1. education
2. school

B
T
The Bear Truth
B
T
The Bear Truth
8th Grade Registration Page 5
Photo by Olivia Gilmer.
Looking to the Future
The Class of 2015 makes way for the Class of 2019
Exploring Engineering Page 6
Prom is right around the corner! Page 17
Photo by Erin Tirpak.
Photo by Olivia Gilmer.
April Fools! Page 18
Photo by Dalin Craig.
Earth Day and Endangered
Species Page 10-11
Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Volume VII Issue VIII - Palmer Ridge High School - April 2015 - Monument, CO
BT
02
editorial
April 2015
By Jimmy Kochanski
A few students in a fraternity
at the University of Oklahoma were
recently caught on video chanting
racist chants while on a bus trip.
The recorded chants went viral on
the Internet. Two of the students
were expelled from the university
including the leader of the chant. The
leader was encouraged to apologize
to his local state congresswoman,
who then held a news conference
where she allowed him to publicly
apologize for his actions. During
the news conference the student said
that he never thought of himself as
a racist. However, the video clearly
shows him singing a racist chant.
While I believe this type of incident
is uncommon on most campuses, I
began to have doubts. Between the
incidents at Ferguson and New York
City, questions begin to be raised
about racism in the U.S. This also
lead me to wonder if Palmer Ridge
has any problems with race. I do
not believe anyone I know at Palmer
Ridge would consider himself or
herself racist, and I haven’t seen
racism displayed during school.
However, I still wonder if there are
any problems of which I am not
aware.
According to U.S. News and World
Report, Palmer Ridge High School
has a 17% minority enrollment.
The town of Monument, Colorado,
has a 30% minority population
according to the U.S. Census
Bureau as compared to a 37.4 %
minority population within the
United States. Minorities at Palmer
Ridge are fewer than half the nation’s
percentage of minorities and just a
little more than half the minority
population of Monument. Does
the low percentage of minorities
at Palmer Ridge affect the way our
students think about race issues?
Are we more tolerant? Are smaller
towns kinder to everyone? Or do
our minority students feel different
from non-minority students?
I think Palmer Ridge is a very
friendly school. I have always
enjoyed the atmosphere at school
Racism in Schools?
Cartoon by Jimmy Kochanski.
and feel the student body as well
as the faculty and staff have shaped
our friendly atmosphere. I have
always thought racism takes place
elsewhere, not at Palmer Ridge.
Because the minority populations at
Palmer Ridge and in Monument are
small, do minorities at our school
feel equally treated? In other words,
does everyone, regardless of his or
her race or ethnicity, feel accepted
and happy at Palmer Ridge High
School?
My first impression is that
everyone at Palmer Ridge is treated
the same way. I think our faculty and
students treat everyone with respect,
regardless of race. I can’t imagine
any of our teachers or administrators
treating anyone differently because
of race. However, the only people
who can answer these questions are
our students who happen to be a
minority.
One student, who happens to
be a minority, tells me that she has
always been treated with respect and
has never felt any racism from other
students, faculty or administrators
at Palmer Ridge. She also said
that she believes the U.S. is still
ripped by racial discrimination, but
that Monument is not. Another
minority student at Palmer Ridge
feels much the same way. He has
never experienced any problems
at our school but he believes
discrimination exists in the U.S. He
also made an interesting comment
that sometimes people who are
raised with the expectation that they
will be or might be discriminated
against may find racism where it
may or may not exist. He also said,
“I don’t believe that Monument is an
accurate representation of the U.S.
I know that our ethnic population
is significantly less than other
areas. I’m sure the numbers change
significantly even when traveling
to the Springs or Denver.” These
interviews have led me to tentatively
conclude that racism is decently rare,
if existent at all, at Palmer Ridge. I
believe that the student body is, in
general, very conscientious about
being not only tolerant of different
people, but also very inclusive.
A third minority student at Palmer
Ridge experienced racist comments
from opposition players on the
sports field but not from Palmer
Ridge students. I am proud to say I
also witnessed several non-minority
Palmer Ridge students come forward
to defend their teammate against
these racist comments.
