.268.6356 • iniwa@gfps.k12.mt.us The journalism staff utilizes Adobe Creative Suite 5.5 to design and word process. The DIN family font is used

throughout the entire newspaper for text and design. The INIWA staff reserves the right to edit all submissions in both the newspaper and iniwa.com.The publication department members maintain membership in NSPA, CSPA, JEA and MJEA. The INIWA has been awarded distinction as a National NSPA Pacemaker. In addition to being named the All-State Pacesetter from the University of Montana’s School of Journalism, the staff has also placed in Best of Show for general excellence from JEA on multiple occasions, the most recent being 2013 Best of Show in San Francisco The INIWA was named a 2006 Silver Crown Winner as well as the 2012 Montana Pacesetter and CSPA Silver Crown.

AdviserLinda Ballew

PrincipalJane Gregoire

Editor in ChiefKristen Hanning

Executive Editor Sara Moltzan

Co-Executive EditorDustin Senger

Associate EditorCilly Geranios

Sports EditorCraig Garfield

Advertising EditorBreanna Sanderson

Buisness Editor Josh Byron

Copy EditorTaylor Albrect

Social Media EditorMegan Good

Web MasterLevi Mael

JournalistsLevi OlsonBrandon TaylorColby VickersDaryle AlbertLukas SellAlison LeeDustin Mu

Ashlen BotzetWill HoardZoie KoostraConnor Dennis

PhotographersSam CoryAlysha CamachoShelby Thomason

(d ī΄ə - t r īb ́) n. [by Sara Molt zan]

LifestyLe Sept. 26, 20136

Greetings from...

Germany

by Ashlen BotzetImagine going to Germany,

without the ability to speak the language and having no cultural safety net of a tour group.

Senior Andrew McKeever ex-perienced this on his one month trip to Germany. Lacking virtually any prior exposure to the German culture or language when visit-ing.

McKeever said, “I was sur-prised at how well I was able to interact with everyone and func-tion without being able to fluently s p e a k their language. With

that being said, I got lost on trains

a lot while I was in Berlin,

mostly due to the fact I couldn’t

remember or pro-nounce the names of the

train stops and the trains I was supposed to take.”

Despite having initial strug-gles due to a lack of experience, McKeever said that he soon learned to appreciate the culture around him. However, he com-mended the Red Bull Revolution the most.

“There’s no other event like Red Bull Revolution. The riding is on a whole different level, and the way the track is built makes it a very unique and exciting race. You have to complete every jump on the track, so that makes the riding a lot more intense because you have to clear every single gap,” McKeever said.

Aside from BMX racing, McK-eever raves about the social en-vironment and how it is a culture shock at first, but then eventu-ally he started to appreciate it. To take a trip to Germany is one endeavor, but to experience and learn from the culture is a com-pletely different one.

Overall, the journey that McKeever took to visit Germany for a month was one that many can learn from. Although a dif-ferent society en- tirely, the German culture is o n e that shouldn’t be overlooked, due to its vari-ety of knowl-edge, history and BMX racing.

A month abroad full of culture

PARTEILOS REISESenior Andy McKeever prepares to race BMX in Germany. BMX has been a large part of McKeever’s life and he enjoyed the opportunity to race in another country.

“Going to Germany gave me the travel bug. And I am definitely going to be back [to Germany] sometime.”–Senior Andy McKeever

GRUPPENFOTOGerman students and chaperones gather around to commemorate the trip.

“Before I enjoyed the wonders of my adventure I first needed to slog through a day of complete bitterness and acridness. Instead of experiencing joy and awe upon stepping on European soil, a wave of fatigue and frustration rushed over me.”–Senior Isaac Rider

See the full story on Iniwa.com

PHOTO DE GROUPEFrench students gather around in front of the Eiffel Tower to remember each other and the delicious ice cream that they had been eating.

“At the begining of the trip I couldn’t understand anything, but at the end of the trip I could understand and communicate really well.”–Senior Amanda Mack

See the full story on Iniwa.com

France

Berlin

LifestyLe Sept. 26, 2013 7

by Sara MoltzanThis summer I was

graced with the opportunity to visit Washington DC on a scholarship with the Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference, a program that takes 51 students, one from every state and one from Washington DC, looking to pursue a career in journalism to Washington DC to receive an inside, in depth look at the makings of great publications.

As it happened, the conference could not have been scheduled at a better time. The evening of July 13th, the first night of the conference, was the night that the verdict of the George Zimmerman trial was announced. While the verdict was controversial, to say the least, the Free Spirits saw first hand how greatly a story like that impacts news coverage.

For example, Sunday the 14th, we were going on a backstage viewing of Meet the Press with David Gregory. The show was outlined to have an economic specialist on it, but as the Zimmerman verdict broke the evening before the producers of Meet the Press worked throughout the night to make the cancellations and preparations to have the Reverend Al Sharpton appear on the show this day in place of the economic specialist, who would return at another time.

Throughout Meet the Press, no matter the topic, the conversation always returned to the Zimmerman trial and the controversial verdict. The fact of the matter is that there wasn’t enough evidence to convict Zimmerman, racism or lack thereof was thrown out of the equation. As Reverend Al Sharpton said “he’s not guilty, but not innocent.”

Personal opinions aside, that is what it came to after a trial; people only had the grounds to argue guilty versus not guilty, but not innocent. The media immediately published articles that Zimmerman was guilty and racist. However the same outburst would have occurred had he been deemed guilty. This division is bound to occur anytime that morals, feelings and hatred counter facts and evidence.

The Al Neuharth Free Spirit and Journalism Conference that will remain with me forever, because I became aware of the impact of a single action. George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin, possibly on accident. That impacted the jury members’ decision to reach the verdict of “not guilty”. The verdict impacted America to relive the battle of racism. Last but not least America’s reaction to the verdict, and the case as a whole, caused the focus of the news to change and explode an already volatile story.

Al Neuharth Freedom Forum trip to Washington DC enlightens student

“You know how every once in a while you

just have a feeling when making a decision and you just know what the right choice is,” said Junior McCall Voy. She was speaking of her decision to become a foreign exchange student in France.

