The Bear Truth, December 2015 - Lewis

the
BEAR
TRUTH
Volume 8 • Issue 5 • Palmer Ridge High School• Monument, CO • December 2015
A Holiday
Wish List:
The Bear Truth staff
humbly requests the
following gifts for the
holiday season:
1. Access to
Snapchat and
emails on the
LPSD
WiFi
2. A
4.0+ GPA
3.Cold water
from the water
fountains
Quarterback Isaiah Sanders (12), #19, runs the ball as (Left to Right) Windsor player Zach Moser (11), #14, Chase Walkes
(11), #52, Connor Seymour (12), #60, Esad Sipilovic (12), #74, and J.R. Hart (12), #70, watch. Palmer Ridge’s football team
had a historic season, making the playoffs for the first time since the 2011 season, and clinching the team’s first-ever
playoff victory against Dakota Ridge. Palmer Ridge ultimately fell to Windsor 20 -14 in overtime during the second round
of playoffs on Saturday, November 21st. Photo by Alvin Angeles.
A Year in Review
In 2015, Palmer Ridge makes history
Throughout the year of 2015, the
students and staff of Palmer Ridge
High School have made milestones and
memories. As 2016 rolls around in less
than a month’s time, a reflection of the
year’s important events is in order. From
January to December, many feats have
been accomplished.
After students rung in the New Year,
they returned to school after winter break.
In January, Palmer Ridge was ranked in
the top 10 out of 345 schools in the state
by Colorado School Grades, and was the
top-ranked traditional public school in the
Pikes Peak Region. On February 18th, Mr.
Palmer Ridge, a male “beauty pageant”
was held to raise money for charity, with
Jacob Tellez (Class of 2015) winning first
place.
In April, several social studies students
clinched first, second, and third place
awards as well as special prizes for their
projects on history at National History
Day at Colorado College. Twelve people
qualified for State, and in May, the
Olmsteads placed third in Senior Group
Documentary. Palmer Ridge’s juniors and
seniors, as well as a few underclassmen,
danced away the night at the Masquerade
Prom on the 25th, organized by Student
Council. Just a few days afterward, the
same juniors broke records - earning
an average 24.3 out of 36 on the ACT,
the highest in Palmer Ridge History.
Sam Jackson (11), also qualified for
the International Career Development
Conference (ICDC), or DECA Nationals,
and advanced to the final round. Also
in April, the Bear Necessity Theater
Company (BNTC) put on The Boys
Next Door. In the following month, the
Boys’ Track Team won their second state
championship in a row, and Palmer Ridge
sent off the Class of 2015 at graduation.
When students returned to school in
August, they once again turned to doing
their best. Erin Peterson (12) was named
as a semi-finalist in the National Merit
Scholarship competition because of her
PSAT score taken in 2014. Palmer Ridge’s
academic achievements were not only
apparent from this, but also from the
fact that the Class of 2016 broke school
records by requesting huge numbers of
transcripts for colleges and scholarships
even before the start of school. In addition,
Forty-eight new juniors and seniors were
inducted into the National Honor Society;
and the club benefited the school with its
completion of hundreds of service hours
among its members and the hosting of a
Blood Drive at the end of October. The
Bear Truth Newspaper and Palmer Ridge’s
yearbook, Epilogue, both won 3rd Place at
Journalism Day and Epilogue won its firstever All-Colorado award.
An inaugural club fair was hosted
by the Friends of Rachel in November,
serving as an opportunity for
extracurriculars to market themselves and
promote inclusion at the school. The fall
sports season was also the most successful
overall, with 9 out of 10 of Palmer Ridge’s
sports that could make playoffs advancing
to the post-season. Football and soccer, in
particular, had historic seasons: Football
made it to playoffs for the first time since
the 2011 season and advanced into the
second round (the furthest the team
had ever gone), while soccer went to the
post-season for the first time since the
2012 season. Other extracurriculars, such
as DECA, FBLA, and Forensics started
off amazing years as well, with DECA
qualifying 37 people to State in December
and the Model United Nations Team of
Forensics winning many awards at statewide conferences.
In November, the BNTC produced and
performed Oliver!, an impressive musical
that received amazing reviews from
theatergoers. One of the actors, Ben Capp
(12), later qualified for All-State Choir in
December.
For 2016, Palmer Ridge and all of its
students have a lot to look forward to, and
hopefully more to accomplish.
By Savannah Olmstead
From Right to Left: Justin Brock (12)
looks disgusted as Logann Peterson
(12) drinks the warm water from the
fountains on the second floor of the
Academics Wing. Photo by Savannah
Olmstead.
4. 10-minute
passing periods
Bryce Montel (12) rushes to class.
Photo by Savannah Olmstead
5. No
homework or
finals for the
rest of the
school year
BEAR
TRUTH
EDITORIAL
The news has been exploding with it.
Adults have been shaking their heads at
it. College students have been organizing
and participating in it. Among the refugee
crisis, terrorist attacks, the holiday season,
and the regular news cycle, student
“activism” has been featured as a top story
across national news networks, papers, and
social media.
From the University of Missouri
to Yale, students have been rising up
against “oppressive” and “racist” campus
governments. At Mizzou, students
protested a string of racist incidents that
they felt were not dealt with properly, such
as the use of racist slurs and drawings of
swastikas (such as one made with fecal
matter), calling for the resignation of
their president. At Yale, students became
enraged in response to offensive Halloween
costumes. A student committee released an
email encouraging other “Yalies” to dress
appropriately for the holiday, taking care
to not marginalize minority groups like
Native Americans. Following this message,
Erika Christakis, a childhood development
expert and the wife of a Yale professor/
leader of a residential college, wrote
another email in response. She questioned
the necessity of the original email and
noted the importance of freedom of choice
and of making mistakes in development.
She stated, “Is there no room anymore for
a child or young person to be a little bit
obnoxious... a little bit inappropriate or
provocative or, yes, offensive? American
universities were once a safe space
not only for maturation but also for a
certain regressive, or even transgressive,
experience; increasingly, it seems, they
have become places of censure and
prohibition.” This statement led to a series
of insults and protests directed toward her
and her husband, which resulted in Erika
Christakis’ resignation.
While the Mizzou students’ original
response was probably valid, as, several
terrible events occurred without proper
punishment; as their protests progressed,
their actions became less and less defensible
and more and more reprehensible. The
protesters became angry when they were
covered by press, declaring their protest
a “safe space”. In effect, they decided to
put their free speech rights over the 1st
Amendment rights granted to the student
media. Then, following the attacks in Paris,
some became angry due to their lack of
coverage, a rather selfish and hypocritical
College Protesters and
the “PC Police”
Are they reasonable?
response to a tragic event.
The response at Yale was originally
ridiculous – after all, college is meant
to be a haven for intellectualism, not
for feelings. Although it is correct and
necessary to speak up for others when they
have truly been harassed or wronged by
hate speech, these protests and responses
were overreactions. Telling someone,
especially a distinguished member of
a respected faculty, that he “should not
sleep at night” and is “disgusting” because
he and his wife dared express an opinion
different than their own (in an educated,
thoughtful, manner, even) is the opposite
of maturity and intellectualism. Moving
on to a university is not an opportunity to
be coddled – that was what childhood was
for. It is not acceptable to try to eliminate
another’s opinion by throwing a tantrum.
It is laudable, however, to destroy a
wrong point of view, but through logic,
reason, and argumentation – not because
it “hurts your feelings”. Is that not the
entire point of college altogether? Colleges
have historically been known as places for
relentlessly expressing freedom of speech
in provocative ways – why should that
change now?
Perhaps the best response to these
outbreaks of protest over political
correctness is one by the president of
Oklahoma Wesleyan University. When
a student complained about a university
chapel service on love, he stated, “I’m
not interested in coddling you in your
selfishness. I’m interested in challenging
you to have a higher degree of character.
Those challenging ideas are what produce
adults.”
The editors of the Bear Truth Newspaper
ask the graduating seniors, as they enter
the college world, to protect free speech
and respond to differing, and even wrong,
opinions in an educated manner based on
right and reason, not from a place of raw
emotion.
Correction: The Fellowship of
Christian Athletes (FCA) was also
present at the Friends of Rachel
(F.O.R.) Club Fair on November
3rd.
The Bear Truth Staff 2015-2016
Co-Editors-in-Chief:
Jenna Bethany
Savannah Olmstead
Business:
Jacob Cheeseman - Manager
Evan Ochsner - Asst. Manager
News:
Sean Hansen- Editor
Tara Fugate
Rio Lane
Joseph Wenchell
Sports:
Evan Ochsner - Editor
Jacob Cheeseman - Editor
Alvin Angeles
Yariv Ben-Naim
Jonathan Olds
02 December 2015 •
Features:
Alexis Olmstead - Editor
Trenton Wesolick
Jonathan Padrnos
Ally Hansen
Emily Plott
Student Life/Ridge
Ramblings:
James Patrick- Editor
Grayson Jestice- Editor
Muriel Evans
Emalie Houk
Trending:
Anna Schnelbach - Editor
Tess Kelly
Olivia Gilmer
Faylyn Bruecken
Adviser: Mr. Patrick
The Bear Truth
Editorial Policy:
The Bear Truth is the student voice of Palmer Ridge High School. Our staff is dedicated
to maintaining journalistic integrity, serving Palmer Ridge High School as a public
forum, and presenting up-to-date information and coverage on issues affecting the
school and the surrounding community. Expression made by students in the exercise
of freedom of speech or freedom of the press is not an expression of The Lewis-Palmer
School District or District 38 Board Policy.
Letters to the Editor:
The Bear Truth staff views the inclusion of letters to the editor as essential to the
journalistic process. The staff feels that these letters provide a means by which readers
can voice their opinions or views. However, given the limited amount of space in
the school newspaper, the staff reserves the right to set standards for the length and
number of letters to be included. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and be
signed so the staff can verify authorship. Under no circumstances will anonymous
letters be accepted or printed. The staff of The Bear Truth wants to hear from the
community we serve. Please email letters to [email protected]
Advertising:
The Bear Truth is primarily funded by our advertisers. For more information about
our ad rates, please email [email protected] or call 719.867.8132.
For our complete editorial policies please see the Newspaper Production page on the PRHS website.
Member, Colorado Student Media Association.
Printed By Signature Offset using sustainable printing practices..
BEAR
TRUTH
NEWS
Bringing community together
The Tri-Lakes Music Association spreads the arts of music and giving
The Glory of
Christmas
The Tri-Lakes Music Association
Concert Series
Come enjoy an evening of
Christmas music with family
and friends, the collaboration
of fine local singers and
instrumentalists.
Palmer Ridge High School
Auditorium
• Friday, December 18th at
7:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 19th at
7:00 p.m.
• Sunday, December 20th at
2:00 p.m.
No admission charge.
The Tri-Lakes Music Association (TLMA) practices in the Tri-Lakes United Methodist Church, two weeks before their
concert. Photo by Jenna Bethany.
charitable organization was founded and is
he Tri-Lakes Music Association fixture and spreading Christmas cheer.”
This concert series is primarily funded
run by people passionate about both music
(TLMA) was originally formed
by donations from local businesses,
and the art of giving.
to hold an annual Christmas
individuals, and churches. This association
Aside from their donations to charities,
Concert series performed
annually raises money to support Trithe music association also gives out
wholly by residents of the Tri-Lakes
Lakes cares and has collectively raised over scholarships to participating seniors
region. Over the years, this organization
passionate about music. Although the
has largely developed into much more.
