Century Star :: Issue 7

century star1000 E. Century Ave. Bismarck, ND

April 2010

From China to North Dakota, sophomore Xiaoping Ni experi-ences Bismarck

37

Sophomore Danny Zeric shares what makes him the person he is today

16

15 Laura Asplund gives insight into her colorful life

The reason why Isaac Sauer is never bored

Lily Holt and Ed Bullinger come together to form a perfect but odd couple

28

29

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century.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 3

The STAR newsmagazine policy

The Star policy is a document that covers everything from our pur-pose to our plan of action if something goes wrong. It’s the staff’s guideline as to how our decisions are made. The Star is a student-generated newsmagazine published through the efforts and deci-sions of its editorial board and staff without any prior review. It is produced, edited and maintained by students. It is an open forum for student expression and the discussion of issues of concern to its audience. The Star and its staff are protected by and bound to the principles of the First Amendment, made possible by the Con-stitution and various laws and court decisions implementing those principles. The Star staff will strive to report all issues in a legal, objective, accurate and ethical manner, according to the Canons of Professional Journalism developed by the Society of Professional Journalists. The Canons of Professional Journalism include a code of ethics the Star staff is encouraged to follow. The Star publishes itself and covers the budget costs entirely through advertising sales, subscriptions and fund-raising projects.

century starstaff

sueskalickyadviser

amandalittrelleditor

macyegelandassistant editor

norahkolbergweb editor

breanneskalickydesign editor

greghilzendegersports editor

sammimossentertainment editor

jordankalknews editor

paulmurphy

sarahmcphillips

alyssameier

allithorson

alexroth

briannabrown

baileycarlson

jocelynnsonnenberg

davidmathern

aleciasmith

kellanstaebell

opinion editor

fiction editor

feature editor

shorts manager

web programmer

copy editors

marketing manager

business manager

reporters

ad designer

events coordinator

sammimoss

sarahardmeyer

jordankalk

impact editor tonyabauer

sarahmcphillips

photo editors

abbykopp

caseykrefting

Century High School1000 E. Century Ave.Bismarck, ND 58501(701) 323-4900 ext. 6627Fax (701) 323-4905

[email protected]{ }

On this here flight to Portland, Oregon, I am thinking. Though my career should be a professional contemplator, I tried not to hurt my brain on this occasion since the concept is quite simple.

To the front of the aisle there is a man. Standing tall in khaki pants and a baby pink button-up, he sways his body back and forth like a kid too antsy to sit. Though he just took my spot in the bathroom line, I can’t help but wonder about this man. Obviously, he is tough enough to wear pink, brave enough to budge in front of an editor-in-chief and just sweet enough to wink at the flight attendant before taking his seat in the back row. Why he was standing in front of the entire plane is beyond me.

To analyze this man’s outside appearance is one thing, and another is the per-sonality traits I’ve drawn from seeing him once in my life. I start to wonder what he does for a living, where he grew up, if he ever was in the Army, if he ever smoked pot or has ever protested outside of a government assembly.

Just like any other observation, the bottom line is that people are curious crea-tures. Not only in the way they think or want to learn, but also in the way they carry out their brain’s deepest thoughts and opinions. This is self-expression.

In the second-to-last issue of the Century STAR, I challenge all of you read-ers to really acquire a taste for the following pages. Without flipping through quickly, learn what these people have to say and stand for, because there was obviously a reason as to why we chose them.

Along with reading the profiles, pay attention to each of the styles. As journal-ists working towards the common goal of informing, it is our sole job to express ourselves in writing, photographing and designing.

With that, I would like you to explore our self-expressionism issue. While you venture out to new lands, personalities and political views; just think. Think about whatever your little heart desires, that is, however, your self-expression.

letterFROM THE editor


Amanda- One sentence is not enough. I express my thoughts, ideas and brain functions through listening, thinking, storytelling, writing, singing, imag-ining, daydreaming, dancing, screaming and giggling. I am, however, tremendous. We all are tremendous.

Take a look at how the Century STAR staff expresses themselves

Staff

Top row: KellanSecond row: Alecia, Paul, Greg, Dave, CaseyThird row: Jocelynn, Breanne, SaraJo, Macy, AlexFourth row: Abby, Jordee, Sue, Tonya, SammiFifth row: Bailey, Alyssa, Brianna, Alli, NorahFront: Amanda

Sara Jo- I express myself by not censuring myself to anything or anyone.

Sammi- I don’t let other people’s opinions change who I am; I do what I love.

Alecia- I express myself by living day by day and just having fun with anything I do. And I like colorful clothes on random days.

Greg- Living my life the way that I want to.

Alyssa- Not holding back. Doing and saying what I feel is right at all costs.

Brianna- Just being myself and saying what I want to.

Alli- I express myself by being myself, I believe that being who you really are is the best way to be happy with yourself.

Abby- I say exactly what I mean to whomever wants to hear it.

Casey- I express myself through my interactions with people and my vast assortment of bandanas.

Paul- Taking nothing seriously.

Jocelynn- I express myself by taking life day by day, being optimistic, and by trying to live out of the box.

Jordee- I do everything with a full heart, I don’t hold regrets.

Norah- I find time to myself no matter how busy I am, and I handle tough situations with a clear head.

Macy- I express myself through my actions and the silly way in which I handle life’s situations.

Kellan- Life is a video game, there’s always someone controlling your actions.

Dave- Living each day to the fullest, and taking advantage of every opportunity I get.

Tonya- It is not important what others think of me as long as I am proud of the person I’m becoming.

Sarah McP- I express myself by color. What color I wear usually refelcts how I feel, note my yellow high top converse.

Alex- I transform blank pages into works of color; it’s very gratifying.

selfexpression

Bailey- I share my life with others, trying to show them God, and sing from the bottom of my heart.

Breanne- I express myself through my keen sense of surroundings which impacts my design abilities.

Sue- I actively pursue abundant life.


Man of experience........................................................8A headstart............................................................................9Write on track....................................................................10News shorts..........................................................................12The American dream.................................................13

Sportin’ it everyday.......................................................14Taking off.................................................................................5Dude, where’s your longbaord?.......................16Sports shorts.........................................................................19Powder pits..........................................................................20Life behind (handle) bars.....................................22No fear of cheer............................................................23

Century High School sophomore Isaac Sauer is featured with his longboard. For more on Isaac, turn to page 16. For more on self-expression, feel free to read the entire issue. photo.abbykopp

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About the cover:

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century star1000 E. Century Ave. Bismarck, ND

April 2010

From China to North Dakota, sophomore Xianping Ni experi-ences Bismarck

37

Sophomore Danny Zeric shares what makes him the person he is today

16

15 Laura Asplund gives insight into her colorful life

The reason why Isaac Sauer is never bored

Lily Holt and Ed Bullinger come together to form a perfect but odd couple

28

29


Loving Landeis........................................................................................26Feature shorts.......................................................................24, 27, 36Opposites attract..................................................................................28The mane idea......................................................................................29Different doubles..................................................................................30A different breed of girl..............................................................32There is so much more..................................................................35From across the world.....................................................................37“At least the hallways are big enough”........................38Fun size.........................................................................................................39

Jazzin’ it up...............................................................................................48A gaming experience....................................................................49Maximum talent.....................................................................................52To his own beat....................................................................................54“My life is an unfinished painting.”...................................55The music man......................................................................................56How to dance.........................................................................................58North of Dakota....................................................................................59The individualized expression................................................60Prom..................................................................................................................61It’s my life....................................................................................................62

Paul.....................................................................................................................41Alyssa..............................................................................................................43Jordan..............................................................................................................44Cara..................................................................................................................45Rants and raves......................................................................................46

{feature:

{opinion:

{entertainment:

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news{

Manprofile&photos.briannabrownOne student s outlook on teens and the government

The importance of politics is not normally on the mind of the average teenager. Even though the government will mainly be

run by the next generation in the years to come, teens still do not seem to have a large interest. Many believe that teens should be more involved and have a stronger voice about the government. Century High School sophomore Dylan Becker feels that every person should be involved in politics in some way or another. No matter what a person’s age is, he feels very strongly in having teens take part in their government. “I think it’s a civil responsibility for some-one to take charge of their own country. I mean, that’s what we’re based on,” Becker said. Because of Becker’s strong belief about government he has started a club at Century called Students For Limited Government. He has had an interest in government ever since his dad first started talking to him about the subject. “I personally have a large interest in politics, and I want to share that interest with others and get them more active in gov-ernment,” Becker said. Becker feels that students need to have a larger interest in politics and hopes that starting the club will help them want to take part in it more. “I think teens are pretty apathetic about that actually,” Becker said. But, this politically driven teen doesn’t spend all his free time stressing over the government. He enjoys writing fictional stories

of his own; he gets most of his ideas from his own personal life experience. He very much enjoys reading; his favorite author is Ayn Rand, who wrote Anthem. He makes video games and stories to help express himself. His own personal individuality is very im-portant to him. Becker feels his life experience has made him who he is today; he likes to consider himself a “man of experience.”

“I like to try everything new...I think experi-ence is what people should live for, not money.” Becker said. Becker hopes to become a psychologist when he grows up; he has a strong interest in knowing

how things work and is very curious about anything and every-thing. He can sometimes be considered a functionalist. He hopes that by becoming a psychologist he can provoke deeper thinking in people. He wants to be able to learn more about other people, but also be able to learn more about himself.v

Dylan Becker stands in front of the capital building. He started for Students for Limited Government at Century High School last fall.

ofexperience

“I live life in the moment.”

Students for Limited Government will be having their next meeting on Friday, April 30th after school. The upcoming subject at the next meeting will be about health care. In the past they have discussed mainly the first ten amendments and watched the movie “V for Vendetta”.

‘


news}

Horizon freshman is getting a jump start on her high school careerprofile&photo.aleciasmith

Walking into Century High School next fall won’t be anything new for Horizon Middle School freshman Ellie

Simonson. As an eighth grader she took enriched Algebra II at Century; this year as a freshman she is currently taking orchestra, enriched pre-calculus and French also at Cen-tury High School. Simonson hopes to continue her advanced education next year as a sophomore by taking calculus BC, chemistry, probability and statistics and summer school biol-ogy, along with the required classes. All the advanced classes Simonson is planning on taking will hopefully lead her to her dream job of working as an aerospace engineer for NASA. Simonson is looking forward to having more freedom and

the loose atmosphere at Century next year, which she has already had a taste of, from spending time at Century. She is also excited to take take an art class at a higher level and being an “orch dork.” The only things that make Simonson nervous about being a sophomore at Century are getting a lot of homework and bad drivers. Simonson participates in tennis, Real World Design Chal-lenge for aviation, Strolling Strings, youth group and takes violin lessons. She also enjoys playing chess, reading, art and especially painting, hanging out with friends, biking, picnics, and generally being outside and having fun. v

“Rejoice always.” I Thes. 5:16It means to me that no matter what the situation is I need to turn to the Lord. I have so much more than many, even though I am no better than anyone. God will provide.

“Submit yourselves, then to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and He will come near to you.” James 4: 7-8If you tell the devil he has to leave you alone, he does, God is way stronger than the devil and can keep you safe.

“Everyone would be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” James 1: 19-20 I need to be slow to anger and love everyone I meet.

Religion plays a big role in Ellie Simonson’s life, here are some of her favorite Bible verses and what they mean personally to her.Quoted

Visit the web:Want to know what goes on in Ellie Simonson’s mind? visit the STAR’s web site at century.highschoolmedia.org

Ellie has been in tennis for two years. She de-cided to join simply becuase it looked like an enjoyable sport and it proved to be true.

A headstart

news{

Tait Ressler’s apartment comes off like a mirror image of the writer. On the eastern end of Mandan his brownstone brick

building creates a writer’s haven: quiet and comfortable, just a young man and his laptop. Tait opens the door to his apart-ment with a soft-spoken smile and motions for me to come in. I’m struck by how clean the living room is- aren’t authors supposed to be messy? Aren’t 20-year-olds supposed to be messy? A box of poker chips lays neatly on the shiny glass coffee table, and a fluffy couch big enough for at least eight people hugs the left corner of the smooth white walls. A small tree stands proudly in the corner next to the entertainment center. The only thing in disarray is the gaming station: cases and disks are strewn around a PS3. Above them, a television displays Brad and Angelina carrying guns and running in black suits. “Watching a movie?” I ask. Tait shrugs and gives his warm grin again. It’s doubtful Tait ever actually watches a movie. He loves to go to them, he tells me, because they often get him thinking up ideas for his books. Though Tait graduated from Century High School just two years ago, he’s a published, working author whose “favorite job in the whole world” is writing. His trilogy, The Legend of Walt the Wizard, was published by Author House in February of this year, but the idea began six years ago when the Harry Potter series inspired Tait to begin writing his own fantasy novels. Once Tait finished the book, he did what most young people seeking help do- searched Google. Tait found and called Author House, who asked him for a sample of his manuscript. “A few days later they called back and said, ‘We like it, we’d like to help you,’” Tait said. “[Waiting] was probably the hardest thing besides getting the book marketed.” Dozens of phone calls and a lot of hoping later, Walt the Wizard hit Barnes and Noble shelves and Amazon.com. The trilogy tells the story of a young man with a family secret that throws him into a circle of magic. The style of the story is remi-niscent of Tait’s favorite author, J.K. Rowling. Tait credits Rowling

for getting him interested in writing at a young age. “I wrote [the books] not necessarily to copy her.. she’s just been a huge inspiration to me,” Tait said. “I like wizards and magic so I thought I would give it a try myself.” Tait recently went on a trip with a Bismarck State College group to where Rowling got much of her inspiration for the Harry Potter series: her hometown of Edinburgh, Scotland. There he went on a ghost tour, saw Queen Elizabeth’s vacation home, Balmoral Castle, and even visited the Elephant Cafe, where Rowling wrote much of the series. The experience was one that inspired Tait in his own writing. “Just knowing that the author that inspired me lives there, and that’s what inspired her to do what she does today- it’s fun,” Tait said.

