Western Conference Tournament

       Last weekend, the Chadron men and women's basketball teams played in the Western Conference Tournament. The tournament started on Thursday, December 4. After both teams won their exhibition game against Bridgeport, hopes were high going in.
       The girls won their first game against Gering, 43 to 27, on Thursday. On Friday night, the girls lost to the Sidney Raiders, 31 to 38. The girls finished the tournament with in third place, after beating the Mitchell Tigers, 48 to 41. Jayden McCartney said, "It's really nice that some of the Eastern state teams came, it brought a different feel to the tournament."
       The Chadron boys had a similar tournament experience. In the first game against the Gering Bulldogs, Chadron won 43 to 32. On Friday, the guys lost on a buzzer beater to Sidney, 49 to 51. In their last game against Alliance, the boys won 54 to 36, taking third place overall. Jayden Stack said, "I'm glad we had the tournament to start off the season."
       The tournament was a success for both the men and women's teams. The Cardinals hope to continue their seasons with great success.

Phone cases: protective or decorative?

        Almost every student in Chadron High has a phone. One thing that makes these phones diverse, other than the brands, are the cases the students put on them. Cases may range from stylish and sparkly to protective and sturdy. Other people don't use cases and probably have a higher chance of cracking their phone screen.
       Julianne Dickerson is the owner of an iPhone 4 and prefers to have a protective case on it. She says, "I will risk putting on a stylish case when my contract is almost over, and I can get a new phone." Julianne has a pink and black Trident phone case that she hasn't taken off since the day she got her phone. "It works very well," Julianne says.
     Emmy Mills, a junior, has a shattered phone, but says, "Otter Box is a reliable brand of phone cases, that I use."
     Simon Rischling just got a new phone and doesn't have a phone case on it, but he is looking for a semi protective case for it. 
     Brooke Roes has an iPhone 4. On her phone she has a both protective and stylish phone case. It is not branded, but built like an Otter Box with polka dots. "I really enjoy not having to worry about breaking my phone, but still having a fun case," says Brooke. 
     Just like clothes, and personalities, phone cases make the students diverse.

Pink Nail Salon

     Most of the community has noticed the new nail salon, Pink, that is located on the corner of West 2nd and Chadron Avenue. It just recently opened this past week. 

     "I knew we were getting a new store, but I didn't know it was a nail salon," Brittani Piontek said.

     Every day more and more students are making their way down there to get their nails done. It is something new and different in Chadron besides a restaurant or clothing store. 

     Not all students have a need to get their nails done for various reasons. "I'll probably go there for pedicures, but since my mom does my nails for free that's all I will go there for," said Shay Chamberlain. "I have too much nail polish to go pay to get my nails done, but overall I think it is good for the community," said Ms. Mack.

     Pink might not be as exciting for the guys in Chadron, but it might be worth checking out. "I don't know...I might get a manicure down there," said Josh Hill.

     "The results have been phenomenal," said Sydney Blome. "They do a great job, and it is exciting to have a new business in town."

     Chadron is really expanding with new stores such as Pink. These stores help build Chadron up and bring more business into the little town.

Sophomore magazine sales

     Every year as a fundraiser for Prom and Graduation the sophomores of the school sell magazines to the public. This years class didn't do so well.  The goal this year was for each sophomore student to sell at least eight magazines. The goal was $500 total.
     Mrs. Budler, the sophomore  class representative tells how more money is going to be made. "The sophomores last year didn't reach their goal so now they are in their Junior year racing to find other fundraisers to do. This year's sophomores didn't do so hot either. They are going to have to do a lot of fundraisers just to pay for prom alone, graduation is a whole different story."
     According to Ms. Noble, more magazines may have been sold that have not been accounted for yet. Magazines can be sold online and be shipped to people who live out of town. Many students did that but did not tell the rep to be counted for.
     Mrs. Budler and Mr. Bach want to advise this years Sophomore class to start thinking about future fundraisers.

Curtain closes on this season's one acts play

     

     On Friday, December 5th, 2014, the One Acts team traveled to Ogallala to perform at the districts competition. Their play, "The Oldest Story Ever Told," portrays the classic Cinderella story in three different cultures; Africa, China, and India. Four performances had been displayed before competition; two for the public, one for grades K-5, and one for grades 6-12.

     "I thought that the play was well-performed when I saw it, and it was really interesting and funny to watch," said sophomore Raven Shouldis, who attended the high school performance on November 20th.

     "The Oldest Story Ever Told" was performed in Ogallala's High School Performing Arts Center around 1:45 p.m., and received good reviews and (mostly) constructive criticism from the three judges. Despite the team's performance and the judges' critiques, "The Oldest Story Ever Told" received sixth place out of the eight teams that performed that day. The cast remained in high spirits, however, and vowed to do better next season.

     "I think we did better than what we scored, and we deserved a higher rank; but, that just means that we have to do better next year!" said sophomore Cassie Sloan with a determined look on her face.

     "I felt that our performance at districts was one of our best, but our placing did not reflect that. While I didn't think that we won, I did think that we were in the top four, at least. Our district is very, very tough, and, with the exception of a couple of teams, they are all very good," said One Acts coach Jill Paopao.