“It all began when Ms. Senger asked me to apply to RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards) Camp. After hearing about [a foreign exchange student’s]

experience I decided that I was going to become a foreign exchange student for a year,” Voy said.

From this decision in the summer before the 2012-13 school year until August when Voy actually boarded the plane, countless hours of preparation and paperwork paved the airplane runway.

Passing the final hurdle, Voy received her general itinerary for her time in France, her VISA, and contact information for her first host family.

Throughout her time

in France she will live with three families, but never forgetting her family at home. “I was pretty sad that I wouldn’t be able to hug my little brother after school, or ask my other little brother to please stop what he calls ‘singing’ in the car, or watch Scooby-doo during breakfast, and just simple things like that.”

However, Voy said, “Being an exchange student is all about learning, adventures, challenges, and putting yourself out there.”

“I have not regretted sharing my dream... it came true when my plane

landed.”

CENTER OF ATTENTION The 51 Free Spirits at USA Today's "Hub", a circle of computers and suspended flat screen televisions so writers have a constant, diverse news feed and the ability to see trending stories. Photo Val Hoepner

I'M JUST A HILL The students visited Capitol Hill in Washington DC where they learned of the judicial system of the United States. Photo Sara Moltzan

LAW AND ORDER The Free Spirits gathered around the podium in the District Court of Washington DC. Students held a mock trial to display knowledge of laws affecting journalism and learned of court cases, such as Hazelwood, and the effects they had on journalism. Photo Val Hoepner

BLAST OFF The Free Spirit scholars were among the few who attended the live viewing of spacewalk and heard commentary by astronaut, Dr. Thomas Marshburn. Photo Val Hoepner

Let Freedom Ring

HUG ME BROTHER As McCall Voy packs her suitcase in preparation to go to France as a foreign exchange student, her brother Heith gives her one of many hugs goodbye. Photo Dustin Senger

LeavingLeavingHOME

by Cilly Geranios

Homecoming Sept. 26, 20138Monday Tuesday Wednesday

Blue and White Day

by Zoie KoostraThe only way a tradition can stay alive is to adapt. The long

standing tradition of powderpuff football during homecoming week is doing just that, with changes in it’s coaches, it’s cheering section and in the teams of the players themselves.

Pairing seniors and freshmen to a team against a sopho-more-junior team as a result of less participation was first met with some apprehension, especially by the upperclassmen, but eventually benefitted all team members. “At first, some of the se-niors were concerned with what the consequences would be, but we tried to encourage the freshmen to participate and in the end, they scored a bunch of points and helped us win” senior Darian Keels said. The freshmen players were also effected postively by this experience. "It was fun to learn from the seniors when we were playing with them. They were all nice and helpful, we made a great team!" Freshman Devyn Leasures said.

Keels has spent the last 4 years of high school participating in homecoming traditions such as powderpuff. “Our whole team felt really close this year, it didn’t matter if we were friends or not, we enjoyed being out there playing and making the most of our last year.”

Another change to the tradition of powderpuff, the absence of male cheerleaders or “yell leaders” caused regular students from all grades and groups to stand up and cheer. “I love when kids jump in and participate. It’s a lot more fun,” former yell leader coach Cindy Duffy said. “I noticed it wasn’t just seniors. Kids of all classes were standing up to cheer.”

Math teacher Phil Davis saw a need for a coach and stepped right up. “It was posed to us that powderpuff could disappear if a coach wasn’t found and I didn’t want to see that happen,” he said. Despite the junior girls begging him to wear the sparkly t-shirt he sported, Davis enjoyed coaching the girls. “They responded really well to us and did an excellent job.”

Powderpuff changes but heart of tradition remains constant for all

Tuesday

Bison In Outer Space Homecoming Royalty

by Breanna Sanderson and Sara MoltzanHomecoming is one of the biggest, if not the

biggest Bison tradition.The homecoming royalty candidates honor the

opportunity to represent their grade level. "Not many people get this opportunity. It's definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity." Bridger Logan said

Cooper Johnson elaborated that "[Homecoming is] about being together as one. Being one big bison family."

"I'm more excited than nervous. I'm really excited at the fact that we get to show the whole school what we have been dedicating our Sundays to" Courtney Hammer said in regards to the Homecoming royalty asembly that will occur on Thursday.

Jake Banach explained "I've performed on a field in front of a crowd before, but it's way different now that I have to perform on a stage in front pf people. We have been practicing after school. It's a lot of work to do but it'll be worth it in the end. I want the school to remember this homecoming week."

Banach's partner Nealy Thompson seconds his opinion, saying "I'm nervous to preform, but once it's over it'll be a fun memory. Once I get more practice

Homecoming candidates share about themselves

SPACIN' OUT The five homecoming couples sit together to creatively represent the homecoming theme of space with 'Men in Black', 'Star Wars', 'Space Jam', 'Avatar' and alien homages. Photo Jarom VaughAn

Twin Day Clash Day

Participating and making memories with friends is my favorite part of homecoming. Homecoming is a special oppor-tunity and it’s definatly some-thing I’ll remember for the rest of my life. It’s a complete honor to be chosen out of everyone in our class. It’s great to know people think I should represent homecoming this year. Live life for the moment because every-thing else is uncertain.

Feeling reunited with the school has been fun because there's a big family feeling dur-ing homecoming.I tried to be a nice person throughout my high school career, and it seems that other students saw that. I had always hoped to be a candidate, and I’m proud that my class-mates picked me. Homecoming is all about geting along with everybody and being one big Bison family.

Homecoming is a time for everyone to show their school spirit by dressing crazy and having fun with the theme of the year. It's such an honor to be part of something so special. I got to be part of the fun for the best week of high school. I had always hoped that would play a part in homecoming royalty but I was never certain that I would. Participate and have fun, It’s the most fun week of high school.

by Lucas SellPractice makes permanent,

and that's what's happening.For those who don’t know,

every fall the Great Falls High Bands and Color Guard spend a Saturday practicing for their homecoming halftime show.