For Tait in his own work, the writing process begins in a quiet room, usually with music playing. Classical music like Beethoven helps him focus on his writ-ing. “Writing process is different for every person. For me, it’s relatively easy to come up with book ideas. I listen to a

lot of classical music. I watch a lot of fantasy and sci-fi stuff, too,” Tait said. “It’s like every time I listen to a song, I can somehow think of something to help me with my novels.” Besides being a full-time author, I ask Tait what his other interests are. He tells me the regular list: hanging out with friends, going to movies, visiting the mall. He’s a normal guy with the usual activities. When he switches gears and tells me about his new book idea, though, it becomes clear that writing truly is his passion, something that is woven into his life through everything he does. “I try to spend as much time as I can writing and when I’m not, I do whatever I can to try to think of something,” Tait said. Is there anything else he wants people to know? I ask him. “One of the first things people think when they meet me is that I’m a really shy person. Not all writers are like that, but I express myself through writing the majority of the time,” Tait said. “I write some things in a way that I couldn’t say it.”v


news}

Former Century High School student Tait Ressler finds his passion in fiction writingprofile.norahkolbergphotos.sammimoss

Write on track

“I try to spend as much time as I can writing and when I’m not, I do whatever I can to try to think of something,”

Tait’s book is available for purchase in the school store and for check-out in the library. Support this CHS alum by joining the Tait Ressler Fan Club on Facebook.


news{

Usually when a person gets a haircut it’s for a cosmetic reason, but sometimes it’s for a greater pur-pose. Last month four Century High School students participated in St. Baldricks’s day by shaving their heads. The event took place to raise money for children’s cancer. The Bismarck event was held at Basin Electric Power Cooperative. Many businesses and community

members participated in the event. Participants were asked to raise money. Century senior Chris Clinton donated $70 to the cause of cancer. “It’s not much but every little bit helps.” This was Clinton’s first year shaving his head; he said he would definitely participate in the event again.

Balding for the battleshort&photo.jordankalk

Karly Engelstad

Her favorite number is, and she thinks if she hadn’t eaten in awhile, she could probably eat hot dogs in sitting.

short.macyegeland

Karly Engelstad, a senior at Century High School, was born on, making her years old.

She is tall and wears size shoes.

She has dogs, cat and piercings.

She owns pairs of sunglasses and pairs of shoes.

6-3-92, 17

721

5’11 1/2 10

75 1

3 1 6

by the numbers

The ability to have food to eat and shelter at night is a gift many people take for granted. On May 8-9 some people in Bismarck will have a chance to expe-rience this. “No Vacancy: A Day of Hunger & Homelessness” is hosted by Youthworks. The weekend includes a day of fasting and a night spent in a cardboard box. Activi-ties are planned and prizes will be given away. Other entertainment will include local bands; This Tastes Like Change, Electric City, Slave to the Mushroom Cloud, The Vexed, Mike Swenson, Sam Hall, and Chelsey Johnson. More than 120 high school students are expected to attend. They hope to raise about $9,000.

A day in the life of the homelessshort.jordankalk


news}The American

Most students know him simply as the Brazilian kid, but to truly know Century High School senior Pedro dos

Santos one needs to discover the person behind the ac-cent. Dos Santos is far more than just a foreign exchange student. He is a state champion swimmer, a soccer fanatic and a person that has gotten so immersed in American culture that he has decided to stay for the foreseeable future. Dos Santos first came to the United States as a foreign exchange student from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2008 for his junior year. His sister had previously participated in the foreign exchange program, and "she had a great experi-ence; she talked a lot about it." With the encouragement of his sister and his parents’ support, dos Santos decided to come to Bismarck and attend Century. "It's a better education, more opportunities. You know, America's the Promise Land." Dos Santos's high hopes for America did not disappoint. He enjoyed his experience in Bismarck enough to express desire to return to Century for his senior year. He discussed the possibility with his host family, and when they said that they would be happy to have him back he was set to finish his high school years in America. "I want to go to college here and the experience I had last year was good so I thought why not?" Dos Santos has quickly adapted to the different aspects of American culture, and he finds himself loving every one of them. "I like many things. I don't know if there is one thing. I like the people here, the American way of life." Dos Santos has been doing all that he can to get the most out of his American experience. He took a trip with his host family last spring to Mount Rushmore, and has trav-eled to Las Vegas this year. He has also gotten himself in-volved in many school activities. He has played soccer and competed for the track and swimming teams. Swimming for the Bismarck Aquastorm club team, dos Santos won the 5w0 backstroke at the state swim meet in March. "I wasn't expecting it at all. I was totally shocked. It was a good way to finish my swimming career." Dos Santos has cherished his time in America. While he misses the "family, friends and weather" of Brazil, he plans to stay here for now. He wants to attend college in North Dakota and Minnesota and go into computer sci-ence or business. Beyond that he is unsure of his future, but he thinks that he may take advantage of all the America has to offer. Though he loves living in the United States, dos Santos knows that there will always be a part of him back in Brazil. "I'll probably go back at certain times. There is my country, there it's home."v

profile.greghilzendegerphoto.submitted

Foreign exchange student is loving America

“I like many things. I don't know if there is one thing. I like the people here, the American way of life."

dream

Bom dia- HelloAdeus- GoodbyeComo vai?- How are you?Me chamo…- My name is...Qual é o seu nome?- What is your name?

Basic Portuguese words and phrasesVamos- Let's goBoa tarde! Good afternoonBoa noite! Good eveningPor favor- Please

Source: http://wordsandphrases.wordpress.com/portuguese-words-phrases/

Century High School senior Pedro dos Santos sits in front of the state capitol building. Dos Santos first came to North Dakota last year for his junior year, and he decided to return for his senior year.


sports{ Sportin' it everydayBeing loud and proud is how he expresses himselfprofile&photos.allithorson

His purple and gold Lakers hat can be seen almost everyday in the

school store during second period while his country music plays in the background. And if he’s not talking about the Los Angeles Lakers or the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, well then he might be talking about “his chicks” or maybe he’s not talking at all. Century High School junior Colton Brendel is known throughout the school as “that guy who’s obsessed with Kobe Bryant right?” Well, yes that would be Colton, but people would be surprised if they knew why he really is obsessed with his favorite sports teams. “[It’s because] they’re the best,” Brendel said. That’s not a very complex answer and certainly nothing to think hard about, but that’s how Colton is. He’s been a Buccaneers fan since he was four years old. And not because his dad was a major fan; in fact, Brendel’s dad hated the Buccaneers and still does today. It started with a man named Warren Sapp. As a little kid Brendel became a huge fan of Sapp as he became more

popular and became a star on the football field. Brendel followed him to the Buccaneers and has been a fan ever since. Brendel looks at Sapp as a personal hero of his. Now Brendel’s idol has become Tampa Bay’s star running back Cadillac Williams. Hav-ing Williams as his favorite has shown through his personality. Brendel seems to try to live up to Williams’s name and be the star and a ladies’ man like Williams is. Brendel isn’t shy when it comes to bragging how much the ladies love him. When it comes to the Lakers, Bren-del isn’t shy, even for a moment, about his pride for the team. Even those mornings after a tough loss he still wears his gear and assures everyone in his path that his teams are still bet-ter than the rest. His passion for the Buccaneers has held tight despite their losing record for the past couple of years. Wearing his purple and gold hat shows how he represents the Lakers and lets people know how big of a fan he really is. Being the sports fan that he is, is how he expresses himself.v

Colton vs Kobe

Kobe Bean Bryant:Born: Aug 23, 1978 in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaHeight: 6’ 6”Weight: 205 lbs.High School: Lower Merion HS (PA)Basketball accom-plishments: Kobe made his first legita-mite dunk at the age of 14.

Colton Raylee BrendelBorn: June 12, 1993 in Medford, OregonHeight: 5’ 10”Weight: 150 lbs.High School: Cen-tury High SchoolBasketball accom-plishments: Colton unfortunately has never come close to being able to dunk a basketball.

Colton takes a break to check the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offseason updates.


sports}

Taking off

Diving in and out of the color wheel.profile&photos.abbykopp

Standing on the diving board for a second year in a row, Century High School senior Laura Asplund probably has a

Michael Buble tune stringing it’s way through her mind, and the calming realization that this is where she belongs. “It’s the weirdest feeling ever. You jump as hard as you can, then fly through the air, and land on water. It feels so good,” Asplund said. Two years ago Asplund walked onto the diving team, and never looked back. Since then she has made a lot of new friends, taken first in several meets, and has also received various team awards. During the months when she isn’t on the diving board, Asplund dives into her schoolwork. Often found with her 13-year old cat named Kitty by her side, she finishes her homework and practices her alto and tenor saxophones. “I like to make people’s days a little better by bringing their moods up with with music and sound,” Asplund said. Asplund is as busy as busy can be. Between band, school, and diving, she is also in soccer and enjoys spending time with her friends. “My friends and I do anything we can. We like to bake,

watch movies, watch The Office, and play volleyball and wal-leyball.” Asplund is known for many things around Century, but one of the most obvious would be her love of bright colors. More specifically, her brightly colored neon pants. While her favorite color is green, Asplund has been known for wearing pants that come in all highlighter shades.

“I like bright colors, and I’m not afraid to be an individual. I know a lot of people say that, but in the end, I don’t really care what other people think of me.” To describe Asplund as happy would be an understatement. Her bright and bubbly

personality is obvious to anyone that happens to meet her, but her fears and everyday habits are the same as any individual. She fears getting into car accidents and her favorite movie is “Up.” She likes to meet new people and wants to make “a small difference in everybody’s life.” Next year, Asplund is looking forward to pursuing a pharmacy degree and being in the marching band at NDSU. Although she’ll be away from home, she hopes her legacy will be a good one.v

“In the end, I don’t really care what other people think of me.”


sports{

“Hey guys, wanna sesh!?” These words ring in the air on the first spring day of the year. Century High School sophomore Isaac Sauer spends up to four hours each day riding his long board all around town, going as fast, and feeling as free, as a bird. While most may see him as a skater boy with slightly overgrown hair and purple shoes, there’s much more to Sauer than what meets the eye. About two years ago Sauer decided to put some longboarding tricks onto a skateboard. After discovering that he wasn’t a huge fan of skateboarding, he decided to buy a longboard. “Skateboarding was too slow, and longboarding was a little bit faster,” Sauer said. Speed is one of the many perks to long-boarding. While speeding down a hill on Washington Street last year, Sauer passed a car. When the car caught up to him again it was going 42 mph. Although the speed is what originally attracted him to the longboard, Sauer now finds that isn’t the only thing it offers. “I can do whatever I want when I’m longboarding; it’s fun, and it makes me feel free,” Sauer said. Now, a few years later, there are few places that Sauer will go without his longboard. Wherever he’s seen, whether he’s at school or at church, his longboard is never far behind. Last summer Sauer and some of his friends made a video for the longbaording company Loaded. The video is titled Clarity and can be found on Youtube.com. They received two longboards and money for payment. Often, longboarders and boarders in general are looked down on for being “pot-heads” or “druggies”. Although Sauer has been pulled over four times by the police to be checked for drugs, he has never gotten in trouble for it. “I don’t do drugs, and stuff like that, but it stinks when I’m yelled at for being a pot head,” Sauer said. Although longboarding is what Sauer does to pass the time, it’s

not what defines him. He is an optimistic and outgoing person who likes to enjoy everything there is in life. “I’ve got a sarcastic personality. I just like to have fun. I’m pretty much ADHD and I get really bored, really quick. I like to always be doing something,” Sauer said.

There’s much to do. Between his schoolwork, friends, and longboarding, Sauer also spends a large amount of time helping the kid’s pastor at his church, Evangel Assembly of God. “God has called me to be a kid’s pastor, and I

enjoy doing it a bunch,” Sauer said. This summer, Sauer plans on going to Israel with his family. Aside from that big adventure, he will continue to help at the church, hang out with his friends, juggle and unicycle (at the same time) and continue to longboard for as long as his heart desires.v

“I like to always be doing something.”

1. Ride the board at a steady pace.

2. Step on the tail of the board and fling up the nose.

3. Grab the inside edge with your opposite hand

4. Twist the board in the air and set it back down.

5. Jump back on the board and keep riding.

profile&photos.abbykopplongboard?Dude, where’s your

How to: Do a Tiger Claw.


sports}

Sauer spends much of his time working on new tricks. One of his favorites is the double finger flip.

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sports}

“I haven’t washed these socks since...”Century High School athletes describe their superstitious habits when it comes to their sportsshort.allithorson

Tate Leapaldt: “I wear the same hat I’ve worn since freshmen year even though we get new

ones every year.”