“I love the people this
producers and organizers are a hugely
This association was founded by Robert
important part of the concert, the
W. G. Manning and Bruce Eldridge, whose group brings together and
performers also play a large role, and
collective dream was for these concerts to
how it has really become
many of them are from Palmer Ridge.
be an engaging community feature.
“My favorite part of this music group
Rose Dunphey, one of the TLMA
a community that works
is playing in an orchestra rather than
organizers, stated, “I love the people this
together”
a typical ensemble, which means we
group brings together and how it has really
- Rose Dunphey get to play with strings,” says Hannah
become a community that works together
McCullough (12). She has been a part of
to put on a really fun concert” and that’s
$10,000. Aside from Tri-Lakes Cares, the
the association for two years. TLMA is
why she comes back every year. Dunphey
also remarks on the ongoing tradition and benefit concerts have raised awareness and definitely a learning experience for young
musicians who can learn a lot from the
money for the Waldo Canyon Fire Fund
how “Many make it part of their holiday
musicians who have been at it for life.
and other charities, and the audiences are
tradition, to play or sing, or to attend the
Robert Manning, president of the
known for always giving generously. This
concerts. We like being a unique local
T
We request a donation to benefit
Tri-Lakes Cares and the Tri-Lakes
Music Association Scholarship Fund.
Board of Directors and a founder of
TLMA describes that he started the
concerts when he noticed that a pastor
he worked with at the Tri-Lakes United
Methodist church had a wonderful voice.
Manning approached him to help with a
community concert series, and, just like
that, the tradition began. Regarding the
scholarship program, Manning explains
“In order to qualify for the scholarship the
applicant must fully fill out the application,
and must have performed with us at least
once.” Manning says that the members
of the TLMA community are a collection
of life long performing arts appreciation
participants. This scholarship and concert
series is an ongoing tradition in the
Tri-lakes community that can make an
impact on an aspiring musician or a joyful
onlooker, for the rest of their life.
By Rio Lane
From one school to another
Palmer Ridge builds bookshelves for Palmer Lake Elementary
Kavin Humble (11) and Mr. Bedia work on building shelves for Palmer Lake
Elementary School. Photo by Joey Winchell
This year, Mr. Bedia is building six then we will make six more. They will be a
bookshelves for Palmer Lake Elementary little bigger than a foot, 13”wide x 5’ across
x 6’ tall," said Mr. Bedia, “The wood is from
School.
"Palmer Lake Elementary has a new Home Depot and the wheels or casters are
librarian who contacted Mr. Bedia and from Lowe’s. The screws we have here.
asked him to help with remodeling the The wood is ¾ in Burch veneer. [We use]
library. If we buy them they are $1200 but veneer to finish the wood fronts. [We use]
building them, six of them will cost $750," lacquer to finish making them smooth
and shiny. We are using
says Kavin Humble
brackets to give it support
(11), who is helping Mr. “If we buy them, they
are $1,200 but building
and structural integrity."
Bedia on the project.
Mr. Bedia and Humble
The new librarian is them, six of them will cost
are working on the shelves
remodeling the PLES $750.”
second
hour
library, which is why
- Kavin Humble (11) during
on Navy days and will
the school needs new
transport the shelves over
bookshelves. Currently,
they are expecting to be done about halfway to Palmer Lake Elementary School with
Mr. Bedia’s truck when they finish. They
through second semester.
"[We will] build the first book shelf as are expected to be about thirteen inches
a mockup or prototype to see how that wide, 5 inches across, and 6 inches tall.
one comes out. Then we will take it over
By Joey Wenchell
to the school so they can see it and ask if
any modifications need to be made and
The Bear Truth • December 2015
03
BEAR
TRUTH
NEWS
Capp makes All-State Choir
Ben Capp (12) sings his way to the Colorado top 300
Here at our school, choir
is taken seriously and the
students are very committed to
performing at regular school
choir concerts. For those that
want to take their singing to
the next level, they have the
opportunity to audition for one
in 300 spots in the Colorado All
State Choir. Over 1,600 students
auditioned, including seven
from Palmer Ridge, this last
October.
“It includes a lot of stuff that
most choirs don’t do in one
class,” says the choir teacher,
Mrs. Thomas. “They have to
learn three different scales and
they have to learn to identify
intervals and be able to sing
intervals. They have to sing a
classical solo, and the judge
judges them on tone, pitch,
diction and notes. They also have to
be able to site read. It’s a long, tedious
process.”
Even though getting in All State is
challenging, Ben Capp (12) still excelled.
Because the process is so difficult, not
many students are able to participate.
“Last year, one person made it, the year
before, one, and the year before that, two,”
says Mrs. Thomas.
Because so few students get in, it is
a huge accomplishment for Capp and
speaks for all his hard work. “We spent
a long time during choir doing intervals
that I had to do in the audition and I was
practicing my music for three weeks or so.
Calculate Your
Chances
1,614
auditioned for
students
300 spots in the AllState Choir.
7
of these students
were from Palmer Ridge.
Assuming you’re
a singer, that’s an
Ben Capp (12) spent weeks preparing for All-State both in and outside of the
classroom. All Photos by Tara Fugate.
my sister was there and so I’m looking
I memorized it and I also played the piano forward to having a big group of people
with my dad a few times,” Ben stated,
who are really good at singing in the
explaining how he prepared for All State.
same place. Our choir is great, but there’s
“He’s just a great musician. And he’s
a next level of professionalism that I’m
been doing music, not just singing. He’s
looking forward to with the kids,” Capp
also played violin and piano since he was
admitted what he was most excited for
little, so I think his musicianship helped
in this concert. “I care about music and I
out a lot,” Mrs. Thomas said, explaining
think that it’s really important to our lives.”
Ben’s advantages.
The All State Choir concert will be on
With the concert only months away,
February 6th in Denver, where Capp will
Capp is preparing to perform his best. “I
sing with all the other accomplished 299
think it’s going to be really cool. I’ve been
students.
to at least one All State choir concert when
By Tara Fugate
18.5%
chance.
Mrs. Thomas, choir
director, with Ben
Capp (12).
Model United Nations Team competes at statewide CU Boulder Conference
Lillian Waters (right), President of CU Boulder MUN, talks to delegates during
the closing ceremonies of the conference. Photo by Savannah Olmstead.
The already-busy campus of CU
Boulder was swarmed with teenagers
clothed in suits, suit-dresses, ties, and their
best shoes, all to discuss foreign policy in
a mock version of current international
proceedings. From December 4th to 5th,
Palmer Ridge’s Model United Nations
chapter of the Forensics Team competed
in the University of Colorado Boulder
Conference. In this two-day event, the
delegates stayed overnight in Boulder
and represented people and nations in
several councils to pass resolutions and
solve crises relating to both present and
historical global issues.
Spencer Shook (11), Melina Kingsley
(11), Parker Johnson (9), Alexis Olmstead
(10), and Savannah Olmstead (12), all
04 December 2015
• The Bear
competed in the event.
For the meet, they represented a wide
variety of foreign diplomats and nations,
including Turkey in the Human Rights
Council (UNHCR), Charles Maurice
de Talleyrand-Perigord in the Congress
of Vienna, Chang Wanquan in a crisis
council, and a juror in the International
Court of Justice (ICJ).
About the conference, Parker Johnson
(9) expressed, “It was fun. I enjoyed
coming up with a verdict with the other
delegates and hearing the trials of the
war criminals.” Johnson participated in a
mock International Court of Justice as a
diplomat form of himself, hearing cases of
criminals in the Yugoslav-Serb conflict.
Established at the beginning of last
school year, the Model UN
Truth
chapter of the Forensics
Alexis Olmstead (10), Melina Kingsley (11), Parker Johnson (9), Savannah
Olmstead (12), and Coach Mme. Sinkola throw leaves after the conference.
Photo by Savannah Olmstead. Not pictured: Spencer Shook (11)
Team has accomplished many feats while
competing with MUN powerhouses such
as Boulder High School, which has 80
members, while Palmer Ridge has about
15. So far this year, the delegates have
won one Best Delegate (1st Place), one
Outstanding Delegate
(2nd Place), and two
Honorable Mentions (3rd
Place). In addition, their
members have worked
as Presiding Officers in
councils, assisting other
schools like Cherry Creek
and Cherokee Trail in
hosting conferences.
The Speech and Debate
chapter of the Forensics
Team, a presence at
Palmer Ridge since the school’s inception,
has also been active this year, attending
two meets in one month and sending
several novice competitors.
By Savannah Olmstead
BEAR
TRUTH
NEWS
37 Business
students qualify
for DECA State at
the Broadmoor
“We are the Champions” rang through
each business class this week as Mrs.
Bushnell announced Palmer Ridge’s
successful showing at DECA districts.
37 Palmer Ridge students qualified,
meaning that we had the highest
percentage of state qualifiers. The top
four were Palmer Ridge, which qualified
35%, Pine Creek (29%), Rampart (28%),
and Air Academy (25%). This year’s
DECA State meet at the World Arena
Doubletree Hotel was a huge success.
PRHS DECA really stepped up to the
plate and “brought home the bacon”.
37 students got 1st in their respective
sections and qualified for the state
competition later this school year at the
Broadmoor.
Congratulations to the following state
qualifiers!
Taylor McCoy: Apparel and
Accessories Marketing
Morgan Griffith: Business Finance
Leeann Deibert and Amanda Sievert:
Buying and Merchandising Team
Decision Making
Madison Jordan, Jenna McGann, and
Jeremy Douglas: Hotel and Lodging
Management
Taylor Swierc, Regan Mukpik,
and Ben Kirby: Human Resources
Management
Bailey Rosenstrauch, Keira Strickling,
Alvin Angeles, Megan Ward:
Hospitality and Tourism Team
Decision Making
Joseph Doiron: Marketing
Management
Alexis Faeh and Brooke Sveska:
Marketing Communication Team
Decision Making
Clay Hurford, Bailey Rasic, D’Nae
Ferguson: Principles of Hospitality
and Tourism
Brandon Pappas, Griffin Lloyd, Ryan
Joyner: Principles of Marketing
Jenna Lewis and Dylan Sparks:
Restaurant and Food Service
Management
Sam Jackson and Jenna Bethany:
Retail Merchandising
Scott Licht and Grayson Jestice:
Sports and Entertainment Marketing
Isaiah Sanders, Jasmine Sanders,
Nick Bridges, Sean Flood: Sports
and Entertainment Team Decision
Making
Brooke Barreire, Kenzie Siskand,
Savannah Bornstein, Terri Glaser:
Travel and Tourism Team Decision
Making
The following students also received
an award for a top ten DECA test
score:
Clay Hurford, Luke Mattea, Ryan
Joyner, Michael Middleton, and
Samantha Jackson.
Welcome Clay N’ Color
5 artists open up new ceramics shop in Downtown Monument
C
hildren covered in paint
bustled around as the
created their very own
ceramic ornaments at Clay
N’ Color’s Small Town Christmas event.
The specialty ceramic store had only been
open for a day before they jumped into
the local festivities. Clay N Color offers a
variety of handmade ceramic products, as
well as paintings, from five unique potters
and painters: Dusty Severn, John Haines,
Carolanne Ryan, Walt Moore, and Laura
Davis.
“We named it ‘clay’ because of the
potter and ‘color’ because I’m the painter
and they call me the ‘Queen of Color,’”
explained Davis. “We added the ‘n’
because of ‘and’ but we wanted to be a
little different,” she laughed.
Even though there is crossover between Co-owner and potter Dusty Severn gives a tour of the new store, Clay N Color during
mediums, each artist’s work is different.
Small Town Christmas. All photos by Jenna Bethany.
