Volume 56, Issue 5, March 17, 2008

Volume 56
Issue 5
March 17, 2008
Contrails
One Quarter a
Day?!
Peer Mediation
p. 4
Students’ Knowledge
of World Events
p. 7
Gassville Tornado Spread:
Students Aid
Tornado Victims
pp. 10-11
Prom Preparations
p. 13
Student Poetry
Feature
Arielle Greene
p. 14
Decision 2008
pp. 14-15
Is that too much to
ask?
Bobby Howard
staff writer
On April 8, 2008, Mountain Home
School District voters will decide
the fate of the 2008 School Bond
Issue. Once again, voters will have
the opportunity to either accept or bat
down the millage increase, an increase
that has on its shoulders the future
conditions of Mountain Home School
District’s learning environments.
Obviously, the School Board’s last
attempt at passing a mill increase
failed. Noticeably, to say the least.
This time around, however, the Board
has the advantage of having seen what
our current public will and will not vote
for. Accordingly, costs have been cut
and funds have been reallocated to
the tune of over 5 million dollars being
knocked off the overall cost of the
project.
The entire projected cost of the
renovations (including the construction
of an all-new, 3rd-5th grade elementary
school) adds up to $34,255,599.00,
compared to last year’s 39.8 milliondollar project. This sizable difference is
due largely to the absence of the 3.75
million dollar multi-purpose facility that
was largely opposed by the public last
year.
To raise these funds, the school
district is asking for a 2.95 mill
increase. This would bring our
total millage rate from 29.21
mills, which is 10th lowest in
the state, to 32.16 mills. The
state average for Arkansas is
35.84 mills, so, even with the
increase, our rates would fall
short of the state average, and
they would continue to be less
than the rates of area schools MHHS will undergo a much-needed expansion if the bond passes
like Flippin, Harrison, and Calico Rock. are outdated and don’t measure up to
state standards. Lunches are started at
Statewide, schools closer to our size
10:20 A.M., for lack of adequate kitchen
(Marion, Jacksonville, and Pine Bluff)
have millage rates closer to 40.00 mills. and cafeteria facilities. The need for
For homeowners who own a house these expansions and renovations is
with a market value of 150,000 dollars, apparent, and, for about 25 cents more
a day, these improvements are easily
this mill increase would increase
attainable.
monthly payments by $7.38 a month.
Assistant Superintendent John
$7.38 a month breaks down to just
Calaway said, “I think everyone would
under 25 cents a day, a payment
increase that is highly affordable. After agree that our students at Mountain
Home deserve to have school facilities
all, for a dollar, that soda you bought
that at least meet the state’s definition
today was expensive in comparison.
of ‘adequate.’” Junior Sydney Thomas
This Bond is aimed at solving our
added, “We need the bond to pass this
district-wide overcrowding problem,
time. If it doesn’t, the state could…
a problem that requires attention.
[interfere].” If our school district cannot
A number of teachers district-wide
meet these adequacies or our funding
must carry their books and teaching
materials from classroom to classroom goals, and thus cannot upgrade
facilities to state standards, the state
because there aren’t enough
could step in and mandate that funding
schoolrooms. At the current growth
be cut for extra-curricular activities. Our
rate of about 50 students per year (or
number of AP classes would be cut
about two classrooms per year) and
back, music programs like band and
at the current millage rate, the district
choir would be discontinued, and other
simply doesn’t have the resources to
main school sports and popular clubs
handle overflow to the degrees we are
would go unfunded.
experiencing.
When April 8th comes around, let’s
Sophomore Pat Salmon said,
hope that our community members
“We really need the Bond to pass.
remember that you can do no wrong
There are a lot of places that need
improvement in our school.” At Nelson in voting for education. This Bond is
an opportunity for our school district to
Wilks, there is an entire wing that
needs to be demolished, because it is a be greatly improved, and all that these
potential hazard to students and faculty. improvements require is one more
quarter a day.
Throughout the district, science labs
Contrails
2
Quiz Bowl
The start of a
good season
Bobby Howard
staff writer
After last year’s absence
of an MHHS quiz bowl
team, this year’s team has
emerged quite successfully.
The Bomber team has
proved its smarts in its
scrimmage with Harrison
High School, where the
Bombers won, and in the
team’s showing at the
regional Co-op tournament
in Melbourne, where it
earned the first-place
plaque.
s
l
i
a
ontr
C
STAFF
March 17, 2008
Senior team
from three
member Brandi
categories. In
Bowers said, “I was
sixty seconds,
very happy with our
they have the
showing at Melbourn.
opportunity
We played as a team
to answer
and had a lot of fun.”
ten, ten-point
Quiz bowl is a lowquestions that
contact game of the
are of the same
mind. Four members
category. The
of each team play at
other team has
a time. The students
the opportunity
.The Mtn. Home High School Quiz Bowl Team poses in Mrs. Gonten’s room.
must have highly
to answer the
diversified knowledge, as
questions that the first
correctly-answered, tenthe questions range from
point toss-up question, there team missed. The second
derivatives in calculus to
is a series of four, five-point (winning) team then
ancient Swedish ballet.
chooses their category, and
bonus questions. Each of
There are four rounds
the process is repeated. In
these four bonus questions
in a game of quiz bowl.
this round, all answers can
is of the same subject.
The first round is a “tossbe discussed, but the team’s
For example, after they
up” round. It consists of
answers must be given by
have answered a toss-up
twenty random, unrelated
a captain. The fourth round
question, a team might be
questions that are worth
is another toss-up round,
asked to spell four different
ten points each. The first
words in succession. In the identical to the first.
individual who buzzes in
There are a few hurdles
bonus portion of this round,
has to answer the question
that the team had to jump.
a team can talk amongst
correctly within 3-5 seconds, itself, but a designated
Junior William Rhoads
or the other team has a
captain must answer for the commented, “There was not
chance to buzz in. The
a team last year, so some
team.
second round is called
of the older members- me
The third round is called
the Bonus Round. There
personally- had to adjust
the Lightning Round. The
are ten toss-up questions
back into the groove of it…
team that is losing at this
in this round. After each
and our coach, Mrs. Gonten,
point in the game chooses
Mandy Ricci
Angel Adkins
Brooke Klasinski
photo editor
staff writer
staff writer
is new to quiz bowl…she
does a phenomenal job.”
The MHHS quiz bowl
team is also very young
this year, which is a huge
disadvantage. There are
only two seniors on the
team. At any given time,
the Bomber team will play
only one senior, one junior,
and two sophomores. That
line-up, of course, changes
to incorporate other team
members.
However, despite these
disadvantages, the team
is off to a successful start.
The team and coach (Mrs.
Gonten) look to do well at
Regionals in March and, if
they qualify, at State further
on. “Regional and state
competitions are always
more difficult than the Co-op
competition,” said Bowers,
“And our competition dates
coincide with the band’s last
competition. We’ll be losing
some key members that
choose to go to band rather
than quiz bowl… I expect
we will do our very best and
have fun.”
Hanna Turner
staff writer
Dana Maley
co- photo editor
Sarah Arnold
staff writer
Maranda Martin
staff writer
Harley White
staff writer
Darah McDaniel
editor-in-chief
Austin Seaborn
ad editor
Leah Fahlenkamp
staff writer
Anna Pond
staff writer
Mrs. McGraw
sponsor
Brandon Tetrick
layout editor
Jessica Wells
special sections editor
Bobby Howard
staff writer
Raychel Raney
staff writer
Contrails
Mary McNabb
layout editor
Larra Wagner
spread editor
Kelsey Jaeger
staff writer
Jacklyn Rounceville
staff writer
Ron Walter
copy editor
Carlye Welch
opinion editor
Cady Johnson
staff writer
Karissa Sylvia
staff writer
c/o Mountain Home High School
500 Bomber Blvd.
Mountain Home, AR 72653
Tel: 870-425-1215
Contrails
March 17, 2008
Love is the
Movement
To Write Love on
Her Arms
Cady Johnson
staff writer
According to the World
Health Organization,
roughly 121 million people
in the world are affected by
something life-threatening. It
is something that often gets
under exaggerated. It is no
laughing matter, though, and
it can affect anyone. This is
self-injury.
Self-injury can be a lot of
A New Start
Changes in the
students’ schedule
over semester
Raychel Raney
staff writer
At the turning of the new
semester, students were
forced to wake up and smell
the coffee after the long winter
break was over. After staying
up late and sleeping all day
through the break, it was
unanticipated for things to
change and for the students
to bounce back so quickly. On
the first day back, schedules
were different and difficult.
things. Simply, it is any thing
people do to deliberately harm
themselves. It is a coping
mechanism, something people
do to help themselves cope
with stress, painful feelings,
and many other problems.
There are many reasons
why a person would get into
this habit. For some people,
they need a way to forget
bad thoughts. This might
temporarily “help” them. Many
times, this is a by-product of
depression.
Untreated depression leads
to many problems. Family
and social lives can be broken,
work will suffer, and life starts
to seem impossible. With so
much pain, the depressed
person needs a way to receive
help. Seeking out help from
family and friends can be
embarrassing and hard to do,
so people hide it. Bottling
up these feelings at first will
seem fine, but they eventually
take their toll. Depressed
people will sometimes look for
comfort in destructive things.
Sometimes it is rebelling, other
times it might be taking up an
awful addiction. It could be
anything from gambling to selfinjury.
One day, though, a man
named Jamie Tworkowski met
a girl named Renee. Renee
was struggling with various
addictions, and Tworkowski
and his friends were set on
helping her. After she was
rejected from rehab, he spent
five days with her, keeping her
clean, showing her love. When
they found a place to take her,
they started selling t-shirts to
pay for her stay.