On Sept. 14, students came to school at 9 a.m. to commence the day, selflessly sacrificing their Saturday to improve their marching and provide a great display for the public. With homecoming this year dubbed "Bison in Outerspace," the band has followed suit and provided an action packed show with music known from the best

space movies such as "2001: A Space Odyssey" and "Star Wars." For any Sci-Fi fan, the show will be thrilling and entertaining. Without Super Saturday however, it would be complete confusion and chaos. "It's all about building team between the bands. It's difficult with the multiple bands and can be chaotic at times." said McBernie.

Director Jeff McBernie was the brains behind the organization. This marking the second year since he joined the Bison Family. McBernie has revolutionized the show and put his own touches into it. “Super Saturday is a

day where all the kids show up, most of them at least, and we learn a fundamental understanding of marching with music.” McBernie said. “If we can get to memorizing the drill, that’s just a bonus.”

The day began with an early morning of musical practice, memorization and perfection. Super Saturday provided the first time all three bands joined together to play. The bands have achieved a monumental feat, in that for the first time in 19 years, they will march having completely memorized the music without the aid of sheet music.

Freshman Derek Roehm,

a percussionist, provided a newcomer's outlook on the day. “I was really nervous, not knowing what was going to happen. But by the end it was really fun.”

Following soon after was instrumental section practices, which acted a chance for underclassmen and upperclassmen to mingle and get to know one another better. “It makes you feel old watching people march for the first time.” said senior Tyler Pike, a veteran trumpet player with four years of marching band experience. “But I feel good about it though; I like to believe I can be considered

a role model to look up to.” Eventually, the bands and

color guard proceeded to the field and began the marching rehearsal. For three hours, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. the group went set by set learning where to stand, how to march, and how the music will influence their movements.

Mindy Cooper, a junior and first year color guard member provided insight. “We quickly learned as much of the routine as we could before we were thrown in with the band. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but overall, we made progress and we had a fun time.”

The day finished with pizza

and a sense of accomplishment from everyone. It was a hard day, but through determination, things were made possible.

This year's homecoming halftime show will be one to remember. As the Bison Marching Band and Color Guard take the field with a new drill, new moves, and a new attitude towards marching, they hope to provide a wonderful musical performance for the students and fans of Great Falls High.

Great Falls High Band and Colorguard showed their Bison pride at the annual Super Saturday practice in preparation for the Homecoming half time show

Super Saturday

The fact that we get to miss school to dress crazy and have tons of fun makes me always cherish homecoming. When my peers picked me, it made me happy because it showed me I have impacted people's lives throughout my time at GFHS. Being in front of an audience in an Avatar mask will be really hot, so I really don’t want to mess up in front of everyone. Go out of your way and get involved.

Homecoming participation is important because it shows school pride and gives us an opportunity to get everyone in-volved. Being a part of a special tradition is very exciting. The honor is definitely something I’ll never forget. I’m incredibly nervous to have all eyes on me on stage, so I want to engage the crowd during my skit. It will be more fun not worrying about what other people think.

Alex Dea Levi Beyl Taylor Kumm Cooper Johnson Mikaela Kynett

Homecoming Sept. 26, 2013 9Wednesday Thursday FridayThursday

by Sara MoltzanChaos counters exhilaration on the Friday of any homecoming

week.The first example of this is in the scheduling. Whereas 7am

classes are unaffected, first, sixth and seventh periods do not meet. Additionally periods two through five only meet for 35 minutes, with a break for the hour long pep assembly between third and fourth periods.

Fifth period students are released to the barbeque. Seniors first followed by juniors, sophomores and finallly freshmen. Games and activities commence during the barbeque at roughly 11:45. Be sure to stay at the barbeque and support your grade level in the activities especially the tug of war.

After the barbeque, at 1:00 the parade comences. From Tuesday to Thursday for at least two hours every night, grades and clubs tirelessly work to create beautiful, memorable floats for a nine block parade that lasts less than half an hour. However these floats stand to win best grade level and best club trophies.

Later in the evening, arguably the most important moment of homecoming happens; at 7:30 the Bison Varsity football team will play, and hopefully win, Missoula Sentinel. Here Bison will see the halftime show of the year. After tireless practice at the annual 'Super Saturday' Great Falls High's Pep Band and Color Guard will preform a half time show and the Homecoming royalty will be announced.

Finally the night ends with the Homecoming dance. The dance will be held in the Old Gym. It will last from the time the football game ends until 11 pm. The cost is three dollars for a single's ticket and five dolars for a couples ticket.

Support the Bison family and attend and patronize all of the events on Friday.

Homecoming's jam-packed day, Friday, presents the most

activities for students

Bison In Outer Space Homecoming Royalty

by Breanna Sanderson and Sara MoltzanHomecoming is one of the biggest, if not the

biggest Bison tradition.The homecoming royalty candidates honor the

opportunity to represent their grade level. "Not many people get this opportunity. It's definitely a once in a lifetime opportunity." Bridger Logan said

Cooper Johnson elaborated that "[Homecoming is] about being together as one. Being one big bison family."

"I'm more excited than nervous. I'm really excited at the fact that we get to show the whole school what we have been dedicating our Sundays to" Courtney Hammer said in regards to the Homecoming royalty asembly that will occur on Thursday.

Jake Banach explained "I've performed on a field in front of a crowd before, but it's way different now that I have to perform on a stage in front pf people. We have been practicing after school. It's a lot of work to do but it'll be worth it in the end. I want the school to remember this homecoming week."

Banach's partner Nealy Thompson seconds his opinion, saying "I'm nervous to preform, but once it's over it'll be a fun memory. Once I get more practice

in, I'll feel more comfortable."Candidate Taylor Kumm has a totally different

view on the homecoming assembly. " I cherish the special opportunity. It's definitely something I'll remember for the rest of my life. We've been getting together and going through our skit, and we've spent the past couple of weeks making our outfits."

Outfits presented a bit of a problem for candidates this year. Logan states "It's a very broad theme so there was a lot to choose from."