“You can see we have distinctive styles,”
here… we’ll probably have workshops
says Severn. “Carolanne Ryan does mostly and title of ‘business owner’ will
here at some point in the future… but
provides
an
opportunity
for
the
artists
slab work and some wheel work, but her
that’s just in the talking line right now,” she
to
explore
techniques
and
connect
with
strength and her strong point is her slab
continues.
the
community
in
new
ways.“Beginning
work. John does interesting ceramic
But let’s not forget - they’ve been open
in
January,
we’ll
have
a
glass
fusion
kiln
treatments and Walt does something
for
less than a week! “We’re so new that
there,
”
said
Severn.
“It’s
where
you
take
called agate work where you can see the
we’re
actually developing our options as
glass
and
you
make
designs
with
it.
Then
natural clay colors. They’re fired so they’re
we
go..
right now, we’re so new that we’re
you
use
a
separate
kiln
where
you
fire
food safe. Laura is our painter.”
trying
to
figure out what we’re doing. But
them
up
and
they
turn
into
shapes
and
These artists have worked together for
we
have
all
our licenses! We go YES!,”
things.
It’s
very,
very
pretty,
very
colorful.
”
a long time in the community, but only
exclaimed
Severn
as she punched the
Not
only
will
the
artists
of
Clay
N
recently decided to open up shop due to
air.
“Hence
the
grand
opening,” and
Color
sell
their
art
they
also
plan
to
share
some unforeseen changes.
their
expertise
with
the
community,
and
celebration.
By Jenna Bethany
“We used to be down at Tri-Lakes
people are already lining up. “We have a
Center for the Arts, but they closed the
class starting in January and it’s full. Then
pottery studio. Although, that left us with
Do you know your clay?
we’ll have another one in February,” stated
no place to fire or do our work… and we
Severn.
“We’re
initially
thinking
that
Kiln: a pottery oven used to
needed to throw,” says Severn.
we might have a home-school art class
fire clay
While unexpected, the new location
“This painting traveled internationally to the
Olympics in London,” says painter and co-owner,
Laura Davis as she gestures to her artwork. “200
artists who came together world-wide... combined
work that built one by one, so it was like a
mural that traveled. These large pieces hung in
cathedrals and museums and the main building
at the London Olympics. And the smaller ones...
moved from event to event to event throughout
the Olympics because they were the one foot
size.... In order for them to go overseas, every one
of the canvases had to come off of the frames,
rolled individually, shipped overseas, and replaced
on all of the frames.”
Throwing clay: making clay
on the pottery wheel
Slab: a ceramic method using
thick slice of clay cut into
different shapes
Glass fusion kiln: a ceramic
oven used to fire glass
Bisque: unglazed, white,
ceramics
Mediums: the type of art such
as ceramics or painting
PR family member held up in shooting
Debbie Northway goes on lockdown at nearby surgery center
During the shooting on Planned
Parenthood, many buildings around
the area were closed or on lockdown,
including hospitals and surgical centers.
Debbie Northway, who was in the area,
said, “So, I am the Clinical Director of
a surgery center that’s near Planned
Parenthood and we were open that day
having patients that were having surgeries
for out-patient surgery and one of our
“We had to close all the blinds
and the windows... we kept
doing surgery, and just having
our patients stay longer in
recovery than they normally
would just to keep them safe.”
- Debbie Northway
faculty members was at King Soopers...
and she came back to our facility and told
us that there was an active shooter up
there at that parking lot... we called the
police to get more information, and they
recommended that we stay inside. They
kept saying that it was an active situation.
There was a shooter, and they didn’t know
where he was... so we had to make a
decision to be on lockdown to be safe, and
to keep our employees our patients safe,
just until we got more information about
what was going on.”
Since there were
patients having
surgery, the clinic had
to go on as normal.
“So, because patients
were already in the
building, we decided
to continue business
as usual - we had to
close all the blinds
and the windows- no
one knew we were
inside. We locked
all the doors to our
facility and to the
The Northways take a family photo. Photo given by Debbie Northway
main building, just for
murder charges and life in prison. No
an added measure of protection. We kept
bond has been set for him. Police say he
doing surgery, and just having our patients
allegedly brought handguns and rifles in
stay longer in recovery than they normally
a duffel bag as well as propane tanks. He
would just to keep them safe,” said Debbie
reportedly has anti-abortion and antiNorthway. Junior Matt Northway, her
government view, but it is still unknown
son, said “I was pretty worried about
what his motive really was. Dear has
my mom, whether she was going to be
had infractions with the law before- his
ok and if the shooter was going to go to
wife accused him of domestic abuse (no
her office or not. I was at track practice
charges pressed), he was charged with a
and my dad told me when I got picked
form of stalking, and he was arrested with
up.” Mrs. Northway was fine, and she got
two counts of animal cruelty, but he was
home safe. “It was a sigh of relief, and we
not found guilty.
were just really thankful when she got
By Sean Hansen
home,” said Matt. Since the shooting, the
police received more information. Dear
is currently facing first-degree
The Bear Truth • December 2015
05
BEAR
TRUTH
SPORTS
Palmer Ridge quarterback Isaiah
Sanders (12) led the Bears to the their
first playoff victory in school history.
Sanders passed for 3176 yards and 32
touchdowns on the season. Photo by
Alvin Angeles.
Athlete of the
Month, OffCampus Athlete,
and Final Score
on Page 7.
06 December 2015
• The Bear Truth
Winter Sports
Previews on
Page 8.
2016 Sports
Predictions and
2015 Year in
Review on page
9.
BEAR
TRUTH
SPORTS
The Final
Score
Putting the
“Student” Back in
Student Athlete
The first major match-up of the 2015
NCAA Men’s Basketball season featured
two college teams that are hardly
college teams at all. Kentucky vs Duke,
two programs with massive amounts
of success-recruiting one-and-dones,
players who use college as nothing more
than a small step on the way to the NBA.
Unfortunately, this system produces
winning teams, but not winning
programs. A winning program should
produce not only championships and
All-Americans, but also leaders on
and off the court who can contribute
to society long after they finish playing
basketball. Major programs don’t seem to
care about this as some have even created
fake classes to ease the academic load on
their “student” athletes. Universities are
so desperate for success in sports that
they are willing to compromise their own
academic integrity.
The athletes themselves are just
as much of a problem as they waste
an opportunity to receive a worldclass education that many would not
otherwise be able to have. This problem has begun to be
addressed in the two best academic
conferences, the Big Ten and Pac 12. In
the Big Ten, Commissioner Jim Delaney
has proposed a “Year of Readiness” that
would make first year players ineligible
for their freshman year. This would not
only develop players physically, but also
force them to focus more on academics.
The recruiting process has evolved
and adapted as the top recruits are solely
focused on achieving NBA stardom. This
fact may put the Big Ten at a recruiting
disadvantage. However, the Big Ten,
arguably the best conference in all of
basketball, has often built success around
developing talent, not signing one-anddones.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke
used to believe in recruiting top talent
and then developing further as he did
with Christian Laettner. Coach K. has
recently adopted the strategy of John
Calipari and Kentucky. Duke rode a trio
of freshman one-and-dones all the way
to the national championship last season,
all of whom were drafted in the first
round of the NBA draft.
Coach K’s decision is especially
unfortunate considering that he has
been the long-time standard of class
and winning the right way in college
basketball. If Duke falls to these low
standards, then who’s next? How truly
unfortunate it is that the academic aspect
of college sports has essentially been
removed. It shouldn’t be the Big 10 or
PAC 12’s job to bring academics back
into college sports, its the NCAA’s job. It’s
pathetic that academics can be added to
the long list of the NCAA’s failures. The
most important pillar of college sports in
on the verge of falling, and if the NCAA
doesn’t act soon it may already be too
late.
By Evan Ochsner
Athlete of the Month:
Jasmine Sanders
Palmer Ridge Basketball player
Jasmine Sanders (11) is a leader
with a bright future. After leading
the Lady Bears basketball team
in rebounds (153 rebounds in 23
games) and scoring the secondmost points (220), Sanders looks
poised for another successful
campaign.
Like any athlete, her success
can be attributed to hard work, lots
of practice, and a passion for the
game. Sanders demonstrated her
love of basketball last summer. “I
play AAU basketball, so I played on
the National team over the summer to get ready [for this season].
I [also] played in the International
Sports Festival,” she said. This yearround dedication to basketball has
put Sanders in a position to achieve
success this season.
Last year, Sanders averaged 6.7
rebounds and 9.7 points per game. Jasmine Sanders (11) pushes the ball while fighting Lewis-Palmer defenders in a rivalry
game last year. Photo by Erin Tirpak
She was the team leader in both
offensive and defensive rebounding,
With so much success, Sanders is
team first and strives to motivate them to
and exceeds the national average for most
looking forward to playing basketball in
reach their goals. ‘As a leader of the team,
basketball statistics. She played in every
college. She said, “After high school, I plan
I want to be able to get the team all rallied
game, including two blowout wins over
on getting a scholarship. I have Division
up to get back to the Elite 8. As a team,
Lewis-Palmer. Her two highest scoring
One interest. So after this season… one of
that’s what our goal is. For me being [a]
performances of the year were in a 72-38
my goals is to lock down a school where I
leader, I just want to be able to lead my
win over Frederick, where she scored 27
can actually play.”
team to that success, ” she said.
points and shot 79%, and in a 65-29 win
Sanders is also a leader. She puts the
By Jacob Cheeseman
over LP, where she scored 16 points.
Off Campus Athlete:
Austin Cockell
Raise your hand if you’ve gone skiing
or snowboarding. If you’re not raising
your hand, you’re not a Coloradan.
Everyone should know the thrill that
comes with gliding down freshly packed
snow and swiftly dodging those less
experienced than you. Unfortunately for
us snow lovers, the ski/snowboard season
is only late November to April or May.
While the skiers and snowboarders sit at
home in the summer and fall with nothing
to do, a different sport takes to the slopes
– mountain biking.
“It’s called NICA. It’s a high school
mountain biking league [that has]
about 10,000 high school students from
around Colorado and New Mexico,” says
mountain biker Austin Cockell (11). “[We
ride] in ski resorts….[the courses] are in
places like Winter Park and Whistler.”
Mountain biking has always been
a popular sport in Colorado given the
scenery and natural obstacles it provides,
yet it can be so much more than flying
down a hill. “It’s cross country, very, very
mellow riding, but it’s still fun because
they choose really fun tracks…there’s
downhill races, cross country races,
endurance races…you have to choose
what you want to do,” says Cockell.
Leagues like NICA also ensure that
mountain biking is not only for twenty
and thirty year olds.
Cockell actually first started biking
before high school. “I started about five
years ago…my dad and I wanted to go try
it in Vail and I pretty much got hooked
from there. I had a hard tail (bike) and I
realized ‘gosh I need a full – suspension
bike’ and that’s pretty much where it
started.” While racing down, across
and over, Cockell and NICA are always
looking for new athletes interested in this
adrenaline – infused sport. “We’re always
looking for new students to join…but
it depends on how good you are and if
you’re actually committed to the sport,“
says Cockell.
Austin Cockell(11) flies through the air in the middle of a jump at Valmont.
Photo courtesy of Austin Cockell.
Despite his height that clears well over
life, a mountain biking trail builder.”
6 feet, Austin insists it’s mountain biking,
By Jonathan Olds
not basketball that will be his sport. “I
want to be a trail builder for
The Bear Truth • December 2015
07
BEAR
TRUTH
SPORTS
Winter Sports
Previews
Girls’ Basketball Preview
The Palmer Ridge girls’ basketball team
is looking to return to the playoffs. After
finishing 14-9 last year with blowout wins
over Lewis-Palmer, the lady bears look
poised to exceed last year’s success.