Looking back, I was offended that
one of our very own was targeted
with racial slurs. I think most people
at Palmer Ridge would have been
equally offended. I am confident
that Palmer Ridge students value one
another both on and off the field.
From my few interviews with our
few minorities I believe race relations
at Palmer Ridge are commendable.
I am proud and encouraged by
the atmosphere at our school. I
think other schools face a different
reality. It is unfortunate that at the
university level, young people have
not learned how to behave decently
towards one another.
The point of this editorial
however is not to pat ourselves
on the back and say how great we
are because we don’t have racism
at Palmer Ridge. We must be
continually vigilant when it comes
to racism and prevent it or stop it
as soon as it shows its ugly head
and to keep it from growing roots
at our school. I understand that I
am writing from only one student’s
perspective and that the minorities
that I spoke with for this article may
be the lucky ones who have not
experienced discrimination at our
school. Making an effort and taking
a stand takes a school wide effort.
The steps that our school must take
to combat racism are very similar to
the steps we must take to combat
bullying. Teachers, administrators,
and students must all work together
to confront racism when it occurs.
Any behavior or interlocution
that is interpreted as racist should
not be ignored. We can continue
to keep racism out of our school
by emphasizing our friendships,
commitment to kindness, and
openness to discuss this kind of
topic in a frank way. Students in
leadership positions like Student
Council, Yearbook, and captains on
athletic teams also contribute to the
positive atmosphere at our school.
I encourage any students who
feel they have been the victim of
racism to report it immediately.
I also encourage anyone who
witnesses racism to step in and stop
it. Talking with a school counselor
is an excellent first step if you
have either been a victim or if you
have witnessed it first hand. The
counselors are trained to handle
these types of situations and the
sooner any possible incident is
brought to their attention, the
sooner we can confront potential
problems.
Treating each other with respect
is fortunately the norm at Palmer
Ridge. Our goal should be to
continue to have an open and
welcoming environment for every
student regardless of race.
The Bear Truth Staff
Editor-in-Chief:
Jimmy Kochanski
Assistant Editor:
Jenna Bethany
Copy Editor:
Savannah Olmstead
Business Managers:
Jacob Cheeseman
Evan Ochsner
Bear Life:
Emalie Houk- Editor
Calendar:
Calli Krueger
Cartoonist:
Dalin Craig
Entertainment:
Katie Padilla- Editor
Features:
Holly Knutsen- Editor
Anna SchnelbachEditor
Lifestyle:
Jenna BethanyEditor
Tess Kelly
News:
Savannah OlmsteadEditor
Anna SchnelbachEditor
Rebecca Bristowe
Sports:
Jacob CheesemanEditor
Evan Ochsner- Editor
Jonathan Olds
Erin Tirpak
Emily Plott
Student Life:
Rio Lane- Editor
Aaron Brachfeld
Olivia Gilmer
Ridge Ramblings:
Ally Hansen- Editor
Sean Hansen
James Patrick
Reporters:
Faylyn Bruecken
Tara Fugate
Lauren Jones
Alexis Olmstead
Distribution Team:
Thomas DiPretore
Joseph Jenkins
Alex Llarena
Ther Paw
Brendan Rudnicki
Sam Rustin
Nikolai Shabe
Connor Shores
Jeremy Vasquez
Joey Wenchell
Adviser:
Mr. Patrick
Editorial Policy:
The Bear Truth is the student voice of Palmer Ridge High School. Our staff is dedicated
to maintaining journalistic integrity, serving Palmer Ridge High School as a public forum,
and presenting up-to-date information and coverage on issues affecting the school and
the surrounding community. Expression made by students in the exercise of freedom of
speech or freedom of the press is not an expression of The Lewis-Palmer School District
or District 38 Board Policy.
Letters to the Editor:
The Bear Truth staff views the inclusion of letters to the editor as essential to the
journalistic process. The staff feels that these letters provide a means by which readers
can voice their opinions or views. However, given the limited amount of space in the
school newspaper, the staff reserves the right to set standards for the length and number
of letters to be included. Letters should be no longer than 250 words and be signed
so the staff can verify authorship. Under no circumstances will anonymous letters be
accepted or printed. The staff of The Bear Truth wants to hear from the community we
serve. Please email letters to [email protected]
Advertising:
The Bear Truth is primarily funded by our advertisers. For more information about our
ad rates, please email [email protected] or call 719.867.8132.