Nebraska fires head football coach

     Nebraska football has had a rough few weeks. Last week their head coach Bo Pelini was fired. 
     Many people have mixed emotions about whether he should be fired or not. Ms. Mack said, " I have always been a Bo fan, but after the actions he has been showing I believe that he had it coming." Bo's record during his coaching career was 58-24.  He brought out a win, and everyone fell in love with his coaching. But, the actions he started to show on the side lines made a lot of Husker Fans upset.
    The staff Bo had, made many people question a lot of things. When Bo made the comment, "I will not let any of my staff go." This made many fans of the Huskers upset, so they made the big decision to let him go. Bo will receive a lot of money from the contract he had signed.
    The Huskers found a new coach for Nebraska, Mike Riley. He has a lower record than Bo did, but he his known to work very well with defensive players. He will not start until next year's season. Nebraska will play in the Holiday Bowl game in San Diego on the 27th of December. Hopefully, through all of the stress in the end of this season, Nebraska can pull out a win.

Teacher Jeopardy last day of semester

The last day of school, December 19, will be centered around technology. Students will be leading the instruction before lunch. After lunch, students will check in to their fourth block class, then gather in the auditorium for a special surprise. The teachers will be playing a jeopardy style game called “Are You Smarter than a High Schooler?” The teachers have been split into four teams. Each team has a panel of four students: a freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior. These students will help advise the teachers. Further instructions will be given prior to the game. The teams are as follows:

Team 1:

Mr. Uhing

Mrs. Drinkwalter

Mr. Hoagland

Team 2:

Mrs. Lanphear

Mr. Bach

Mr. McCarty

Team 3:

Mrs. Budler

Mr. Lecher

Mr. Nelson

Team 4:

Mr. Bradley

Mr. Nobiling

Mrs. Paopao

Team one’s panel is Veronica Parish, Jayden Stack, Walt Mays, and Brooklyn Stack. Team two’s panel is yet to be determined. Team three’s panel is Keenan Johnson, Jayden Garrett, Michael Gieseler, and Coy Bila. Team four’s panel is Aaron Gaswick, Shoilee Rahman, April Hardy, and Mumbi Mwaura.

ACT PREP

 

   Students in Chadron High School have been given the great opportunity to be a part of the new group ACT Prep. "The whole idea of this organization is to help students in any subject to raise their ACT test scores. Students meet on Tuesdays, mostly every week, unless announced otherwise," said Watson.
   In the program, teachers come and apply information to many subjects such as math, science, reading and English. Loni Watson, guidance counselor, helps and creates the curriculum for the ACT Prep. Students really appreciate the effort Watson has put into this new program. "It is has expanded my knowledge of tips to help me become a better test taker and help me raise my score on the ACT," stated Junior, Mikaela Hastings.
   Each week students are welcome to enjoy a free lunch and preparation program. "This program has became beneficial to me and how I will become stronger when taking the ACT," said senior Courtney Hudson.

Kleenexes

   

     It's that time of the year when everyone is starting to get that winter cold again. The sneezing, couching, and runny noses are what everyone dread. Now that winter is right around the corner everyone is needing Kleenexes.
     Chadron Public Schools do not provide kleenexes for their students. Instead they give you toilet paper roles which some students say makes your nose raw.
     Jadyn MCcartney, sophomore at Chadron High said, "I don't think that it is ridiculous because I would rather get new sports jerseys that kleenexes for the classrooms."
     Alex Eisenbarth, junior said, "It doesn't really bother me that we don't have Kleenexes, but I don't like using the toilet paper instead."
     Mikki Hastings, junior said, "I really don't enjoy using toilet paper for Kleenexes. It doesn't really seem very sanitary and it makes your nose red and raw. This is very unpleasant to deal with."
    As you can see it doesn't really bother students not having Kleenexes, but using toilet paper does not appeal to anyone. It's that time of the year when we are needing Kleenexes but toilet paper just does not cut it.
     Mr Mack, Principal at Chadron High School said, "We were the last school to not purchase Kleenexes for their students and staff. We held on for about two years, but then decided it wasn't worth the over 3,000 dollars."

Black Friday

     

    Black Friday shopping is an annual event that many people worldwide participate in. Every year new items are put on sale. These items include electronics, toys, clothes, appliances as well as many other things. Some of the most common places to find these deals include Best Buy, Walmart, Target, Kohls, and Cabelas. Many people get up way earlier than usual to stand in line for their wanted purchases. This may not have been the case for many people because of the early deals they put up this year. Many people started sales Thanksgiving morning while some started early that night. 
     Sales, depending on the year, will always vary. Last year's total Black Friday sales totaled around 59 billion dollars, 13% more than the previous year. This year's Black Friday totals are still be figured but are expected to increase. 
     Although many times certain items are the best sellers, sometimes you have some items that wow you. Two years ago Walmart claimed their best selling item was towels. This included bath and wash towels. Some items are more likely to have an even bigger sale on Cyber Monday, or Thanksgiving Day so always pick the best time to purchase your items. Thanksgiving day, Black Friday, small business Saturday, and Cyber Monday can all be great days to find your purchase. 
     Sometimes it is very interesting to compare the prices of similar items each year. Although many new things are added to items such as electronics some can still be very similar just more or less expensive. Wendy Waugh, mother of student Kaci Waugh purchased a 60" T.V. during last years Black Friday shopping for $700. This year that price was higher than the 2012 price. 
     Alex Eisenbarth was able to purchase himself a pair of beats headphones and Xbox games that were discounted greatly. "I usually will always find myself a rather good deal."
     Mrs. Noble had a little different take on Black Friday. She participated in the online shopping deals and received some very good ones. She said, "There was no way I could have gotten all of my items just on Black Friday because I would have needed 12 different people in 12 different lines. Online was my only choice." Her purchases online included an Xbox, Fit Bit, Beats by Dr. Dre, Bluetooth sounds bars, a drill, 132 piece tool set, suitcases and luggage, and other items. These items were all for post prom except for a couple of ones not listed. Her only two purchases not online were an iPad mini and a laptop. 
     Black Friday shopping online and in stores are both great decisions. Different days provide great deals and this is why so many participate in these events. Christmas may become a lot cheaper. 