Junior Marie Koogle said ““We want
to do well in Kansas and we want to be
able to make it to playoffs this year.” Speed
is also a quality that the girls want to be
known for. “…we want to be known as
the fastest team in our conference,” said
Koogle.
The girls have a tough schedule in
the always tough Pike Peak Athletic
Conference with games against Falcon and
Sand Creek. The Bears had several close
games against those teams last year. We
want “to beat a lot of [teams] that beat us
last year, “ Koogle said.
The Lady Bears have a strong junior
class including Jasmine Sanders, Sam
Rippley, Regan Mukpik, Marie Koogle,
and Kelsey Sample. The team is led by
two seniors: Brooke Beyer and Madison
Thomas.
By Evan Ochsner
Kori Woods (10) receives a pass from Sam Rippley (11) against Elizabeth. The
Bears won the game, their first of the season. Photo by Evan Ochsner.
Cross Country Competes in
Arizona
The PR boys and girls’ cross country team
traveled to Arizona in the recent weeks in
order to compete at the Nike Cross regional
competition. This event marked the end of the
cross country season.
The boy’s season started out strong, with
them putting up an impressive record in meets.
The team dominated both league and regionals,
but, in a stunning heart-breaker, lost state to
their rival Durango. This loss would however
be avenged in Arizona. Jeremy Meadows (11)
recounted the victory. “We beat them by over
150 points; we ran better because we didn’t
have a good day at state.” The utter mauling
of Durango’s team by the boys’ cross country
team helped to make up for the defeat at State.
When asked about the team’s performance at
State, Meadows remarked, “We all did pretty
well in individual but we didn’t get as good of
a team score as we were hoping for but can’t
really complain.” Meadows, who led the team,
finished 47th overall with a time of 15:45 with
his teammates close at his heels.
The team is young and still has tons of
untapped potential; with the return of four
juniors will help overcome the loss of one
senior. The boys cross country team looks
poised to be one of the most competitive teams
in the state and perhaps the nation.
By Alvin Angeles
On the Court with Yariv
Ben-Naim
It feels good to be a Varsity manager
this 2015-2016 high school basketball
season. They have only 4 seniors this year,
including Isaiah Sanders, Trevor Grob,
George Silvanic and Peyton Bower.
Tryouts were November 12th and 13th
and I didn’t make the team but made it
as a manager. All of the football players
who play basketball were late to basketball
season because of football making the
playoffs, where they won the first playoff
game and lost the next one.
Some of my favorite memories were
the before-school open gyms, conditioning
at the Y, and also the preseason scrimmage
games at Roosevelt High School last
Friday, November 27th. Practice goes
from 3:30-5:30 PM or 5:30-7:30 PM. I was
unable to make the first basketball game
on Tuesday December 1st at Canon City,
because I had a soccer banquet. Palmer
Ridge lost that one 58-69 at Canon City.
08 December 2015 •
Then I have to miss the varsity
mountain madness in Kansas City,
Missouri on Thursday December 10thSaturday December 12th because I have a
band concert on Thursday December 10th.
Then there is a Team Dinner at my
house on Tuesday, December 29th
over Winter Break. In 2nd Semester
of the school year the Basketball Team
has a Tournament in Colby, Kansas
from Thursday January 21st-Saturday
January 23rd. After that is the LP-PR
Game at Palmer Ridge High School on
Wednesday January 27th. Senior Night is
on Wednesday February 17th against Sand
Creek and then the last game of the season
is the LP-PR Game on Friday February
19th at Lewis Palmer High School. I am
looking forward to managing the team this
season and watching my team succeed.
By Yariv Ben-Naim
The Bear Truth
Boys’ Basketball
Preview
The Palmer Ridge Boys’ Basketball
Team is looking to make the playoffs this
year with only 4 seniors - Isaiah Sanders,
George Silvanic, Peyton Bower, and
Trevor Grob. Last year they started 7-0
and didn’t make the playoffs but finished
13-10. The toughest game of the season
will be the Rivalry LP Games. They start
their season on Tuesday, December
1st at Canyon City and their home
opener is Friday, December 4th against
Elizabeth. They play against LP at Home
on Wednesday, January 27th and Friday,
February 19th at Lewis Palmer High
School. They have their white out home
opener game Friday, December 4th
against Elizabeth. Falcon, Air Academy,
Sand Creek and Vista Ridge are included
in toughest games, and will be faced
after the rivalry LP Games. Basketball’s
C Team has all freshmen. They lost
some good players like Matt Cameron,
Cole Hurford and Matt Kostenbauer
who just graduated in 2015. They have
only 4 seniors for 2 seasons in a row,
the same number of seniors as 20122013 basketball season. Senior Night is
on Wednesday, February 17th at home
against Sand Creek.
By Yariv Ben-Naim
Tyler Trego (11) drives through the
lane in the Bear’s first home win of the
season. Photo by Evan Ochsner.
Girls’ Swimming
Hockey
The LP district Girls’ Swimming and
Diving team is looking forward to a
successful 2015-2016 campaign. After
finishing 2nd in the Pikes Peak Athletic
Conference Championships last season,
the girls are poised for another year
of success. Additionally, with several
divers on the team this year, LP has an
advantage where most teams do not: the
ability to dominate the diving score.
The overall theme last year was being
a young team. The team was mainly
compromised of underclassmen. The
trend evens out slightly this year, with 16
upperclassmen and 18 underclassmen.
The girls have a challenging schedule
this year, with duel meet against Regis
(2014’s State Champions), Mountain
Vista, Cheyenne Mountain, and
Liberty. The Rangers have already
swum against Rampart, Air Academy,
and rival Arapahoe. Also included on
the schedule are several Invitationals
including the Boulder Invite, Arapahoe
Invite, and Coaches Invite.
The Rangers have an advantage that
many teams wish for: having several
divers on the team. As senior diver
Becca Hetrick said, with many divers,
“we can score more points”. The divers
goals are “…everybody making it to state
and making it past the first cut. Also,
having fun and enjoying each other,
making it kind of a family team.”
By Jacob Cheeseman
The start of the winter season brings
an entire host of new sports. One such
sport, hockey, is starting the season with
high hopes and expectations.
Sam Riesling (11) was optimistic
about the team’s future prospects. “I feel
pretty confident. Our guys are looking
really good. We have a lot of good
chemistry, a lot of upperclassmen; we
don’t have as good of a skill set as last
year but the chemistry is much better.”
Hockey is a district sport, which
means that it is comprised of both
PR and LP students. When asked if
this causes conflicts within the team,
Riesling stated, “Not at all, I have a lot
of friends from both schools and we get
along just fine.”
Last year, the team lost in the playoffs
to the eventual champions Cherry
Creek. When asked about the team’s
playoff hopes this season, Riesling was
confident in saying, “I think playoffs are
definitely in the picture for us. We are
currently ranked number one in our
division for preseason rankings and I
think we’ll be able to hold that.” Their
first game was a home game against
Regis Jesuit, which resulted in a 5-2 loss.
The team’s next game is against
Steamboat Springs on December 11th.
By Alvin Angeles
BEAR
TRUTH
SPORTS
Track Repeats as
State Champs
2015 Year in
Review
Football wins Playoff Game
Cross Country Finishes as
State Runner-Up
Cheer Wins PPAC State Meet Dec. 11-12
Mens’ Soccer
Makes Playoffs
2016 Predictions:
Photos from top left: 1. Photo by
Yearbook, 2. photo by Evan Ochsner,
3-5. photo by Yearbook, 6. Photo by
Emalie Houk
Liam Cox (12) runs in a cross country meet. Photo by
Ally Herebic.
Year in Review: Were Our
Predictions Correct?
Correct
-Palmer Ridge will make playoffs in football
(11 seed, beats Dakota Ridge)
-Peyton Manning will play in 2015
regardless of the Super Bowl results (he’s
played this year)
-Neither Carlos Gonzalez nor Troy
Tulowitzki will be traded in the offseason
(Gonzalez is still on the team, Tulowitzki
was traded during the season)
Partially
Correct
-Alabama will beat Oregon in the inaugural
CFP Championship Game January 12th
(Alabama and Oregon made the playoff,
and Alabama lost in the Championship)
-Kentucky, Louisville, Texas, and Wisconsin
will make up the Final Four (Kentucky and
Wisconsin made the Final Four)
-Kentucky will beat Wisconsin for the title
(Kentucky beat Duke for the title)
-Cross Country and Track will be named
state champions again (Track won state,
Cross Country finished as runner up)
Incorrect
2
0
1
5
-The Cleveland Cavaliers will be eliminated
in the first round of the NBA Playoffs; LeBron James will be traded back to the Heat.
-The Heat will miss playoffs.
-Trailblazers will beat Raptors in NBA
Finals.
-Air Force football will be ranked at some
point in the 2015 season.
-Cardinals will beat the Orioles in the
World Series.
-Madison Bumgardner will win Cy Young
award in 2015.
-Red Wings will beat Ducks in Stanley Cup.
-Senior Max Althouse will win the state
wrestling title.
-The PR Men’s Team will beat LP in both
basketball games this year.
-PR Field Hockey will win the State Championship
-The Denver Broncos will beat the New
England Patriots in the AFC Championship
and will then defeat the Green Bay Packers
in the Super Bowl.
-2016 College Football Playoff:
Clemson vs Oklahoma: Winner- Clemson
Alabama vs Michigan State: Winner- Michigan St
Champion: Michigan State
-2016 March Madness will have a Final Four of
Maryland vs. North Carolina and Michigan State vs.
Duke.
-Carolina will be the second 16-0 team in NFL history
-Golden State and Carolina will both lose in the week
of January 17th
-Cardinals and Broncos play in SB50 in Santa Clara.
-Tom Brady wins 3rd NFL MVP Award (unfortunately)
-In the divisional round, Brady tears both ACLs, MCLs,
PCLs, and LCLs, and is consequently divorced by
Gisele and therefore retires to pursue his modeling
career with Uggs.
-Bulls play Warriors in the NBA Finals, and the
Warriors repeat as champs
-Stephen Curry wins NBA MVP Award
-The even year theory holds up as Giants win 4th
World Series title in 7 years against the Astros.
-Matt Harvey wins NL Cy Young. Chris Sale wins AL Cy
Young. AL MVP is awarded to Mike Trout, NL MVP is
given to Andrew McCutchen.
-Kings beat Canadians in NHL Finals.
-The Rockies will trade Corey Dickerson to the White
Sox for a Pitcher
- Peyton Manning will retire if he does not start the
rest of they year
- Michael Phelps will win the 100 fly, 200 fly, and the
200 IM in a stunning comeback at the Rio Olympics
- PR Mens’ track will three-peat as Champs
- PR Girls Basketball will return to the playoffs
- PR XC will be State Champions
The Bear Truth • December 2015
09
BEAR
TRUTH
WINTER HACKS
A
ll students in Colorado
have experienced the
anticipation of waiting
for a snow day from
the superintendent.
This semester, our students have been
very fortuitous with the weather as we
have already received three days off.
Most people, when reminiscing about
their school-free day, think of drinking
hot chocolate/cocoa, sleeping in while
watching the enchanting snow fall
gracefully outside, catching up on their
favorite shows, and snow-based activities
that include sledding, snowshoeing,
snowman building, and much more. The
Bear Truth Staff interviewed a variety of
students to get the inside scoop on what
popular activities students participate in
on their snow days.