Out of this friend
Some classes, teachers, and
because it was hard for me to
lunches changed for a few
wake up.”
students. It wasn’t an easy
Sophomore, Taylor Willett
recovery for the tired
and break-appreciating
students.
Sean Sammons,
junior, said he liked
his classes before the
schedule change. “I
don’t like my classes
as well as I did
before. Now I have
astronomy which
changes from GIS,
and I have mechanics
II which changed from
ceramics. I also don’t Mrs. Harwell works on paperwork in the counselor’s office.
like my lunches now. I have
also had a complicated first
second lunch both days, and
day. “I accidentally skipped
because some of my friends
class,” she giggled and stated
aren’t in there anymore, after
in her offense, “But I didn’t
the schedule changes at
know what lunch I had to
semester, I didn’t like things
go to. So I just kind of sat
as much.” Sammons was
there during both lunches.”
having a hard time adjusting.
Willett had many changes in
“It was hard the first day back her schedule. “My medical
3
Tworkowski made, the nonprofit organization To Write
Love on Her Arms was born.
According to their website, they
are dedicated to presenting
hope and finding help for those
struggling with depression,
addiction, and self-injury
by encouraging, informing,
inspiring, and investing into
treatment and recovery.
They rely on bands like the
Rocket Summer, Paramore,
Jonzetta, and Bayside to
get the word out. Bands are
seen at concerts wearing their
shirts. The Rocket Summer
and Between the Trees
have taken the organization
to tour England with them.
Tworkowski speaks before
concerts to the crowd, and it
impacts lives.
Junior Shannon Hicks heard
about TWLOHA from her older
brother. She believes that the
support TWLOHA has in the
music industry is a good thing.
“By wearing the shirts and
supporting the organization
as much as possible, more
people are getting interested
and doing anything they can to
help.”
TWLOHA isn’t very well
known right now, but the word
is spreading, and more kids
are affected by them everyday.
Only a couple shirts have been
spotted on people in Mountain
Home, but that will soon
change. Hicks showed her
support and said, “I’ve talked
about it to others, but I plan
do help anyway I can when I
actually have some money.”
They are letting people see
that rescue is possible.
terminology switched to
psychology, ROTC switched
to study hall, P.E. switched
to health, and I now have
driver’s education also. I
miss my old classes, but
definitely my mechanics
class. Mr. Villines was an
awesome teacher. I miss
the other classes so much
because I had friends in
there.” Willett confirmed
that the first day back
wasn’t a terrible tragedy.
“It was fine, but it was new,
like the first day of school.”
Junior Jessica Linck
said she didn’t have any
trouble the first day back from
break. “It wasn’t hard getting
to my new places on the first
day; I knew where my classes
were. I have astronomy and
medical terminology now
instead of history and driver’s
education. But I liked my
classes better before because
I had Mrs. Thrasher, and she
was a good teacher. But I
like one of my new teachers,
Coach Frazier, because he
makes me laugh and makes
the work fun.” Another thing
Linck dislikes because of the
changes is the lunches now. “I
don’t have the same lunches
that I used to. I have second
lunch both days now, and I get
hungry.”
Jasmyne Eimers,
sophomore, stated that she
liked her classes more now
after the schedule changes.
“I have friends in all of my
classes now. The only things
I don’t like is that some of
my friends aren’t in the same
lunch anymore, and I don’t like
my study hall class. If I don’t
have my homework, then I
have to find something else to
do for that whole block.”
Contrails
4
Peer
Mediation
It’s back
Angel Adkins
Karissa Sylvia
staff writers
Peer mediation has once
again returned to the students
at Mountain Home High School.
According to Mr. Thomas, “Peer
mediation is where peers settle
differences between other
peers without adults stepping
in. There is a generation gap to
be crossed in which adults are
viewed as authoritive figures,
and they don’t necessarily settle
the dispute. They only postpone
it. Peer mediators can relate
with other students about their
disputes or personal problems.”
Junior Daniel Miller stated
his view of what peer mediation
is about, “Students who
help students solve their
problems without much
adult interference. They also
help students solve their
conflicts before they get out of
control.” Senior Mollie Rowlett
commented, “A peer mediator
is someone that is able to aid
in a conflict resolution. They are
less intimidating than teachers
or administrative personal.”
On December 6, 2007
students who met the
qualifications of becoming a
peer mediator were invited to
attend peer mediation training,
provided by the Baxter County
Juvenile Service in the distance
learning lab. To become a peer
mediator students must uphold
a 2.5 grade point average, must
not be failing any classes, and
must not have any truancies.
Also the students must not miss
over the allowed six days in any
class and must not have any
disciplinary actions that required
a suspension.
Peer mediation starts when
two students have a conflict that
they want or need assistance
working out. Peer mediation is
administered when two students
feel that the best way to deal
with their problem involves
working with students their
own age. This helps because
students feel more relaxed with
their peers than they would
with an authoritive figure.
When students choose peer
Martin Luther King Responses
Recently students wrote a response to an essay by U.S.
Representative John Lewis about Martin Luther King and
discrimination. Here are some of the responses.
Dear Mr. Lewis,
There are many ways that our generation can bring us closer to Dr. King’s dream of a
unified and peaceful world. By adhering to the principles of equality and justice that we
value – no matter the consequence – we can do our part to display compassion and
understanding. Also, by being more active and national politics, while being aware of
global events, we can make sure our voice, like Dr. King’s, is heard. He stated that, “A
time comes when silence is betrayal,” and that is still true today; if we want to make
a difference, we have to be sure our voice is heard through peaceful delegation and
cooperation. The truth must be heard even if it is painful. Our “inner truth” must become
our outer truth if we ever hope to eliminate poverty and suffering and live to see the
Lucky McMahon - Senior
Promised Lands.
March 17, 2008
mediation, they face the person
they have a conflict with instead
of just putting it off to evolve into
an even worse situation. This
gives them a chance to talk
freely about their issue. When
a mediation takes place, two
students are put in a room
alone with two mediators. The
room remains private between
those four individuals.
Everything that is said or
done in the room remains
completely confidential.
The mediators have set rules
and guidelines that are to be
followed during a mediation.
These rules are: listen without
interrupting, tell the truth,
stay seated, be respectful, no
name calling or fighting, keep
everything confidential, and
work towards a solution. The
students being mediated are
informed of the rules before
the mediation begins. Some
mediations can get intense
while others only take a couple
minutes to sort out the main
problems. The main goal during
a mediation is for the students
to communicate back and forth
with each other to resolve their
conflict. When a mediation
is over, the conflict is usually
resolved, and all students in the
room shake hands
Counselor, Nancy Parish
stated, “I have had the
opportunity to work with peer
mediation since 1998 and
have always found it to be
an effective alternative to
disciplinary action. Students
have the possibility of working
out problems or differences
before it gets so serious that a
principal becomes involved. We
have had great success with
this program.” Any student who
thinks this program would be
helpful should see a principal
or counselor who will refer
him or her to a mediator. Peer
mediation is available to anyone
and everyone.
that lead us from our goal. We have to teach others that the best way to help improve
our world is not to be selfish and concentrate solely on our happiness but to cast aside
needless hate and treat everyone with respect. We can start here. Our area in particular
is afflicted by this hate. Because we lack a lot of various cultures, it is hard for us to
accept differences. Thus, we are not as well-versed as others in respecting everybody.
A huge difference could be made by simply celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day. By
observing this holiday, it turns our minds to the man and, more importantly, his ideas. We
can follow your example and peacefully reject the rejection of this important observance.
And from that starting point, we can change our state, our country, and our world. We can
teach others by example how to work for the Beloved Community. As more learn, we will
Juan Rios - Junior
get closer. The key is knowledge.
Dear Mr. Lewis,
Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream. His dream is still a work in progress due to the ethical
and racial differences in our country. There are too many people in our country who have
the mindset that I’m only one person. What could I possibly do? If Dr. King would have
thought that in 1968, the African American race and all minorities included would still be
getting unfair treatment today. Many people today profile and judge people before they
even know them. Dr. King wanted everyone to be looked at the same, regardless of
Dear Representative Lewis,
color. Since an early age I’ve challenged myself to give people a fair chance to make
an impression on me regardless of race. When I was young one of my best friends was
The dream of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is a goal that will be hard to achieve. It will
require cooperation from every single person in our world. All must cast aside their hate African American but his mom would never allow him to come over. I learned then our
nation had a serious problem on both sides of racism. In conclusion, though there has
and open up their hearts. Still, we can do it. We must, as a community, take up the
been a lot of progress over 40 years, I will try to continue the progress any way I can.
torch passed on to each of us. We all must do our part to better the cause. But what
is our part? The first step is to dispel the ignorance that breeds the feelings of hate
Brock Barnhill - Sophomore
Contrails
March 17, 2008
The Bug
Students missing
school because of
sickness
Raychel Raney
staff writer
Mountain Home High
School only had four “snow
days” or “emergency days”
which the school has used.
Those four days, along with
two additional days that
were canceled will be added
on to the end of the year,
prolonging the students’
wait for summer.
In addition to
snow days, some
individual students
were out sick on
their own, which
has begun to cause
a decline in some
student’s grades.
Some students
were out for
nearly two and a
half weeks, like
sophomore Cody
Gott who was
out sick because
of bronchitis. “It
started out as just
sneezing and a
bad cough, but it got worse.”
Many students suffered from
viruses like. The flu has been
going around. Some Biology
classes are studying bacteria
and viruses and how quickly
w w w. d i j o h n d e s i g n s. co m
they spread. “I was out of
school for two weeks, and I
came back two or three days
into the third week. It was
really bad. I had a constant
headache, I couldn’t breathe,
and my throat was killing
me. The first time I went to
5
the doctor, they said I had a
cold, then I had strep-throat,
but when I went back again
they said that I had bronchitis.