Chadron's Got Talent

     This year, Chadron's Got Talent, is being sponsored by the the students fundraising for the 2015 Europe trip, the Wanderlust Cardinals. Chadron's Got Talent is a talent show for middle school and high school students. The talent show is taking place at the Chadron High School Auditorium at 7pm on January 19. It costs $5 for adults and $3 for students to watch Chadron's Got Talent. Passes will not be accepted. 
     There will be two divisions; one for middle school students (5-8) and one for high school (9-12) students. Middle schoolers will be performing first. They will compete for prizes to see who has the top talent of Chadron. The prizes include cash, gas cards, gift certificates and more. 
     Applications are available at the middle school or high school office, and it costs $5 to enter the competition. Students can enter solo or in a group. The contestants must have three, two minute performances ready. This is because contestants go through three rounds of competition. The first two rounds will have two minute long pieces. For round three, there is a five minute time limit. For questions, please talk to Mrs. Paopao or Mr. McCarty.
     Contestants will meet at at 6pm to go over rules, organization, and questions. Contestants are asked to meet at the high school on Sunday January 18th from 1-2pm for a sound check, not for practice time.

Winter Fashion Trends

     Tis' the season for all things fashionable...and functionable. Along with the delicate snowflakes and frost nipping at our toes comes a range of of wardrobe pieces to make the winter feel and look just right. Whether it be looks borrowed from the boys such as flannels and roughed up jeans, to the classic cozy sweater, infinity scarves or the staple of boots, this seasons trends are ones to try.

     This winter at Chadron High, students Mikaru Hirose, Veronica Parish, and Greta Welch were interviewed alongside Ms. Mack about their opinions on this years winter trends. Giving tips and knowledge about everything to the latest and upcoming pieces to their personal favorites, they  offered a fashionable expertise on this seasons most popular items.

     One of the overall favorites of the group was scarves and boots. As Mrs. Mack said, " Scarves and boots are comfortable yet fashionable. "Adding proof to this statement are the students Veronica and Mikaru. In Mikaru's words, "Boots most definitely! They are really cute." Veronica goes with the comfortable approach, choosing scarves because, "...they are really warm."

     Two main items that seem to be a must have for every girl is flannels and cozy sweaters. Some people seem to be for just flannels, or favor sweaters only. However, Veronica is a fan of both, " I like both flannels and sweaters, even sometimes together at the same time." Greta, however, is not a fan of flannels stating sweaters are better because, " ...you don't have to button them unlike flannels." Mrs. Mack agrees saying, "I've never been a huge flannel fan."

     Another item trending at the moment is boots. Boots have always been a staple for girls, but as the years go by, more and more updates have been added to this well loved classic. From combat boots, to stacked, high heeled and riding boots, there are many options to choose from. A personal favorite of Mrs. Mack is the riding boot. " I have riding boots and quilted uggs, but I like the riding boot better. They come up higher on your leg and therefore elongate them instead of making them look short and stocky."

     Overall, the trend most seen at Chadron High School is the go-to of leggings and sweaters with accessories as stated above. As Veronica  said, " Any outfit is complete with leggings, boots and a scarf. It's what everyone is wearing. Even three out of five girls in this room are wearing leggings."

     No matter what you may prefer though, there is a winter trend to try out there for everyone.

Mock Trial Regionals

   

     Tuesday, November 25, 2014, Chadron High Mock Trail traveled to Gering, Nebraska to participate in the regional competition to qualify for the state competition. After months of preparation and rehearsals, team one and two left Chadron at 7:15 am to arrive in time for their first competition at 10:15.
     Team one, consisting of three lawyers: Shoilee Rahman, Aaron Gaswick, and Walt Mays, and six witnesses portrayed by five people: Sarah Thompkins, Shay Chamberlain, Case Spencer, Josh Hill, and Mackenzy Petty, competed against Gering team three for their first round case. With a victory over Gering, Chadron team one moved on to the second round to face Gering team two.
     After winning their second round case, Chadron was sent to the championship round where they faced Gering team one in hopes to earn their ticket to state. Despite a well acted out court case, the judge ruled in favor of Gering, sending them to state mock trial.
     Team two, consisting of three lawyers: Andrew Smith, Greg McCallum, and Mikki Hastings, and six witnesses portrayed by three people: Pamela Fisher, Caleb Hill, and Mark Taylor, battled Scottsbluff team two for their first round case. Despite a very close case, Scottsbluff advanced, sending Chadron team two home and ending their season.

Outside Drinks Not Allowed In the School

     As we all know, it is starting to look a lot like winter outside and that means hot chocolate, sweaters, leggings, boots and fuzzy socks. Many students at Chadron High School drink hot chocolate, coffee, and hot tea in the mornings but are not allowed to bring it in the school. The Chadron High School policy is that there are no outside drinks allowed in the school unless it comes in a clear container, and it is water.  Wouldn't it be nice to be able to bring our hot drinks in the classroom or even have our school sell it?
     Mr. Mack states, that he has to support the policy in place with not having drinks in the school expect for clear liquids. "If the policy were to change I would support it, but it's is my job to follow the policy in place. Before school and after school I think that would not be a big deal, but during school you can not take a big cup of coffee in as a student," said Mr. Mack.
    If the policy were to change he would be 100% on board with it. It is his job to support the policy, but in his own personal opinion he would be okay with that. He says, "I personally would change the policy about not having food in our classrooms. I would not support much outside food in the school. I want to show good eating habits. I do not want to see students eating fast food etc..." 
    He feels that selling hot drinks during the school day could be possible, but it would have to be okay with Pepsi and Lunch Time Solutions. He said, "If we worked well with them and had the support from our staff this could very much happen."