Faith McAllister (11) stated that
baking, playing in the snow, homework,
and Netflix is a good way to spend her day
off. Also, she believes these activities are
“relaxing” and a nice way to take a break
from the daily stress of school. “You don’t
have to think except for school work,” she
commented. Revealing that she usually
participates in snow activities with her
brother in the sunshine, she loves to do
these things in her backyard. However,
she regrets not getting enough sleep in the
cycle of excitement, as well as the urge to
avoid academic obligations.
Emily Phaneuf (10) recommends
making hot chocolate and macaroni and
cheese during a snow day. As any other
modern teenager would enjoy, she also
likes to spend her off-hours watching
Netflix and movies. “Sometimes I go
outside if I want to, but if I do, I’m not
out that long,” revealed Phaneuf. Similar
to McAllister, Phaneuf believes people
should relax on snow days, and “enjoy
the things you never get to enjoy.”
Incorporating some humor into the
interview, she disclosed that she completes
these things with “Me, myself, and I.”
Thanks to the promising opportunities
Claire Graziano (11) frolics in the winter weather by blowing snow for the camera. Photo by Alexis Olmstead.
The Perfect Snow Day
Macaroni and cheese, Instagram, and only a little productivity
for leisure, however, one may find it
easy to procrastinate on soon-to-be-due
assignments.
Nothing strengthens the urge to resist
obligations, especially school assignments,
quite like a snow day. However, if you
put off these responsibilities for later
in the day, you won’t be able to enjoy
your relaxation. The first step to getting
those school assignments off your back
is to remove all distractions. Okay, so
maybe your sibling is not willing to turn
off the television or your dog just won’t
stop barking. Move to a distraction-free
environment, such as your bedroom.
Make sure you silence your phone while
you work so that the notification sound
does not distract you. Plus, it will come
off as more of a surprise when you find
that your Instagram post received 45
“likes” while you were busy. In addition,
one reason why some students fail their
tests or classes is because they spend too
many hours trying to endlessly cram
information into their head. Your brain
can only take so much at a time; you will
need breaks every now and then. Work
without stopping for 30-40 minutes, and
then reward yourself with a 20-minute
break. Then you simply repeat the process!
However you spend your snow day,
don’t waste it! That legendary doublesnow day that we got three weeks ago
was a once-in-a-while experience. Use
your days-off to the full extent, but also
remember your responsibilities! Once that
essay due tomorrow is finished, you’re all
set for a snow day!
By Alexis Olmstead and Trenton
Wesolick
DIY’s for gifts or “spare time” How to stay safe on the road
plates by shaking back and forth to get
a level layer. Using the Mod Podge and
in wintry conditions
your paintbrush, coat the bottom rim of
For those who love to craft during
the winter holidays, there is a copious
amount of DIY projects available to satisfy
their handicraft sense. From the internet
to décor networks on television to your
own experimental crafts, there is always a
seasonal project to try.
One of the most simple, popular crafts
during the winter season is a glittering
Epsom Salt Luminary to light up your
house during the night. Materials needed
include Epsom Salt, blue and green food
coloring, small jars, three paper plates,
a paintbrush, Mod Podge, and a clear
gloss sealant (optional). To create these
enchanting decorations, put one cup of
Epsom Salt into three different bowls.
In one bowl, add one drop green food
coloring and mix thoroughly so it is
evenly distributed. In a second bowl, add
one drop blue food coloring and mix
thoroughly, evenly distributing the color.
Leave the Epsom Salt in the third bowl
plain. Distribute the white, green, and
blue Epsom Salts evenly on different paper
10 December 2015
your jar first, then the body, and finally
the top rim of the jar. Be sure to use a
generous amount, but not so much that
it’s dripping off the jar. Slowly roll the
bottom rim of the jar in the Epsom Salts,
then the body, and finally the top rim,
making sure the whole jar is coated.
Stand the jar up, coat the top lip in
Mod Podge if desired, and sprinkle the
Epsom Salt on top of it. Let each jar dry
for twenty minutes. For extra support,
spray a layer of sealant on the jars after
brushing off the extra salt. Repeat for
three layers.
Another simple activity to do during
winter incorporates only balloons and
food coloring (as many different colors
as you would like). To create colored
ice balls, simply put two drops of food
coloring in a balloon and fill it with
water (use boiling water if you want
clearer ice). Depending on the weather
conditions here in Colorado, you may
be able to freeze the balloon outside and
it may take only a few hours or a whole
night to freeze. However, if necessary,
you could also use your freezer to
speed up the process. When frozen,
pop the rubber and peel it off the ice.
Voila! Now you have colorful, wintry
embellishments to place in your front
yard.
By Alexis Olmstead
• The Bear Truth
It seems like
every time snow
falls, student drivers panic. Most students
slowly inch down hills, brake too late, and
ultimately hold up traffic. It is important as a
driver to always be prepared for any weather
that may come your way, especially when
it changes every five minutes. Part of being
safe is being prepared, but many young
drivers don’t realize what tools they might
need for snowy or icy weather.
Before a blizzard comes to town, check
to make sure your car is prepared for it. If
you don’t have time for a check-up from
a mechanic, you can do one yourself. It’s
important that your car is ready for any
situation it’s in. Whether it’s icy roads, or
thick snow, you might consider checking
if you need snow tires or that you have
All-Wheel Drive or 4-Wheel Drive.
Chains for your tires also help with
traction in slippery situations,
especially in the mountains.
Most students don’t realize
how difficult driving in the
snow can actually be until
they hit the road. When
dealing with harsh weather,
Natalie Bame (10) says it’s
important “to stay slow, and
be safe and aware.” Testing
out driving in the snow in an
empty lot or neighborhood before
the first time you drive on the roads
can be a good idea as well, that way
you can test the difference in braking
and turning without posing a potential
threat to other drivers. It’s also a good
idea to keep things that help you get out
of any situation while facing snow or ice.
You can pick up an ice scraper for your
windshield fairly cheaply at most stores
and a small shovel should your tires get
caught. Bringing warm clothing with
you in your car is always a good idea.
Hats, warm gloves, and heavy coats can
come in handy if your car was to break
down or you get in an accident.
By Ally Hansen and Emily Plott
One drink of chocolate goodness is the real creamy deal. The other is a pack of powdered sugar. Can
you guess which is which? Photo by Jenna Bethany.
Hot Chocolate vs. Hot Cocoa
Hint: they’re not the same
How-to’s to keep
your winter
festive and
enjoyable
By Alexis Olmstead, Emily Plott, Ally Hansen, and Trenton Wesolick
Often in our culture, the terms hot chocolate and hot cocoa are used interchangeably.
However, there is a difference between these warm, winter delicacies. Although both
drinks may be garnished with whipped cream, marshmallows, powdered cinnamon,
chocolate shavings, peppermint, or anything else that satisfies your taste buds, the
composition of the two beverages is dissimilar.
Hot chocolate, originating from the
Aztecs in the 13th century, is a very rich
drink that integrates cream, milk, pure
milk/dark chocolate, and sugar. The
creamy texture is contrived from the hot
milk and cream melting the chocolate,
which may also make your drink have a
thick consistency. A popular recipe for one
serving of hot chocolate is as follows:
• 4 tablespoons cream
• 6 ounces milk
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 1 ounce milk or dark chocolate
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
-Heat the milk, cream, and
sugar to a simmer in a saucepan.
Add the chocolate, and heat
until melted. Stir for a few
seconds while adding the vanilla
extract, making sure it is well
incorporated into the mixture.
Spoon the hot chocolate into a
mug, and garnish with toppings if
desired.
While hot chocolate is made with real
chocolate, hot cocoa is the classic powder,
water, sugar, and milk conglomeration that
all kids love nowadays. Although hot cocoa
lacks the creaminess that hot chocolate
contains, it does have a more concentrated
chocolate taste due to the small amount
of natural cocoa butter that is in cocoa
(opposed to the high amount that is in
natural chocolate). A common recipe for
hot cocoa in America is:
• 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream, room
temperature
• 6 ounces boiling water
-Put the cocoa powder and the
sugar in a mug, mixing well. Add
the cream and stir until a smooth
consistency is reached. Blend the
hot water into the mixture and
thoroughly stir into a smooth
mixture. Garnish with toppings if
desired.
By Alexis Olmstead
Stay fashionable and
cozy for the holidays
You don’t have to trade style for
warmth
In the winter, most people feel like they have
two choices: stay warm or look good. But why not
be both? This season, there are tons of shortcuts
to get your favorite outfit ready for any weather
without sacrificing your good looks.
Adding layers to your outfits can be both cute
and cozy. When temperatures are below freezing, a
t-shirt just may not be enough to protect you from the
bitter cold. “Definitely bring a jacket to school because
the air conditioner malfunctions a lot,” laughs Celeste
Doiron(11), “and wear boots if it snows outside so you
don’t slip and fall.” Another alternative to a big, puffy
coat can be a vest, which works despite if you’re a guy
or a girl. Vests match almost anything, whether you
match it with jeans or a dress. Doiron says that when
she wants to wear a dress in the winter, “I wear tights as
well to keep my legs warm.” Scarves are also another fun
way to keep toasty. They can dress up any outfit by just
by adding a splash of color.
By Ally Hansen and Emily Plott
Kristen Ruggiero (11) shows off
her winter sweater and boots.
Photo by Ally Hansen.
The Bear Truth
• December 2015
11
BEAR
TRUTH
MINI-FEATURES
Media Magic
Newspaper and yearbook attend national
journalism convention and experience
Orlando from a new angle
H
ere’s your tour guide
on working for Sports
Illustrated, becoming
a game show host, and
taking a trip to Disney or
Universal in your spare time; also known
as Media Magic.
“With the newspaper and yearbook,
we’ve gone to J-Day, which is the Colorado
state journalism convention, we’ve done
that every year since we opened, I’ve
been feeling like it’s time to branch out
and attend national conventions,” says
newspaper and yearbook advisor, Mr.
Patrick. This year, Mr. Patrick took three
newspaper staff and one yearbook student
to the JEA Orlando National High School
Journalism Convention, where they
spent three days soaking up the latest the
journalism world, and Orlando’s theme
parks, had to offer.
“I was really interested in going to the
JEA convention again because I really
enjoyed going to the national convention
in Denver last year,” says Trending editor,
Anna Schnelbach (11). “ Because I’m the
editor-in-chief of INK Magazine this year,
I wanted to get some design tips… then
when I saw it was in Florida, of course I
thought ‘Disney World!’”
The convention also presented on
the more serious topic of student press
laws and student rights, which, while
taken for granted in a classroom, they are
incredibly relevant in the student media
world. “What really surprised me was
the different legal situations schools were
in and how absolutely ridiculous they
were on the part of the principle and the
school board,” says Tess Kelly (11) on a
standout session regarding student’s rights.
“He [the instructor] gave examples of
different school infractions and how they
have completely taken away the rights
of students and student press laws, then
students write stories about it… it just
blew me out of the water.”
Even the lone member of yearbook
Claire Graziano (11), conceded that
newspaper wasn’t all THAT bad. “It
changed my view of newspaper. I think
you guys are all pretty decent now… We
have our little rivalry going on, but I liked
working with the newspaper kids and I
think I learned to love journalism in all its
forms.”
Friday night,
Anna, Tess, and
Claire raced off to
Universal’s Islands
of Adventure,
but they got a little
12 December 2015•
more adventure than they had bargained
for. The three of them got completely
soaked on Popeye’s Rat Barge, which
completely fried Tess’s phone. However,
that didn’t prevent them from having a
blast.