For our complete editorial policies please see the Newspaper Production page on the PRHS website.
Member, Colorado High School Press Association.
Printed By Signature Offset using sustainable printing practices..
03
this month
Fossil Ridge High School MUN Meet
April 2015
Horoscopes
Delegates from Palmer Ridge High School win Best Delegation at this
Crisis Committee Format
By Holly Knutsen
Although many high schoolers
spend their Saturdays watching
television, exercising, or spending
time with friends, there are those
select few who engage themselves
in research, public speaking, team
building, writing, and debate with
other students from across the
state of Colorado. If you haven’t
guessed it yet, this is Model United
Nations (MUN). No, participants
don’t strut down the runway, but
instead, immerse themselves in allday conferences where they discuss
and write resolutions regarding
current issues such as the Islamic
State (ISIS) and the recent but lethal
Ebola outbreak.
Even though this is just a mock
reenactment of the United Nations,
club members work diligently to
prepare for this conference. With
each delegate being assigned a
country, they research that country’s
policy and position on these world
crises. Then, with a few public
speaking lessons and a briefing on
the procedure of MUN, they are
released to participate in council.
Usually, there is much debate
that occurs, with resolutions
being drafted throughout the day.
However, on February 25th, 2015,
a different kind of MUN conference
took place at Fossil Ridge High
School in a Crisis Committee
format, instead of the conventional
General Assembly configuration.
There were only two councils:
the Security and Executive Council,
when usually there are between
five and ten. Four students took
on the roles of the United States
representatives,
with
Alexis
Olmstead acting as Barack Obama,
Savannah Olmstead portraying John
Kerry, and Kristen Ruggiero and
Dylan Hall representing members
of the Security Council. Another
junior from Palmer Ridge, Dylan
Sparks, was the IAEA, informing
the councils on what would happen
if a nuclear bomb were to go off,
the objective of this conference. The
crisis that ensued required critical
and pragmatic thinking, strategic
moves, and careful responses to
the live media feed from the FRHS
TV crew. As terrorists took control
of a nuclear facility in Kashmir (a
disputed region between India and
Pakistan), Palmer Ridge’s delegates
took matters into their own hands
and carried out drone strikes,
eradicating the terrorists completely.
Also, the team negotiated with
other countries such as Yemen and
Pakistan, pledging its full support
for peace and stability regarding
Kashmir.
At the awards ceremony, the
delegates in the Executive Council
were awarded Best Delegation,
a prestigious honor they were
“grateful to be given.” The Security
Council was also very high ranked,
but the important thing is, everyone
had fun! If this interests you at all ,
please consider joining this rigorous
yet wonderful Model United
Nations club here at Palmer Ridge!
actually want to work in the
future?”
Libra
September 23- October 22
Do you feel as if April Fool’s Day
is just another regular, boring day?
That’s probably because you’re a
party pooper and need to get out
more—seriously, try it.
By Cassiopeia
Aries
March 21- April 19
You could try doing something nice
for someone instead of pranking
them on April Fool’s – they would
probably take it as a joke even if the
date wasn’t April 1st.
Taurus
April 20- May 20
Just because it’s Fool’s Day doesn’t
mean you have to act the part.
Scorpio
October 23- November 21
You should probably not spend
all of your time thinking up your
master plan for April 1st, and
instead think of all the plans you
won’t be having if you don’t catch
up on homework.
Sagittarius
Gemini
November 22- December 21
Sometimes it may feel like your life
is a repeat—every day is April Fool’s
Day for you. But, never fear, you’ll
always get a good laugh!
Cancer
December 22- January 19
The signs show that you are going
to have a good month! You’ll be
happy and have lots of fun! No, just
kidding, it’s April Fool’s.
May 21- June 20
Believe it or not, you can actually
be funny AND intelligent at the
same time. This might be a new
concept, but soak it in buddy.