The STAR asked three Century athletes about the significance behind their jersey numbershort.greghilzendeger

3Senior

Junior Dillon Downing: “During the day of my games I make sure I eat Pizza Hut buffet, and I check my bag 20 times to make

sure I don’t forget anything. I also HAVE to listen to heavy metal before my game,

otherwise it doesn’t feel right.”

SophomoreTaylor Stute: “I have to wear the same bat-ting glove under my glove every game and practice ever since the fifth grade! It’s so

gross now!”

PickingNumbers

Senior, Arika Westbee“There was a small in my size.’”

10Sophomore, Tom Fraase

“It is the number of my favorite baseball player, Coco Crisp.”

7Junior, Tessa Neameyer“It used to be David Beckham’s number.”

century.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 20century.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 24

sports{

column.tonyabauer

Powder pitsA nickname that changed everything

In the following paragraphs, I may embarrass myself, enlighten others, or just sound like a fool, but it's a momentous occasion in

my life that I am sharing with you all. It's scattered and it's plain, just like me. There isn't a point or a moral to this tale, but it's entertain-ing I suppose. Mostly, I am laying myself on the line, exposing my personality, and hoping that I don't get too many giggles in the hallway. Recognition, especially in sports, is often given to those who break records, who reach new heights, who do the impossible, but in my mind the most memorable athletes stick out for a different reason. More and more athletes seem to be finding a different way to be noticed; their look or actions in and outside of the game. Though we were not recognized much outside the high school tennis community, the girls' tennis team created quite the impression last year. With some of the top players in the state residing at Century, we knew it was going to be a successful season. What no one expected was that we would be remembered for a different reason. I remember distinctly the morning we walked in to play our last match of the season, the match for the state championship. We strutted onto the court in our homemade t-shirts covered with pictures and inside jokes, our white sweatbands around our heads, and diligently crafted French braids. What put us over the top was the knee high tye-dye socks we wore; one blue and one red. This was the end of our season, the end of our story that began only eight weeks before. The first day of practice, with a strong varsity line-up returning, we were in for a successful season. What began as a simple way to express themselves, the Varsity turned their homemade t-shirts into their West Region uniforms. Being number seven I was not yet

gifted with a shirt to call my own, but the weekend of state tennis, this all changed. Being a team that bonded together on and off the court, these girls knew everything about me, and proved it by creating a one-of-a-kind shirt that was mine. A huge grin spread across my face as I glanced upon my shirt. I finally felt accepted, like they approved of me. I don't mean to sound superficial; I don't need anyone's approval, but when it comes to teammates, it feels good to be accepted. My shirt was filled with pictures of my "badly awesome" shoes and the McDon-

ald's logo, but in humongous letters on the back side of the shirt read the nickname I had so lov-ingly been graced with- Powder Pits. No, I do not smell bad, at least I don't think I do. I have and ad-diction, I admit, an addiction to deodorant. I don't want to smell bad, it's not a crime, but it is grounds for a head-turning, brain-scratching nickname. The shirts look similar from far away, but they

are each unique to the person who wears it. We may look silly and receive many giggles, questions, and a bunch of strange looks, but we receive them together and that's what makes it fun. Well, I guess you'll want to know if we won or lost. Sorry to disap-point, but that day we didn't beat Red River for the state championship, we had to settle for second place, again. However, winning wouldn't have changed a thing. Winning wouldn't have brought us any closer or changed the way we felt about each other. We were noticed for how we played, but we were remembered for what we wore. What created the shirts was our friendship, the friendship among the team off the court. We met on a slab of concrete, but our relationships will take us much farther.v

“We were noticed for how we played, but we were remembered for what we wore.”

204 West Front Avenue Bismarck, ND 58503

701-250-1717www.platoscloset.com


sports{ Life behind (handle) bars

The sun has long sunk beneath the horizon. The streetlights provide the only light in Bismarck.

Under one of these lights sits Century High School senior Mike Mahowald on his bike. He begins pedaling and picks up speed. He jumps up onto a curb with a 360, rides right into a manual, and jumps back off with a 180. With an exhilarated look on his face he rides by his friends and slaps high-fives. He sits on his brake-less bike and smiles for a second before saying simply "Next spot."Biking has been Mahowald's one true passion since he began riding "seriously" four years ago. While he is also in band, plays baseball, and recently won first in state at the TSA robotics competition, one can't truly know Mahowald without knowing him as a biker. Biking is the obsession that consumes his life. He will ride any chance he can get, often deep into the night."It's turned into an addiction. If I can't get out and bike, I sort of just go crazy inside."Though biking usually conjures up images of highly-trained athletes riding long distances with the goal of speed, Mahowald is quick to tell people that this is not what he does."When I tell people that I like to ride bike, what they're thinking is that I wear spandex, have a re-ally high seat, and peddle as fast as I can up hills, but I jump around."There is no set plan for Mahowald when he bikes. He will ride almost everywhere in town, looking for prime spots to do jumps, spins, ride stairs, wall

ride or anything else in his expansive arsenal of tricks. Dirt jumps are also a favorite of Mahowald's, and he and his friends will build them wherever they can find the land to do it. While the pleasure of biking would be plenty enough for Mahowald, it has its other benefits. His ability as a biker has gotten him sponsored by Deity Components. "I always called and talked to them. Then I sent in a video and got lucky"

Mahowald's passion for biking isn't just limited to riding. It has reached into almost every as-pect of his life. He is employed at Barry's Bikes, and has been working there fixing bikes for about one year. Building and fixing bikes has also become

a sort of hobby for Mahowald. He personally built from scratch the bike that he currently rides."I know how I want it to ride and [others] don't."For Mahowald, biking offers a sense of freedom and pleasure unparralled by any other activity in his life."My favorite part about biking is that I don't have a coach telling me when to ride and how to do it. I can just go out with my buddies and ride how we want."With graduation fast approaching, Mahowald's life will be undergoing great change. He will be going to college in South Dakota at The School of Mines next fall. When college begins many things will be differ-ent, but one thing can be guaranteed: Mahowald will ride on.v

profile.greghilzendegerphotos.sammimoss

One student’s passion for biking

“It’s turned into an addic-tion. If I can’t get out and bike, I sort of just go crazy inside.”


sports}

A cheerleader, a photographer, a poet, an individual. Century High School senior and

pro-life advocate Amanda Horner lives life on a day-to-day basis. Whether it’s relaxing while watching Chicago alone in the confinement of her basement or pepping up the student body at sporting events as the only senior cheer-leader, Horner’s attitude towards whatever she’s doing remains positive. Living up to expectations is a given as she faces the world with a smile etched on her visage and words of inspiration issuing from her gifted voicebox. One would wonder what would motivate someone to get up in front of people and enthusiastically rouse a sometimes less-than-enthusiastic crowd. “I like to inspire people. I like to make people feel passionate about something. It’s kind of like what writers do. Writ-ers write to empower people and write to instill passion in people and that’s kind of what I do as a cheerleader. I like to get people excited about what I’m excited about.” With that kind of dedication and eagerness, it’s a bewilderment that the legion of fans aren’t up on their feet dancing, screaming, and cheering along with Horner and the other cheerleaders at an arduous pace. Horner’s hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Her accomplishments are among get-ting nominated for All-American Cheerleader in the summer of 2008 and 2009, actually winning the title in 2009, taking first place in top performance team at camp this year. The team also took first

place at the State Cheerleading competition this year. Although the achievements are impressive, they weren’t expected. “It started out as a hobby and turned into a passion.” The common cheerleader has a multitude of traits that supposedly define the athlete. Popular, pretty, and perfect consumate the standard stereo-typical cheerleader’s characteristics. Horner does not necessarily fit the stereotype.

“It’s a really hard role to fill because girls in real life don’t always look like that. For me, watching movies and seeing cheerleaders on TV and looking at the way I am, there are things about me that don’t fit that mold. It makes me sad; It’s a struggle.” Although the battle to overcome the

anxieties of being a part of the public eye seems daunting, Horner’s positive outlook

endures. It’s obvious that cheerleading will play a crucial role in Horner’s future. “I would like to continue cheerleading in the future. I am working on getting a job coaching cheerleading for the Jamestown high school cheerleading team next fall.” Horner admits that cheerleading has helped shape who she is as a person. “It’s given purpose to my highschool career and I feel like I’m leaving a legacy behind and I have done something to empower the people of Cen-tury and help boost our cheerleading program.“v

No fear of cheerThe girl behind the pom pomsprofile.caseykreftingphotos.sammimoss

aykjjfffFFFFjjlal

“It started out

as a hobby, and turned into

a passion.”

......................................................................

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The LibertyWhat is a Liberty? “It is a stunt requiring 4 people. There are 2 bases, a backspot, and a flyer. Basically, we put the flyer in the air and she is balancing on one foot with her other foot resting near her kneecap.”

Amanda Horner practices her cheer moves in the Century High School Gymnasium. She has been the only senior cheerleader all year.


feature{

Sophomore, Lexi Hagler

Century students open up about what they dream about at night and what the dreams might mean.

Senior, Braden Stevenson“I had a dream where I was in a building and there was a hole in the floor in the center of this sort of indescribable room and I tripped and I fell through it, and below that was another floor with another floor and so on and so forth. I just kept falling through these holes in the floor and I started looking around and each floor I was at the bedroom of a person I knew and I was see-ing all these people I knew doing miniscule tasks. Most people were just doing their homework, some people were yelling at their parents, and some people were playing video games.”

What do you think it means?“I always think of people from an outside perspective, like what I see them as but not what they’re actually like by themselves.”

“There was this really big slide that had like eight different sections and me and my mom and my sis-ter were all going down this huge rainbow slide that went down to the ocean and then there was a shark in the water and it scared me.

What do you think it means?

Junior, Omani Luger

“I think it means that I’m afraid of sharks and that I like rainbow slides.”

“I fell in a hole that had bugs and rats and all these creepy things were in it and it was really deep. My mom was standing over the top and tried to reach me but she couldn’t and then she said “Oh. Oh well” and walked away.

What do you think it means?“I think my mom doesn’t love me.”

short.paulmurphy

Sweet dreams

Sophomore Morgan Wanner-“I hate when other people talk louder than necessary; Keep it down, your voice is annoying.”

Measure Of displeasure

We all have them, we all hate them. Pet peeve’s tend to annoy some of us to the point of insan-ity, no matter how insignificant they may be. Century High School students are no exception to the spell of irritation that has the power to consume the serenity of even the calmest of souls. Here are some examples of Century High School students pet peeve’s:

Senior Taylor Stockert-“I hate when people chew their gum loudly; Keep your gum chewing to yourself.”

Junior Shannon Brass-“I hate when people only respond with Lol over text; Be more creative or just don’t reply.”

The STAR asked what bugs students like no other.short.caseykrefting

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University of Mary Class of 2013

What will you be getting FREE this fall?

Lcentury.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 26

feature{ Loving

profile&photo.jocelynnsonnenberg

Q: What is self expression to you? A: Accepting who you are- never pretending to be someone you're not.

Q: How do you express yourself? A: By being enthusiastic about what I do and who I am and I suppose it shows outwardly- my wild hair and all those bracelets!

Q: How do you help your students express themselves? A: Encouraging them to love themselves, be confident about what their passions are.

Q: Why do you like Bon Jovi? A: The man is a humanitarian and his music rocks!

Q: What is your dream? A: I love to sing, but my more attainable dream is to be-come an author.

Q: Why did you become a teacher?A: I was an art major, but after one of my art teachers told me I couldn't draw I went back to the drawing board. I was in an English

class talking about it and I felt like it was a calling.

Q: Where did you meet your husband? A: In Minnesota when I was on break my sophomore year of college.

Q: How are you a role model for your girls? A: I want them to see mom as someone who values family first and that I can value being intelligent and fun at the same time- having a

zeal for life!

Q: What is the most important thing you want for your girls as they grow up? A: What I want for them more than anything in the world is for them to be happy and confident and to find their place in the world and to feel good about who they are. v

Karri Landeis is an AP english teacher here at Century High School. This is her first year teaching an AP class, she previously taught English 11.

For a playlist of some of Bon Jovi’s top songs go to century.highschoolmedia.org.

Landeis

Target lover, Bon Jovi fan, AP English teacher Karri Landeis is a hardworking teacher, but that’s only half her job. With her weakness for jewlery, this redheaded loves reading, cooking, singing songs, and creating art projects with her two little girls Ellie and Abby. She and her husband both work to contribute to their children’s growth in hopes that they grow up confident in themselves and passionate about the things they love.

Phobias


feature}Century’s future starsCentury High School students were asked what difference they will make in their futureshort.allithorson

Century students share their biggest fearsshort.tonyabauer

Kate LinkJuniorFear of vegetables

"I am deathly afraid of vegetables."

Madi WilliamsSophomoreFear of biscuit cans

“They can pop and explode in your face.”

“I think it would be scary being surrounded by spiders that could

kill you.”

JuniorFear of waking up in the movie Arachnophobia

Michael Bjork

“Hopefully I’ll be a professional football player someday.” In the picture: Century High School sopho-more Conrad Schwarzkopf runs out of the starting line at a Century home football game.

“I would like to be the first person from North Dakota to successfully go pro and make a liv-ing off snowboarding.” In the picture: Century High School junior Jordan Stoddart poses for a picture during a ski trip in Montana.