Feast Your Eyes on This Article!

     When one thinks about Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to their mind is food. Every family eats different foods for Thanksgiving, and every person has different opinions about the food served at the presumably large and overflowing table. From the mouthwatering meats to the various delectable pies, there is plenty of room for favorites (and non-favorites).

     Most people who eat their holiday dinners with their family take a little bit of everything (and a little bit more of things they like); even the sweet potatoes - so Grandma doesn't feel so bad about her unpopular dish. Their plates are loaded with deliciously festive foods like stuffing, mashed potatoes, marshmallow salads, ham, turkey, and biscuits. Next to their packed plate stands a refreshing cup of their favorite drink, be it apple cider or Mountain Dew.

    Some things that people Mountain Don't like on their plates include stuffing, cranberry sauce, potato salad, yams, and any kind of vegetable (sorry, Grandma).

    "I can't stand cranberry sauce," said sophomore Mia Adams, "It ruins the entire dinner. I don't get why people think it's so great. Stuffing, on the other hand, is amazing."

    Foods that people prefer to stuff their faces with range anywhere from the pies that were supposed
to be eaten after the main course, to the ham that was eaten when it was supposed to. Stuffing, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie are some of the more popular foods when it comes to piling things onto plates.

   "I would die for mashed potatoes. Seriously," sophomore Kiara Emick said without a hint of hesitation.

Christmas Celebration

     Thanksgiving is one week away, and some people are already decorating for Christmas, buying gifts, and singing along to Christmas carols. This all depends on the person and how early they celebrate. Some people start celebrating before Thanksgiving, some begin celebrating on Christmas Eve, and others don't even celebrate at all. Arguably the best part of Christmas is the music that begins playing in Thanksgiving and ends after New Years. How long will the Christmas season last in your home is up to you.
     Alison Gardener a student here at Chadron High says, "I think the appropriate time to begin celebrating Christmas is the day after Thanksgiving."  She believes it's not fair to skip right over Thanksgiving because there is always such good food.
    Other people start preparing for Christmas before they prepare for Thanksgiving. Emmy Mills says, "I just start celebrating when everyone else does. Such as, music on the radio, and putting up Christmas trees."
    On the other hand, Mr. McCarty says, "After Thanksgiving. The Friday after Thanksgiving is fine." In the Parish household, they start listening to Christmas after the first snow. Although, they don't decorate until the day after Thanksgiving. Julianne Dickerson says, "The appropriate time to celebrate Christmas is always but in reasonable time, October."
    Christmas is a magical time full of cheer and family. When you begin celebrating and how is up to you, but either way may your holiday season be merry.

Hunting Season Has Begun

     Hunting season has begun and many Chadron High School students are ready for a weekend of fun. The hallways have been buzzing with talk of this year's hunting season and the plans for the weekend, The majority of students who hunt, hunt because they enjoy the outdoors and the excitement. 
    "You get to go out, explore and shoot," said Bryce Hudson. Most students seem to enjoy the feeling of being outside with a task ahead, surrounded by family and friends.
    "Hunting gives you an opportunity to be outside with a purpose," said Cody Madsen. "The best thing about hunting is the thrill when you know you have a good shot." 
     For many students, hunting has been a tradition for them and their families. Most have gone on hunting trips since they were very young. "I've been going hunting for 11 years now," said Kyle Baumann. However, for some students, hunting is something new for them or something they only do every few years.

      A large majority of students take the meat from hunting and make it into jerky themselves. "I take the meat, package it, and keep it," said Sam Sauser-Smith.

    "I make deer steaks. My favorite part of the meat is the loin," said Willy Cogdill.

    Jayden McCartney's family takes their meat to a processor because they hunt elk. Because of their size, it's much easier to take them to a processor. Sydney Blome's father is a avid hunter and her family donates their extra meat.

    This weekend, many students will be enjoying the outdoors, family, and the thrill of the hunt.

Senior Class Dance

     On Friday the 21st of November, the senior class is hosting a fundraiser dance to help with prom and graduation expenses. The dance will be from 9pm to 12pm in the high school commons. Mrs. Noble is helping arrange the dance and make sure all the "paperwork" is done. "The juniors need all the help they can get for prom, therefore, they are going to help with this dance," said Mrs. Noble.
     Jazlyn Wright, Tyler Reitz, and Vonsinh Sayaloune are putting on the dance. The admission will be $2.00 per person, "This is a lot cheaper than homecoming, so everyone better come!" said Jazlyn. The music will be put on by Jazlyn, Tyler, and Vonsinh using their speakers and music.
    Mrs. Noble is requiring a string of lights be hung up, so "nothing inappropriate is going down on the dance floor." She will also keep track of the cashbox.
   

Black Friday

         As everyone knows Black Friday is just around the corner. Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping days of the year. According to google.com people on average spend up to 59.1 billion dollars on Christmas presents--in one day. Black Friday starts the night of Thanksgiving. It runs into the night after Thanksgiving. Stores put unbelievable sales on clothing, toys, movies, televisions, and many more. Parents, teens, grandparents, and even children will stand in lines for hours waiting to get what they came for. In bigger cities many people will bring tents and camp outside of the store in order to be the first person at the store. Also in big cities many fights break-out. Luckily living in Chadron will not be as bad as bigger cities like Denver.
        There might be big sales going on, but be sure to be safe and know what is going on. Safety is more important than a Christmas present. Black Friday is the biggest stores sales in America. Many people are injured during this time and many people can and will spend millions of dollars on sales they think are right.