Hammer adds "I didn't think there were very many choices for outer space, but we're all making it work."

Finally the costumes in and of themselves presented difficulties as

Levi Beyl demonstrates. "I'm going to be in front of lots of people and my mask is really hot. So I'll probably be really sweaty and I hope that that won't be a problem. I just really don't want to mess up."

His partner Alex Dea has a more positive approach. "It's a lot more fun when you don't care what people think. It's an honor to participate in such a special tradition at Great Falls High. I'll deffinitely never forget it."

Thompson summarizes homecoming as "a memory that will last a lifetime."

Homecoming candidates share about themselves

Clash Day Class Day 'A herd in Space' Class Theme Day

Having fun and demonstrat-ing Bison pride is my favorite part of homecoming. Our senior year for homecoming only comes once, so we have to take advantage of it while it’s here. Not many people get the chance to be a royalty candidate. It’s truly a once in a lifetime oppor-tunity. The theme, Outer Space, offers lots to choose from, so be involved. Enjoy the time; it goes faster than you think.

Homecoming week is a time for the whole school to show their pride and become one. I’m nervous to perform but once it’s over it’s going to be a fun memory I’ll always have with me. The fact that we have such a big class and I got chosen to be a candidate shows that people respect me as a person. Take chances, get involved because that adventure’s over before you know it.

It’s a really big honor to be representing homecoming this year. Being part of this years homecoming week is awesome and something that I’ll never forget or regret doing. I was shocked and so happy that peo-ple picked me. I want everybody to remember this homecoming week. Get involved with every-thing during homecoming week. Dress up every day of the week and have tons of fun with it.

Keeping up with traditions is a huge part of homecoming week. Performing on stage and playing on the court are com-pletely different things. It makes me so happy to know that the school thinks I’m fit for being a homecoming candidate. Attend as many GFHS sporting events as you can, especaily crosstown. Participate in every little oppor-tunity you get because it goes by faster than you think.

The most important deal is for students old and new to come together as one big col-loquial family. I cherish the fact that I was respected enough to be picked as one of the 10 senior candidates out of all the seniors. Having the opportunity to be able to participate in the biggest event of the school year is something that I’ll hold in my heart forever. Always remember you stay classy Great Falls High.

STEP UP Seniors Laura Engle and Marina LaRocque march together in sync with the Marching Band to perfect their formations for the Homecoing half time show.

and a sense of accomplishment from everyone. It was a hard day, but through determination, things were made possible.

This year's homecoming halftime show will be one to remember. As the Bison Marching Band and Color Guard take the field with a new drill, new moves, and a new attitude towards marching, they hope to provide a wonderful musical performance for the students and fans of Great Falls High.

NOTE TO NOTESophomore Kaitlyn Radonich sat with the flute section and section leaders getting to know eachother and memorizing for their sheet-less marching formations.Photos Alysha Camacho

TWIRL GIRL Junior Adelia Rosales practices twirlling her baton for Color Guard as the Marching Band prac-ticed for the Homecoming Football Game.

Great Falls High Band and Colorguard showed their Bison pride at the annual Super Saturday practice in preparation for the Homecoming half time show

Bridger Logan Nealy Thompson Jake Banach Courtney Hamer Chase Dart

The Zac Brown Band will be in state for concerts come November. Tickets are on sale now through various online ticket sites.

10 Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Sept. 26, 2013

Corner

A

RO

UND

The

SEPTEMBER

Former “Bill Nye the Science Guy” host, Billy Nye, has recently been added to the show

“Dancing with the Stars” at age 57. The

show debuted on September 15. His

first performance was a science-

themed cha cha with his partner

Tyne Steck-lein. Contin-

ue to check him out at

8/7c time.

Sept. 15

Sept.21Valerie Harper,

a terminal brain cancer patient, was given three months to live. She has lived past it as well as finding time to appear on dancing with the stars.

Nov. The Great

Falls High Drama department is putting on a showing of “Footloose” that will debut during

November. The cast list was

posted Sept. 18, for more

information check out

the full list online.

Nov. 21-22

A&E

Interested in more information? Join the conversation on twitter, like us on facebook, or go to iniwa.com

SET, CAMERA, ACTION Junior Jordan Wanago and Thiel discuss details of the homecoming week performance. Thiel works behind-the-scenes on a multitude of projects throughout the school, only some of which are the plays. Photo Dustin Senger

by Dustin SengerWith the school dis-

trict’s continually decreas-ing budget, changes had to be made, and someone had to step up to the plate.

The drama department is now a one woman army since the former stagecraft technical di-rector and teacher, Joel Corda, was involuntarily transferred to CMR to teach choir this year.

Kristina Thiel is now taking a head-on approach within her four drama classes, one stage-craft class and the complete responsibility of the drama department. The classes have

been consolidated down from a full range of five stagecraft classes, down into one, and from five drama classes to four.

“I feel the pressure,” said Thiel, “but it is a good kind of pressure. One of the advan-tages is that I can really make the department a reflection of where I want it to go. It is nice because it’s on my shoulders and I can direct the details.”

Thiel isn’t completely on her own however. Theil has called in backup from her hus-band, Dave Smalley, to help with the stage and set building.

“He’s going to be my number

one tech guy,” said Thiel, “He has many years of experience building sets, and we’ve been married for 34 years, so we’ve figured out how to work to-gether.” Smalley is helping dur-ing 6th period almost everyday, and sometimes even longer.

Through all of the re-sponsibility and pressure, Thiel hasn’t given up hope yet.

“One of the biggest changes I plan on making is to make all the positions run accord-ing to industry standards, we are going to learn the profes-sional way,” said Thiel. Thiel still plans on overcoming the

obstacles to improve the de-partment in any way she can.

Though Thiel is the depart-ment head, the stage isn’t all hers. The band director Jef-fery McBirnie is in charge of the lighting system, he also plans on making changes to the system to improve quality.

Dodging all obstacles, the first play this year will be the musical Footloose. Rehearsals have started and it will take the stage on Nov. 14, 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23. Tickets are $4 for kids 12 and under, $6 for students (with a valid ID), and $8 for adults.