Now I am struggling to get my
grades back up to a decent
level. I feel lost in a lot of my
classes because I haven’t
been here, and I have no
clue what has been going on.
Needless to say, my grades
are slipping pretty badly. But
I’m trying to get them back
up,” Gott commented.
Megean Findley,
sophomore, was also gone
for a long time. “I was gone
for about two weeks because
I was sick. It was difficult
when I first got back because
I had already missed so much
school. But after all the work
I have been doing to catch
up, it’s getting a lot better.
My grades are better this
semester than last because
I’m trying to stay focused
because I knew that it would
be hard to maintain good
grades after I had been gone
so long.”
Stephanie Bass,
sophomore, has been absent
many times this year because
of sickness. “It’s almost like I
am continually sick. Anything
and everything that goes
around, I end up catching it.
Some of my friends joke that
I am not immune to anything,
although, this year has been
much better than last year.
Last year I had strep-throat
about a million times, and
then I finally got my tonsils
taken out. And I didn’t know
you could get strep-throat
without any tonsils, but this
year, I managed to do it. All
this sick stuff has not been
fun,” Bass continues, “And
my grades are terrible! I don’t
ever think I will be able to get
them up again.”
Contrails
6
Pluto
Still a planet in the
hearts of many
Ron Walter
copy editor
Long considered the ninth
planet in the solar system,
Pluto has always been a little
different: it has an unusual
orbit, is considerably small,
and is now the first satellite
to challenge the definition of
the word planet. That’s right.
The distant, ice-covered
world is no longer a true
planet, according to a new
definition of the term voted
on by scientists. In a move
that’s generated controversy
and forced textbooks to be
rewritten, Pluto has been
dubbed a dwarf planet.
But it’s no longer part of
an exclusive club, since there
are more than 40 of these
dwarfs, including the large
asteroid Ceres and 2003
UB313, nicknamed Xena, a
distant object slightly larger
than Pluto discovered in
2005. The question is, “What
brought this decision?”
A clear majority of
researchers voted for the new
definition at a meeting of the
International Astronomical
Union (IAU) in Prague, in the
Czech Republic. The IAU
decides the official names of
all celestial bodies. The tough
decision comes after a multi
year search for a scientific
definition of the word planet.
The term never had an official
meaning before. What is a
planet today?
According to the new
definition, a full-fledged planet
is an object that orbits the
sun and is large enough to
have become round due to
the force of its own gravity.
In addition, a planet has to
dominate the neighborhood
around its orbit.
Pluto has been demoted
because it does not dominate
its neighborhood. Charon, its
large “moon,” is only about
March 17, 2008
half the size of Pluto, while
all the true planets are far
larger than their moons.
In addition, bodies
that dominate their
neighborhoods “sweep
up” asteroids, comets,
and other debris, clearing
a path along their orbits.
By contrast, Pluto’s orbit
is somewhat untidy.
Despite the attack
on Pluto’s planet-hood,
many students at Mountain
Home High School still think
of the Planet as though the
change had never been
made. One of these students
is senior Kellye Young. “I
don’t see why they changed
it,” says Young. “The only
thing that I would think that
would give it reason to not be
would be because it’s very
small, and its orbit converges
with Neptune’s for many
years. Its orbit is irregular.”
Young brings up a good point,
similar to that of the IAU.
Another student that fights for
Pluto is senior Kayla Causer.
“Pluto should still be a planet
in my opinion,” says Causer.
“Thanks to the people who
decided it, we’re all going to
have to get new textbooks.
It’s just ridiculous.” Causer
brings up a good point in
the text book dilemma. The
next generation of students
will have to get new books
describing the eight planets
and what defines them.
In the end, Pluto’s time
has come and gone. It is
doubtful that the decision
concerning Pluto will be
overturned. In that truth, the
cold reality of the matter is as
icy as Pluto itself. However,
Pluto still lives on in the
hearts of many. In that sense,
Pluto is still indeed a planet.
In another sense, it’s more
than that: it’s a place still
loved.
Contrails
March 17, 2008
What Planet
Do We Live
On?
Students’
knowledge of
world events
Brooke Klasinski
staff writer
Living in a world filled
with reality T.V., internet, and
the latest gossip magazines,
it’s no wonder so many
students today don’t actually
know what’s going on in
the world around them.
More and more people are
trading in reading the paper
or watching the evening
news for checking their
Myspace and watching the
newest reality T.V. show.
Events are happening all
over the world, and students
aren’t even realizing it.
Some students feel that
their peers have some
knowledge of what’s going
on in the world, but not very
much. Sophomore Cierra
Edington said, “No, [I don’t
think students know about
world events], because they
don’t feel like any of it will
affect them. They think that
things only affect adults and
don’t even realize that they’ll
soon be adults as well.
They don’t realize that what
happens in today’s
society will change
the way they live in
the society of their
upcoming adulthood.”
Patrick Linehan, also
a sophomore, felt
similar. “I think that
kids know that certain
events are happening
in the world, but
they don’t know the
details. It doesn’t
change the students’
life directly, so they
don’t pay attention
to it.” Anthony Gatewood,
a sophomore, added,
“Students don’t know about
what’s going on in the world
because they don’t find
the details interesting or
pertaining to them. So they
pay no attention to it.” Quite
contrary to what Edington,
Linehan, and Gatewood
said, Sam Burr, a senior,
thought that students did
know what was happening
in the world, “Surprisingly
enough, students pay more
attention to the world than
some people might think. It
just depends on what the
events are and how they are
talked about.”
With all the T.V. students
watch and all the time they
spend on the internet, it can
be difficult to tell if students
actually pay attention to
world news. Although their
original aims are to entertain
the youth of the world, many
television stations, such as
MTV, VH1, etc. and many
websites, such as MySpace,
are making attempts to
inform kids about the events
of the world around them.
Both MTV and VH1 have
segments on their stations
where their correspondents
inform viewers of not only
celebrity news, but also
world news. “More kids
today watch MTV and VH1
because they present a
more youthful, friendly
approach to things. That
will cause more students
to stop and watch what the
correspondents have to say,”
said Gatewood.
Myspace, an
extremely popular
website used
by many high
school students,
introduced
MyspaceNews
in April 2007. It
is a place where
news stories
are posted,
and people are
able to read
and rank them
depending on
how much they
liked the story.
If the stories
are ranked high
enough, they are
posted on the
site’s homepage.
It provides a way
for students to
see the news
7
in a different and
interesting way.
Since most world
news is happening
everywhere else
in the world, some
students are left
wondering whether
or not they actually
need to know
about everything
else in the world.
Gatewood felt that
students need to
pay more attention,
“It may seem
like what our soldiers are
doing over in Iraq or any
other event happening in
the world doesn’t change
our daily lives now, but
someday it will, and it could
be catastrophic. They won’t
even see it coming.” Linehan
was indecisive about the
topic, “I’m not sure. On
one hand, I know that kids
should know about what’s
happening in the world, but
on the other hand I know
how much kids have to deal
with right now. I mean, do
they really need to be left
worrying about not only their
problems, but also the rest
of the world’s as well?” Not
all students thought that
they should know about
the world events. Burr said,
“I don’t think kids need to
know about what’s going on
in the world. That’s for adults
to worry about, and we’re
not adults yet.”
Whether it’s the break-in
at the store down the street
or the election of a new
president in some country
half-way around the world,
these are all events that are
making the history of the
world.
Contrails
8
366 Days
The leap year
Hanna Turner
staff writer
Two-thousand eight
is a year with 366 days,
more commonly known as
a leap year. As most know,
a leap year is when the
month of February has 29
days instead of 28. Leap
year occurs every 4 years.
February 29, 2008, fell on a
Friday.
Many do not really
understand why leap years
exist or what their purpose
is. Leap years are needed
so that the calendar is in
alignment with the earth’s
motion around the sun. The
365 days of the
annual calendar
are meant to
match up with the
solar year. A solar
year is the time it
takes the Earth to
complete its orbit
around the sun—
about one year.
But the actual
time it takes
for the Earth to
travel around the
sun is a little longer than
that—about 365¼ days. It
may not seem like much of
a difference, but after a few
years those extra quarter
days in the solar year begin
to add up. After four years,
for example, the four extra
quarter days would make
the calendar fall behind the
solar year by about a day.
However, a century year is
not a leap year unless it is
evenly divisible by 400.
St. Bridget’s Complaint
is a tradition that was
started in 5 th century
Ireland when St. Bridget
complained to St. Patrick
The Top Ten
Quotes by Coach Hughes
Carlye Welch
opinions editor
10. “I wouldn’t trade you for a dead cow.”
9. “Do you pronounce the capital of Kansas (which-a-taw) or (which-i-tuh)?
Neither, it’s Topeka”!
8. “Raise your hand if you want to get out of class early,….and you baked me
chocolate chip cookies!”
7. “You know what I like about you?! Nothing!”
6. “How many animals did Moses take on the Arc? None, it was Noah.”
5. “ I knew a lady whose cat got his tail cut off. She took the cat to Wal-mart
because they’re the largest ‘re-tailer’ in the world.”
4. “Hey, coach, I think the test is messed up! Golly Gum, I won’t let Sweet Pea
make the test next time.”
3. “I like your shirt. My wife has it. She’ll wear it when it comes back in style.”
2. “Nice hair cut. I didn’t know they made wigs like that.”