“My all-time favorite was at Universal,
the Hogwarts ride… was it NOT
amazing?” exclaimed Tess. “I loved it so
much! We went on it three times and I’m
a huge Harry Potter fanatic. That was
really really cool to see the inside of the
castle.”
While his students were having fun at
Universal, Mr. Patrick had to sit for the
CJE-exam, which stands for Certified
Journalism Educator. “It was a pretty
grueling test, it took about three hours and
it covered all areas of teaching journalism,
including broadcast journalism, which I
have no experience with,” says Mr. Patrick.
However tough at the time, it was worth
it because “It helped me become better
educated… it’s also just a way of being
recognized professionally for my expertise
“What really surprised me
was the different legal
situations schools were
experiencing and how
absolutely ridiculous they
were... it just blew me out
of the water.”
- Tess Kelly (11)
in publications.”
The fun resumed for everyone Saturday
afternoon at Disney’s Magic
Kingdom. Anna got to
experience Disney World
for the first time, sharing
that “It was a
really awesome
experience. I totally
understand
why they call it
Disney World, it
was like being
in a different
place… it’s
The Bear Truth
Claire (11) and Tess (11) pose with the iconic mouse ears with a newspaper twist.
Jenna Bethany (12), Claire Graziano (11), Tess
Kelly (11), and Anna Schnelbach (11) pose in
front of the dolphin fountain at the Disney Dolphin hotel, where the JEA Conference was held.
like you don’t feel like you’re in reality.”
Even for Tess and Claire, who are both
Disney World veterans, their Disney
experience was from a new angle, because
they practically saw everything through
a camera lens. “It was just like photo-op.
Everywhere,” says Tess. “Everything was
a photo-op, everything was about getting
different angles to get cool pictures,
especially the castle with all the lights
everywhere and the fireworks. Constant
clicking of the camera.”
At the end, everyone agreed they would
love to attend the next convention, but
maybe with a few changes.
“Tess brought baby oranges and they
were SO good. I brought Sour Patch Kids,
and Anna brought chocolate-covered
pretzels, we all combined our food and it
was great!... [but] I would hope that more
people would go. We kinda got shut down
by LP because they brought 18 yearbook
kids and there was one of me. We need
to compete with LP,” said Claire. Tess
added that she “would definitely bring
more food, because the food there is so
ridiculously expensive, so that every
meal we were eating Cuties and
Cheezits… also chocolate and Oreos.
I would bring more food and
definitely go with the same
people.”
By Jenna Bethany
After riding Popeye’s Rat Barge, all the girls
were soaked! Thankfully, only Tess’s phone was
fried. All photos by Tess Kelly.
If I could report on a
theme park story...
Tess: I’m gonna go with Harry
Potter, the part in the second
book with the Basilisk, that story with
the Chamber of Secrets and Ginny
getting captured.”
Claire: “Probably It’s a Small
World because it captures all the
different cultures and has an artistic
element to it… it never gets old. It’s
the one ride you always have to go
on. It’s classic…. I made Tess go, she
wasn’t crazy about it.”
Anna: “Probably the
Haunted
House... a history about
it being built, and you could
do a story on ‘Is it haunted?
Is it not haunted?” When
I was in it, it felt like it was
haunted.”
Mr. Patrick: “The story
of Walt Disney
himself. That’s
really what I find
interesting is his vision
and his drive.
Just creating
something
that was very
forwardthinking and
ground
breaking at
the time.
A skyline view of the Hogwarts Castle at Universal’s Islands of Advneture.
BEAR
TRUTH
TRENDING
Starter
Packs:
PR Bears
Edition
Most likely, you already know
what “starter packs” are. If you
didn’t know, our interpretation
of a starter pack is a collection
of items that describe a
humorous - but in our case, not
inappropriate - stereotype.
The trends around our school
couldn’t be more noticeable, and
in case you wanted to hop on the
bandwagon, here are a few packs
to get you started on becoming
exactly who you want to be. If
you have already accomplished
your mainstream goals, then
go ahead and give yourself
a pat on the back. From
your role models to your
older siblings, now there is
no reason why you can’t be
like everyone else. You’re a
stereotype, and you know it.
(Go you!)
By Tess Kelly and Faylyn
Bruecken
Finals Week - Girls
Messy buns
Coffee
Sweatpants
Slippers
Model Credits:
1. Kevin Eells (10)
2. Bella Converse (10)
3. Ben Worley (12)
4. Grace Szucs (9)
5. Joseph Dyer (9)
6. Muriel Evans (10)
6.
4.
2.
All photos
taken by
Faylyn
Bruecken
Guys of PR
Khakis
Vans/Sperrys
Flannel
Nike Elites
1.
Photo of Curtis
Louthan (10)
5.
3.
2.
Colorado
Weather
Sweatshirt
Shorts
Scarf
Water bottle
Photo of Taylor
Swierc (11)
The Bear Truth • December 2015
13
BEAR
TRUTH
TRENDING
A Festive
Music
Critique
Reviewing
Pentatonix’s
Christmas
album Deluxe Edition
If you have heard of Pentatonix, you’ve
probably heard of great music and an
awesome Christmas album. This album,
“That’s Christmas to Me”, was originally
released in on October 21, 2014, but
Pentatonix has recently added five new
Christmas songs, making it a “Deluxe
Edition”. Not only am I going to be
reviewing those new songs, but I’m going
to review the album as a whole.
In all honesty, I’m obsessed with a
countless number of things from Harry
Potter to herbal tea, but Pentatonix has
not-so-recently found a special place
in my heart. They are so amazing. I’m
talking better than Beyoncé’s Super Bowl
performance.
Being an acapella group, Pentatonix
puts a new twist on the classic Christmas
songs that you’ve been hearing your
entire life. With mash-ups and an
original song, the album is a fresh take
on a traditional Christmas, and it’s
guaranteed to have you singing along by
the third track.
The newest additions onto their album
include “Joy to the World,” “Just For
Now”, “The First Noel”, “Have Yourself a
Merry Little Christmas”, and “Mary, Did
You Know?”. When I listen to any one of
these songs, I get chills. Chills. Pleasant
chills, of course.
With sixteen tracks to choose from, it’s
virtually impossible for me to choose my
favorite. I am, however, able to choose
five. They’re “White Winter Hymnal”,
“Joy to the World”, “Silent Night”, “Have
Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” and
their original song, “That’s Christmas to
Me.”
All in all, Pentatonix is awesome.
They aren’t just the casual ‘awesome’ that
we teenagers use on a daily basis, but
they’re ‘awesome’ – as in ‘awe-inspiring’.
Their Christmas album is even more so,
and it’s just the thing to really get you
into the holiday spirit. I’m listening to it
constantly and humming the tracks when
I’m not singing along.
By Tess Kelly
14 December 2015
hush, hush
December Book Review
Since the Holiday season is
approaching, I chose to read a book
about angels: mostly fallen angels, that is.
“Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick is not
be any means a new book, but it is a good
hardcore paranormal romance - one of my
very favorite genres of books. The book
is based on a teenage girl named Nora
who is anything but reckless. Her sensible,
intelligent, and tough personality makes
her favorable by readers all around. Nora’s
best friend, Vee, is a very lovable, hilarious
character who is on a mission to find a boy
whom Nora would like.
Of course, eventually, a boy shows up
and that boy is Patch. Patch is everything
Nora wants but doesn’t need. He is a
reckless and daunting character. Although
he seems to be saving her from many
near death experiences, she can’t escape
the weird feelings she has around him.
Nora begins to notice Patch at almost
every place she’s at, which increases her
suspicious outlook of who this new guy
really is. If you too would like to know,
read the book to find out.
One of the things I loved most
about this book was the constant action
throughout the whole novel. I can’t think
of a single time the storyline was boring.
The action ranges from fights to near
death experiences to battles between
frightening enemies and strange creatures.
Another thing I found especially enjoyable
about this book was the vivid language
and imagery created. In my opinion, one
of the very best things about reading is
the possibility of being transported to a
new strange world,
even if it seems
just like the world
which we all live in
now. Deception is a
huge concept in this
novel, with incredibly
unnerving suspense,
but also a comedic
presence so sarcastic
and funny that you
can’t help but read
the sentences over
and over again. If I
were to choose some
of my least favorite
things about this
novel I would be
able to name some,
however. I didn’t
like how the author
created so much
romantic conflict.
It got annoying
very quickly. There can only be so many
relationship fights in one book, you
know? The book itself is pretty cliche and
predictable, which wasn’t horrible, but it
just would have been nice to be able to be
surprised by some more twists and turns.
As I mentioned earlier, this book is not
new, which is a good thing if you enjoy
this book. When a good book is not new,
most avid readers go out and look for
sequels and I am pleased to inform all
my fellow bookworms that this is a cycle
with all the books now out and free in the
world for you to read and enjoy. Overall,
this book is not one of my favorites but
I consider it to be a good distraction
or vacation read, which is actually
perfect considering that Winter Break is
approaching. I recommend this book to
anyone who loves paranormal romance,
action, sassy humor, or fantasy novels.
Warning- this book may have some
material that may make some students
uncomfortable. Keep in mind it is a young
adult novel.
By Anna Schnelbach
Movie Review: Suffragette
The Movie TheaterKimball’s Peak
Three Theater
When I pulled up outside Kimball’s
Peak Three Theater, I was immediately
greeted by a polite, smiling doorman as I
entered the building. I was immediately
aware that this movie theater and its
atmosphere were historical, just like the
movie I was about to see. Two movie
theaters were split by a ramp that led
into each with tattered, old-school movie
chairs lined in rows on the rough ground,
with Doris Day and Godzilla movie
posters decorating the wall.
Suffragette Review
Before I saw Suffragette, I had only
a small understanding of the turmoil
women experienced to be able to vote.
I was interested by the movie but, to be
honest, I had written off the experience
with the preconceptions it would be a dry,
poor historical movie. Sitting down in
the artifact-like chair, the lights and my
misconceptions of the movie started to
vanish. Within the first 10 minutes of the
movie, I was hooked. I was completely
unprepared for amazing visual effects,
acting, and experience I was beginning to
enjoy.
It is one of the only movies I have
ever seen that completely took me into a
new world. As the main character, Maud
Watts, was working 12 hours a day in
a hot, steamy factory, it felt like I was
there next to her observing the sweat and
pain on her face. The way the movie was
made completely sucked the audience in.
When Watts was thrown
• The Bear Truth
violently into jail for protesting for her
rights, you felt as angry and confused as
she did. It was obvious that this movie
would be about the tough struggle against
the ugly patriarchal society of the early
1900’s, but to sum the whole movie up in
a sentence would be a crime. Every single
actor was so carefully chosen, the scenes
were perfectly violent, and the emotion
was vivid. The dark, heartfelt undertone of
the movie proved to be appropriate.
The movie received a C+ rating in
general, which surprised me. I was
expecting to see a higher rating. I
personally would give the movie a B+ at
the very least. The only part of the movie
that was slow was the very beginning,
which was centered on the camera
showcasing the setting for 10 minutes. The
movie ended in a bittersweet scene that
perfectly wrapped up the movie, which I
loved. I thought the movie was extremely
well-made considering it was reflecting a
period close to a hundred years ago. The
work that went into creating a set that was
really impeccably realistic was amazing
with the county jail, homes, and secret
meeting spots of the suffragettes.
I would advise anyone who loves
historical or drama movies or people
who are interested in an aesthetic movie
experience to go to Kimball’s Peak Three
Theater to see Suffragette.