“I would like to be famous for dancing, be-cause it’s my passion in life and something I would like to continue to pursue in the future.” In the picture: Century High School senior Kara Rosenau dances as a flower in dances in the North-ern Plains Dance winter recital The Nutcracker.

Senior, Daniel Draovitch- “Ignore them or tap on your brakes to try and get them to lay off.”

Senior, Job Stramer- “Keep going, brake check, or turn away.”

Junior, Colton Brendel- “Go even slower.”

Junior, Colby Farver- “Speed up!”

Junior, Zach Triplett- “I make random turns to see if they follow.”

Bumper huggersSeveral Century students tell us what they do when another car is following them just a little too close

short.alyssameier

photos.submitted

Senior, Kara Rosenau:

Junior, Jordan Stoddart:

Sophomore, Conrad Schwarzkopf

at their finest


feature{

profile.allithorson

Opposites attractThey show how similarity isn’t always the case for a perfect match

photos.sammimoss

She’s a cheerleader and he’s obsessed with Pokémon video games; that doesn’t seem like the typical high school couple, yet Century High School juniors Lily Holt and Edward Bullinger seem to be perfect for each other.

What took only four days of knowing each other has turned into a long-lasting and promising relationship between the two of them. Ironically, when Ed decided to ask Lily out, Lily didn’t even hear what he had said, she just said yes and walked away. Later on when she asked him what he said to her she was completely embarrassed but glad she said yes. “I was obsessed with her from the start,” Bullinger said. For anyone that is acquainted with Bullinger and Holt, they can see the differences in personality that seem to mesh together so well. “Opposites attract,” Bullinger said. “He’s loud and obnoxious and I’m quiet,” Holt said. The connection between the two seems inseparable. The differences in their personality come together to form one person which, in an odd way, makes them exactly the same. Bullinger and Holt spend most of their weekends together just spending time with each other or their families. It may not seem like much, but every moment spent together is a good moment for them. What makes them stand out from the other couples

at Century is their lack of arguing. Sure, they have small disagreements now and then but they’ve never had a real fight with each other. What is difficult for their relationship is the space apart that they have to face sometimes; for them, going a few days without hanging out after school is their major problem. Dealing with the dating scene in high school is nothing of a major concern to them. They have each

other and for them, that’s all that is important about dating. The drama of high school dating doesn’t seem to come near them, which makes their relationship work so well. Bullinger looks at her as the sweetest girl he has ever met. The way he feels about Lily is something he has never felt before

with anyone else. This relationship makes him thankful to have her be with him for over fifteen months. The two say their relationship has lasted so long because of how much they talk to each other. If something is bothering them or one of them just needs to talk the other is always there. Bullinger says that there is never a dull moment when he’s with Holt. Holt sees a future with Bullinger. She’s gotten so close to him and trusts him with all her heart. For her, there’s something there that could last for a long time. The two of them may have completely different personalities, but one thing they do agree on is that they complete each other.v

“I was obsessed with her from the start.”

For more pictures of Lily and Ed go to the Century Star’s website http://century.highschoolmedia.org/


feature}

The mane idea profile&photos.jordankalk

Danny Zeric is 5’10’’ feet tall.His hair is 5.5’’ inches tall.

Standing outAs he walked into Century High School for the first time this fall, the

new sophomore had a feeling that may be rare for a high school guy. Danny Zeric wasn’t sure how other students would react to his skinny jeans. “People didn’t start wearing [skinny jeans] until recently,” Zeric said. Although Zeric’s choice of clothing is not uncommon around Century, there is one thing that makes him stand out in the crowd. “I have an Afro,” Zeric said. Zeric’s hair requires a morning routine. First he wakes up, second he showers, third he towel dries and fourth he uses a pick to brush it all out. For the moment, he doesn’t plan on chang-ing it.

Having a physical trait that stands out in a crowd is something some teen-agers would shy away from. Zeric, on the other hand, embraces it. He says the best compliment he ever received about his hair was when someone told him it was cute. But his hair isn’t entirely what describes Zeric’s personality, music, by far, is. He plays saxophone in band as well as guitar for fun. His favorite genre is hard rock. “I’m going to go to a college for a certain instrument,” Zeric said. As the chatter of Century is heard in the hallways, one could say it is easy to spot Danny Zeric. However, what most would consider much harder is to forget his presence.v

This totals up to 12.73 percent of his height.

Century Sophomore Danny Zeric doesn’t plan to change his hair style. He has used appearances as part of his self expression. “Just the fact that I can, made me want to,” Zeric said.

Rob:What’s your favorite color? BlueFavorite food? Mashed potatoesWhat kind of music do you like? Anything. Sometimes country.Summer or winter? WinterWhat’s your worst fear? HeightsFavorite animal? Monkey or penguinWhat do you like about having a twin? The best thing about having a twin is if my parents give her money I have to get it too. So, finan-cial benefits.What don’t you like about it? There’s nothing bad about being a twin. I love being a twin.century.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 30

Rob and Julie feed each other fruit snacks as youngsters.

feature{

feature}

Century High School seniors Rob and Julie Puttre could very well be the world’s most unlike twins out there

Julie:What’s your favorite color? PinkFavorite food? PastaWhat kind of music do you like? Rap and R&BSummer or winter? SummerWhat’s your worst fear? Someone breaking into my home.Favorite animal? DogWhat do you like about having a twin? Just the fact that I have a sibling because I have nobody else. I sometimes forget he is even my twin we are so different.What don’t you like about it? I get really annoyed.

profile.macyegelandphotos.macyegeland&submitted

First off, who’s older and by how much?Julie: Robbie’s older.

Rob: By 15 minutes.

Just by looking at you, it’s hard to tell that you’re twins. But are there any similarities in appearance you guys have noticed?Julie: Our eyes are the same.Rob: We both have small mouths and the same size hands.

Have you noticed any similarities in your personalities or things you both like?Julie: We both like the outdoors.

Have your parents mentioned anything about you two being so different?Rob: Sometimes they say we do the same things the same day.Julie: Yeah, like one time I called my mom for something and ten minutes later Robbie called and asked her the same thing.

What’s your style? How are they different?Julie: Robbie, you’re more snowboarding stuff. I wear stuff from Wet Seal.

What do you guys do when you hang out with friends?Julie: I go out with friends.Rob: I kind of chill. When I’m with my friends we are either doing sports or nothing really.

How do you think you’re different?Julie: We don’t really agree on anything. We’re just completely opposite.Rob: We have different interests.

Do you ever say things at the same time?Rob: We don’t really hang out that much so it doesn’t really happen.

On the first day of school when you’re meeting your new teachers and they ask if you guys are siblings, do they ever not believe that you’re twins?Julie: Sometimes they don’t believe we’re twins.Rob: They ask if we’re identical. v

Differentdoubles



feature{

Junior Courtney Mittlestadt poses for a picture on top of her horse, Moon. Courtney has been riding her whole life, and hopes to for the remainder of it. “I always loved the Western way of life.”


feature}

Every day hundreds of pairs of shoes walk the halls of Century High School. The spectrum

of styles consist of flip-flops and heels, Converse and tennis shoes, “skater” shoes and sandals. As for Courtney Mittlestadt, her cowgirl boots are a somewhat rare sight inside the school. She grew up in and around Bismarck, surrounded by horses, rodeos, and a strong country influence. She stands out everywhere outside of her close group of friends, who have dubbed themselves “a different breed of girl.” She is unique from her shoulder length blond hair all the way down to her scratched up boots. She has loved being outside her whole life, choos-ing mud and grime over dresses and dolls on

every occasion. Her horse, Moon, occupies the majority of her spare time otherwise devoted to her friends or school. Though her plans are not completely sure, she hopes to grow up to be a photographer, possibly for rodeos. The western way of life has always intrigued her and has always been a major part of her life. It can be seen by watching her spend hours riding her horse, listen-ing to her talk about it, or catching a glimpse of her personalized license plate on her Chevrolet reading “LILRDNK.” She is by no means the aver-age teenage girl, and has no problem with that. Mittlestadt, her cowboy boots, bright red truck, and trusty four-legged friend continue to walk against

the norm, smiling all the way. v

Junior Courtney Mittlestadt trades in skirts for saddles

A different breed of

profile&photo.alyssameier

For a further look into Courtney’s life, check out the rest of the photo shoot at the STAR website

girl

feature{

short.breanneskalicky&sarajohardmeyerphotos.breanneskalicky

Inside the lip: This is the perfect place to hide a tattoo. If your parents don’t know you got it try to refrain from giving the sad face.

Marked

Century High School junior Shane Fetch dis-plays his recent tattoo. These song lyrics from his favorite band, Four Year Strong, represent what he stands for.

Century High School Senior Sarah Levi applies to the follow-ing peircings: Monroe, Industrial and ear gauges. “I enjoy being unique,” Levi said.

* Nostril (Nose)- 6 weeks to 6 months * Septum- 8 weeks to 6 months

* Eyebrow- 6 weeks to 6 months * Bridge- 10 weeks to 12 months * Labret- 6 to 8 weeks * Lip- 6 to 8 weeks * Cheeks- 6 weeks to 6 months

http://hubpages.com/hub/Facial_Piercings

Labret- Usually located on the center of the chin.

Vertical labret- Vertically pierced through the center of the lip.

Lip- Pierced right below the lip, can be centered or off centered.

Monroe-It is usually placed diagonally below the nose, its purpose is to appear as a birth mark.

Cheeks- Piercings to make dimples on both sides.

Septum- Piercing directly though the septum of the nose, it is also known as the Earl.

Nose- Placed on either side of the nose, add jewelry to make it your own style.

Eyebrow- It is usually pierced vertically, but can be horizontal. Obviously it is located on the eyebrow.

Bridge- Make a bridge from eye to eye this piercing goes there.

Healing time

Piercings

Lower back: Be careful when considering this area. It can come off as inappropriate and offensive to many. If you do have a tattoo here it is considerate to be more conservative.

Belly: Unless you’re Lil Wayne please strongly refrain from this spot. It’s not an appealing area and if you’re a girl it may end up twice as big as when you got it.

Shoulder: This is a very popular spot to get a tattoo so make sure to keep it original. Refrain from wings, crosses, etc. Make sure it means something to you.

Feet: Although your tattoo may look cute here...feet aren’t always so pleasant.

Behind the ear: If you have a tattoo here props to you. This is a clever spot that is easily hidden with your hair down and looks adorable when you show it off.

Inside arm: Before you get a tattoo here you might want to consider getting a job first. Although it may look cool it doesn’t always look professional.

Tattoos



feature}There is so much more...

profile&photo.aleciasmith

...to scouting these days

In the desert of New Mexico Jon Ander-son has everything he needs to survive

in a 100-pound backpack. He must carry everything with him including food, water, clothing, a shelter, and tools that will be needed along the trail. Within the next twelve days, Anderson and his fellow crew members will cover 80 miles on foot in the arid desert. Century High School junior Jon Anderson has a life full of adventure through Boy Scout troop 123. Not only is Anderson in Boy Scouts, he also participates in Venturing, a high adven-ture program for both boys and girls between the ages of 14 and 21. Anderson has logged countless miles of backpacking on many different trips, but backpacking is not the only adven-ture Anderson has participated in. He has also cycled 50 miles on several dif-ferent occasions and canoed 75 miles. He has gone rock climbing, mountain

biking, spelunking (cave div-ing), zip lining, white water rafting, shooting, hunting and skiing all through scouts and venturing. On his own time Anderson enjoys working on his car, shooting five stand, and

taking pictures out of the sunroof.

Anderson has made many friends throughout his years of being in scouts such as Century High School junior Drew Molesworth and Bismarck High School senior Luke Peterson, Chris Vandal, and Cory Wrolstad. All these people have pushed him to do his best, yet his biggest supporter would have to be his mother, Tina Anderson. Though all the adventures were a crazy good time, Anderson says his big-gest accomplishment was finishing his Eagle scout project by replacing a flood light. He finished this only a few days before his 17th birthday.v

Scout Oath (Promise):

On my honor I will do my best To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times;To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.

Jon Anderson has been in boy scouts for six years. He started in scouts because his older brother Matt Anderson was involved. “I

get to do things that other people don’t get to

do”

Want to find out what it takes to go on a backpacking trip? Visit the STAR’s website at century.highscoolmedia.org

Visit the web:


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Open Mic Night

The small Mr. Delicious is normally just a quiet restaurant in downtown Bismarck, but every Thursday night it is home to the new Open Mic Night. Whether you are a musician or a poet or something in between, the mic is open to you. Just go to Mr. Delicious and sign up for a spot.

short&photos.briannabrown

Strut your stuffWhat song would you walk the runway to?short.norahkolberg

“It’s an amazing song and makes me smile. It makes me want to get up and start moving around.”

Sophomore, Allison De Krey

“Put Your Records On”Corinne Bailey Rae

Junior, Morgan Frerking

“Kiwi”Maroon 5

“It’s very upbeat and you could have a lot of fun with it on a runway, I bet.

Senior, Cody Willits

“Let it Rock” Kevin Rudolf

“Usually I would say ‘I’m Too Sexy’ because I am, but I decided to go with this one.”