1. One word, “Orange.”
March 17, 2008
about women having to
wait for so long for a man
to propose. In the United
States, some people have
referred to this date as
Sadie Hawkins
Day. Also, in
Greece, it is
believed that
getting married
in a leap year is
bad luck for the
couple. Thus,
mainly in the
middle of the
past century,
couples
avoided setting
a marriage date
in a leap year. However,
many of the traditions of
leap year are forgotten or
ignored.
A person born on
February 29 may be called
a “leapling.” In common
years, they usually
celebrate their birthday on
February 28 or March 1.
The famous music producer
Ja Rule was born on
February 29, 1976. Several
famous football players
who have birthdays on
February 29 include Fabien
Bownes, wide receiver
for the Chicago Bears,
Cary Conklin, quarterback
for the San Francisco
49’ers, and Bryce Paup
who played for the Green
Bay Packers. Sophomore
Raychel Raney was born
on February 29. Regarding
when she celebrates her
birthday, Raney comments,
“I celebrate my birthday on
February 28 and on March
1!” What do you plan on
doing with your extra 24
hours?
Contrails
March 17, 2008
Thespian
Festival
A trip to
remember
Kelsey Jaeger
staff writer
Plays and skits have
been a form of mass
entertainment for centuries,
so it is no surprise that
they are still popular
today. Mountain Home
High School has its very
own acting club. They are
known as the Thespian
Troupe.
On January 17-19,
Arkansas
You Run Deep
In Me
Carlye Welch
opinion editor
Much more than hillbillies,
open fields and lakes,
Arkansas is a state to be
proud of. Arkansas is home
to 600,000 acres of lakes and
9,700 miles of streams and
rivers; however, this state is
packed with many interesting
facts, stories, and legends
that make it unique.
From diamond production
2008, they made a trip to
the Performing Arts Center
in Alma, AR for the annual
Arkansas
State Thespian
Festival. They
performed in
various events
and competed
against many
different
schools. This
was their
third year
to compete.
When asked
about the trip,
Senior Cherie
Mortensen said, “It was
a pretty long trip, and our
bus broke down in Harrison
again.” The troupe took
twenty three members
from Mountain Home High
School to Alma.
There were many
events to compete in at
the festival. “There were
actually twenty two schools
to artists, various productions
began in Arkansas. Man in
Black, musician, and legend,
Johnny Cash, was
born in Kingsland,
Arkansas. Also,
actor, Billy Bob
Thornton and poet
Maya Angelou are
Arkansas-born.
Former president
Bill Clinton was born
in Hope, Arkansas,
and Sam Walton
founded his first
Wal-Mart store in
the nation. One of the most
appreciated findings in
Arkansas was from farmer,
John M. Huddleston who
was preparing to sell his land
due to bankruptcy when he
discovered, on his property,
the continent’s first and only
diamond mine. Many other
natural resources can be
found in the natural state.
Clark Bluff overlooking the
St. Francis River contains
competing this year,” stated
Ms. Richard. The MHHS
troupe performed a one-act
play called “Inside Al” for
adjudication. They received
an excellent rating on the
play. Tyler Williams, Grant
Carpenter, and Kelsey
enough chalk to supply the
nation for years.
Some of the most bizarre
traditions and festivals are
found in Arkansas, including
Toad Suck Daze which is a
3-day festival held on the
downtown streets of Conway,
including activities such
as toad races, basketball
9
Boelkens were picked
by the judges to join the
all state cast. They also
performed a
group musical
number
called “Five
Forever” from
the Broadway
Musical, “Little
Women”. The
cast included
Gracie Callais,
Amanda
McAlister,
Heather
Oswald, Diana
Turnbo, and
Connor Szecsi. They also
received an excellent rating.
Mortensen participated in
the set design category.
There were also workshops
that the students were
able to attend to learn new
techniques and interact with
other schools. The other
schools also put on plays
and skits for the MHHS
troupe to watch.
In the end, MHHS
walked away with great
group ratings, as well as
individual awards. Jayme
Araneda was a state
finalist in costume design.
She was also awarded a
$4,000.00 scholarship from
Northwestern Louisiana
State University. Matt Wise
and Diana Turnbo were
also state finalists in Duet
Pantomime. When asked
about this year’s experience
at festival, Ms. Richard
enthusiastically said, “We
had a GREAT time!!!” This
was another excellent year
for the Mountain Home High
School Thespian Troupe.
Hopefully they will rock it
out next year as well.
tournaments, magicians, and
a petting zoo. Arkansas is
also known for the annual
Turkey Trot festival in
Yellville in which live
turkeys are tossed out
of low flying planes on
the second Friday of
October.
Arkansas has
been noted for its many
out-dated laws that
were once enforced. It
is supposedly illegal to
pronounce the state’s
name, (Ar-kahn-saws).
In Little Rock, honking one’s
car horn at a sandwich shop
after 9 PM was against the
law, and it was unlawful to
walk one’s cow down Main
Street after 1:00 PM on
Sunday.
One of the many
obviously popular obsessions
in Arkansas is football. The
majority of the residents in
Arkansas keep up with the
Razorbacks in all their glory.
The mascot is a Razorback
hog which was inspired
by Coach Bezdek, who
informed the crowd that his
team had performed not
like football players but “like
a wild band of Razorback
hogs.” The students loved
the comparison, and
the nickname became
increasingly popular. In 1910,
the mascot evolved from the
Cardinal to the Razorback.
There is pride to be
found as a resident of the
beautiful state of Arkansas.
Composer, Wayland Holyfield
wrote beautifully, “Oh, I may
wander, but when I do. I will
never be far from you. You’re
in my blood, and I know you’ll
always be. Arkansas, you run
deep in me”.
Contrails
10
MHHS
Students
Aid Tornado
Victims
Students help
clean up efforts
in Gassville
Hanna Turner
staff writer
Harley White
staff writer
Students from Mountain
Home High School have
been spending most of their
time recently helping out the
residents from Gassville,
Arkansas after the tornado
on February 5.
The tornado left a path
of destruction in its wake.
Over a hundred homes
are unlivable according to
Sheriff Montgomery. Many
businesses are damaged
severely. To date, more
than $600,000 in housing
assistance has been
approved. Those affected
by the tornadoes who have
not yet registered with FEMA
can apply for assistance. The
deadline to apply is April 7,
2008.
Each student that helped
had different reasons for
providing a helping hand to
the victims of the tornado.
Some had family members
that lived in the area while
others just felt that they really
needed to help out. Jordan
Watts, an eleventh-grader,
said, “I decided to help the
clean-up efforts because my
grandma’s house was hit.”
Tommy Underwood, also a
junior, decided to volunteer.
“I decided to help because
the tornado victims really
needed the help,” he said.
Junior James Deen said he
contributed because, “my
aunt’s neighbors are old,
and I went to check on them.
When I talked to them they
seemed kind of sad and said
they would just take their
time getting it done.”
Even though volunteering
to help the clean-up the
damage helps victims, it
can also serve as a tool to
teach students. “It showed
me that there are people
that lose everything but are
just happy to be alive,” said
Watts. Mattey also shared
her thoughts
about
how the
experience
impacted her
life. “It made
me realize
how fast
someone’s
life can be
taken. It
was awful.
Houses and
buildings
were
destroyed.
Luckily most
everyone
was informed
soon enough
and there
weren’t many
deaths.”
Plenty of
volunteers
from the
March 17, 2008
surrounding
areas
showed
up to help.
Even FEMA
has been
contributing
to the
cleanup
efforts.
Junior
Brittani
Mattey
said that
“there were
so many
volunteers
that some
had to be
turned
down.”
Underwood
estimated “it
was in the
hundreds.”
Watts
contributed
his efforts
by the park
in Gassville.
Underwood
worked “just
outside of
Gassville
near Cotter
High
School.”
Clearly,
the volunteer work was
widespread with the goal
of cleaning up efficiently
and quickly. Deen assisted
in the clean-up work. He
recalls his experience: “[I]
cut fallen trees from around
people’s yards. There was
a tree laying on one of my
aunt’s neighbor’s car. We
cut it piece by piece until the
path was clear. I chopped the
wood for the man. The older
couple was happy to have
the help.”
Assuredly, thoughts
about the tornado and its
victims were racing through
the minds of the helpers.
Mattey was thinking about
how terrible it was while
Underwood was thinking
about how sad he felt for the
victims.
No doubt, the clean-up
efforts were well under way
in no time to help Gassville
residents regain their former
living conditions.
Contrails
March 17, 2008
The Gassville
Disaster
Two students tell
their story
Kelsey Jaeger &
Sarah Arnold
staff writers
When the sirens sound for
a tornado in Mountain Home,
most people do not heed its
warnings. However, after
the last disaster in Gassville,
many people will be thinking
differently. There were two
Mountain Home High School
students severely affected by
the twister. Dakota Hardcastle
and Chris Broyles both lost
their homes in the tornado.
When he recalled the event
Chris Broyles had this to say: “I
was in the kitchen when it hit.
My dad, step mom, step sister,
mom’s friend, and her daughter
were all in the house with me.
My step mom had just made
a pitcher of ice tea. When it
hit we barely had any notice.
I blacked out and ended up
by the refrigerator. After I
came to, the pitcher of tea
was untouched. No one was
badly hurt. The house was hit
pretty badly. The front wall
had fallen in, and another wall
was missing. The bathroom,
my room, and my step mom’s
room was still okay. We all
went to a friend’s house after
we got out of the house. I went
back to my house a couple of
times with my step brother to
survey the damage and save
some of our stuff. We
cleaned up the next
day and salvaged what
belongings we could.
Almost a week later
they tore down the rest
of the house. We are
currently staying with a
cousin, but that might
change. There were
about twenty people
helping us clean up the
damage the day after it
happened.”