The Coldest of the Cold

     This year in the western part of Nebraska has been extremely odd. Up until a couple weeks ago we have had beautiful weather for October and November. Usually there has been multiple snowy days by then, but not this year. It was up in the high 60's and at night around the high 50's.
     The weather was truly splendid until the 10th of November came. On this day snow came down hard and the sun was sheltered away for a long week and a half. During the sun's absence, Chadron and other towns in the western part of Nebraska froze. With the wind blowing up to 20mph, it would make your runny nose into snot icicles.
      Kaitlyn Haug said, "I had to bundle up way more than I favor. I'm not a huge fan of cold weather, but my heavy gloves and cozy scarf prevented me from becoming cold. These few days that have been so cold really are dangerous because the streets in Chadron are so iced over and many people have been sliding all of the place."
      Keenan Johnson said, "I don't totally hate the cold because I'm a chill guy and also because when I see snow I think of fun winter activities such as skiing, hunting, and sledding behind a truck."
     With Sunday being our highest temperature at 34 degrees since the 10th. These cold day have indeed been punishing and brutal for many people and have people like Kaitlyn are praying for warmer weather.

Celebrating the Holidays with the Cardinal Singers

     'Tis the season for Christmas music and the cardinal singers are ready to "Jingle Bell Rock" their way to the holidays. The group will be singing the "12 Day of Christmas" version from the Straight No Chasers, as well as, "All is Well," "Carol of The Bells," and many more.
The group will be performing during these dates:
December 4th: Rotary Lunch hosted by Dr. Winchester
December 9th: Ladies Church Luncheon
December 18th: Choir Concert
    "The Cardinal Singers look forward to caroling around the community to spread the holiday spirit as well as, wishing everyone a Happy Holiday," said director Wendy Mahr.

Teacher Engagements

Many CHS students may or may not know, Ms. Mack recently got engaged. In honor of her being newly betrothed, other teachers now share their engagement stories with the students of CHS.

As Ms. Mack prepared to head down to Lincoln for a wedding last weekend, her fiance asked her to check that he was prepared before leaving. Mack walked into the bedroom to find a pile of clothes laying on the bed with an empty ring box on top. “I panicked,” says Mack, “I didn’t know where it was, and me being the awkward person that I am, I just started folding.” Of course, her fiance expected she would come looking for the ring, but instead came to her after she did not. As Mack turned around, there he was, down on one knee.

Mr. Uhing says he did not actually propose to his wife. While balancing a love affair with Kate Upton, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Alba, and of course, his now-wife Libby, Uhing had to make an impromptu decision. Rather than shatter the hearts of three women, Uhing had the four women fight to the finish. The winner would receive his heart as the prize. As we now know, Libby took down all three superstars to claim Mr. Uhing as her husband. In all actuality though, Uhing is really a hopeless romantic. He took Libby golfing in Hot Springs one day. Because Libby is very competitive, they made a bet that the loser would buy dinner at Angela’s. Uhing purposely kept the game close until the last putt. He barely missed and Libby sank it. As she was celebrating, she failed to notice Uhing down on one knee. Of course she said yes, and on the way back she saw two older golfers and said, “I got a par and a diamond!”

Mr. and Mrs. Paopao had a relatively simple engagement. While Mrs. Paopao, then Ms. Harmon, was directing her first full-length play in Rushville. She was under a lot of stress and came home to watch “The Cosby Show” with Uati. As they were sitting there, he reached into the couch and pulled out a ring, saying, “So, you wanna get married?”

Mrs. Watson is among the most romantic of the teacher proposals. Matt took her out for what she thought was just a birthday dinner. They went out to a place called M’s Pub in Omaha. Afterward, they walked through the park near a little river. Near the streets, Matt stopped and proposed.

Mrs. Larsen got engaged on May Day. She dug through her basket, so excited by all the candy! At the bottom of the basket, there was the ring.

Mr. Lecher decided to propose to his wife, Diana, on a whim. While he and some friends were seeking out a pool venue, they passed a jewelry store, then a hardware store. Lecher said, “I should go to the hardware store and buy a food processor for Diana.” In response, his friends said he should buy a ring at the jewelry store instead. A week later, Diana went to visit Lecher in Kansas, and he said, “Look what I bought!” She got all excited and asked if they were going to get married. Of course, he couldn’t say no, he was cornered! Lecher’s moral of the story is don’t utter the saying, “Look what I bought!”

Students often forget that teachers are humans too. Sometimes it is exciting to hear the stories that teachers have to share. Congratulations on your engagement Ms. Mack!

Mockingjay Premier

     This November, the finale in the famous Hunger Games begins. The Hunger Games, written by Suzanne Collins, started out as a book trilogy, growing with an enormous amount fans in such short time. As the books became even more popular, fans started seeing the pages that they lived through hit the big screen. Students here at Chadron High School have also read the book, adding to Suzanne Collins fandom. Greta Welch, a sophomore said, "I've read all the books. And of course the books are better than the movies." Kyla Parish, a sophomore, differs in this saying'"I've only read the first book, but I've seen all the movies of it that have came out so far, and they're good."
     Nevertheless, both students said they would be attending the movie. Jenny VanVleet, an employee at the Eagle Theater, and graduated CHS student, said the turnout should be good. "We are expecting around 300 people...we will use up all the theaters if this happens to show the movie." Jenny also said that the premiere for Mockingjay- Part 1 will be at ten o'clock on Thursday night.
     Now let the "Games" begin, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

To Drink Coffee or Not?