TURN TO PAGE Theatre instructor Krystina Thiel begins her lesson with advanced theatre kids. Thiel’s classes are famous for being anything other than textbook based courses. Photo Dustin Senger

Krystina Thiel e x p a n d s job duties

by Colby VIckers

He might have the most bizarre name ever for a se-rious rapper, but don’t be fooled. Earl Sweatshirt is one of the best emcees around.

Being compared to the likes of Nas, MF Doom and other greats, the hype for this album was at the highest it could have been, but not only because of those comparisons. Earl put out a mixtape in 2010 entitled “Earl” that got a lot of great reviews, mainly for the reason that he

was 16 and spit like a veteran. After the mixtape was

released, his mom said he had been misbehaving and sent him to an all-boys boarding school in Samoa, so no one had heard anything from him since 2010. As soon as he came back, he went into the studio to record the follow up to “Earl,” which came out to be the mas-terpiece that is “Doris.”

The first song, “Pre” fea-tures rapper SK La’ Flare, who most people hadn’t even heard of until this album, and he brings a great feel to the start

of the record. Instead of Earl kicking the album off, it starts with La’ Flare’s vicious flow over a slow, trap-influenced beat that really draws listeners in. As soon as Earl comes in, though, it’s easy to tell who the better artist is with Earl’s witty wordplay and solid flow.

Personally, I have bought this album twice (physically and digitally), and it is one of my all-time favorite albums of any genre. It has some mo-ments that don’t fit and some filler songs that shouldn’t be there, but with those being the

only complaints for a debut al-bum, that’s pretty impressive.

With luck, the next album he releases will have less features and will be more per-sonal like on “Chum” and “Sun-day.” I’d give this album a 9/10, and I can’t wait to hear what Earl puts out next. Judging from his level of progression and the reviews the album has gotten, I’d say his next record will be one for the books.

For the full review visit iniwa.com

arl Sweatshirt’s Doris Album reviewE

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*$25 savings based on the $75 cost of ordering a yearbook after December 21

T h e r e v o l u t i o n f o r s a v i n g m o n e y

Daine Gostas, 11“I personally believe that PS3s have better quality, free blue-ray and I’ve grown up with Play station since I was a child.”

Arts & EntErtAinmEnt Sept. 26, 201311COUCH POTATO Junior Shelby Thomason plays her Wii console. The Wii is famous for it’s initial innovative invention of requiring physical movement for the video games. The Wii recently released a new wii console.

G mer’s UPdate

Next generation consoles present tough decisions this holiday season

by Levi Mael Wii U

Nintendo’s latest console is the only console currently available on store shelves, releasing on Nov. 18th, 2012. However, it is doing anything but flying off said shelves. This may be attributed to the cur-rent drought of games, partic-ularly with third-party titles.

On top of the anemic game library, the Wii U uses an archaic online archi-tecture.The Nintendo eS-hop uses a console-based DRM as opposed to accounts like Sony and Microsoft.

Third party problems and abysmal online access aside, the Wii U is a solid console. The tablet-like touch screen is an interesting mechanic when used correctly, function-ing as a map or inventory, or even a second vantage point. Nintendo is also pumping out tons of their hallmark first party titles. While none of this can absolve the Wii U’s prob-lems, it could be a nice invest-ment this season, especially with the recent price cut.

Xbox OneThe Xbox One stands as

this generation’s wild card. Kinect 2.0 is a technologi-

cal wonder, 14 games have been announced to be Xbox One-exclusive, and Xbox Live is . At the same time, the

reversal of several vague policies have left many con-fused, and many gamers believe Microsoft is moving away from its core audience.

Regardless of the confusion about its policies, Microsoft seems to be hitting the ground running when it comes to games. First-party developers have already an-nounced Xbox One-exclusive titles such as Dead Rising 3, “Ryse: Son of Rome”, “Halo for Xbox One” and “Sunset Over-drive”. As mentioned earlier, the Xbox One currently has 14 exclusive titles announced.The Xbox One looks like it will have a launch day that trumps its predecessors, and if the exclusive titles appeal to you, maybe it could be the one (pun completely intended.)

Playstation 4After the financial di-

saster that was the Vita Sony is coming out with guns blazing for the PS4.

Sony’s Killzone: Shadow Fall, Knack, DriveClub and many more comprise the PS4’s first-party library. Third-party games such as Ubisoft’s “The Order: 1886” and Capcom’s “Deep Down” are also pledging support for the PS4, along with in-die companies. Needless to say, the Playstation 4 looks to have a very strong start.

UPcoming State Concerts

Folk, country and electronic big names make their way to the Big Sky

by Katie Rider (Blitzen Trapper) The

Portland, Oregon based folk band will be visiting both Bozeman and Missoula on Oct. 12 and 13, respectively. The band self re-

leased its first three albums before signing with presti-gious indie label Sub Pop. From there, their most suc-cessful album, Furr, was fea-tured in Rolling Stone for the No. 13 Album of 2008 and the title track was ranked No. 4 on the magazine’s list of the 100 Best Singles of 2008. Tickets are being sold via www.tick-etfly.com. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 the day of. There is a $5 extra charge for minors under 18. For more information on the band and their other concert dates, visit www.blitzentrapper.net/.

(Avett brothers) This thir-teen year old band from Con-cord, North Carolina will be performing in Missoula at the University of Montana on Oct. 20. The band has released eight albums, four EPs and three live albums. The band experiments with many dif-ferent genres including blue-grass, country, folk, rock and roll and indie pop. This combination creates a very unique sound that changes within their different al-bums and gives the band a very a p p r o a c h a b l e feel. Tickets are available from www.griztix.com. Tickets are $29.50-$37.50 in advance and all tickets go up an additional $2.50 the day of the concert. The con-cert is available to people of all ages. For more informa-tion on the band and their other concert dates, visit

www.theavettbrothers.com.