Sophomore, Katelyn Fass- “Lost” by Gorilla Zoe

Junior, Ashtyn Andres- “Waste of Paint” by Bright Eyes

Senior, Breanna Herman- “All I want to do” by Sugarland

Junior, Lucas Sackman- “Welcome to My Life” by Simple Plan

What’s your life song?short.briannabrownphoto.sammimoss


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profile.baileycarlsonphoto.submitted

Sophomore Xiaoping Ni moves from Lianjiang, China to Bismarck, ND

From across the world

One look at Xiaomping Ni gives an image of a young Chinese girl with

long black hair and a smile that comes unexpectedly. Ni is quiet and doesn’t want to draw attention to herself but wants to share her ideas. “I want to share my idea with others but I’m afraid to tell,” Ni said. “Sometimes I want to make friend with somebody, my mind want but my action do not.” Unlike what has be-come a dream for many high school students, Ni is not interested in standing out or achieving fame. She doesn’t enjoy dancing or being the center of attention. “I don’t think I want people to know about me,” Ni said. “I just want to be com-mon.” It was the dream of Ni’s parents to own a restaurant and after moving from China to New York to Minnesota to North Dakota they found the opportunity to own the Chinatown Buffet in Gateway Mall. Ni works there everyday after school until 11 P.M. and on weekends. She lives close enough to the restaurant to be able to walk there and bikes often.

“I like work there but if I have many homework sometimes I went home early,” Ni said. Despite Ni’s limited free time she finds the time to participate in art club and enjoys drawing at home. Ni’s passion lies in art, though Ni’s family doesn’t want her to be an artist. “I feel I have a sense of art,” Ni said. Ni likes the quiet of Bismarck and the

environment but misses the close-ness of neighbors in China. She

would visit with them and they would help each other out. “It’s kind of quiet here,” Ni said. “Here, people are in their own house, don’t come out often.” Ni misses China. Her family left behind a lot for a new life in the U.S. “Every second, all the time [I want to go back],” Ni said. “I miss my friends and own culture and my grandma. She’s all alone.” Though Ni wants to return home and has difficulties with speaking the English language she is excited for next year. “I will make more friends,” Ni said. “I think it will be better.” v

Mandarin is spelled with characters, not the English alphabet, but for the sake of learning some simple phrases the pronun-ciation below is used.

“I just want to be common.”

Learn to speak some

Source: http://www.youlearnmandarin.com/quick-mandarin.html

Hello: Ni haoGoodbye: zaijianThank you: XiexieYou’re welcome: BukeqiI’m sorry: DuibuqiWhat’s your name?: Nin guixing?

Mandarin Chinese

What song would you walk the runway to?


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At 6’8, this musical prodigy, who is obsessed with velocoraptors, has a size 17 shoe and has never touched drugs or alcohol,

is anything but average. Century High School junior Isaac Lovdahl, an avid music writer and performer, not only has been given the gift of being tall, but also hands out the gift of entertainment. Whether it may be in his choir class or throughout the hallways, Isaac is known as the funny kid. Using his humor at the right mo-ments, Isaac is also passionate about life, music and his best friend, Mitch. Of all the things surrounding him in life, and trust us, there is a lot more to observe from 6’8, there are four main elements in his life that remind him of who he is each and every day. Starting with number one, Isaac is a devout Christian who dedicates much of his time and effort towards religion. Secondly, music is the basis of his love and passion in life. Thirdly, his supportive family has been a contender in the life of Isaac Lovdahl which leads us to number four: Mitch. Mitch Geiger, Isaac’s cousin and best friend, has a superb ef-fect on Issac’s life. From the very beginning, the two were destined to do great things while cracking great jokes, and though they differ in age by three years, the two are quite inseparable. “I like to keep incest out of the picture,” Isaac says with a chuckle. On an average day, Lovdahl can be found at school bright and early only to go home, squeeze in whatever important homework there may be, workout and finish the evening with his own per-sonal jam session. Playing guitar roughly for eight years, Lovdahl’s hobby for music has developed into his passion and dream lifestyle. “Not for the purpose of making a profit, but rather the passion.” Lovdahl can be seen at school, parading around the hallways

with his tall frame and untouchable brown curly hair. While being known for his height, Lovdahl also has a personality and gift to make people smile. Behind this tremendous personality, Isaac can be found in a pair of casual jeans and soft colored t-shirt which prove his subtle way of expressing himself. “[Self expression] is acting how you want to as long as you harm no one else, no negative outcome.” While music theory and writing is what Isaac truly loves to do, he also enjoys playing the drums, cello, bass, piano and sings in both choir and around his house, which doesn’t seem to please his younger sister, Mandy, much. Setting apart from the average teenager, Isaac would rather stay home and practice his passion than go out and drink or do drugs. “I don’t see a need for it. It’s more hurtful than helpful.” Isaac Lovdahl, who is bothered by Ke$ha, thinks that “pape” is the best word ever, uses “fizzle” as the gangster word for five and enjoys dancing through the hallways, is a good for a giggle, inspiration and best of all, a big, squishy hug. Towards the end of the interview, Mitch started to sound like a butterfly. Zzz…zzz…zzz…v

profile&photos.amandalittrell

20 Twinkies

Isaac, who stands at a giant 6’8, has been playing guitar for 8 years. He uses music as a way to express his personality and thoughts. “I like to write [music] more than anything,” Lovdahl said.

If we were to take everyday items and line them up end to end, next to Issac Lovdah, there would be...

Nearly seven Subway footlong sandwiches

44 bouncy-balls 15 soda cans

Almost three tennis rackets

to do a cartwheel”“At least the hallways are big enough


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And just how many head-bands does Ashley own?“Sixty three, I have 63 headbands.”

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Ashley leads the student body at a pep rally. Ashley has been the headliner for every pep rally since the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year.

Surpassing the average schedule of the typical high school student, Century

High School senior and student body president Ashley Bernhardt has a heaping amount on her plate. Standing at the ‘fun-size’ of 5’1, 5’2 on a good day, this girl who always matches her headbands to shirts, also records varsity basketball statistics, works at Medcenter One as a nutritional aide and is involved in both Jazz Band and Wind Ensemble. Expressing herself through her lead-ership abilities in the school and also through her love of Taylor Swift, Ashley finds it hard to not be your own person. If she’s not snacking on kneophla soup, drinking Mountain Dew or watching the Little Rascals, she is listening to some clas-sic T Swift. After waiting five hours with her best friends this summer at the State Fair for Swift’s high-end performance, Ashley left with a sense of happiness. “To accomplish as much as she has in her lifetime is quite remarkable. She’s—sim-ply fearless. And her music is fun to dance and sing to in my car (smiles).” Known throughout the school as the sweet girl who has enough guts to get up in front of the entire student body, Ashley’s involvement in student council has influ-enced her life in more than one way. Her improvement in public speaking and abil-ity to be more reliable shines above all. “I’ve become more reliable and it helped me grow as a person.” Later in life, Ashley plans on furthering her people skills by becoming a physical therapist. “It’s always been my idea, and all my sports injuries have helped, too.” In her spare time, this student body president is just like any other student. Alongside her dog, Oreo, Ashley finds it relaxing to hangout at home or to hangout with friends. Though she may seem always busy, this senior is going places, and fast. She plans on attending the University of Mary for an undergraduate degree in exercise and wants to go away somewhere to do clinical. “I think I’ll end up here in the long run.”v


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Gone to the dogsLearning how to open up thanks to a retrievercolumn.paulmurphy

Whenever I leave my house, there’s an important habit I follow only in the spring, one of those subtle shifts

in routine that goes almost entirely unnoticed but without it, I just can’t feel prepared for the new, snow-less season. It’s simple, just the casual watching of my garage door as it slowly opens. While leaving in the winter is typically a race against the clock, a hurried rush to jump in and start my car before the fluffy precipitation can fill the stall entirely, I like to take my sweet time while departing in fair weather. I might leisurely pace as the door creaks up inch after rusted inch, but usually I just stand and watch, basking in warmth as sunlight slowly fills the concrete garage. On this particular observing, the glow was filtering in just right, filling me with optimism for the new day when I noticed a shadow fall across the cement. I followed it up to the red paws, wagging tail and panting mouth of a dog I knew all too well. My heart froze. It’s a far from typical reaction when encountering my family’s half Retriever, half German Shepherd, big hearted pet Rigsby, but I knew he wasn’t supposed to be out and couldn’t help but panic. It was an overreaction, I know, but I’ve always been sort of a worry wart, and my usually frayed nerves had been on red alert for a couple of days ever since I spent the better part of an afternoon thinking I’d lost my dog forever. Despite my fear-induced grip, everything seemed to be okay with Rigs, who gazed up at me and seemed to be grinning ear to ear, asking if I wanted to play. I never used to be the sort of person to give human qualities to dogs, choosing instead to laugh quietly at the owners who dress their dogs in sweaters and include them in the fam-ily pictures, until I found myself being the Murphy to point Rigsby’s long muzzle towards the camera for the annual Christmas Cards. I suppose having a dog does that to a person and, looking back at the moment I first laid eyes on him, I never really stood much of a chance. I remembered that moment from four years ago as if it had been just a few weeks. I sat anxious and cross legged in the field outside of the Humane Society, trying to keep from shaking as the dog walked towards me. I was nervous of being bitten, sure, the sometimes fierce barks of the homeless canines never failed to scare me, and even though Rigs hadn’t made a sound, I still imagined his teeth were as big as any. More than being bit though, I was nervous that he would just ignore me, fully aware that a dog’s cold indifference hurt more than its incisors ever could. He trotted up to me, spent a moment sniffing around, and placed his head on my chest, just above my heart. The weight of him pushed me to the ground, where he curled up on me before licking my nose. By the time I stopped laughing and rubbing the back of his head, the Murphy family was sold: my dad and brother, both suckers for dogs, and my mom, a sucker for corny KODAK moments.

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If anyone had reservations about taking Rigs in, it was me. I had put off my canine-centric father’s offer to look at dogs as long as I could, not because I don’t like them, but because I love them too much. The great tragedy of anything is that it never lasts forever, and I was familiar enough with Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller to be fully aware of how the time-old tale of man and his best friend ended. Inevi-tably, the dog falls sick, is given up, gets hurt, passes on, or runs away, leaving behind the owner to pick up the pieces and move on. As much as I loved and wanted a dog, I couldn’t stand the thought of forging a relationship that would ultimately break my heart, which is really the same problem I have with any other personable connection in my life. Still, I knew I was outnumbered and whatever cau-tions I had about caring for my dog quickly went out the window. On warm days I chased Rigs in looping circles across the yard; on cold ones I tossed the ball to him before wrestling it out of his mouth; on the days that taxed me beyond all belief I just laid on the ground and scratched behind his ears, happy to have a dog, a friend, to lie with. I had even put my wor-ries about life without him out of mind, or at least I had, until a couple days ago. I had been gone for the afternoon, having completed one of the first garage door ceremonies of the year, when I got a text from my mother, in her familiar, elementary school dropout looking format. “Hav u seen rigs”. It was innocent looking enough, but it ran my blood cold. I answered back that I hadn’t, numbly aware that he was nowhere to be seen before I left, though at the time I figured he was just out in the yard. My mom’s answer made me nearly drop my phone. He was gone. I called her in a frenzy, yelling that she needed to, expletives omitted, “find him right now”. I snapped the phone shut before sinking to my knees. There was no way for me for me to get home, no way I could look for my dog. I resigned myself to texting my mother every 30 to 40 seconds, demanding constant updates. It took a grand total of two minutes for her to get fed up with my rude, censor needing messages

and she gave up on texting me completely, and so I sat, alone. This was it, the day I’d dreaded for so long, life without Rigs. I sat and thought of my future without him and realized I had been wrong about how it would feel. The cold thing settling in the pit of stomach was worse than I could have thought, and I worried that it would be with me for the rest of my life. It would be another hour before I got the text saying “dad has him he is ok,” plus an additional hour and countless sighs of relief later before I understood what actually happened. As it turned out, the whole thing was a miscommunication between my parents and my mom, unaware that my dad had taken Rigs for the day, had assumed he was gone. It should have been a happy ending, but the experience had

changed me, made me paranoid. I never left the house without checking the gates, the doors, without making sure he was there and couldn’t leave or get hurt or eat something he wasn’t meant to. The fear of

anything happening to him kept me distant from Rigs and, now aware of how real losing him felt, I didn’t know that I could bring myself to overlook it this time. And now all of that came to a head, standing in the garage with him outside, I was flooded with fear. I checked around the corner of my driveway and, sure enough, the fence gently swayed open in the breeze. He had been outside for ten minutes, and could have left any-time he wanted to. Outside the yard there was a whole world of rabbits to chase, of UPS men to bark at, of people to sniff, and my dog, Rigs, opt-ed to just sit outside patiently until someone let him back in. “Good boy,” I scratched behind his ears, the fear running out of me and replaced by the love I’d always had for him. “Good freaking boy.” The truth of it was that he and I wouldn’t last forever, nothing could. One day I would be without him, but moments like this could never leave my sight. I crouched down next to him and Rigs gently put his nose against my chest, dead center on my heart. That burning in my eyes, I told myself, was a new-found reaction to pet dander. Had to be.v

“This was it, the day I’d dreaded for so long”