Dakota’s story was
slightly different in that he was
alone when the tornado hit.
When asked about what he
remembers from that night
Hardcastle said, “My mom
called, and she told me there
was a tornado warning and
that they spotted a funnel
cloud in Marion County. I
didn’t think much of it, but
then I was sitting on my
couch with my laptop, and
my ears started to hurt. I
guess it was because of
the pressure. I went ahead
and went into the bathroom
and took the dog with me.
I could hear the windows
breaking and trees falling on
the house. At one point, the
roof lifted off the house and
slammed back down onto
it. When I walked back out, I
saw glass all over the place.
There was a huge hole in
the ceiling where a 2x4
slammed through it. Water
was pouring in on the
couch and table, and there
were limbs and leaves
in the house. There was
insulation in everything.”
After he saw what had
happened Dakota said,
“That day, my mom told
me it was coming. I called
back right after it hit. I was
shaking and everything,
and I told her a tornado
just took the house. She
11
thought I was exaggerating,
but she drove home as fast as
she could. She had to park
a few blocks away and run to
the house.
She was
hysterical
because
until she
saw it,
she didn’t
realize
how bad it
was.”
When
asked
about the
damage
Hardcastle
said, “The house will have to
be torn down to the 2x4’s and
rebuilt. The roof’s completely
damaged, all the walls are
cracked, and the floors
are pretty bad. My car was
damaged. We’re going to fix it
and sell it. There were pieces
of wood and insulation in the
car. The glass was broken
out of the car. We were told to
board everything up, because
they’d had problems with
looters a few blocks down.”
Clean up seems to be on
schedule for his family as
well. “There have been a lot of
volunteers from the churches
around, offering us food and
helping to clean up. Some
people we don’t even know
have been helping us with
clean-up. I asked some of
my friends on the swim team
if they would mind helping
us clean up a little bit one
Saturday when it happened.
We all showed up about 8
o’clock, and there were already
bulldozers helping to clean
up our yard. Because we just
moved there in December, it
showed me how much people
actually care and are willing to
help around here.”
When asked if this storm
has changed his outlook on
storms and natural disasters
Hardcastle stated, “I’m more
cautious now. I’m going to
pay attention to warnings from
now on. Someone told me
that I might have nightmares
eventually, but I haven’t yet.
Whenever the wind blows
really hard, I get nervous.
We’re renting a condo until the
house is built back, and it’s
easy to hear all noises in it, so
the wind really bothers me.”
As anyone can see, that
storm had a huge impact on a
few of our students as well as
the communities of Gassville
and Mountain Home. The
lives of these students will be
forever changed.
12
coming sooner than any of us
imagined.
The thought of the
calamitous end of the world
can be contributed to the
philosopher Nostradamus and
the ancient Maya civilization.
Nostradamus predicted the end
of the world in 1994, 1998, and
Coming in 2012?
also 2012. This prediction made
by Nostradamus was purely
based upon the balance of
karma of all of mankind. Since
Hanna Turner
November of 2006, at least four
staff writer
new books discussing 2012
have arrived in mainstream
bookstores. Authors disagree
When many think of the
about what humankind should
conclusion of the world, what
expect on December 21, 2012,
comes to mind is destruction,
when the Maya’s “Long Count”
extreme bedlam, and some
calendar marks the end of a
think of it as apocalyptic.
5,126-year era.
According to some philosophers
The date December 21st,
who have studied history and
2012, represents an extremely
delved into the subject of
close conjunction to the winter
the world’s end, it might be
solstice with the crossing point
The End of
the World
Contrails
of the equator of the Milky Way
and the path of the Sun, what
the ancient Maya recognized as
the Sacred Tree. On the winter
solstice in 2012, the sun will
be aligned with the center of
the Milky Way for the first time
in about 26,000 years. This
means that whatever energy
typically streams to Earth from
the center of the Milky Way will
be disrupted on December 21,
2012, at 11:11 p.m. universal
time.
Susan Milbrath, an
astronomer and an
archaeologist, says, “We have
no record or knowledge that
Dear leading ladies, There is this really smart girl in a few of my classes.
She always says things and does things to make sure that everyone
knows just how smart she is. “Oh my gosh! I thought I failed this test, but
I only missed one!” She is constantly comparing my grades, my hair, my
everything to hers. She is a nice person, so I don’t want to be mean, but it
really gets on my nerves.
Sincerely, annoyed in algebra
Maggie: Some people are just like that. She is probably a little insecure and
lives off of people’s forced compliments. There isn’t much you can do to change
her perspective and actions, but you can change yours. Maybe, next time she
starts to annoy you, instead of getting mad, just sing a song to yourself, or
doodle on your math notes, anything to take your mind off of it. You will be a
much happier person if you can learn to ignore the things she does that annoy
you. Next time she tries to compare something, don’t. If she asks how you did
on a test, give a polite answer like “pretty good.” If she pushes for your specific
grade, don’t give in. It’s not your job to make her feel good about her grade.
Marge: If she always seems to be comparing herself to you, and you can’t
manage to avoid it, confront her about it. Tell her that you aren’t comfortable
always comparing your grades and looks and life to hers. Tell her that its not that
she is a bad person, you just can’t stand constantly competing. She might be a
little upset, but if she listens, it will help her out in the long run. Chances are, you
aren’t the only one that feels that way, but you might be the only one that is willing
to tell her.
March 17, 2008
they [the Mayans] would think
the world would come to an
end at that point.” Milbrath
also comments, “It would
have been impossible the
Maya themselves would have
known that.” Astronomers
generally agree with Milbrath’s
statement. University of Florida
anthropologist Susan Gillespie
says the 2012 phenomenon
comes “from media and from
other people making use of the
Maya past to fulfill agendas that
are really their own.”
Out of 7 students, only
one believed the world was
really going to end in 2012.
Sophomore Danielle Snyder
believes it will because, “We do
not know how to take care of
the place we live in.” She says
her evidence to support that
conclusion is global warming.
If the end of the world does
come in 2012, Snyder hopes to
do, “Anything possible. I would
like to do sky-diving, bungeejumping, and anything else
daring.” Sophomore Meredith
Rowlett believes, “The world
could end in 2012, but it is all
up to God when it does. If God
wanted it to end tomorrow,
it could.” Rowlett’s evidence
includes, “The Bible and the
Bible book of Revelation. The
book of Revelation explains
when Jesus is coming.” One
thing Rowlett would accomplish
if the world was to end is to “be
a better Christian than I am.”
No doubt, it is up to the
individual regarding how he
or she believes. Whether one
believes the end of the world
is coming in 2012 or not is a
personal decision. If one wants
to know more information,
there are hundreds of websites
dedicated to this topic on the
Internet.
Congratulations to 2008 Sweetheart King and
Queen Dakota Hardcastle and Kalley Smith
Contrails
March 17, 2008
Prom
Preparations
What to do to
prepare for the big
night
Sarah Arnold
staff writer
Each year, massive
amounts of girls flock to
dress shops, race for the best
restaurant reservations, and
spend months preparing for
the main event of spring…
prom. Prom, in the past,
has been the night where
far, “I haven’t done a
memories were made
lot yet. I’ve thought
and good times were
about where I’m going
had.
to shop for a dress,
In the mind of the
where I’m going to
average female, prom
eat, etc.” Cassady is
is the night where
planning on attending
everything must happen
this year’s prom with
according to flawless
Junior Gray Colton,
plan. Reservations are
whose preparations
a huge part of the prom
so far have consisted
preparation process
FCCLA has been accepting used prom dresses as a fundraiser.
of, “Nothing.” When taking
restaurant reservations,
and are usually the first
female students tend to make into consideration the fact
things to be tackled. This
hair and makeup reservations that two other proms will
fact rings even more true
share the date of Mountain
for the day of the prom.
this year, because Cotter
Along with hair and makeup, Home’s, Atkins said, “I don’t
High School and Norfork
think I’ll have to change my
girls have to secure a very
High School are also having
plans too much. I just need to
important item for the big
prom on the eve of April
th
make restaurant reservations
night…the dress. Once the
19 . Reservations for the
a long time in advance.”
dress is found and fitted, the
top choice of restaurants
Considering whether his
main obstacle on the way to
are going to go very quickly,
considering the fact that three total preparation is out of the scarce plans will change with
this development, Colton said
way.
times as many students will
that he’ll just plan on doing,
Junior Cassady Atkins
be dining out that evening.
said of her preparations thus “Whatever Cassady says.”
In addition to making
Martin Luther King Responses
Dear Mr. Lewis,
As a young teen and into my later years, I want to show everyone the things I see and
hear almost everyday. In some shape or form, I will, and it will be clear. Whether people
see it or not, discrimination is still in the U.S. I have Mexican friends who have nothing
to do with illegal immigration, but they still get ignored and abused just because they
are who they are. One of them, who lives in Jonesboro, is deprived from getting a job
because he looks Mexican, even though he is also white. He comes from a poor family
and his mother works two jobs to feed them. They are nice people, but others are too
ignorant to wake up and see what they are doing. It’s just like it was 40 years ago, only
this time they live next door, and they are not black. America never seems to grow up.
Discrimination to Irish, French, Japanese, Vietnamese, Blacks, Mexicans, and Arabians
are now a scar on America- big gruesome scar that we refuse to look at and remember
the mistakes we have made. People need to look at that scar and tell us if they are
proud now.
Heidi Botschorow - Sophomore
13
Junior Molly Elders stated
that her plans thus far have
consisted of, “Nothing much.