June 21- July 22
Surprise! One of your friends
probably isn’t kidding about his/her
so-called “April Fool’s Joke.” I guess
you’ll find out tomorrow!
Leo
July 23- August 22
Today is the one day when sass
and pranks are regarded as socially
acceptable. Revel in it.
Palmer Ridge Students (left to right) Dylan Sparks, Savannah Olmstead, Alexis Olmstead, Dylan Hall, and Kristen Ruggiero
pose for a picture after the awards ceremony at Model United Nations.
BT
Capricorn
Aquarius
January 20- February 18
Everything is actually going well
for you, and life will most likely
continue being this way unless your
fellow peer decides you to be his/
her unsuspecting victim of his/
her shenanigans. Well then, things
might not go too well.
Pisces
Virgo
August 23- September 22
Your big, huge plan for pranking
your boss or teacher might actually
work. The question is, “Do you
February 19- March 20
You can’t escape the inevitable.
Watch out for water balloons, bad
jokes, and anything that you could
trip on.
April Calendar
By Calli Krueger
Wednesday, April 1
Sunday, April 5
Thursday, April 16
Friday, April 17
Saturday, April 18
April Fools Day
Easter Sunday
Bear Necessity Theatre Co.
production of The Boys Next
Door
7:00pm-9:00pm
No School
•
The Boys Next Door
7:00pm-9:00pm
The Boys Next Door
2:00pm-2:00pm
& 7:00pm-9:00pm
Wednesday, April 22
Earth Day
Friday, April 24
Saturday, April 25
Sunday, April 26
Tuesday, April 28
Junior & Senior Prom
7:00pm-11:00pm
After Prom
Junior ACT
Arbor Day
BT
04
news
April 2015
Principal’s Press
By Savannah Olmstead
April
April Events
The Bear Truth: What are some
of the major events occurring this
April?
The newest Palmer Ridge students roam around the gym, examing possbile sports and clubs to participate in. Photo by Olivia Gilmer
Gary Gabel: “ACT will be going on,
Prom – which is always a big deal –
will be going on at the end of the
month, all of the spring activities.
We have a Senior Parent Meeting for
Graduation – just a lot of different
things. Once you get past March
and into April and May, everything’s
just going to be fast and furious
until the end of the school year.”
BT: When will the second round of
testing occur this year?
GG: “There’s another round of
testing in April that is shorter.”
Standardized Testing
Anthony Karr: “[It’s] the end of
April and first week of May.”
BT: What has been the response to
the new PARCC testing at Palmer
Ridge?
GG: “I would say that some families
are better-educated about PARCC
than others. Our participation
has been not-the-best, and I have
no problem with parents refusing
if they understand that and they
know what PARCC is. It’s difficult
for me to have parents who refuse
who know nothing about the exam;
it’s just that their kid told them, ‘I
don’t want to take the exam because
none of my friends are doing it’ –
so they just base their decision on
that. I respect decisions made by the
family…I would just like our people
to be a little more educated about
the decisions that they make.”
BT: What percentage of students at
athletes – for whatever reason –
decide not to compete, you’re still
going to have an end result. Is your
end result going to be as good as it
would have been if all ten athletes
had competed? My concern is, some
of our best and brightest refused
to take the exam…We are going
to have an end result that shows a
baseline of knowledge for us – and is
that going to represent Palmer Ridge
the way we’ve been represented? In
the long run, I don’t know.”
Athletics
BT: Do you have any comments on
how Spring Sports are performing
now that they have officially started
up this season?
Palmer Ridge refused testing?
GG: “I don’t know right now. I
would say it’s probably somewhere
around at least 40 percent. I won’t
know until the final numbers are
done because of make-ups.”
BT: How does refusing to take
PARCC affect the school and its
accreditation, which depends on
95% of students taking the test?
GG: “Well, the state board voted
4 to 2 that they won’t hold that
against schools – if they don’t hit
the 95 percent rating. With that
being said, for the rating, that’s
good; but, the analogy that I always
use is that if you have ten athletes
in a competition, and five of those
GG: “They’re kind of behind the
eight ball now because we’ve had
so much snow… Our track team is
about 165 boys and girls – it’s just
amazing how many kids are out for
track. I went out and watched our
Girls’ Lacrosse Team; they’re very
competitive, and I think they’re
doing a good job… It’s interesting
– you know spring is here because
everything gets postponed.”