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My arms wrapped around my knees while I rested in the itchy cushion of the chair. My eyes strolled back and forth across

faces and figures, between walls and windows. The people I saw were mostly exact copies of the ones I had seen moments before. There were hundreds of teenagers balancing a half-dozen shopping bags on their arms while never letting their eyes stray far from the screen of the phone in front of them or the closest attractive individual. There were the middle aged women speed-walking through the crowds, and others wearing cut-off shorts and shirts like saran wrap. The elderly were seen mostly through windows of restaurants or walking slowly next to an equally aged person with hair sitting a-top their head like a giant cotton ball. There were the children and infants either crying, screaming, laughing hysterically or sleeping in the arms of a parent. The same people came and went dozens of times, with slight varia-tions separating one from the next. These people made me smile, while others annoyed me or made me sad, but that is not why I remained in that uncomfortable chair in the middle of a noisy mall in Fargo. While I was sitting there, I was not the audience to their lives, but the writer of them. The people passing by me each provided me with an opportunity to contemplate who they were. I was given the chance to give them an identity, a name, a story. With every face that passed by me, my mind went scampering off thinking of what lay beneath that stained sweater or that shiny black pair of shoes. To me, there was a reason for every single thing surrounding that certain individual, and it was my job to discover what exactly that was. The mass of people I saw was a giant coloring book in my lap. There were dozens of pages, all with the outline of an image draped across the page. The empty space inside of those lines, behind their faces, was mine to fill. The strip of nylon was stretched out in mid-air; one end disappear-ing into the clenched hand of a middle-aged brunette woman in khaki shorts and a brightly colored t-shirt, and the other angling towards the ground. The navy leash branched off and swallowed up the torso of the toddler walking in front of her mother. She skipped in an uneven rhythm, either because of her yet undeveloped coordination, or the harness constantly pulling her closer to the woman staring through a window at a denim jacket under a “half off” sign. I sat there watching them walk towards me, and then past me, completely unaware of my gaze. The sight wasn’t especially exciting, or unique, but it seemed to remain in my head for the next few minutes. My mind went gallivanting off writing the woman’s and young girl’s stories. I sat pondering questions about strangers who I had only seen for a few moments. How old is the little girl? Where is her father at? Where did she wander to in the first place that now requires her to be permanently connected to her mother’s wrist? A half-dozen scenarios played out in my head about a little girl sneaking away from her mother to chase after a man that looked just like daddy. I imagined the girl’s father playing catch with his son in a shady park, teaching him how to fish or watching a baseball game together. I imagined this absent father as a soldier far away, a businessman, or a drunk. The mother was a bank teller, teacher or nurse. The little girl spent summer days with her best friend playing with their dolls in her taffy-colored room and creating masterpieces in the sand box outside. These people’s identities were left for me to contemplate; whether or not I had dreamed up anything accurate, was unsure. I’m not sure how long I was there, but by the time I got up to leave, I had gotten hundreds of first impressions by people that I never saw up close, talked to, or even made eye contact with. I had sat there and silently judged them, because they would never know what I was thinking, right? Although I asked dozens of questions about these strangers and their pasts, I never dared to ask myself one certain

question: who is judging me? There I was in a baggy black sweatshirt and faded jeans, cuddled up on a chair by myself. So, how do I know that every one of the people I was staring from across the isle wasn’t staring at me when I was looking the other way? How do I know how the world perceives me? What do I look like to a stranger, to a friend, or my family? Until their opinion is directly given to me, I never truly know; and maybe it’s that insecurity that both-ers so many people. I think everyone has to answer those questions about themselves at one point in time. We take our lives, lay them out in front of us, and wonder “who am I really?” Maybe it’s too general of a question, but how many people live every minute of their lives wondering about the answer to it? We wonder about how we look to other people, and how others will remember us when there is no more time to make memories. This in itself doesn’t cause problems, but what

does is how early people start asking this of themselves. In photography we were taught how to develop pictures in a dark room, and mainly, the most important aspect of this art is time. If the picture isn’t given enough time to develop, then there isn’t much more than blank paper to look at. If one allows the picture the time it needs to change, than something amazing happens. The image slowly appears, becoming more and more vivid as the minutes go by. I think how we look

at ourselves works the same way. Even as teenagers we often question our purpose, our fate, our impact on the world. But for most of us, our picture has just started to develop and there really isn’t much to see yet. As teenagers we are constantly working to develop into adults and do what it is we were meant to do, but what if we don’t know yet what that is? We are in our prime developing years, yet there are constantly hands prodding us and trying to see what we have measured up to so far; some of them belong to parents and teachers, some are friends’, and others are our own. Ms. America would most likely claim we need world peace, some would argue food, and many, love. My vote, goes to patience. Maybe it is too much to ask of the world to slow down, but I will ask that it gives people time to grow. I ask for patience from and for everyone possible, in hopes that maybe someday this generation will have more answers than questions.v

Filling in thewith a little more empty spacecolumn.alyssameier

b l a n k s

So, how do I know that every one of the people I was staring from across the isle wasn’t staring at me when I was looking the other way?


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The hinge of the door screeched; I peered out of bed only to find my four-year old cousin staring at me with an awe of disbelief. “Jordee,” he said with the deepest concern. “Why are you always the last one out of bed?”

I can’t help but laugh hysterically, it’s only 9 A.M. There is no point in turning over back to the pillow; the day has begun. For the record, I am not one to be extremely fond of kids. Now, I mean that with a loving heart. I’ve done the whole babysitting bit, and the “Oh, that’s so cute,” but as an unwritten rule, I have about a three day limit with kids. However, there are always the exceptions. Maybe it’s because he’s my cousin, maybe it’s because he’s a genius, (okay so I’m a little biased) but this 4-year old is going to go places in life. For one, he may be the only person to ever get me out of bed on a Saturday before 9 A.M. Those who have been around me for any length of time will start to realize that I have the driest of dry sense of humor. As the two of us sit on the floor playing with his toy house and figurines, also known as the Batman Cave, I try to persuade him that the bad guy, Penguin, is not a bird at all, just like all penguins. He looks at me with eyes that could burn. “Yes they are, yes yes they are,” he said. I continued on, “Well they don’t fly, do they?” Without a second for thought, he yelled from the depths of his tiny stomach, ”Well ostriches don’t fly and they’re birds. They run super fast.” So the score resides my cousin one, and me, well, a fat zero. It’s a good thing the points don’t matter. Thinking I would have time to grab a cup a coffee and get ready, I head upstairs. I’m all dressed with my hair in place and, let’s face it, well-caffeinated. One last thing to do; put a pony tail on my wrist, you never know when it could come in handy. Before I can even get through the doorway I hear a crash; my cousin is just behind the door waiting. He puts a ponytail on his wrist like me. My first thoughts; “How sweet, he wants to be like me.” Then about two hours later, I see him shooting the ponytail with his hand as a weapon, or maybe just something to do while he’s bored in the car. The score now: cousin two, Jordee zero. So typical. At this point the weekend is winding down. I’m about ready to depart back to Bismarck, but what better way to fill the time than play with dinosaur figurines with my favorite little dude? I hear all about the T-Rex, Tarascosaurus and Terradacty. I try to keep a straight face, but let’s face it, hearing those words out of a 4-year old’s mouth, who may have a slight speech impediment is a hard task at hand, but that’s beside the point. I do my best to ask questions; from there I learn which ones eat just plants, just meat, or even the occasional omnivore. I’m impressed to say the least. During this whole prehistoric lesson, I sporadically answer my phone. I send a text or two, then continue on with the listening and occasional attack with dinosaurs. He must have decided that the lesson needed to step up a notch, because I then received a whole speech about camouflage. Apparently swimming dinosaurs are blue so they can blend in with the surroundings, same with the green ones that only eat trees. I didn’t quite have the heart to tell him that I knew most of this fascinating in-formation; instead I answered my phone and attempted to listen intently. He must of gotten mad, because next thing I know he’s right in my face speaking with sincere certainty, “Jordee you need to listen.” So I did. My cousin, wanted to share a part of his life with me. And what did I do out of respect? Nothing. I instead assumed I knew most everything about the topic and moved on to something else, never thinking that it might have offended him. Guilt arose in me, how to fix it? (He was up three to zero in the score by now.)

A matter of

column.jordankalk

perceptionLife lessons always come when least expected

“Rawr,” I said. He looks at me, probably thinking I was going to pretend attack his dinosaurs again. “It means I love you in dinosaur,” I continued on. He giggled and gave me the “You’re silly” expression. “Rawr,” he screamed back. At the end of the weekend the score resided with my cousin three, and myself one. It’s a really good thing the points don’t matter. The most valuable lessons come when people expect it the least. Sometimes all we need to do is take an outside approach on reality, or maybe, speak a little dinosaur.v

The curtains open, the stage is set and the models appear. This isn’t just any fashion show, this is a show that makes a difference in a child’s life. Usually I write about topics that don’t personally affect

me, but today I decided to write about something that is very close to my heart. For the past three years I have had the opportunity to make a child’s wish come true by putting on a fashion show for the Make-A-Wish foundation of North Dakota. The whole thing started back when I was in the eighth grade and one of my middle school classmates, Amber Desroches, passed away after a four year battle with Leukemia. Earlier that fall, a friend of mine, Kayla Hillstead was diagnosed with cancer. I saw what a struggle it was for her and her family. I went to Amber’s funeral and her family had all her Make-A-Wish items on display. They were so grateful because when they went on her Make-A-Wish trip, it was a time where Amber could escape the reality of her illness and just live life like a normal teenager. I saw what an impact the organization had made and decided that I too wanted to make a difference for a child in our community who is battling a chronic disease. I have to admit I was on pins and needles the first year I organized the show. I was an eighth grader trying to put on a show of my own. I wanted to raise a large amount of money for this fabulous organization. Was I crazy? Little 5’1” Cara trying to put on a show and influencing others to attend. I stayed determined and continued to work hard on the show. I spent many nights staying up late working on programs, calling models, cutting music, printing tickets, laying out the stage pattern, and so much more. I was taking on an unfathomable amount of work as a teenager. I consider myself to be a busy person. I spend my days at school then I go to dance for about four hours a night or else mentor younger children and go home to do homework late into the night. If that isn’t enough on my plate, I decided to take on a fashion show! Sure there were days when I became over-stressed with all I had to get done, but when those days came I spent part of the day reflecting on what I was about to do. I was impacting a child’s life. That thought kept me determined to continue to strive for success. When we ran through the show that first year, I remember Kayla was feeling sick and was barely able to stand up on her own. Yet, she was determined to model her brand new wigs, which she looked beautiful in. I had a model come up to me when she saw what condition Kayla was in and said to me, “Cara, it has finally hit me. This isn’t just a fashion show. This is so much more than that. You are making children’s wishes come true!” The day of the show, I began to worry. My hands started to sweat and my adrenaline began to rush. I had only sold 30 tickets in advance and the feeling of failure began to engulf me. Then something magical happened. Twenty minutes before the show started, people began to rush in, filling the auditorium seats. Tickets were being sold to the point where I even ran out. Still to this day, I don’t know the exact count of the number of people in attendance. I remember tears began to fill my eyes as I realized what an amazing community I live in. I had people backing me up and that itself was a true feeling of success. That first year my goal was to raise $1,000. I ended up raising $2,517. The second year I raised close to the same amount resulting in a total donation of $5,867. This year I am determined to raise at least double the amount of the previous years. The Make-A-Wish organization is the largest wish-granting organization in America. Every 40 minutes a child’s wish is granted. Wishes are categorized into four groups. The first grouping is “to be” such as a

firefighter or dolphin trainer. The second grouping is “to meet” such as a famous celebrity. The third grouping is “to have” such as a play house. The final grouping is “to go” such as to Disney World. That’s the beauty of a wish. It can be anywhere or anything in the world. The average wish costs

$6,000 and by what I have done, I have proven that I have the capability to grant a child’s wish! That second year I was fortunate enough to have four more Wish kids join my show. You may think I’m crazy, but I call it helping others. It may sound cheesy to the average person, but I truly am the type who

puts others before myself. There is no better reward than seeing a child’s face light up with joy because of something I did. I have now proved that even at a young age, anyone can make a difference in the world in which we live in.v


opinion}Making wishes

come trueThe power of changing a child’s lifecolumn.caramund

“I had people backing me up and that itself was a true feeling of success.”


opinion{

I really dislike talking to substitute teachers. Honestly, I don’t want to hear your jokes from LaffyTaffy wrap-pers or about your failed attempts to run for public office. I just want to ask to leave the room. Steve Baker

I absolutely hate when teachers give papers at the end of the year when they know students won’t have their mind on work anymore. There’s just something about the warming weath-er and the nearing of the school’s end that stops a student’s ability to think properly. Andrew Wiseman

I hate ridiculous pick up lines. They are super cheesy and annoying because they are over used. Tia Jasper

Rant

sWanna spend 30+ dollars on an article of clothing that has no use at all? Buy a flat-billed hat! The most useless thing a person can buy, hats are made to block out sun, not just to hold a guy,s hair back. You don’t even watch baseball and you know it, so take off that white socks hat, pull up your pants and get to work. Seth Ebach

I thoroughly dislike customers who walk into my store AT close. The sign says 9:30, that means you should not walk in at 9:30. Workers have lives; believe it or not we do not live to serve you. Despite what we say, it is not fine that you are here after close. Molly Zachmeier


opinion}

I love Velveeta. Without its synthetic cheesy existence, my memorized recipe repertoire (macaroni and cheese, grilled cheese, etc.) would be eliminated. Besides...who doesn’t love a good prepared cheese product? Steve Baker