Derek Vincent Smith is an electronic musician who performs under the stage name Pretty Lights. Having released eight albums and three EPs since his official start in 2006, Smith has be-come a huge success, par-ticularly in the music festival scene. He has performed at big name festivals, such as Sasquatch! and Coachella. His music relies heavily on digital sampling and the crossing of genres such as funk and hip-hop. His performances are

more of DJ based environment, re-lying heavily on the extreme light shows and ven-ues. Tickets are available from w w w . g r i z t i x .com. Tickets are

$36.50. For more informa-tion on Pretty Lights and his other concert dates, vis-it prettylightsmusic.com.

One of the biggest bands in the country/folk genre and one of the most success-ful bands in the industry, Zac Brown Band will be coming to both Missoula and Boze-man, on Nov. 21 and 22, re-spectively. The band boasts an extremely impressive award history, having been nominated for eight Gram-my Awards and having won three of them. The band has been active since 2002, get-ting their start in Dahlonega, Georgia. Since then, they have released five albums and one live album. Tickets are avail-able via www.griztix.com and www.vividseats.com. In Missoula, the tickets range from $69.50-$79.50. In Boz-eman, the tickets are $167-$361. For more information on the band and their vari-ous other concert dates, visit w w w.zacbrownband.com.

Blake Moczygemba, 10“I’m an Xbox player so I’d logically say the Xbox One like, Halo, I’ve grown up with it. I’m not particularly against any of the consoles though.”

Holden Schaeffer,11“Sony has screwed up a lot. I’ve grown up with my Xbox, and I love the sxclusives, especially Halo.”

12 SportS Sept. 26, 2013

Varsity volleyball greets Great Falls High alum as new coachHere comes the Sunwall

by Brandon TaylorChanges. The idea con-

jures images of innovative technology and philosophies. Both such stereotypes have oc-curred with the new volley-ball coach, Catherine Sunwall.

Sunwall graduated from Great Falls High after which she continued to play volleyball for Carroll College. Her sister also graduated from here and coaches the freshman B team.

Volleyball has been doing well this season, with a season record of three wins and four losses.

The wins have brought the girls closer together. Se-nior Skyler Ortiz says “The whole team is just a big fam-ily, so playing together is easier.”

Junior Nora Klick said that the

changes “made us really close, and made us a better team.” The team has been working harder this year. The new practices that Sun-wall brought with her are working.

The players themselves are changing too. Junior Nora Klick says “The changes have made me a better player and per-son, being with the older play-ers.” The experience of the older players are helping the younger players to be better, and believe in themselves even more.

As these players play togeth-er, they work better in school and just become better people over all. These girls are learning life lessons in volleyball that can be used in the real world. The sports at Great Falls High teach stu-dents many things, most of which

are not about sports. The stu-dents learn life lessons in sports.

Volleyball has been making these girls feel like a family, with people they might not have had met or spent time with. These girls are working hard to make Sunwall and their school proud. Thus far, they have been doing swimmingly. Junior Libbey Fellows says “We’re a lot better this year. We’re a lot more experienced coming from last year to this year.” Sunwall has made this team into better people. The players like themselves and their team more. This is more than a game for them. This is how they will make high school some of the best years of their life. Catherine Sunwall was the coach that Great Falls High needed this year. She is making us better as a school.

by Katie RiderCheerleaders at GFHS

have a focus on two main things:, instilling pride in themselves and instilling pride in their community.

The team has partici-pated in many community service projects includ-ing working the Voyag-er’s Night to benefit the Great Falls School Foun-dation, and also, work-ing the Scheel’s tailgate party to benefit United Way. In November they will be performing in the opening ceremonies for the Special Olympics.

Coach Christine Ba-roch said, “The com-munity service benefits the team. It gives them a sense of community responsibility. They are scrutinized and criticized more than any other team at GFHS, and because of that, they are held up to a higher standard.”

The team has worked hard to make up for the lack of funding that they

receive by doing many dif-ferent types of fundras-ing. Baroch said, “We have done car washes, sold Foundation tickets, sold bread braids, got spon-sors for our poster and now we are currently sell-ing calenders. We want the money for new uniforms.

For freshman Ashley Camacho, cheerleading means breaking away from the mold that her two older sisters have set before her, “Neither of them ever even thought of doing cheerleading. So, it can be something that really just defines me.”

The team works hard to perfect their stunts. Baroch said, “We have incredible commitment on the team. We have 5:45 a.m. practices ev-ery weekday, and we started that back in July.”

Camacho said, “ I love looking at the stunts. They are amazing. Our team has so much dedi-cation to make our per-

formances look good.”The stunting and

performing also further builds bonds and close relationships on the team. Lapier said,”I joined the team because so many of my friends were on the team, and they con-vinced me to join. Once I was on the team, the stunts and early prac-tices bonded us further.”

Everyone on the team has one common view though. Baroch, Lapier and Camacho all indicat-ed that the event they are most excited about for this year will be homecoming.

Baroch said, “The best part is, this is just the start. I can’t imag-ine where we will be by basketball season.”

Camacho summed up the spirit and goal of the team perfectly, “We need to appreciate the community because that is our job as cheerlead-ers: to be proud and to pump up the crowd.”

Bison cheerleaders brand imageNew coach, volunteering and fundraising inspire community responsibility in young, talented team

A GOOD CHANGE Coach Barach said, “I had male cheerlead-ers 16 years ago, and I was ready to have the guys back on the team.I wanted guys who will thrive.” Photo by Sam Cory

SMACK THAT Freshman Maddie Hester serves up the ball during recent home game. Photos Alysha Camacho

POUR SOME SUDS ON IT Sophomore Madison Baroach and senior Kendrick Hairston raise money for uniforms in a summer car wash.

AT THE CAR WASH The team, including Ashley Camacho, also raised money selling raffles, bread braids and finding sponsers. Pho-tos Mindy Cooper

BUMP SET SPIKE Varsity, JV and Sophomore girls play aggressively through many different games this season. Photos Alysha Camacho

SportS Sept. 26, 201313Get Fit Great Falls Invites Abby Wambach Olympic gold medalist visits as part of Get Fit Great Falls

by Will HoardTwo weekends ago two

time Olympic gold medal-ist Abby Wambach came to Great Falls, and worked with Great Falls High and CMR boys and girls.