     Coffee is a largely debated topic that everyone talks about. Many people all around America drink coffee on a daily basis. Within Chadron High School there are many students that drink coffee every morning or almost every morning.
     Destiny Rhoden a sophomore at Chadron High said, "Coffee wakes me up in the mornings. It's not just a daily ritual for me, I don't think I would be able to go through a whole day without my morning coffee or having coffee at some point in my day."
     Brendinh Sayaloune, also a sophomore said, "I don't need coffee to help me get through my day, but I really enjoy drinking it when there is creamer with it."
     There are also non coffee fans. Not everyone loves the taste and smell of coffee in the morning. It just doesn't appeal to them like it does to others.
     Dana Dunbar, a freshman said, "I'd rather have hot chocolate than coffee. I like the taste and smell a lot more, but I do add creamer to my hot chocolate."
     Along with Dana, freshman Drew Jerslid is not a coffee fan. He said, "I just don't like it or how it smells."
     Coffee is addictive. People either love it or hate it. It's not just adults that enjoy the wonders of the coffee smell in the morning. Many Chadron High students are also a fan. 

Physical Activity In Winter

     As the cold winter approaches, many people face the problem of keeping their weight off. Instead of enjoying beautiful days outside when you can run or walk, you now have to be left inside with limited options. Many people chose to bake, or do something indoors while it is many times below zero outside.
     This problem is not as critical in certain months as others. People's New Year resolution is more often that not to lose weight. One problem is encountered there because one of the coldest months is January when you first set your goal. If you are not able to achieve that goal of losing weight then you may become very upset with yourself. This in return can cause problems in your household, because you are tired and annoyed, and your children are disgusted with being cooped up inside.
    Pets also feel the effect during the winter season. If your owners are the ones to exercise you, lots don't get to experience that anymore because their owners aren't ambitious enough to walk them.
     An alternative for this problem is to buy a membership to an indoor facility, invest in your own exercise equipment, or even use your open floor space and stairs as much as you can. Although some people just say forget it and wait until it is nice again, don't let that be you.
      Dave McCartney, is a firm believer in exercising as many days as you can. He walks every morning during the months that he is able too and rides his bike the others. If it is impossible he likes to work out downstairs and lift weights with his personal set of weights. "Exercising makes me feel better, and I feel not as good about myself if I don't get my needed workout in."
     Bigger places are easier to find indoor facilities and places to workout, while smaller towns are a little more different. Chadron has at least three places to offer athletic activity during the winters month. Stacey McCartney uses the outdoors facilities, the track, during warmer months and utilizes the NPAC at the college in the winter months. Student athletes are many times the same way. You play as many things as you can outdoors, when you can, and do the others indoors when the weather is either too hot or cold. 
     Hopefully you can find an alternative for your exercises this wintery season.
 
   

The Verdict is In

     Monday, September 10, 2014, Chadron High School Mock Trial traveled to Gering, Nebraska, to compete in two court cases at the Gering Couthouse. Chadron's Team One argued defense as they faced Gering Team Two and prosecution as they faced Scottsbluff Team Two. Chadron's Team Two argued defense against Gering Team Three and prosecution against Scottsbluff Team Two.
While Chadron's Team One walked away with two victories, Team Two walked away with one win and one loss.
     The Chadron High Mock Trial Team One is set to have one more competition before the public performance on Sunday, November 23, 2014 at 2:00 at the Dawes County Courthouse. Chadron Team One will be hosting a preliminary competition on Tuesday against Gering. The Regional Competition is set for November 25, 2014.
     This year's case is about arson and murder at the Gardener's Garden Gnomes factory in Goldenrod, Nebraska. On July 3, 2014, a fire burned the gnome factory and killed the janitor, Cliff Stanley, who was in the building.
     The prosecution must prove that none other than the very owner of the building, Gail Gardener, started the fire. Gail Gardener had been having financial problems, had been taking loans out from loan sharks, and had been gambling in order to have enough money.
     The defense must prove that there were other people, such as problem employee Bubba Ganoush, who had means, motive, and opportunity to burn down the factory. Bubba had recently been fired from his job, and was seen fired up at his boss, Gail Gardener.

Moonlight Madness

This last Friday, October 31, the annual Moonlight Madness festival was held downtown on Chadron's Main Street. This event is put on each year by Chadron High's FBLA Chapter in association with businesses on the Chamber of Congress. Each year a committee within FBLA from the high organizes the event, with members leading games, tricks, and handing out candy to Halloween goers.

This year’s main leaders were Mrs. Noble, a sponsor for FBLA and teacher at Chadron High, and Margreta Welch, the activities director for FBLA and a fellow student at Chadron High. The beginnings of Moonlight Madness were fairly recent, Mrs. Noble said. " Moonlight Madness has been going on since 2007...and is beginning to pick up again." This community project works because FBLA is partnered with members of the Chamber, and also happens to dual as one Chadron FBLA Chapter’s projects they get points for.

As with any project that can bring a smile to families’ faces, Moonlight Madness is received warmly from the community. Mrs. Noble said, "The community reaction is always positive, which gets our name out there, and let's people know we are involved...the community is thankful."

The students take an equal share in FBLA's Moonlight Madness: manning the booths, helping set up games, handing out candy, and contacting businesses. students’ roles varied however. Harlie Kennell, a student at Chadron High and a member of the Moonlight Madness committee, said, " I dressed up like a cowboy, and ran the booth where you threw rings onto pumpkins."

Welch said, " I organized the games and made sure they ran smoothly during the vent."