Big Boy’s Hot N’ Tot combines two of my favorite things: pop and cinnamon. Knowing that whenever I’m thirsty I can simply stop on by and grab a re-freshing drink is a comforting thought. Lexi Hagler

I love arguing about pointless things, money, and tacos. Matt Painter

I like being able to make stuff up even when I should have been pre-pared. Zach Triplett

I love Mountain Dew Code Red. BEST POP EVER EVER. Maddy Frederickson

Raves


entertainment{

profile&photoillustration.tonyabauerSome styles are meant to be noticed

The freedom to shed her khaki pants and polo tops opened up a new world, a world

full of plaid skirts, band tees, ripped up jeans, and Converse boots. Her love of Pete Wentz, Snickers and her red high heels have shaped Jasmine "Jazzy" Towner into the person she is today. After Century High School junior Jazzy Towner attended Catholic school for eight years, all she wanted to do was be herself, create her style, and find her personality. Her time had come; public school welcomed her with open arms. Like most teenagers, Jazzy was afraid to be labeled "the weird kid," but she wasn't going to let that fear suppress her crazy, artsy, energetic, child-like self from being shown to the world, or, at that moment, Horizon Middle School. While searching for her style and personality she has discovered her love for Hollister's mens’ cologne and saltine crackers piled high with butter and sugar. She's also developed a love of scary movies; not only does she get an adrenaline rush, but they also give her the

giggles. Towner would love to be a contestant on America's Next Top Model or become an actress. She sets lofty goals but believes wholeheartedly that she can reach them. She loves art and fashion but can't help randomly quoting Star Wars. Towner wants to leave a legacy at Century, but not because of her achievements in any

sports or her impressive social skills. Towner doesn't want anyone to be afraid to be themselves and that it doesn't matter if you fit in. Towner loves herself and her style and wants everyone else to be as confident as

she is. “I want to leave behind a sense of understanding [that] it's okay to be yourself," Towner said. She wants to work with the organization Invisible Children. She loves to scream at the top of her lungs in empty rooms. She loves to pretend the floor is lava when she is home alone. She's random, she's different, and she wouldn't have it any other way. v

Jazzy's outfit break down:

UP!

“I want to leave behind a sense of

understanding [that] it’s okay to be yourself.”

Jazzin’it

Red high heelsShoe Carnival

Black leggingsTarget Jean shorts

American EagleKe$ha t-shirtHot Topic$30.00

$29.99$30.00

$20.00

entertainment}

profile.kellanstaebell

Senior Nathan McNamara shares his insights on gaming

photo.jordankalk


The TV screen flickers in the dark room where Century High School Senior Nathan McNamara

spends some of his spare time playing video games with friends or by himself. "My brother introduced me to some games, but other than that my friends introduced me," McNamara said. After being introduced to games, McNamara joined Gamers Club when he got into high school. "I joined 'cause my friends heard about it and I thought it would be fun," McNamara said. McNamara plays on a variety of different consoles, which include GameCube, Xbox 360, PS2 and Nintendo 64. The console that he plays the most when he gets the chance is his Xbox 360. McNamara plays games called RPG's or role playing games. "I play anything that catches my attention and that I think is fun. I mainly play RPG's just because of the

length of time and progressiveness of it," McNamara said. McNamara doesn't think much of expression when it comes to gaming. "Well kinda, it really depends on what type of gamer you are," McNamara said. Other than playing games McNamara has other hobbies, “I honestly don’t play that many video games anymore since I work and hang with friends, but, when I get the chance, I play with friends on Xbox Live, it just depends what mood I’m in,” McNamara said. When it comes to playing games, McNamara gets in an hour or two playing video games. “When I get out of school at 2:34 p.m. I get an hour to relax then go to work at 3:30 p.m. at Dan’s,” McNamara said. v

A gaming experience

Senior Nathan McNamara plays on an Xbox360 during a gamers club meeting.

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style


entertainment}

short&photos.abbykopp

Converse opened for busi-ness in 1908. One hundred

years later, the shoes have hit the big time. The clas-

sic, all star, low and high top shoes come in all of the classic colors, but now Converse has

added a twist. On their website people can now design their

own shoes. The tongue, sides, inside, and stitching can have different patterns, colors, and tex-

tures. Words can also be added to the back or side of the shoe. This

is one fashion trend that won’t soon go out of style.

Check out extra features on our Web site, century.highschoolmedia.

* Extra photos from our feature shoots:

Colton BrendelLily and Ed

* Videos of our talented featured students:

Mike’s biking videoIsaac Sauer’s music videoLucas Rutten playing guitar

* Mr. Lee’s bear video!

* Recognition for academic, sports, music and art excellence

Sho

es for

your

As the music rolls in and his voice sounds out, jaws begin to drop. When senior Max Redmann performed “Never Have I Found”

by Josh Garrels during the talent portion of the 2009 Mr. CHS pageant, many were surprised by the skill he had been keeping to himself. Redmann exudes confidence. Standing at six foot six inches, it’s almost a requirement. But Redmann admits that even though he’s comfortable in front of a group of people, he was pretty nervous before his performance. “I had the shakes, but I tried to play it off.” Ever since he was little, Redmann has been involved with music. He sang in his church choir when he was younger, played the trom-bone first chair from fifth to ninth grade, and played guitar for three years. Now older, there are few places and events to perform at as a solo artist, so Redmann sticks to sharing his talent with his friends. “Most of the time when we’re in the car I will put on a song I like and sing it.” Since it’s only a select few that get to listen to him sing, people didn’t believe what they were hearing during Redmann’s Mr. CHS performance. “People think I lip synced it, but I didn’t.”

Throughout his life, Redmann has had a lot of encouragement when it comes to music. His family has always been there to back him up, but one member in particular pushes Redmann to be the person he is. “My brother is a big inspiration. He’s really confident in every-thing he does so it makes me want to do the same.” Redmann said that his favorite thing about singing for people is that “[he likes] being able to show good music to people.” So, in the future, he will continue to do what he loves and surprise more and more people with his talent.v


entertainment{

MAXimumprofile&photo.macyegeland

Max’s top favorite songs

talent

10So Long, Lonesome- Explosions in the SkyMy Mind is Ramblin’- The Black KeysLong, Long Winter- Bob MarleyMidnight on the Run- BoomboxRoadhouse Blues- The DoorsHeartsprings- HeiruspecsIn The Summertime- Mungo JerryLow Tone Energy- KanserThe Rain Song- Led ZeppelinLisztomania- Phoenix


entertainment}

Lady Gaga, the simple factsshort.sarajohardmeyer

Radio head aches

Junior Steve Baker What song? “Songs by Ke$ha”Why? “She has a third grader’s vocabulary, except for her sexual references and her drug references and whatever ‘Brushing your teeth with a bottle of Jack’ is.”

Sophomore Sam BaglivioWhat song? “Love Story by Taylor Swift”Why? “It’s one of those songs that you get stuck in your head and you wanna pound your head against a brick wall to try and get it out but you’re singing it. You’re mildly enjoying the singing but you hate it still.”

Senior Micheal MandersWhat song? “Party in the USA”Why? “It’s a horrible, horrible abomination to mu-sic. It’s horrible.”

short&photos.paulmurphyThe STAR asked what songs make people turn the volume off

1She has sold 10 million copies of “The Fame Monster.”

2Dropped out of NYU at the age of 19. Lady Gaga’s

real name is Stefani.3

4At age four she taught herself to play piano.

5 The song “Radio Gaga” by Queen is the idea behind her stage name.

6Gaga thinks of herself as a lady.

8

9 She designs her own wardrobe.

10Source: http://www.people.com/people/lady_gaga

7Gaga was once mistaken for Amy Wine-

house, this is why her hair is blonde now.

She is the original artist of the song “Fashion.”

Gaga has been perform-ing since the age of 13.


entertainment{

lay ‘Reprisal’, dude.” The words hang for just a second as Century High School senior Anthony Howe settles on his stool. Most drummers take a mo-ment to breathe deep, to concentrate, but Howe sits at ease, he smiles, then he starts the thunder. His hands move without restraint, a blur of splintered sticks chewed up and spat out after years of lip rolls and spins. The unused guest room isn’t big enough to contain the sound, not nearly. The trap set sits just past the door along with, watch your step, bits of older sets: a bass drum here, a cymbal or so there. Before long, Howe’s bandmate Tanner Leier calls out again, “Jazz, now.” Howe listens; it’s a trust built between the two from their year of playing in Bismarck’s metal band If I Ran The Zoo. Their time together, whether it’s spent rehearsing, playing shows or huddling in their van in negative 20-degree weather to keep warm, has forged a deep bond between them. “We have a lot of fun together. I think it’s lame when people are like ‘Oh, they’re my brothers’ but, I don’t know, it’s kind of like that.” Brotherhood or not, Anthony isn’t afraid to fight for his idea of what If I Ran The Zoo should sound like, which means the occasional “Choke Out Sub-mission Match” between the band members. Even the times he taps out first, the drum part usually goes how he wants it. “We’ll practice it one way, then we do it live and I’ll change it up a bit.” The band, Anthony claims, never holds it against him. “They usually realize I’m right.” That performance is important to Anthony, whose philosophy that “Music is something meant to be live, not on a CD,” pushes him to record his drums in a single sitting. “It’s either all one good take or if I mess up once, whatever, I’m done, I’m doing it again.” Anthony’s pursuit of a live, authentic sound is only natural given his love and enthusiasm of performing for a crowd. “I try to make myself put on a show, I try to make it look like I’m having fun, because I am.” More than impressing the crowd with his talent, Anthony views the shows as a way to connect with people, going so far as to consider each and ev-ery member of their growing fanbase a “friend.” “No one is an outcast at a show, everyone comes to see the music.” The bonds Anthony builds through his shows are one of the reasons he loves life on the road, even the times when the band members go without meals or get short changed after playing at venues hundreds of miles from home. Despite their constant search for more shows, Anthony and the mem-

bers of If I Ran the Zoo chose not to label themselves as a “Christian” band, a tactic used by other local groups to play shows sponsored by churches, whether or not the bands themselves hold the morals of the venues they’re performing at. “I hate playing with bands that go up and say ‘Praise Jesus’ at the end of their set and then they’re drinking and doing drugs in their van after the show. Don’t claim to be something you’re not, that’s just scum. I hate that.” Christian or not, Anthony believes that If I Ran the Zoo goes against the violent stereotype of “deathcore.” “Our lyrics definitely have a positive mes-sage, like maybe the world is just crap and there’s nothing good in the world right now but we’re not gonna let that stop us, we’re gonna be good people,

we’re gonna live a good life, no matter what’s going on around us.” It’s an attitude Anthony didn’t have before meeting the members of the band, a time when he was making a lot of mistakes falling into the dangerous pitfalls music offers. Witnessing the drive and focus of his bandmates inspired Anthony to clean up, adamantly rejecting that sort of lifestyle. “It just gets in the way and I don’t think it’s worth it. If something is getting in the

way of my music, I’m going to take it out of my life.” What unites If I Ran the Zoo, above labels and scenes, images and hairstyles, is a passion for what they do. “We make music because we like to make music,” and it’s as simple as that. Several songs and genres later, Tanner runs out of things to yell. Anthony lets the cymbals settle before shifting his hair out of his eyes and getting up to leave. In a few days, he’ll be leaving for a town he can’t quite place on a map, unsure of where he’ll stay or what he’ll eat. Anything could happen. And he can’t wait. v

profile&photo.paulmurphy

Tohisownbeat

“P

“...we’re gonna be good people, we’re gonna live a good life, no matter what’s

going on around us.”

Members of If I Ran the Zoo: Anthony Howe- Percussion; Josh Haider- Lead Vocals; Tanner Leier- Guitars; Casey Miller- Guitars; Bassist- Cur-rently looking; Find more about If I Ran the Zoo at myspace.com/iirtz.

Wanna see Anthony on the drums? Head to The Century Star Website for a short session.


entertainment}Every brightly colored thread, every splash of paint and every doodled-on notebook page embody Century High School ju-nior Savannah Link. She can't be tied down to any stereotype, because, in a way, she fits all of them.

"My life is an unfinished painting."

profile&photo.sammimoss

Q: What makes you unique?A: I just like a lot of different things. I've never liked the norm, I try to stay away from it.

Q: Why?A: You see it all the time, so why not show something else, you know. I like color and stuff and bright things that make things crazy and fun.

Q: Why did you choose clothes as your way of expression?A: They have so much color and they are so fun. When you dress the way you want to be dressed, how you're feeling on the inside shows on the outside.

Q: How do you choose your outfits?A: I wake up and whatever my eye goes to I'm like, 'Okay, that one.' A lot is the weather too. But if I feel girly and fun I will usually wear a dress. It depends a lot about how I'm feeling and how much I want to put into my outfit picking.

Q: Where do you get most of your clothes?A: Oh boy, my sister's closet. I like sales from Target and I like a lot of accessories from Hot Topic, Wet Seal. Delia's is my favorite but I only get a couple of clothes there because it's in the Mall of America.

Q: You're always so friendly and happy all the time, what makes you like that?A: Not all the time, people don't see me at home! I don't have much to be sad about. I have a good family, and in the Bible it always says, 'Love everybody,' so I just try to do that. If you're friendly you get to meet people you wouldn't nor-mally meet. And usually they have something that can make your day a whole lot better.