I have some magazines at
home somewhere that I’ve
kind of looked at.” Seeming
unphased by the CotterNorfork situation, Elders said,
“I don’t have real plans yet,
so it is no concern to me now.
The town will be crowded
though.”
Prom is an event that will
be as big as one makes
it. If someone thoroughly
prepares for it, then it will
most likely be an important
evening to them. Preparation
is always a wise idea,
though, whether it is very
minimal or insanely thorough.
This year’s prom, regardless
of how prepared everyone
is, is sure to be a night to
remember.
things may not be effective, but without trying to achieve our goals, life becomes
meaningless. In conclusion, Representative Lewis, those are only a few of the things
that I could do to assist in helping Martin Luther King’s goal of a society without
Josh Moore - Junior
discrimination or injustice to be realized.
Dear Mr. Lewis,
I feel that you, just like Dr. King, have a dream. But unlike King’s dream, your dream of
a peaceful world wide society is sadly only going to stay a dream. It is simply human
nature to resolve the major and minor conflicts in life with violence. I can’t say that
I’m not guilty myself, but I know somewhere out there exists Americans big enough to
set their pride aside. I believe Dr. King was one of these individuals, but his work was
sadly cut short by what he fought so hard against. I feel unless a leader such as Dr.
King or yourself is put into power, these dreams will never be achieved. Until then all
we can do as individuals is to set aside our pride and realize violence is not an answer.
Casey Stack - Senior
Dear Representative Lewis,
Dear Mr. Lewis,
Having read your essay concerning Martin Luther King’s dream, I believe there are
many things that I could do to attempt to bring this nation closer to it. First, if I were to
become a senator or representative as an adult, I could try to stop acts that appeared to
limit certain groups of people. For example, if I knew of an act that would stop certain
people, such as African Americans’ freedoms, I could talk to the people who I suspected
may get the bill passed and make it fail. Also, I could go to people who had racist views
and speak King’s message and persuade some to abandon these views. I would also
be able to protest racism and make my views clear, as King did 40 years ago. These
Although I greatly admire your strength, courage, and faith, I am afraid that our world
is simply that of unrest and injustice. I regret to tell you that this “Promised Land”
spoken about does not exist on this earth. However I do not lack faith in believing in
our existence. Though I truly hope and pray for a break in this violence I fear the world
is in an era of war and destruction. Even though I would like to believe in equality and
peace, I must inform you that Martin Luther King’s dream will remain just that unless
this world is suddenly derailed from the racist, angry path that so many trod. Martin
Luther King’s patience and faith are remembered but regretfully not enough to change
Alacia Chamberlin - Sophomore
lives.
Contrails
14
And They’re
Off…
Candidates battle
for delegates in
U.S. primaries
Harley White
staff writer
With the new 2008 year
comes the overwhelming
presidential race. At this point
in the race, all candidates are
looking to win state primaries
and caucuses. The state
Hillary Clinton
A possible
change in history
Brandon Tetrick
layout editor
Bush, Clinton, Bush…
Clinton? As most of you
know, the former first lady
is running a pretty good
campaign for president. The
question remains though,
will she win? Her dreams of
becoming the first women
president could come true,
What about her policies?
March 17, 2008
primaries and caucuses will
decide who each party’s
presidential nominees will be.
Juan Rios, a junior, said,
“A primary is a nomination
convention held by each
party in each state to
determine who the state
wants to run for president.”
By winning state primaries,
the candidates will win
delegates. A delegate is a
person who will represent a
candidate at the candidate’s
party national convention.
The only way a candidate can
win their party’s presidential
nomination is by winning the
majority of the delegates.
A Democratic candidate
needs 2,025 delegates
to win the nomination,
while a Republican needs
1,191 delegates to win the
party’s nomination. In the
Republican Party, John
McCain is leading. Barack
Obama has the most
delegates in the Democrat
Party, but Hillary Clinton is
not far behind.
From the moment
January began, the early
primaries are all the news
channels have been talking
about. But how important
are those early primaries?
The first caucus (just a fancy
word for a local meeting of
people of a certain political
party to vote for a candidate)
was held in Iowa on January
3rd (Barack Obama and
Mike Huckabee won), and
the first primary was held in
New Hampshire on January
8th (Senator John McCain
and Hillary Clinton won).
Many people think that if a
candidate doesn’t do well in
any of the early primaries,
they have no chance of
becoming a presidential
nominee. Ali Croom, an
eleventh grader, thought that
“it was vital to win the early
primaries”. On the other
hand, a candidate doesn’t
have to win early ones, just
as long as he or she wins
the majority of the following
primaries. Rios said, “I think
a candidate can become a
presidential candidate even
if they didn’t win any early
primaries, but they will have
some difficulty.”
While some states held
their primaries earlier in
the year, many states held
their primaries on February
5th (also know as Super
Tuesday). Many big states,
like California and New York,
held their primaries on Super
Tuesday. Alex Wiles, a tenth
grader, said, “California is
probably the most important
state because it has a big
population which means
the state will have a lot of
delegates.” In California,
Hillary Clinton won the
Democrat vote, while John
McCain took the Republican
vote. Other states all across
the country, including
Arkansas, Massachusetts,
and Alaska also held
primaries on Super Tuesday.
Although it seems
that most states hold their
primaries on Super Tuesday,
there are some stragglers
who held their state primaries
toward the end of February
and the beginning of March.
Some of these states include
Maryland, Washington, and
Rhode Island.
For the most part, I agree
with many of the things she
has to say. A few issues,
like Iraq and some
others, concern
me however. She
seems devoted to
change. Personally,
I don’t really care
who goes into the
White House, as
long as they are
different from the
current president.
However, many
don’t agree, and
they do not want
Clinton. For those
that don’t like her
let her ideas kind
of sink in. She is
an adapted taste,
meaning you have to get
used to her.
Before she ran for
senate and the presidency,
she was politically active,
even before she lived in the
White House. When she
was First Lady, I think she
to deal with the affair ordeal
regarding her husband. I
think some of her ideas
can be the
cause of a
somewhat
peaceful
decade
during the
90’s. The
time is now
for change.
She has the
power to
strengthen
the middle
class, which
is strangled
right now,
by lowering
taxes and
health
insurance, and making
college accessible and
affordable. She will also help
by stopping the problems
with the housing market and
improving the school system.
Iraq is a major issue that
the country is dealing with.
Her plan is to immediately
bring them home. As they
are pulling out she would
set up committees that
would organize and discuss
peace among the conflicting
parties. First of all, I do not
agree with an “immediate”
pull out. Her pull out would
be over the course of six
months to a year. A year or
year and half long pull out
would be more efficient,
in case we need military
backup if these peaceful
committees did not work out.
Hilary Clinton will change
history. Not only would
she stop an unnecessary
war, but she would fix the
economy and become a
common name the text
books will talk about in
hundreds of years.
was a positive influence in
the White House. I think
she had a lot of influence
on President Clinton, and I
think it took a lot of courage
Contrails
March 17, 2008
John McCain
For president in 08
Darah McDaniel
editor-in-chief
Arizona Senator John
McCain has a history in the
military and politics. He was
born in 1936 on a military
base in the U.S. controlled
Panama Canal Zone. He
attended the naval academy
and became a pilot for the
U.S. Navy. He was captured
Editorial:
“Things Are
Going To
Change”
Obama for
President?
Jacklyn Rounceville
staff writer
Barack Obama is the man
for the job, or is he? This is a
question that has been racking
many Americans brains as the
presidential election for 2008
draws near. Yes, it is true that
one must be 18 to vote, but
that does not mean that minors
don’t have opinions too.
On August 4, 1961 a star
was born. Senator Barack
by the North Vietnamese on
October 26, 1967 after his
plane was shot down in Truc
Bach Lake. He fractured
both his arms and one of
his legs in the fall. He was
finally released on March 15,
1973.
McCain was elected
to the U.S. House of
Representatives in 1982.
After serving two terms in the
House, McCain was elected
to the U.S. senate in 1986.
He was re-elected to the US
Senate in 2004 with 77% of
the votes.
McCain’s political policies
include a number of points.
McCain wants to lower
taxes and has a plan to
cut excessive government
spending to compensate for
the decreased tax revenue.
He would like to lower the
Obama got his first look at the
outside world. He was born
and raised in a quaint village
in Kenya. His father, Barack
corporate tax rate from 35%
to 25% to help the U.S.
regain competitiveness
abroad. He would like to
cut taxes for middle class
families by repealing the
Alternative Minimum Tax,
which targeted 25 million
middle class households
with children. That would
translate into $2,700 back
into the pockets of these
middle class families.
McCain would also like to
ban internet and cell phone
taxes.
The government admits
that 1/5 of its programs are
not performing near the
way they should. McCain
would like to eliminate these
programs and promote
accountability in other federal
government programs.
He does not think these
He then decided to move to
Chicago and help organize
church based functions to
help the needy. Obama then
finished his degree in law
from Harvard in 1991;
this is where he became
the first African American
president of the Harvard
Law Review. Then he was
elected senator for Illinois.
White, protestant,
elderly men have been
the theme for American
presidents since the
very start of our nation,
and it’s time for things to
change. Tradition is good,
but to a certain extent,
when nothing is getting
done with the “same old,
For more information go to www.barackobama.com
same old,” you have
to do something to change
Obama Sr., was native to
it. Sophomore Melenni Trout
Kenya, but his mother, Ann
Dunham, was from Kansas.
gave her opinion on the issue
Barack graduated from
by saying, “Yes Obama should
Columbia University in 1983.
be president, but at the same
15
programs
should
squander the
tax money of
hard-working
Americans.
He is prolife. He is an
advocate of
gun-control. He
supports capital
punishment.