StuCo Gets Locked In:
Jess Stolberg. “After some games, we
each got a partner. We had to talk
to them and figure out what they
like and then we all had to stand
A current 8th Grader
RyantoBest
on questions
a towel senior
and try
flipabout
theStudent
towel Council. All photos by Olivia Gilmer.
The Girls’ Lacrosse team was there over without anyone ‘falling off.’ We
having a pasta party and I think were all hugging and jumping on
we really scared them with all our each other’s backs. It wasn’t exactly
running and of course, our amazing comfortable but it was great team
selfie skills,” says sophomore Abby bonding!”
An obstacle course and a dyadic
Bogdovitz.
encounter
followed. After a long
The team that won the scavenger
night,
StuCo
kids hit the hay. Girls
hunt was rewarded with pizza
slept
in
the
choir
room while boys
first. “After we ate, we did some
were
in
the
drama
room. “In the
community service which always
morning,
we
had
a
breakfast of
makes me feel good!” explains
champions
(donuts
and
juice) and
senior Dylan Brandt. “We made
did
big
drops,
which
is
my
favorite
bookmarks for the library and wrote
thing
in
the
whole
world.
We
get a
letters to senior citizens, which is
piece
of
paper
with
our
name
on
it
always great because you get to
and
then
we
sit
in
a
circle
and
pass
it
brighten someone’s day!”
around
and
we
all
write
nice
things
StuCo then went on a game
escapade. “We played this really about each other. They’re meant as
fun game where we had to lie down an inspirational thing to ‘fill your
in a circle head-to-toe and pass a bucket’,” states Bogdovitz.
balloon with our feet” Says Junior
Spend a Night With the Palmer Ridge StuCo
By Holly Knutsen
Almost every club has its
traditions: Pasta Parties, Team
Bonding, Regional Competitions,
and so on. But Student Council
has an annual tradition that’s a little
different from those of most clubs.
In late February, members of the
Student Council are locked in the
school to spend the night together,
doing team bonding activities,
obstacle courses, making cupcakes,
and enjoying each other’s company.
The evening started when
members of Student Council arrived
at the school at 5:30. “It was kind of
crazy because as soon as we got there
we were split up into teams and all
of a sudden we were in this insane
scavenger hunt. We had to run
around the school and take selfies.
(Left)
Sophomores
Hannah Bashi, Holly
Knutsen,
and
Abby
Bogdovitz with Senior
Kristin
Hancock.
(Middle) Mrs. Reed
explains a game at the
StuCo lock in. (Above)
Juniors Jess Stolberg and
Kailee Tharnish work
their way through an
obstacle course. Photos by
Tom Patrick.
05
news
8th Grade Registration
BT
April 2015
Members of the Class of 2019 Register for Classes at Palmer Ridge
By Olivia Gilmer
Going into freshman year can be
frightening, especially when you have to
choose your classes and learn about all the
clubs and activities offered at Palmer Ridge.
The 8th grade registration took place on
Thursday March 5th, in the main gym of
Palmer Ridge. Walking into the gym, the
incoming freshman class was greeted with
a roar of noise, as nearly thirty booths,
each advertising a different club or sport,
attempted to gain recruits for the school
year of 2015-2016. As they walked in, their
attention was immediately diverted directly
to the left, where FCA had set up its booth.
The table was covered in candy, music was
blasting from the speakers, and each FCA
member was wearing a costume.
Other popular booths included Football,
Cheer, and Track, but there were many booths
which each had unique attractions. The
Lacrosse booth had set up a choreographed
dance between team members senior Ashley
Walker and junior Ashlyn Murray, while
members of the Gymnastics Team did back
flips around their booth. The eighth graders
walked around the gym in small groups,
debating with their friends on whether they
should join Robotics or Friends of Rachel or
various other clubs.