Q: What do you love?A: I love people. My friends and my family. To see people smile and stuff and getting to talk to them. I love to paint. There's so many things I love I could go on and on and on.

Q: What are you afraid of?A: Like fear, the feeling. I'm always scared the day of a [track or cross country] race about the feeling I'll get when I'm racing, the feeling of not being able to accomplish things I guess. And the dark, too.

Q: Why do you run?A: It frees me. When I've had a really hard day and stuff and a lot of problems, instead of just sitting and thinking about them I try to just run and it's like I feel like I'm free and I'm just running them off. I know it's crazy, some people are like, "What?! Are you kidding?"

Q: What would you do if you were never afraid of anything?A: I'd probably do some crazy stuff. I would probably make sure to live every day and go skydiving and stuff like that.

Q: What is your passion?A: I think I want to be a teacher. But I'd like to be able to paint, but I don't think I will be able to be an artist or anything.

Q: Why not?A: I don't know. I'd have to move to a big city or something. And even then there's so many good painters and stuff that my little doodles wouldn't... I was thinking about art teacher maybe someday. I want to have an impact on [people's] lives and I think in high school the teachers that you have help you choose what you want to be and how you want to live your life.

Q: What do you think about love?A: I think love is the best thing there is. It’s what makes life worth living. Without love I’d never be able to make it through the hard times in my life. If you’re having a bad day, the simplest hug from a friend and smile and just knowing that you have people that love you gets you through the day. When it all comes down to it, that’s all that really matters, how many people you loved.v

To see more of Savannah’s outfits, visit us on the web!

Ccentury.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 56

entertainment{

Perhaps a song, with touches of Ben Folds and The Shins, would do a better job of describing Century High School

junior Lucas Rutten. Unconventional lyrics and dancing melo-dies might better capture the vegetarian guitar player whose biggest fear is being kidnapped. It's the offbeat and unusual, the badminton skills ("skills with a 'Z'"), the love of music and the 5-year-old goldfish named Simba, that make Rutten who he is. His first guitar came when he was five years old. Ever since then, his passion and dedication have left his fingers callused and his hands aching countless times. Even so, music is his outlet, his way of expressing himself. As he puts it, "Music works when words don't work." Rutten isn't the typical guitar player that wants to become a famous rock star and earn millions. He would prefer to work behind the music, as a writer and producer. He wants to do more than sing songs and entertain audi-

ences. Through lyrics and rhythm, he wants to help people understand that it's okay to express themselves. From a glance, one might suppose that Rutten has an obsession with fashion. Despite always looking sharp in a blazer or corduroys, Rutten usually puts little time into his ensembles, "When I see nice clothes in my closet, I always think, 'Why would I wear anything less nice than that? That's nice.' So I put it on." The inspiration for all Rutten does comes from the people around him. He pulls from what he sees of their lives, the way they act, how they let their mood affect them, their body language. He sees every emotion and from them, finds inspiration. For someone who thinks a lot of people take love too seriously, Rutten seriously loves music. It's this passion, along with his odd quirks and quirky oddities, that set him apart from the masses.v

The music manCentury High School junior Lucas Rutten shares his passion for music, badminton and life

profile&photos.sammimoss

To hear Rutten play, visit century.highschoolmedia.org

Ccentury.highschoolmedia.org / April 2010 / STAR 57

entertainment}1. Music- “It’s the air I breathe and it’s what gives life purpose for me.”2. Family- “They make me laugh and because they give me a direction.”3. Chapstick- “It’s almost a comfort thing, be-cause it’s always in my right, front pocket. I’d be scared to leave the house with out it.”4. Dr. Pepper- “You can’t get the feeling of high fructose corn syrup pulsing through your veins anywhere else.”5. Theater- “It’s another really awesome way to express yourself. I love it when theater drains you and it feels like all your emotions are spent and you get to do it all again the next night.”6. Peanut Butter English Muffins- “They fill me up and they’re delicious. I eat them every morning and I never get tired of them.”7. Education- “Where would we be without it? It’s sort of our life at this time.”8. Simba, my goldfish- “He’s the best listener I know.”9. British Comedy TV shows from the 90’s- “They have an edge on humor that Americans can’t even come close to. That’s what I grew up on without cable.” 10. My Friends- “They make life fun. They’re always there to listen and play.”

1.

2.

4.

3.

6.

8.


entertainment{

How The Hustle, Century STAR styleshort.jordankalk&tonyabauer

Put in music; either the Hustle by Van McCoy & the Soul City Symphony, or whatever you think is best

Starting with the right foot, take four steps forward

Step four steps back

Grapevine to the right, then clap

Grapevine to the left, then clap-If you’re feeling groovy, add a turn to the grapevine

Next, four disco’s to the right, John Travolta style, don’t forget to move those hips!

Two arm beaters to the right

Two arm beaters to the left

Chicken strut while doing a quarter turn

Repeat four times for a full turn

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

photos.amandalittrell

danceto


entertainment}

North of Dakotaprofile&photo.norahkolbergWatch out, USA- this kid is going to be big

Art class with Dakota Noot is like a 50-minute late night talk show without the late night band. He’s constantly talking

to the nearest ear, getting the nearest ear to talk back. The art teacher can glare, issue as many “get-to-work’s” as he wants, but Dakota continues chatting about anything and every-thing with his sharp, lively voice. Plenty of laughter comes from Dakota’s corner, but so does plenty of work- thoughtful, original, visually astounding work. You may not know it from the show he puts on in the art room, but Dakota is one of the most recognized and talented students in the halls of Century and the city of Bismarck. Take his sophomore painting. Dakota’s Art II class was as-signed a pop art painting in the style of Andy Warhol. Most students took pictures of themselves or friends using the classic Photobooth effect- the one that turns you a Crayola color in each of its four frames. Some of the more ambitious students manipulated Internet images of everyday objects in Photoshop. Dakota printed a black-and-white picture of singer Amy Winehouse, drew a rough sketch on his 11x14 canvas, and painted her into a surreal, rainbow-colored icon, blowing a cheeky kiss at her tabloid admirers. This ability to see what others may not and translate it into art is what makes Dakota a true artist and individual. On the surface, though, Dakota is your average junior, dressing in skinny jeans and artsy tees that he tells me his mom buys for him. He loves Ruby Tuesday and Burger King for their burgers-- “Ruby Tuesday is better, but Burger King is trashy-good.” He and his “really normal” parents have a close relationship, going out to eat and shopping together. His father, Paul Noot, is a local artist and art educator. When I ask him who the best artist in the family is, Dakota laughs. “My dad’s a better artist,” he says. “But I’m more creative.” I believe it. Creativity shines through in each of Dakota’s pieces, be it a charcoal close-up of an aging medicine man or a watercolor penguin with a fork for a head. His taste in music and movies follows suit when he cites the movie Female Trouble as a favorite-- he saw it late at night on the Independent Film Channel. He loves the SyFy channel, and his favorite is Lifetime TV because “it’s cheesy, sappy, and cheating girls always die.” But when he says he likes electronic rap, I have to ask him what exactly that means. “You know, stuff like Peaches and Fischerspooner.” No, I don’t know, but I give “Emerge” a listen and imme-diately make a mental note to download it. Where all this diversity came from is beyond me, especially in someone with the same name as the quiet, conservative state in which he lives. Surprisingly, with his outgoing attitude and carrying voice, Dakota says he’s still shy around some people. “I think they’ll beat me up,” he says. I’m also surprised when he tells me he’s not sure if he’ll go into art in the future. “I want to model for Vogue, maybe Cosmo,” he says with a laugh. “Really, I just want to entertain people.”v

Dakota in his backyard with his sophomore year pop art painting. Dakota gets much of his inspiration from reality TV and the popular obsession with fame.


entertainment{

profile.baileycarlson

She’s a new face around Century, but one who is not afraid to stand alone.

Junior Josie Christiansen transferred from St. Mary’s High School to Century this semester to allow herself more individual expression. “I wanted individuality,” Chrisitansen said. “At St. Mary’s it feels like you can’t do anything that describes yourself without everyone ganging up on you. Everyone has to be one unit.” Christiansen enjoys singing, reading, drama, speech, basketball and volleyball and being out-side as much as she possibly can. “You can sing about anything really,” Christiansen said. “It’s really easy to express yourself.” Chirstiansen doesn’t follow the crowd, and her personality doesn’t either. She believes people should find out things for themselves, not always believing what they hear. “I’m really different- all over the place,” Christiansen said. To Christiansen, stereotypes are just excuses to hide personality. She doesn’t believe stereotypes can ever accurately describe people. “Not everyone’s the same,” Christiansen said.

With three brothers, three sisters, one mom, one dad, one stepmom and one stepdad, Christiansen has many to love, and her biggest fear is to lose them. Christiansen’s stepdad has been to Iraq and his participation in the military has affected her choices for the future. Christiansen used to be in WILY, an organization that develops leadership in teens who have

connections with the Army. She went on three trips with them, doing service projects and communicat-ing with other teens who have gone through similar experiences. Christiansen plans to receive some me-chanics training with the Army for at least four years. “I could probably get better training going into the

Army and doing it than going to a college,” Christiansen said. “I’m going to be helping my country.” As children laugh and play on the playground near her home, Josie smiles with them. A boy screams, “I like custard, and I hate mush-rooms” and Josie’s smile grows wider. The random outbursts of children perhaps remind herself of her own crazy personality. Stepping out of the norm is nothing new to her.v

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photos.sammimoss

PromThe guy takes the girl’s right hand with his left and turns her out to her left (she should be going counter-clockwise) as she steps to the left. Once the girl is fully extended outward to her left, a couple of steps away from the guy, the guy then spins her back towards him as she steps back to her right under the guy’s arm (clockwise) until she is back in her original position on his left.


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Prom is fast approaching and as a part of the traditional ceremonies a grandi-ose parade of suave suits and frilly frocks traversing a narrow path in front of hundreds of teary-eyed parental units takes place. The thoughts and opinions pertaining to Grand March are as diverse as the dresses. Whether you consider the menagerie an exciting addition to the prom line-up or a necessary evil, there’s an opportunity to have fun and make it your own. Here are some moves you and your date can perform on the illuminated runway:

Simple Spin-

The guy’s left hand takes the girl’s right (ever so gently) and spins her in place in a counter-clockwise rotation until her back is perpendicu-lar with the guy’s arms. The guy then places his right arm under the girl’s backwhile continu-ing to hold her hand for support and he dips her. Once the dip is completed to the heart’s content, lift the girl back up to a standing posi-tion and spin her back into her original position (she should spin clock-wise in place).

If the moves mentioned above are beyond you and your partners skill set, try doing a simple pose. It can be anything from the classic 007 back-to-back hands in the shape of guns pose to the girl in the guy’s arms wedding pose. As long as you make it your own and be creative you are bound to have a good time.

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Q: How long have you been teaching?A: “Do you really have to ask that? (chuckles) Twenty seven years, I’ve been at Century since the fall of 1995.”

Q: What all do you teach?A: “I’m no longer a coach which is a big change, and I’m pretty heavy in filmmaking and documentaries. Me and Palmer have done some in school but also on the side. They’re about a variety of things, people want a story done on this and that. Storytellers through film.”

Q: Why did you become a teacher and why have you decided to stick around?A: “At that time, I liked a combination. I liked history. I liked coaching and sports and I wanted to stay around that. I saw the teachers I had in high school and they seemed to have a pretty neat life. Always something go-ing on around the school. Happenings.”

Q: You seem to bond with your students. Joke around with them and make them feel important. Why?A: “That’s been one of the reasons why I’m quite pleased with what I do. In my own little way, I feel like I’ve never left high school. In that way, I would say many of my friends and acquaintances are jealous as they grow old and pathetic. That bond comes from me never really losing sight of young people in high school and college. That world is fun to me, lots of energy.”

Q: So please tell me about the bear video…A: (Smiles) “I’ve been a lifelong backpacker, or as Murdock calls it, backsacker.

A number of years ago, me and a buddy of mine came upon a young male black bear. We have an intense fear of grizzlies. We came across and were feed-ing him caramel toffees. We were really getting up close and personal and it turned out stupid, we got in a fight.”

Q: What does self-expression mean to you?A: “It means letting your personality come out, trying to be uninhibited.”

Q: It seems like you’d listen to some crazy awesome music. Who are some of your favorites?A: “I’m kind of ashamed and embarrassed but I’m being uninhibited, Lady GaGa. She is the next future phenomenon that will make Madonna look like nothing. And if I had to go back to classics, Led Zeppelin.”

Q: How about favorite movie?A: “ I have two, they would be Jeremiah Johnson and 300.

Q: Food?A: “Steak, medium.”

Q: Anything else you’d like STAR readers to know about you?A: “I have a major disappointment that I missed out on… the Brett Kelly Phenomenon. I never had him in class. But, Michael Oberlander has prom-ised to get me a Brett Kelly t-shirt. That’s all I want from the graduating class. Also, I need comedy to make it through the day and that’s a certain type of thing a student likes. Without humor everyday, I would fall asleep standing up.”v

It’s my lifeprofile.amandalittrell

Inside Century High School teacher Mr. Lee’s brain may seem like a cool place, but we’re here to show you, it’s way cooler than you think.

‘photos.submitted

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Documents

Century Star :: Issue 7