By Anna Schnelbach
(Above) An inside look into Kimball’s
Theater. Photo by Anna Schnelbach
BEAR
TRUTH
TRENDING
It’s below freezing, the roads are coated
in ice and snow, and I haven’t worn shorts
for a month. Welcome to November
in Colorado. However, the ski resorts
have all opened; and that makes it all
worth it. Whether you’ve been hitting
the slopes since birth, or are only just
learning to go up the Magic Carpet, skiing
and snowboarding are a major part of
Colorado, from November to sometimes
June. The ski resorts have had their doors
open since early November, and I’ve had
my weekends booked for the mountains
until April.
Colorado is home to 21 well known ski
resorts, and everyone has their favorite.
Vail, perhaps the most well-known ski
resort in Colorado, has 31 lifts across the
mountain, with 195 runs, making it one
of the largest resorts in Colorado. Beaver
Creek, a ski resort located only a little ways
from Vail, is infamous for its “Ivy League”
ski school, and offers a variety of lessons,
private or group, for all skill levels.
Breckenridge is another ski resort that
is ideal for anyone visiting Colorado. The
town of Breckenridge is fun to explore,
with a variety of shops and restaurants,
all minutes away from the slopes.
Breckenridge is also hosting The Dew
Tour this December, which is a ski and
snowboard competition including athlete
meet and greets, games, and live concerts.
Keystone is another resort that is
also home to a scenic mountain town
only a few minutes from the slopes. It’s
also known for offering inner-tubing
down the mountain, which makes it
ideal if you aren’t interested in skiing
Hitting The Slopes
Popular Ski/Snow resorts in Colorado
Photo by Olivia Gilmer
or snowboarding. Loveland is a smaller
resort compared to the others, but is also
known to be one of the most beautiful
skiing spots in the Rockies. It, along with
its neighbor Arapahoe Basin, often opens
in early November, which is much earlier
than most of the other resorts.
Getting to Crested Butte is a much
longer drive than to the other resorts;
however, it’s absolutely worth it. Crested
Butte has an amazing town, with
restaurants and shops directly at the base
of the mountain. During the summer,
Crested Butte offers mountain biking on
Over Easy: Restaurant Review
the ski slopes, allowing them to remain
open year round. Crested Butte is home to
a lot of tourism, but is also a great spot for
Colorado natives. You may have already
bought your ski pass for the season, like
me, but even then it wouldn’t hurt to
visit a different resort for a day, and ski
something new.
(Above) The restaurant’s bar offers a variety of cocktails for morning and afternoon diners. Photo by
Olivia Gilmer.
(Top Right) Described as being ‘infused with cream cheese’...the French toast was amazing.” Photo
by Olivia Gilmer.
(Right) The Classic Eggs Benedict is a must have at Over Easy, and is accompanied by a side of
hash-browns. Photo by Olivia Gilmer.
Monument has many great local
restaurants, but it can also be nice to
expand your horizons further south to
Colorado Springs. Personally, I’m not a
huge fan of the Springs, but they have
some decent restaurants. Over Easy
serves breakfast and lunch from 7-2, and
can be found off Tejon St. or Nevada
Ave. I decided to go to breakfast with
a friend over Thanksgiving break, and
Over Easy was an easy choice. I hadn’t
been before, but had heard that it was a
must. It’s important to arrive fairly early,
as the restaurant has a tendency to fill up
quickly, and the wait can be a few hours on
a busy day. The interior of the restaurant
has a pretty relaxing atmosphere, with
cucumber offered to those waiting for a
seat.
The bar is sanctioned off to one side
of the room, while the dining area is
surrounded by windows, making the
whole restaurant one big open room.
We were seated at one of the few empty
tables, and given menus to look over.
From French toast to huevos rancheros,
Over Easy’s menu contains a variety of
delicious-sounding food. They also offer
a natural juice selection, along with a
“Barista Favorites” coffee menu, with
options such as a Black Forest Menu or
a Chai Latte. My friend decided to go
toast.
with “The Cure”, a juice blend consisting
Described as being “infused with cream
of pineapple, vanilla, orange juice, and
cheese” and topped with seasonal fruit,
coconut water. I chose the Carmel Mocha,
caramel drizzle, maple syrup, and whipped
which is exactly what it sounds like. The
cream, the French toast was amazing. It
menu contained a lot of options, but we
was so good that I had already taken a
eventually settled on splitting the classic
few bites before remembering that I was
Eggs Benedict and the Stuffed French
doing a restaurant review and needed to
Toast. Our waitress was attentive and
photograph the food. As an avid breakfast
friendly the whole time, making sure that
lover, I would absolutely recommend
we always had refills on coffee and water.
Over Easy to anyone; even if you aren’t
Our food arrived surprisingly quickly,
a breakfast lover, you should try Over
considering how busy the restaurant
was. The Eggs Benedict was savory and
Easy because there’s a good chance they’ll
delicious, and came with a side of hash
change your mind.
By Olivia Gilmer
browns. They were great, but the real
winner was the stuffed French
The Bear Truth • December 2015
15
BEAR
TRUTH
STUDENT LIFE
Student of the Month: Sam Anderson
Music, Running, and Art, Oh my!
A
rt is a huge influence on
many students in Palmer
Ridge, and Sam Anderson
(10) is no exception.
“I started drawing because my older
brother Troy used to draw a bunch of
weird things and I kinda wanted to
follow him in his footsteps. I just kinda
started drawing when I was really little.”
As well as art, Sam is also active in the
running program. “I did Land Sharks
for a little bit but when I actually started
was in seventh grade. It wasn’t as good
as the running program here though.
You get to know the team more and you
get a lot better at running.” When asked
what his favorite part of running is, he
replied with, “As of now, probably the
team because we run in groups and stuff
and we just kinda go wherever we think
is necessary and it’s just kinda fun to run
with your friends and just have a good
time.” Music has also been a big part
in Sam’s life. “I started clarinet in sixth
grade and just stuck with it, and once
I started clarinet I just wanted to play
more instruments. I learned saxaphone,
the guitar, the base,( I learned those two
for jazz band) and I’m trying to learn
violin but the one we have is broken and
we need to get it fixed.”
By Muriel Evans
10 Fun Facts about Sam Anderson
1. Favorite color: Green
2.Favorite food: Any type
of pasta
Sam Anderson trains during track practice. Photo by Muriel Evans.
16 December 2015 •
The Bear Truth
6. Favorite animal:
Narwhal
7. Favorite Season: Winter
3. Favorite Ice Cream:
sherbert
8. Favorite Song: Lost at
Sea by Zed
4. Favorite Movie: 1941
9. Favorite Car: Ferrari
5.Favorite Book:
Unbroken
10. Favorite Sport: Hockey
or running
BEAR
TRUTH
STUDENT LIFE
Best and
Worst
Christmas
Gifts
The Do’s and
Don’ts of Christmas
Shopping
It’s that time of year again, full
of shopping, last minute Christmas
purchases, gift wrapping, and a visit
from Santa Claus. Buying the right
Christmas gift can be a difficult task,
but fear not, it’s the thought that
counts. If the person receiving the gift
really loves you, then you shouldn’t
feel obliged to get them a gift or feel
bad when you realize you forgot to
get them a present. Shopping is not
something that everybody is good at; it
comes easier to some people. The worst
feeling is when you’re trying to buy a
present for someone that deserves a
whole lot more than you can provide
for them. Sometimes buying presents
can be confusing, like when buying gift
cards, you have to decide which store
the person would enjoy shopping at the
most, or if you will come off as being
too lazy by buying a gift card. There is
a fine line between a “good” present
and a “completely awful” present. For
example, a “good” present would be a
Laptop or a Puppy, whereas a “terrible”
present would involve opening up
a lovely wrapped package with a
gingerbread house kit inside or finding
coal in your stocking. Talking to some
of the students around the school,
it was interesting to find out what
people classified as their best and worst
Christmas present they have received.
Some of the most common gifts that
students classified as the “best” gift that
they ever received were some form of
technology, like a video game console
or a phone. On the other hand, some
of the worst gifts received were usually
clothes. Specific cases of this came from
interviewing seniors around the school.
Tanner Bobak (12) says, “One time I
got a Jean jacket with tassels from my
grandma. No I haven’t worn it.” On the
other hand, his favorite Christmas gift
was “Computer parts, like a GTX 660ti.”
Sergio Chavez (12), when asked about
the best gift, responded with, “Usually
its money,” which conflicts with Chris
Johlfs (12) worst gift of “$3.12 from
my Grandma.” Brian Cross (12) says,
“The best gift I got was a wii because it
gave us something to do. The worst are
usually presents from a relative who
always thinks that I’m still ten years
old.” Luke Walsh (12) says, “My best
Christmas present was a basketball
hoop because it was nicer than my old
one. My worst one was toe socks that
I did not need.” Be sure when you go
out shopping this Christmas, think
to yourself, “Will the person who I’m
getting this gift for enjoy it or probably
not enjoy it so much?” Be careful
getting gifts this year, or else you may
receive an unpleasant gift back.
By Grayson Jestice and James Patrick
Students aren’t the
only people stressed
for finals
The teachers feel all the same pressure... and more
Even the
mention of the word
“finals” sends chills
down any student’s
spine. One could
argue that it is the
equivalent of the
saying “beetlejuice”
to Michael Keeton.
As finals season
approaches, many
at PRHS start to feel
lots of pressure. With
a little preparation,
sleep and protein,
however, finals can
be bearable.
According
to Ms. Rothwell, a
geometry teacher
at PR, students can
prepare for the week
by reviewing notes,
studying a little each
night and keeping up
with their homework.
Mr. Obermeyer grades a gigantic stack of tests. He has notoriously relied on
It is important to remember that teachers
caffeine in the form of Diet Pepsi to get through stressful school weeks like finals.
are not immune to stress. “There is
Photo by Anna Schnelbach.
pressure that teachers feel because we
want our students to do the best they can,”
said Ms. Rothwell. Many teachers find
themselves staying up late developing
strategies to give their students. As I
walked into the Spanish room to interview
Ms. Martinez, it was clear that she was up
very late the previous night. I could tell
because of the look she gave me indicating
she wanted me to leave. She said it is
Freshman
important for students to eat a protein
breakfast before finals.
Cramming, according to the
Blog of The State University of New
Senior
York, causes anxiety, which lowers one’s
ability to recall information. A wellprepared study schedule can help fight the
temptation to cram and improves overall
test performance. Studying should be
done in “20-50 minute increments and
giving yourself 5-10 minutes in between is
more beneficial than cramming.”
It’s important to remember
that finals are not the end of the world,
according to popular belief. Mr.
Obermeyer, a math teacher here at PR,
says that “you’ll get through it.” “Teachers
spend the whole year preparing students
for finals and when the time comes, we
hope you’ll be ready,” said Ms. Martinez.
By Jonathan Padrnos
Freshman vs. Senior Stress Levels
How stressed are you on a scale from 1-5?
1
2
3
4
5
The Starbucks Cup Debate: discussed by Palmer Ridge students
About a month ago, a well-known
coffee company released a brand new
holiday cup that brought up mixed
feelings and reactions from the public.
This company was Starbucks. The new
holiday cup with two different shades
of red without any holiday illustrations
or words talking about the subject of
Christmas became a huge controversy
within the consumer population of the
Starbucks franchise. This controversial
subject became a marketing sensation and
increased the popularity of the company
through social media and television. Many
people believed that Starbucks was trying
to go against the idea of Christmas and the
beliefs of different religious backgrounds.