Abbay came to sup-port Get Fit Great Falls and also to work with younger kids in the community that want to pursue soccer.

“We worked with the younger kids and Ab-bay walked around giving us pointers.” said Brook-lynn Wilson a senior on the Great Falls High girls team.

Abby worked with the younger kids on Saturday and the older kids on Sun-day. Abby also shared a few interseting facts about her-self and why she was in Great Falls. She indicated to the group of kids that the reason she decided to come to Great Falls was because she grew up in a small town her self and wanted to come to one.

Abby’s real name is ac-tually Mary, and she re-ally enjoys coming to Great Falls when she makes her way through Montana.

Abby also shared some of her pointers with the team, “She told us that the little things are what make a big differnce, and make sure that you give it your all,” said Wilson.

On Sunday, when Abby worked with the older kids, she watched them play and gave them differnt pointers to help them im-prove their soccer skills.

“It was nice being able to work with the team and have Abby give us differnt pointers,” said Wilson.

This is the second year that Abby has made a trip to Montana, specifically Great Falls. Abby stressed to the kids that they should follow their dreams be-cause anything can happen.

“She wanted to make sure that we followed our hearts, and that we stive to do what we want when we get older,” said Wilson. Abby seemed to inspire all the kids who worked with her dur-ing her time in Great Falls.

To view the podcast of Wambach visit iniwa.com

WORK HARD PLAY HARDERHayden Vanson prepares to take on the competition last weekend. The soccer team prcatices after school everyday and just recently, Senior Kenton Evans had brusied his ankle bone in yeyesterdays soccer game. Photos Shelby Thomason

LOVING THE FAME Olympic gold medalist Abby Wambach gladly jokes with a girl while she signs the back of her shirt. During her speech on Sept. 14, Abby spoke of always being true to yourself and being respectful to others, no matter the circumstances behind the relationship. Photo Dustin Senger

Since 1884, Cottey College has been educating women from across the U.S. and world: • 2and4-yeardegreesinallfieldsofstudy.• Studentsrepresentmorethan40statesand several foreign countries• Cotteyhasaverygenerousscholarshipprogram, including special scholarships for students from Montana• Studentsliveingroupsof8-14inbeautiful,comfortable suites• Professor-studentratiois10:1• 2ndyearstudentstraveltoEuropeduringspring semester at no additional cost, other than meals.

Want to visit the campus? Your costs can be mostly covered. Weekend visit dates are October 18-20, 2013 and March 28-30, 2014. To learn more about Cottey and scholarship opportunities, text or call Judy Held at 868-2333.

14 SportS Sept. 26, 2013

RUN LIKE THE WIND. Junior Hannah Schaffer competes in the crosstown Cross Country meet last Monday. Schaffer is a first year member of the Cross Country team, but so far has enjoyed her time with the team.

by Alison LeeThe cofounder of the New York City Marathon

Fred Lebow said, “It doesn’t matter whether you come in first, in the middle of the pack, or last. You can say, ‘I have finished.’ There is a lot of sat-isfaction in that.” Many members of Great Falls High’s cross country team can agree with this.

“We’re like a close-knit family,” said se-nior Mikaela Kynett. “The only time it’s really individual, is when you’re competing against your own times, but for the rest of the time, you practice and spend your time with the team.”

Senior Isaac Rider said, “Cross coun-try is different from most other sports be-cause the hard times and the rough patch-es usually end up bringing the individuals closer together, rather than pushing them apart, and that’s a lot different than most other teams.”

The team is optimistic about the season and the team. “It takes a lot of dedication, and if you’re not out running at least five days a week, you’re not going to improve at all,” said senior Beau Stingley.

Kynett said, “We’ve definitely improved from last year; that’s for sure. My hope is that we keep doing better and place better overall as a team.”

Rider said, “Our team is full of poten-tial. We have a wonderful amount of en-thusiasm from a variety of teammates.”

Although it is bittersweet for the seniors knowing it will be their last season, they are happy to have had the experiences. Rider said, “I hope in the future we not only have members returning, but that there are new people excited to join the sport.”

Keep It Steady

Putt Putt Casey Babinecz putts her ball during crosstown golf meet last monday at the Eagle Falls Golf Course. The Babinecz twins love competing with each other making them different from any of the other Golf members. Being an asset to the team the twins continue to perfect their techniques and become better acquainted with their fellow teammates. Photos Sam Cory

by Dustin MuWith golf starting in mid Au-

gust, the Great Falls High teams have been underway even before school started.

Great Falls High’s Gold team is full of talented and dedicated kids. They even have a sibling duo, the Babinecz twins, who seem like quite the threat. “Catrina and I en-joy being an asset to the team. Plus, the sibling rivalry is a tough com-petition,” said sophomore Casey Babinecz.

The twins enjoy bonding with the upperclassmen. “Showing the freshmen the ropes this year was awesome,” Said Catrina Babinecz. “Golf is a good sport. Almost any-body can do it because it’s a sport that doesn’t require a lot of strength or stamina; you just need mental strength to accomplish it.”

With two tournaments under-way before school started, and only four tournaments left in the 2013 Gold season, the players seem to be happy with their improving scores. Junior Tanner Thelen said, ”It always makes the season fun with the new freshmen on the team. I think we have really been focusing on improving our scores from last

year. That is our goal.” So far, the season has been going pretty well for everyone. Thelen said, “It’s all about how we place.”

When playing golf, it is not al-ways about the students. As in any sport, nothing holds the team to-gether better than the coaches do. Junior Hannah Rutherford takes what the coaches have to say into deep consideration. One of Han-nah’s favorite sayings from her coaches: “You must always remem-ber to uphold honor, your integrity and be respectful of other people.” Even though Great Falls High may have its rivalries, Rutherford be-lieves that we are guests, and we must leave other schools’ courses better than how we found them.