Veronica Parish, a senior and committee member, said, " I ran the pumpkin slime game...which happened to be something not a lot of people were interested in because it involved getting messy. "

Overall, this year’s event brought on challenges and success. Planning and weather always seem to be difficult part of Moonlight Madness. Welch elaborated on this saying, "The hardest part was the planning and rounding up supplies, but the easiest was the actual event." Parish had expectations for "warmer weather", which was definitely an offender against this years event, with winds between 20 to 30 miles an hour and low temperatures. However, we can always look toward the future, which towards Mrs. Noble said " ...the more we do it the easier it gets."

Lockdown drills educate students, teachers; still more training wanted

     When staff and students wake up in the morning and make their way to school the farthest thing from their mind is, "What if an intruder comes in the school today?"
     Most everyone likes to believe that a school is one of the safest places to be. But school shootings and violent acts have become more prevalent across the United States. From Columbine to Sandy Hook, and even right here in Chadron, these shootings have brought forth the reality of school violence. "It's not a matter of if, but when," said Mrs. Paopao.
     School shootings have created fear in students, parents, and teachers thus causing schools to take serious action against intruders. "Although we cannot prepare ourselves for every scenario, I think we could do more training and practice," Mr. Mack said. The lockdown policy states that, all students and staff should secure themselves in the closest, safest area (typically behind locked doors and/or bar-loaded doors) until law enforcement or a school administrator has released them.
Chadron High School's current lockdown policy mirrors the "I Love You Guys" foundation lockdown policy. Officer Chrisman hopes to see CHS "adopt the policy in full and also use the 'Run, Hide, and Fight" policy to lean towards a safer school."
     When a lockdown is taking place and an intruder is inside the building causing a threat, the police department is immediately contacted. The local law enforcement officers will quickly respond to the school, enter, and move towards the threat. At that time officers will pass over any fallen or injured subjects and continue towards the threat. After the threat has been taken out or neutralized, officers will secure the building to insure there are no more threats. Once secured, the officers and/or paramedics will tend to the fallen and injured.
     Mr. Mack is preparing staff and students for potential lockdown scenarios by "discussing, practicing, and attending trainings on school intrusions."
     "Schools today must expect the unexpected, even though I feel that our school is very safe. We still need to be prepared," said Mr. Pope.
     Mr. Nobiling has taken a strong initiative towards preparing staff and students for a potential lockdown scenario. He introduced the "Run, Hide, and Fight" video and encourages teachers to show it in their classrooms. "I believe that the lockdown policy is a crucial part of our district policy, and I think it should be practiced multiple times a year even a couple times per semester just like a fire drill is practiced," said Mr. Nobiling. "Having been through a school shooting has stemmed my passion for protecting staff and students from a potential threat," said Mr. Nobiling. Mr. Nobiling believes that every pod and every classroom in area D should have a "go kit" that is equipped with tourniquets, wool blankets, bandages, a device to breakout a window along with other emergency supplies that every staff member and student knows how to use.        
     Although no one wants to think about the reality of a lockdown it is crucial to be as prepared as possible. It is always better to be safe than sorry.


                                                                                                                                                                                                               

Speech season returns to Chadron High

As the winter season rolls around, it brings along an array of competitive sports and activities. One of these activities is speech, which manages to attract new members every late autumn with its welcoming team and interesting sport.

"You don't have to be the fastest runner or the best shooter; everybody is welcome to join speech," said assistant coach Katy Dobry. "The team always comes together as a family a few weeks into the season, and it's a really cool feeling to be a part of that."

In speech, students choose among different events in which they want to compete. Most events are performed solo (persuasive, poetry, humorous, etc.), but some can be done as a duet or in a group ("OID" - Oral Interpretation of Drama). After choosing the events they want to do, students must either compose their own speech about a topic, or order a script online and cut it down once they receive it.

"Speech really helps the kids, both inside the classroom and out. It's like a paper; you need organization skills, a strong vocabulary, and an ability to present something in front of a group of people. It also helps students gain confidence both inside and out of the classroom," said Dobry.

Speech practices are always held after school until 4:30 or 5:00 in the evening, and are usually laid-back and relaxed. This year's practices will begin on Monday, November 10th, and run until late March. All of the meets are on Saturdays, making those who choose to participate in this sport very dedicated and willing to give up their own time to pursue this passion of theirs.

"I really like coaching speech. As a coach, you get to spend a lot of time with the kids, and forge a bond with them unlike those they may have with other teachers. You really get to know the kids on a different level. It's great to be able to watch all of them grow, especially those who participate in speech all four years of their high school career," said Dobry with a warm smile quickly spreading across her face.

Students lend a hand of help at the Fur Trade

On October 13th and 14th, Mr. Nobiling’s government classes went to the Fur Trade Museum to volunteer and help clean up for the end of the season. The third block cleaned out the garden and raked leaves, while the larger fourth block did the bulk of the raking and put new chinking on the dugout. Chinking is a mixture made up of mud, straw, and water, used to fill cracks or openings.

The reason behind the clean-up was for the Feast of the Hunter’s Moon, a re-creation of the annual fall gathering between the Native Americans and the Frenchmen back in the 1700s. The original feast occurred at Fort Ouiatenon in Indiana. There are other re-creations held across the United States, especially in Indiana, as this was one important event among fur traders.

Gail DeBuse Potter, the museum director, expressed her gratitude for the assistance, saying that the students accomplished more than she could have in a week. As a special treat, the students went back to the museum on Thursday, October 16 to tour the facility.

“I really liked helping out at the Fur Trade Museum because it gave me the opportunity to learn how easy it is to give back to the community,” said senior Josh Hill.

Students will have the opportunity to participate in a school clean-up for additional volunteer hours in the near future through Mr. Nobiling’s Government class.