He opposes
the increase of
governmental
role in healthcare. He is
very moderate,
politically
speaking.
For more information go to www.johnmccain.com be the 51st
Political
most liberal senator.
scientists Joshua D. Clinton
He currently resides in
of Princeton University and
Phoenix,
Arizona with his
Doug Rivers of Stanford
wife Cindy.
University found McCain to
time, no he shouldn’t.” Why?
“Yes, because he would be
the first African American to be
president. No, because there
are a lot of people in this world
that would possibly assassinate
him because he is African
American.” Sophomore Jessica
Hall stated, “No, because at
this point in the United States
of America, Barack Obama
does not seem prepared or
reasonable.” Barack Obama is
not only qualified, but I believe
he is ready for a change.
The daily news is a
big factor in a candidate’s
campaign. People care about
what Katie Couric and Tom
Brokaw think and report on
the issues. Obama stands for
some important issues. When
it comes to education, he has it
covered. He plans to put “zero
to five” into action. “Zero to five”
is a plan in which the education
of children starts before they
hit Kindergarten. Obama said,
“I don’t want to send another
generation of American children
into failing schools. I don’t want
that future for my daughters. I
don’t want that future for your
sons. I don’t want that future for
America.” If Obama believes
so strongly in this issue, it’s only
imaginable what passion he
has in the others. Hilary Clinton
has made one big mistake,
besides the polyester suits, she
is for gun control. Sure, many
people in the United States
would agree with her, but here
in Arkansas where the majority
of people own at least one gun,
many do not. The issues are
what set candidates apart. It
depends on what and why. For
me Obama has the what and
the why.
Just like adults teenagers
have their own stands on
political issues, for me, Obama
should be our next president.
Contrails
16
Who is your favorite author?
Phillip Pullman—He wrote the Sally
Lockhart series and the Golden
Compass trilogy.
The Ending
Arielle Greene
Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly’s
erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the
fading night?
You better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.
Do you run through each day
on the fly?
When you ask, “How are
you?”
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred
chores
Running through your head?
You’d better slow down
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
March 17, 2008
The music won’t last.
Ever told your child,
We’ll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say, “Hi”
You’d better slow down.
Don’t dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won’t last.
When you run so fast to get
somewhere
You miss half the fun of
getting there.
When you worry and hurry
through your day,
It is like an unopened gift…
Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Why do you write?
I write because it helps me express
myself and to relieve me of stress.
Also I just enjoy writing, it’s a fun
hobby.
What is your favorite type of
poem?
My favorite type of poem is a ‘real
life’ poem(when someone writes
about something that’s happened to
them) because it has more emotion,
and the more emotion something
has the better it is.
What is your favorite type of writing?
I like fantasy and mystery the best; things such as Harry Potter(fantasy) and Praying
For Sleep(mystery).
How many poems or writings have you done?
Over the years I’ve lost or thrown away most of my poems/writings so I only have
about 12 saved, but I’ve written about 3 times as much as that.
Maggie and Marge
PJ’’s Bridal Fashions & Designs
PJ
We provide for all pageant and
formalwear needs!
Shoes, Dresses, and Assesories
available for rent or sale.
1519 West Road
870-425-6149
Dear Wisdom Wizards, My girlfriend and I have been arguing a lot lately. She
always seems to expect me to know what to do and what to say and I just don’t.
I’m trying to be considerate, but she doesn’t let anything go. I don’t know how to
keep her happy unless I just give her what she wants and tell her what she wants
to hear.
Signed, Confused and in love
Maggie: Maybe try talking to her, and tell her how you feel. Everyone knows that girls
are confusing. Tell her to cut you a little slack. If she doesn’t you are going to end up
always telling her what she wants to hear, and nothing will ever actually get solved.
What good would that do? You will never know what is going on, and she will always be
irritated. If she has a hard time seeing things from your perspective, help her out. She
doesn’t always know how you feel either.
Marge: This relationship may not work out. You’re not being true to yourself if you just
say and do what she wants. Unless you’re truly in love and feel like you have to make
this relationship work out, it may just not be worth it. If you are in love, then either try to
work it out or, more likely, prepare to deal with it.
Contrails
March 17, 2008
And
Everybody
Else
Independent
candidates in 2008
Ron Walter
copy editor
The 2008 presidential
election is growing nearer, and
the major party candidates are
hitting their stride, but what
about the candidates standing
unaffiliated? They’re not lost;
they’re independent candidates.
Independents are politicians
who are not affiliated with any
political party. In countries with
a bi-party system, Independents
may hold a centrist viewpoint
between the two parties, or
may feel that neither of the two
parties adequately represents
their viewpoint.
The only Independent
President to be elected so far is
George Washington. In recent
years however, independents
have been gaining strength in
elections. Recent successful
candidates have been John
Anderson in 1980, Ross Perot in
1992, and Ralph Nader in 2004.
There are many arguments
concerning Independent
candidates. Some feel it would
be good to vote for someone
outside the political social circle.
By voting for an Independent,
many Americans feel that the
election could be swayed by
taking votes away from major
party candidates. Many others
disagree with this statement.
Some voters feel that a vote
for an Independent is a wasted
vote; they feel an independent
candidate could never win the
election.
Despite this thought,
Independents still continue on.
One such person is billionaire
and New York City Mayor
Michael Bloomberg. One of
the possiblites in Bloomberg’s
case stems from his resources.
The fact that Bloomberg is a
bona fide billionaire as well
as a successful businessman
gives the him the oppurtunity
to finance his own campaign.
The media, as well as many
Americans, would endorse such
a choice.
17
Bloomberg’s politics bring
some philosophy from both
parties. He is socially liberal,
supporting abortion rights, gay
marriage, and naturalization of
the status of illegal immigrants.
Economically, he is moderate,
supporting government
involvement in issues such
as public welfare and climate
change, while being strongly
in favor of free trade, and
describing himself as a fiscal
conservative because he
balanced the NYC’s budget.
On foreign policy and domestic
security issues, he tends to
be conservative, opposing a
timeline for withdrawal from Iraq.
While Bloomberg continues
to say he will not run in 2008,
there is still question from his
staff as well as the media. If he
does, it will be an uphill battle
from the start. An advantage
for him would be voters ready
for change from low-approval
rates in U.S. government. A
disadvantage though would
be the lack of exposure he
would get in contrast to the
media coverage the major party
candidates have had for the
past 6 months and up until the
election. As an Independent,
Bloomberg would have to really
fight for a win in the election. Of
course though, stranger things
have happened.
In retrospect, candidates
have been corrupt for years
whether it was behind closed
doors or not. Many politicians
talk of change and preach
the best they can to each and
every generation about the
cornerstones of America and
how they need to be reinforced,
reinvented, or reinstated entirely.
If nothing else, Independents
remind voters of an overlooked
fact in society; one which many
have forgotten: the enemy
isn’t conservatism. The enemy
isn’t liberalism. The enemy is
nonsense.
Contrails
18
Gray
Feelings
On a black and
white subject
Brandon Tetrick
layout editor
About four years have
passed since the beginning
of the Iraq war. Hoping to find
weapons of mass destruction
we invaded and took Baghdad
in a little over a month. During
the fighting, Iraqi people
cheered for their new freedoms,
and rebels formed insurgencies.
Four years later and 3,000
troops dead, the call for a troop
pullout is one of the hottest
debate items on capital hill. In
polls around the country the
issue is almost split down the
middle, both very fervent and
passionate about the subject.
In the latter part of 2003
my step dad went to Iraq, not
as a soldier but as a medic,
for a contracting company.
He helped many different
people, including locals, other
contractors at oil rigs, U.S.
soldiers, and Iraqi Police. He
had many close calls and
has even cheated death. He
was shot at, survived daily
A Cause Worth Fighting For
What do will you
do?
Kelsey Jaeger
staff writer
Look at America. As
Americans we tend to do
things in excess. We eat
in excess, work in excess,
and even watch television in
excess. America seems to be
the only country in a position
to do that these days. We
have anything and everything
at our finger tips, and most of
us take advantage of those
opportunities. We complain
about gas prices and the cost
of living when in reality if we
lowered our standard just a
bit we would have nothing to
complain about.
Now broaden your view to
the world. What is going on
in the lives of people other
than you? Are they eating?
March 17, 2008
mortar attacks from insurgents,
experienced terrorist attacks,
went through Sadam’s palaces,
and, luckily, survived in one
piece. Thanking God, he came
home after a six month run
through and had many stories
to tell. One of his closest calls
was when he was traveling
through Baghdad, on a convoy,
and was being transferred
to a different base. When he
was getting ready to travel he
was ordered to switch jeeps
with another person. Then he
was towards the middle of the
convoy, instead of towards
the front. A roadside bomb
exploded and destroyed the
jeep he was supposed to be in.
The worst damage was where
he was going to sit, and it killed
the man he switched with. This
came as a shock for me and
my family, and we feared for his
life. He was allowed to leave
after six months or after a year.
He decided to leave after six
months. A couple of months
later his replacement was killed.
I have gray feelings on
the Iraq issue, just in general.
I understand what families
are going through while their
loved ones are away. A troop
pullout right now is not the right
option for American forces.
If we were to leave Iraq right
now, the current civil war would
fuel even more terrorists and
become an even worse country
than when Sadam was there.
Creating a timeline would help
the morale of Americans and
at least set a goal for America,
which is what this country
needs. The problem is that the
enemy we are dealing with
is unpredictable; we are not
sure of their strategies, their
resources, and their cowardly
acts like car bombs. In a sense,
we are stuck in this war. This
will be our children’s children’s
war, and it will kill more and
more people every year. I’m
not a supporter of the war, but
a pullout this instant would be
a mistake. The evidence for
W.M.D.s was not great enough,
and it was a major mistake to
focus so much time and energy
on Sadam Hussein instead of
Osama bin Laden. We are now
waist deep in it, and there is
no turning back now. 1 person
dead is already way too many,
but 3,000 is a large amount.