The students that play Gold are more than just a team, they are a family. Playing golf with one another is second nature to them. There are not anymore home tour-naments for the golf team; howev-er, with a road trip to Kalispell and Missoula in the upcoming weeks to support the golfers final road to the State tournament in early October. ”Don’t worry about the score. Just get used the game, and the team,” said Casey Babinecz.

Golf requires more than physical attributes, demanding mental focus, strength

SEEING DOUBLE

STEP UP Sophomore Will Hoard competed in the crosstown cross coun-try meet at Anaconda Hills this past Monday. The cross country team practices everyday and since their last practice Hoard believes he has improved.

READY SET RUN The girls varsity team prepared for the crack of the gun before their run at the Anaconda Hills trail last Monday. The cross country team as a whole believes that if they practice frequently they’ll improve as a whole.Photos Sam Cory

Athletes discover individual sport

provides family atmosphere

SportS Sept. 26, 201315

by Alison LeeVince Lombardi said, “The achievements of

an organization are the results of the combined effort of each individual.” For the Bison football

team, that sentiment has been expressed by every member of the program.

Junior Randy Keesler said, “We work to-gether and help everyone. We correct each other’s mistakes so we can come together as a team knowing what we did wrong and right, and what we need to improve. We have great leaders, we have kids showing up to prac-tice ready to go, and we have a lot of hard work and effort put into the team. Once we show that into the game, we’ll be solid.”

Senior Nate Bianco said, “We’re do-ing pretty well so far this season. We may have just lost, but we’ll come back.”

Junior Jordan Wilkins added, “We really want to get back into the playoffs, and we can do it. We need to start executing more offensively and consistently in games. We have so much inten-sity in practice and workouts, and we just need to show all of that hard work in our games.”

So far in the season the team is 1-3, having a better record than the Rustlers. Although their record is better, CMR continued to be ranked above Great Falls High until recently. Keesler said, “(The rankings) don’t make me happy, but I feel like they’re based off of last season’s re-cord. It’s going to take hard work this season to

prove that we’re better than last year’s team.”Bianco also said, “I don’t think we get

enough credit for what we do, but I kind of like it because it puts a chip on your shoul-der. I feel like we play better because people aren’t expecting us to come out on top.”

Although their record isn’t marked with all wins, the team remains optimistic. “We’re working for a better season. There’s a lot of hard work coming from different players and we just need to start working as a team and let it all come together,” said Keesler.

Wilkins also said, “We stick together re-ally well and don’t get down on each other. We push each other to be the best we can be.”

Bianco followed by saying the team’s best at-tributes are “Toughness, heart, and dedication.” He also said, “We have a lot more senior lead-ership than we have had in the past, and less separation between the classes, which makes for better teamwork and communication.”

As for crosstown, the boys agreed that many times the Bison get counted out when it comes to the game. Bianco said “I think they’ll be surprised. It’s always a big game despite the season’s records. We’re just going to win.”

Keesler said, “We’re going to come out fine. It’ll be a battle, but everyone works harder dur-ing crosstown. You can hate losing more than you love winning, so there’s that fire in your heart that makes you want it that much more.”

The Bison football program remains optimistic after a win against Hellgate and begin preparation for a homecoming victory this weekend.

TOGETHER WE STAND Following the traditions at Great Falls High, the Varsity football team lines up their helmets on the side line as the National Anthem is played. After the Anthem, the Seniors on Varsity formed a circle hand in hand wishing the best for each other before another senior is called down the “tunnel”. Photos Alysha Camacho

TAILGATING TEACHERS

BUNS BUNS BUNS Principal Jane Gregior and English teacher Rachel Bohannon talk while getting hamburger buns during tailgating picnic Photo Alysha Camacho

OH BABY South Campus secretary Dona Keeler and Foundations of Science teacher Beth Wiles laugh during anuual staff picnic Photo Alysha Camacho

“My favorite part of the event was the salads and Mrs. Aakre’s son

singing “The Final Countdown” at the top

of his lung’s. What a Bison Family!”

–Cindy Duffy

GET READY FOR

EVERY GAME

EVERY PASS. EVERY YARD. EVERY TOUCHDOWN.

16 Impact Sept. 26, 2013

by Connor DennisImagine leaving your

family and friends, moving to a foreign country to live with strangers who speak a differ-ent language. Imagine taking a challenging course-load that is taught in a different language, while trying to make friends who also speak a different language.

It’s a daunting task to say the least. Despite this, 28,142 foreign exchange students signed up for this challenge last year. Miguel Menendez is a 15 year old Spanish national who is attending Great Falls

High School for the 2013-2014 school year and is one of those students who accepted the challenge.

Menendez comes from the outskirts of Madrid, the capital city of Spain. Madrid boasts a population of ap-proximately 6.5 million. De-spite his big city background, Menendez’s first impression as he arrived in the United States was, “Everything seemed bigger.” That first impression likely took on a whole new meaning as he landed in “Big Sky Country.”

Like many young men

throughout Europe, Menen-dez has spent most of his life playing soccer. Only hours after arriving in Great Falls, Menendez found himself practicing with the Great Falls High team on the soccer field. He received a warm welcome from his new teammates and looks forward to helping the team build off of last year’s season.

His participation in soc-cer also allowed him to form important connections and friendships before school starts.

Studying in the United

States for a year was his parent’s suggestion, but Menendez quickly warmed up to the idea. After complet-ing a load of paperwork and enduring several rounds of shots, he had to wait to be matched with a host family. With thousands of foreign high school students hoping to study in the United States every year, finding a host fam-ily is a challenge. Menendez is spending the year with David Dennis, David Dennis’ sons, and Nicole Cosby. He said, “When I learned that a host family had been found, I was

really happy and I got really excited.” His parents had a slightly different reaction. “They are supportive, but they are a little worried about what could happen to me here,” said Menendez.

Menendez is excited to learn about American cul-ture and improve his English language skills. He also looks forward to new food, music and having the opportunity to ski and snowboard. Most of all, he is eager to make new friends and represent his family and country during his stay here.

Coming to America

Miguel Menendez displays courage by leaving Spain to become a Bison for a year

SHOOT Miguel Mendendez sprints after the ball. Photo Shelby Thomason