Hunting season nears

One of the most enjoyed week of the winter season is deer season. People come from all around the country to come and shoot a deer, preferably a buck. The season start in 2 weeks from now but already people are preparing for the big week. Some people are out there scouting and seeing where the deer are bedding or grazing.Everyone has different ways and styles of hunting and ways to prepare. 
Jadyn McCartney said, “My father and I hunt in the mornings and evenings, and we hunt in a blind or even just on the side of a hill. I really enjoy hunting because of the rush and alone time with my Dad.” Those two reasons are why many people love hunting so much. 
Keenan Johnson said, “To prepare for hunting I clean my guns and shoot them to make sure they are sighted in.” 
Lanie Riesen’s response was very similar, she said, “I grab all of my camouflage gear and set it out for me to use in the morning."

Hunting season truly is a great time for all ages, and hunting offers a time to be close to nature. Lanie said, “Even though waking up early stinks I love going out in the field and getting the rush of getting a chance to shoot the big one.” 
These thrills are why deer season is such a monumental week.   

Opinions vary about new bathrooms

     Chadron High was lucky enough to get funding to have new bathrooms built in the high school. There are many things people like about them, but there are also things the students don't like about them as well.  
     Ashley Trent said, "The best part about the bathrooms are the lockable doors, but I hate the faucets, they never stay on." Many students would agree about the faucets. Students also believe that the automatic lights are an issue. When students are going to the restroom, the lights will randomly shut off while you are still in the stall.
     Jackson Dickerson said, "If I could change something in the bathrooms, I would but the old sinks back in, because it is nearly impossible to wash your hands in the new sink." His favorite thing about the new bathrooms is, "The fact that they are clean and smell good."
     Students love the way the bathroom looks, the way they stay clean, and the way they are set up. The automatic flushing, the new stalls, and the new body mirrors are also popular. The students are very thankful for the bathrooms, but also believe somethings could be changed.

One acts performances

     The one act team's first performance of  "The Oldest Story Ever Told," including a dinner theatre at 5:30 pm, is on November 14 at 7:30 pm. The play is to be preformed in the auditorium.
     For the dinner theatre, the play, and desserts, tickets cost $12, which should be paid for ahead of time. For the play and desserts, the cost is $5 and can be paid for at the door. The matinee is November 15 at 2 pm and it also costs $5 for admission.
     The Cinderella story is one of the oldest stories ever told in history, and although each has its own variation, all the stories are similar. "The Oldest Story Ever Told" is a combination of the African, Chinese, and Indian Cinderella stories. The play's perspective illustrates how, although each story takes place in a different country, they are all linked together in one way or another.
      "The Oldest Story Ever Told" will be preformed for K-5 and 6-12, separately, on November 20. The play will be preformed at 1 pm for K-5 and 2:35 pm for 6-12.
 

Student Tech Day

     On the last day before semester break, December 19th, the students of Chadron High School will be putting on a Tech Day by students for students. The students will report to block 1A and then be dismissed to the auditorium where there will be a guest speaker. Students will attend 4 sessions in the morning for about 30 minuets each to learn about apps, Google Drive, presentation apps etc.  Then at the end of the day there will be prizes and other rewards. A select few students chosen by the teachers will be putting on presentations, and other activities to present information on new technology to improve learning in the classroom.
     Mrs Paopao said, "After lunch, we are thinking that we'll have a quick run through of all blocks so that kids can return books and get end of the semester grades. Then we'd like to use the last 20 minutes to meet back in the auditorium to draw for prizes."
     Mrs. Paopao is thinking that teachers also might survey the students to find out their interests in technology, but they wanted to start with the teachers. After the students take the survey they will look at it to determine what kinds of sessions they want to use. Then it is up to the kids to put the presentation together and share their information.
     Mrs. Paopao said, "This allows the kids to have some guidance for the staff and some support from them as well."

Best of The West

   

The Cardinal Singers perform their set at the Sweet Singsation in October.

     This past weekend, on Saturday November 1, the Cardinal Singers competed at the annual Best of The West competition in Scottsbluff. The group performed their 13 minute show that included collections of jazz, upbeat, and ballad songs including, the Beatles and Journey classics. They performed at 12:30 on Saturday and waited till results at 4.
     The choirs they competed against in their category were Chase County, Sidney, and Mitchell. Even though a majority of the judges were impressed by the Cardinal Singers choreography and harmonic vocals, other judges found them inappropriate and provocative. In the end, the Cardinal Singers received a bronze in the 3A category.
     "The kids did well, and they need to keep their heads up high. They did an excellent job, said director, Wendy Mahr.

Halloween Safety

      

     Many of us know that today is the 31st of October and one of the most popular holidays for children, Halloween. Halloween is a huge event that is very fun, but it can also be very dangerous for people in the community. Safety is going to be very important in this year's Halloween.     
     During Halloween parents and their children need to be more cautious than they usually are. Each year the number of risks increase, and this means everyone needs to prevent bad things from happening. Some risks that are involved with Halloween and trick or treating are getting candy that is healthy without any drugs or anything in it, as well as being safe in the dark. Younger children are more at risk to be hit by a car or something along those lines, while teens and older children are more likely to do something destructive with the wrong crowd. 
     School resource Officer from the Chadron City Police Department, Aron Chrisman said that he feels that older children are at greater risks because they make bad choices and end up doing something destructive. "Good kids get in the wrong crowd, and become guilty by association." The City of Chadron's police department does its best to aware people of these risks. Officer Chrisman says that there are more cops than usual on duty, so there are "more eyes out."
     The Police Department also sends out press releases to make parents aware about the dangers. They encourage you to wear reflective tape at night, and be aware of everything going on. Hopefully, this Halloween can be a fun yet safe one.