However, Starbucks was just trying to give
the public something new and exciting,
which ultimately led to the rise of the new
holiday cup.
snowflakes and snowmen to just a plain
After discussing the topic with several
red cup with the Starbucks logo. Dylan
students, the conclusion was that most
Hudson (12) stated “I like the new design
teenagers do not think that Starbucks
of the cup. It’s cool.” Further investigation
was trying to ruin Christmas and destroy
on the matter proved that people in the
something that was once good. This
school do not worry themselves with petty
situation really turned out to be a positive
subjects that are not life changing. Taylor
experience for the coffee company that is
Jackson (11) said excitedly “Makes me
popular with teenagers and adults around
want some Starbucks right now.” Starbucks
the world. Starbucks saw an opportunity
has brand loyalty and their customers
to increase sales and popularity by
continue to get their coffee even after
promoting this new cup and encouraging
this debacle. Jason Lewis (12) fervently
the word of mouth that was spread about
exclaimed “I don’t care!” This seemed to
it. Out of the eight students that were
be the majority’s opinion on this subject.
asked about their opinion on the new
To make a long story short, Starbucks did
Starbucks cup issue, eight of the students
a very good job of taking advantage of
said that “People are making too big of a
the situation and rising above this fragile
deal about it.”
affair.
By Grayson Jestice
This issue started because the
cup design changed from
The Bear Truth • December 2015
17
BEAR
TRUTH
STUDENT LIFE
.Kom is a
“Site” You
Don’t Want to
Miss
Brandon Pappas, Vice President of .Kom, holds the weekly meeting and brainstorms more ideas for
fun monthly events around Monument. Photos by Emalie Houk and Muriel Evans.
Many of you have probably been to, or at least heard about
events like the Y-nights, Fifth Quarter, and the recent movie
night. These events are supported by Kids of Monument or .kom,
a club that was started earlier this year. “What we’re trying to do
is organize events that are free or low cost for high-schoolers, and
our goal is to promote a safe and sober life” says Vice President
Brandon Pappas. “We work in [conjunction] with the Ryan Pappas Memorial Foundation… and we’re trying to have an event every single month starting in January. The next thing we’re looking
to do is ice skating or a coco and canvas art session at the YMCA,
so those are our two biggest upcoming events”. Members of .kom
can be as involved in the club as they want to be. “Some people
step up, we ask them to or they volunteer, to hold a leadership
position and be in charge of something and others are just there
to help”. People who want to help plan these low-cost, safe events
or participate in them are always welcome!
By Emalie Houk
The Results of No Shave November:
We found the biggest staff and student beards on November 30th
The scraggly faces we have seen
throughout November have since been
shaved, but their cause is still prominent.
As we walk through the halls and see
many overgrown beards, most of us are
inclined to ask “What’s with the beard?”,
which is the very premise that “No Shave
November is built on”. This concept was
around for a long time before it was put to
use in the cancer field. The Hill Family lost
their father to colon cancer in 2007, and
started using No Shave November as a way
to raise money for cancer research and
prevention two years later according to
Matthew Hill Foundation Inc. For 30 days
people will give up hair maintenance and
donate the money they would normally
spend on this towards cancer research.
Not only does the money contribute to
cancer efforts, but answering questions
about growing out their hair strongly
promotes cancer education. Even though
we may be thankful everyone has taken
up shaving again, we can all appreciate the
meaning behind those beards.
By Emalie Houk
What do you have to say about your facial hair?
Photos by Muriel Evans and Emalie Houk
“My mustache has been here a lot
longer than November” -Mr. Wall
“I’m not really proud of my beard.
It was born out of laziness more
than anyting” -Mr. Odil
“Facial hair keeps me from getting stopped in the hall as a twelve-yearold. That’s why I grew it out in the first place” -Mr. Belk
“A man without a beard is like a
lion without a mane” -Kyle Ladwig
(12)
“It makes me feel like my sister’s
going to shave my face while I
sleep” -Dimitri Johnson (12)
“I feel like hiking around in the
woods with my beard. I look like a
mountain man” -Mr. Dall
“My hair is long, thick, fluffy, and
luscious. I have to put it up when
I work and I rock my man bun”
-Anthony Brandt (12)
“Fear the beard” -Mr. Christensen
18
“My beard feels scratchy and kind
of itchy” -Cade Huismann (12)
December 2015 • The Bear Truth
BEAR
TRUTH
RIDGE RAMBLINGS
Holiday Horoscopes
Aries (March 21st -April 19th): This is
going to be a typical Christmas. You won’t
be getting kissed under the mistletoe and
your best Christmas present will be socks.
On New Year’s Eve, you can be found in
your room, watching Netflix… alone.
Happy Holidays!
Taurus (April 20th-May 20th): Make
sure you don’t drink too much eggnog
on Christmas because you and I both
know that it goes straight to your thighs.
However, you are fully allowed to eat as
many flavored candy canes as you want,
only 55 calories each.
Gemini (May 21st-June 20th): It’s
easy to get caught up in the excitement
of Christmas. Don’t. According to your
grades, studying for finals should be your
only priority right now. Unless you would
rather be living in your parent’s basement
forever, you desperately need to get into
college. If that’s an appealing lifestyle for
you, then don’t worry about studying,
but if you’re planning on moving out
eventually, hitting the books is in your best
interest.
Cancer (June 21st-July 22nd): You
know what they say, “you are what you
eat”. And this Christmas, you’re going to
turn into a hulk-sized slice of pumpkin pie
if you don’t slow down. Seriously, you’ve
eaten 8 pieces already - chill out.
Leo (July 23rd- August 22nd): When
you wake up on Christmas morning, you’ll
feel an overwhelming feeling of joy. Don’t
worry - that’ll wear off by the time you
find coal in your stocking. Who are you
trying to fool? You’ve been naughty this
year and everyone knows it.
Virgo (August 23rd- September 22nd):
You should try something new this
Christmas Break; something that’s out of
your comfort zone. Maybe try getting out
of bed before 2 in the afternoon or say
something nice to your mom for once. She
would like that.
Libra (September 23rd- October 22nd):
While you’re not in school, you should
try to break a record and see how many
episodes of your favorite TV show you can
watch in a day. It’s not like you didn’t do
that during school too, but now you don’t
have to feel bad about it.
Scorpio (October 23rd- November
21st): Try your best to have a great break
this season. Start with hugging your pets
and telling them they’re worth it. They’ll be
so happy that they’ll have loving memories
of you when they soon die.
Sagittarius (November 22nd- December
21st): Please don’t complain about not
getting the new rose gold iPhone 6 plus for
Christmas. None of your friends will like
you and your parents will rethink their life
decisions about having kids.
Capricorn (December 22nd- January
19th): During finals week we’ll all be
crying, but soon after it will be Christmas
Break… and you will most likely still be
crying due to your current life issues, but at
least you’ll be out of school for two weeks.
Aquarius (January 20th- February
18th): We all know you wrote a Christmas
list for your parents, but you’re probably
just going to get mints from your grandma.
Don’t forget to say thank you to your GamGam.
Pisces (February 19th- March 20th): I
know that you think you’re a pro on the
slopes, but riding the surface lift up to the
bunny slopes does not necessarily mean
you’re ready for the Olympics.
By Ardent Aries
Cartoon: Buddy and Geremy
By Trenton Wesolick
Game:
Crossword
Bro, Do You
Even Lift?
Men! Prepare your craniums for a
mind-boggling and thought-provoking
experience that will change your lives
forever. Since the beginning of time, men
have been portrayed as strong, muscular
creatures whose sole objective in life is
to become “jacked”. Achieving greatness
does not occur when you sit idle and think
about what you could do, but it happens
when hard work and dedication is put into
obtaining your goal by hitting the gym and
benching three times your body weight.
Lifting weights is an important part of
any man’s life - it builds strength, reduces
stress, and improves your relationships
with the ladies. Getting “yoked” for the
ladies is important, but it is also important
to help maintain a healthy lifestyle full of
success and wearing mediums in shirts
to show off bulging muscles. Women
are attracted to fit, “swole” guys who are
natural with their body and not as much
to the guys who engage in heavy steroid
use and look like they are unable to touch
their toes because of their gigantic muscles
getting in the way.
We talked to some “ripped” senior
men who are no strangers to the weight
room and asked them the question of the
century, “Bro, do you even lift?” Isaiah
Sanders (12) answered by saying “Yes.”
Sanders believes that “checking myself
out 14 ½ times a day” is an important
part of maintaining a heavenly physique.
A helpful tip to use when lifting in the
weight room is “Keep your shirt rolled
up, even on leg day.” Sanders uses this
useful tip to have an excuse to show off his
washboard, eight-pack rectus abdominal
muscles. While lifting weights “Two
to three times a week” to enhance his
masculine form, Sanders also boosts his
self-esteem by “Checking out his muscles
twice in the mirror between reps.” Thus,
making all the ladies ponder why he is a
single man on the market.
Just remember that men were created
to be a masculine, muscular, machine of
a creature. True, “buff ” men have no days
off in the weight room and make those
mad gains to thrive as a dominant species
on earth. We will close up this month’s
issue with a quote that will inspire you
to get in the weight room and lift all of
your troubles away. Terry Crews shows
his masculinity and determination when
saying, “Embrace failure. Never never quit.
Get very comfortable with that uneasy
feeling of going against the grain and
trying something new. It will constantly
take you places you never thought you
could go.
This month’s joke is a hoot and a half: I
remember the last thing my grandpa said
to me before he kicked the bucket. He said,
“Hey, how far do you think I can kick this
bucket?”
When picking up women with your
new muscles, tearing out of your shirt,
use this flattering pickup line: Guess what
I’m wearing? The smile you gave me. To
all the ManVice fanatics out there, have a
masculine Christmas break with protein
shakes and gym time.
By: Grayson Jestice and James Patrick
The Bear Truth • December 2015
19
BEAR
TRUTH
BEAR LIFE
Small Town
Christmas
Downtown Monument
comes together to
celebrate the holidays
A little boy smiles as he sees his newly
painted vampire fangs.
Katelyn Allton (9) and Carissa Mayo (9) are helping out with the
little kids paint their ornaments at Clay N Color during Small Town
Christmas. Katelyn’s grandmother, Dusty Severn, helped open up
Clay N Color only the day before! Photo by Jenna Bethany.
Ian Beshear’s (10) family brought their
alpaca’s to Small Town Christmas for
everyone, especially the kids, to enjoy.
“We’ve had alpacas for 12 years...
We started raising them because the
people down the road already were...
We bring them to a lot of different
events... other schools, craft fairs.”
(Above) “Most people don’t know that reindeer aren’t native to Alaska,” says the reindeer handler. “They were originally from Russia, but a Presbyterian minister imported them as livestock for the Eskimos... reindeer are unique because
females have horns as well as males,” but they’re not to be confused with Caribou. Their favorite treats include graham
crackers, gingersnaps, apples, and carrots. All photos by Jenna Bethany.
(Left): Local cellist, Steve Fuhrmann,
performs to a Christmas soundtrack at
the Love Shop.
(Below): A mom takes a picture of
her two boys sitting with Mr. and
Mrs. Claus at La Casa Fiesta. “It’s the
perfect facility to have them [Santa] to
come here... all the other small businesses need the space during today...
here it’s heated!” says the owner
Shawn Morris. “We look forward to
see kids grow up each year.”
“I got an email about it [Small Town Christmas] and it looked great for the kids
if the weather cooperated and it’s not the mall!” says local mom, Michelle Miller,
with her twins that just turned three. “It’s all really about the kids... Don’t get me
wrong there is plenty of shopping for the adults... that Posh Pineapple place is
fabulous!”
20 December 2015•
The Bear Truth
The Lewis-Palmer Middle School choir performs at the North Pole Craft Fair as
parents crowded around to take pictures and listen to their caroling.