Compared to past wars though,
3,000 is a very miniscule
number. In the Vietnam War,
3,000 dead was almost a daily
number. Thank goodness our
generation is not in a war like
that. Good things have come
out of this war, not only our
protection, but the freedoms
of other innocent people, that
were tortured by Sadam’s
regime. They are now able to
express themselves freely and
carry on a somewhat good
life, while the endless Iraq War
rages around them.
Are they able to work? Are
they worried about what show
is on next? The answer, as
you might have guessed, is
no to all of the above. So
many non-Americans are
suffering. Let’s narrow in
on Africa. Many people
know about the AIDS crisis
affecting the continent, but
what they do not know is
just how many people are
helping the problem. It is
not enough to give money to
people with AIDS; they would
not know what to do with it.
There has to be lay people
delegating and teaching the
victims to be self sufficient. If
you give a man medicine, he
will be healthy for a day, but
if you give a man a job, he
can have his own income for
medicine.
Organizations like
Product(RED), World Vision,
and others are helping the
people of Africa regain their
independence. AIDS victims
are able to live and move
again. One T-shirt from
the Gap proudly displays
the words (2 weeks). The
proceeds from this shirt will
provide someone in Africa
with two weeks worth of
medicine. The Mountain
Home Marathon for Kenya
gives its money to a
community to help with fresh
water. There are many efforts
for this national campaign.
There are individuals
who think that aiding these
causes is not morally right.
They believe that people in
America should help the poor
in America before they go to
other countries. Their opinion
is noted, but I have a different
view.
In America everyone is
given a chance to succeed.
Even if someone hits rock
bottom, there are still shelters
and organizations established
to help them get back on their
feet. In other countries there
are no such opportunities or
resources. The community
must be built from the ground
up. Here there is already
support established. As
a volunteer, I want to help
people help themselves, not
help people be lazy.
Every cause is worth while
if it is important to you. I
encourage you to keep going
or join a cause. Helping
people is the most rewarding
thing to do.
Contrails
March 17, 2008
Political
Parties
Masquerade,
anyone?
Bobby Howard
staff writer
Getting Sleep
It’s more serious
than you might
expect
Darah McDaniel
editor-in-chief
19
Along with human fallibility
and errors in judgment, some
of America’s most “practiced”
institutions of politics help to
prevent the most qualified
political candidates from
earning sought-after public
offices. As the title of this
column so aptly indicates, the
American system of political
parties is among these
institutions.
People in general inevitably
disapprove of and complain
about authority figures.
Seemingly, these people
complain so and cry for change
without remembering that, as
constituents of democracy
who have the power of the
vote in their hands, they are
fully responsible for those said
figureheads’ positions of power.
Continuing on the same
thread of thought: One of
America’s most pressing issues
is the lack of voter education.
I am not writing of high school
diplomas or college degrees,
of course. I am writing of the
voters’ lack of knowledge of
the candidates’ platforms and
of their lack of knowledge of
the candidates’ past political
actions.
In short, the cause of
peoples’ ceaseless complaints
and continuous vendettas of
liberalism and change is the
enormous number of ignorant
ballots cast at each election.
Here we have arrived at my
qualms with political parties.
Too often, I think, voters
cast their ballots solely along
party lines. This could be taken
as loyalty or as blindness,
but, either way, the individual
politicians’ stances on issues
are overlooked. The traits that
define a President, for instance,
are ignored if the voter sees
only red or blue.
In reciprocation, some
politicians entrench themselves
in the political party of the day
that can draw the majority vote
or raise the most money. They
easily capitalize on one party’s
blunder and are catapulted into
the lead simply because they
are the only alternative to the
party which took a false step.
Another problem I have
with the political party system
(more specifically, the two-party
system) is that a third-party
candidate, who might be as
capable a politician as any, has
virtually no chance of being
elected into office. As they
are neither Democratic nor
Republican, and with people
voting solely along party lines
and not according to issues,
they have no chance to break
ahead of a field of mainstream
party candidates.
With the elimination of the
party system, though, there
would be a void of sorts in the
way our election candidates
are chosen. We could revert
back to the selection method of
our first and greatest president,
George Washington, and
assign Congress to the task
of nominating worthy and
able politicians, but that would
be taking a step backward
in democracy and giving
an already strong federal
government more power.
There are additional problems
that would result in the abolition
of this political practice.
As there are no plausible
alternatives to political parties
in democracy that I can see,
I must accept how America’s
political engine evolved into
the two-party system. I will
continue, though, to view this
system as a necessary evil.
My alarm clock starts
ringing at 6:45. I finally wake
up at 7:00 and get ready for
school. I inhale some cereal
as I get my two siblings in
the car. I drop them off at
school and run to class,
getting through the door just
as the tardy bell rings. After
school, I go to work and
after that there is always
something else to do. One
thing leads to another and
it’s ten o’clock—and well,
I haven’t quite started my
math homework. Sound
familiar?
I spend a lot of my time
at school trying not to lose
my state of consciousness
after staying up way too late
the night before. The truth is
that most teenagers do the
same thing. We don’t get
the amount of sleep that we
need to function properly.
Only one in five teenagers
gets an optimal amount
of sleep on weeknights,
according to a survey carried
out by the National Sleep
Foundation. The other 80%
don’t!
It’s quite depressing, I
must admit, to see the clock
inch forward at night. It’s
terrible to feel like I must
choose between finishing
my homework and getting
a good night’s sleep. I’m
sure that if I were a better
budgeter of time that I would
find more balance, but very
few people are blessed with
that quality.
To give you a better
image of this crisis: 28%
of high school students
fall asleep in class at least
once a week. 14% are late
to school at least once a
week because they have
trouble getting out of bed.
The recommended amount
of sleep for young adults is
between 8.5 and 9.5 hours
per night, but most 12th
graders are getting two hours
less than that.
These not-so-surprising
statistics bring along some
other serious problems. A
lack of sleep can lead to
depression, risky behaviors,
and a lack of physical
activities. Sleep loss can
lead to the production of
hormones that increase
appetite, while appropriate
amounts of sleep can lead to
the production of hormones
that suppress appetite. In
this way, sleep loss is linked
with obesity in many cases.
Students who consistently
do not get enough sleep
are shown to have poorer
performance overall. A
much higher percentage of
students who get enough
sleep received A’s and B’s
than students who did not. It
is so much more difficult to
concentrate in school when
you did not get a good night’s
rest the previous night.
Most teenagers have
driven their car while feeling
too sleepy to drive, which is
another tragedy that leads to
100,000 car crashes per year
in the US alone.
It’s unsettling that there
are so many things to
accomplish in 24 hours.
Sometimes, I feel like these
twenty-four hours are not
enough for the things I have
to do. As difficult as it can
be, I encourage you, when
you are picking and choosing
what to do with your time, to
give weight to the important
things, such as sleep.
Contrails
20
Walking to
Germany
G.A.P.P. XIX
Bobby Howard
staff writer
G.A.P.P. XIX is in full
swing. This year will mark the
nineteenth exchange between
students from MHHS and
students from Schorndorf,
Germany. The relations forged
by this program over its twentyfour-year existence have
established Mountain Home
and Schorndorf as sister cities.
German exchange students
arrived in Mtn. Home on March
11. During their stay, they
will be immersed in the
American culture. They
will attend classes at the
high school with their
American counterparts,
and they will be integrated
into their American
students’ family lives.
The Germans’ stay in Mtn.
Home will be interrupted by a
week-long trip into Tennessee,
where they will explore
Graceland, the Gibson guitar
factory, and the beautiful
Smokey Mountains. April 5,
for a total of three weeks of
the American experience, the
German half of G.A.P.P. XIX will
board a plane and head back to
Schorndorf.
To complete the exchange
process, on June 2, the 25
American G.A.P.P-ers and their
teacher sponsors will board
a plane in Chicago. From
there they will fly non-stop to
Düsseldorf, Germany. From
Düsseldorf, the American
students will fly to Stuttgart,
and then they will be bussed
to Schorndorf. After 3 weeks
of the German experience, the
American group will return to
the U.S. on June 26.
The cultural experiences
that will be had by G.A.P.P.
March 17, 2008
19 should be looked at as
invaluable; considering the
state of foreign relations
across the globe, the overseas relationships that will be
established by the partnered
students are priceless.
Unfortunately, though, the
trip itself has a price, and a hefty
one at that. The total cost of
the trip to Germany is estimated
at $2500.00 per student, plus
spending-money. This price
has been knocked down by
traditional G.A.P.P. fashion
(students live and eat with their
German’s families), but the only
way some of the group will be
able to experience this trip is by
gaining financial aid from their
fellow community members.
G.A.P.P. XIX, therefore,
has established fund-raisers
to alleviate the cost of the trip.
The main fundraiser is dubbed
“Walking to Germany.” The
group has taken the mileage
from Mtn. Home to Schorndorf
and has divided it by 25 (the
number of students in the
group), so the goal is for each
student to walk 198 miles before
they board the plane on June 2.
Students are and will be
calling local businesses and
community members to ask
for pledges per mile. Or, if it is
preferred, lump-sum donations
may be made to the student.
Of course, any amount of
money donated will be highly
appreciated.
If you are interested in
aiding this group of studentambassadors by making a
monetary donation to the
G.A.P.P. program, please
contact Frau Nancy Reed at
Mtn Home High School: 4251215.