Students who already attend Palmer
Ridge attempted to engage the new students
by walking around, showcasing their club or
sport. “We talked to a ton of people,” said
Walker, “It was fun to meet the incoming
freshmen. We talked to everyone and
anyone who came by our table.” Soccer
players walked with a previously won
trophy, members of the publications moved
around the gym taking pictures of the event,
while Track and Field mingled with the
newcomers, attempting to engage them in
the prospect of joining Track. We all know it
can be nerve-wracking to enter high school;
luckily, Palmer Ridge has always been a
friendly, welcoming school and that was the
atmosphere on Thursday.
With the help of all of the students here,
we can ensure that next year’s freshmen will
have an easy transition and an awesome high
school experience.
(Right) The newest Palmer Ridge students roam
around the gym, examining possible sports and clubs to
participate in.
(Below) Ms. Tivnan, a coach of the Track Team, sits at
Palmer Ridge Track’s booth and talks to prospective track
competitors. All photos by Olivia Gilmer.
PRHS FCA
(Above) An incoming freshman signs up to participate in next year’s Woman’s Soccer Program.
Keepin’ It Real
Join us for the 2015 FCA breakaway
weekend adventure at the Quaker Ridge
Conference and Retreat Center.We’ll be
keepin’ it real through awesome food,
group competitions, and digging into your
faith as a student athlete!
What You Need to Know:
- April 17-19th at the Quaker Ridge Conference and Retreat
Center in Divide Colorado.
- Registration is only $155 per student (checks are payable to
FCA)
- Contact Scott Northway at [email protected] to sign up!
BT
06
news
April 2015
Aerospace Engineering
More Courses?
(Left)
Rockets
waiting to dry over
spring break so
that they will be
prepared to launch
by the end of the
year. The duct
tape is holding the
fins in the proper
location until the
rockets dry.
(Right)
Senior
Quinn
Tirpak
works
on
the
computer,
using
an STK model.
The
engineering
courses
require
much technological
application.
By Jimmy Kochanski
Palmer Ridge is one of over 6,000
schools nationwide that offers Project
Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering
courses. These courses are intended
to further STEM experience in
students before they go to college.
Palmer Ridge currently offers
three PLTW courses: Introduction
to Engineering, Principals of
Engineering, and finally Aerospace
Engineering.
This semester, the Aerospace
class is once again getting into some
hands-on projects. “We have several
projects, the first one is an air foil,”
said Mr. Obermeyer, the Aerospace
instructor. “The students have to
design a portion of a fin or a wing
and then test it in the wind tunnel.”
The students then have to make
model gliders for the class. This is a
perfect opportunity for interactive
learning about torque, speed, and
climbing in regards to Aerospace
engineering.
“Then we get to the rocket
projects, where the students will
work with composites and use the
3-D printer,” said Mr. Obermeyer.
“Once they make the rocket engines,
they will launch the rockets at the
Aerospace is not the end of
engineering world, and there may
be additional engineering courses
offered in the near future. “If
the district wants a follow-up to
Aerospace, the next course would
be Computer Science Engineering,”
said Mr. Obermeyer. “Lewis Palmer
is getting this new course, and we
would like to as well, but right now
we are having staffing issues.”
At Palmer Ridge, unlike Lewis
Palmer, the engineering teachers
are also teachers of other subjects.
Mr. Obermeyer teaches statistics
and pre- calculus in addition to
aerospace engineering. Likewise, Mr.
Dall and Mr. Bedia teach physics
and wood shop respectively. On
end of the semester.”
Students are exposed to all
kinds of technology throughout the
course. They use auto desk to create
parts for the 3-D printer and use its
STK software, a computer modeling
environment for mission analysis.
“I like watching the creativity
from the students; I enjoy seeing
the thinking of the minds of the
students. When we give students
projects, whether it’s the rockets,
the glider, or the air foil, they get
to design things of their own and
put their personal interest in it,”
concluded Mr. Obermeyer.
Principles of Engineering
By Savannah Olmstead
This semester, the Principles of
Engineering class at Palmer Ridge is
taking on several tough projects to
test problem solving and practice
the scientific method. Recently,
Mr. Dall and Mr. Bedia’s POE
classes constructed marble sorters
to replicate how real sorters work in
recycling.
According to Dall, students used
“a computer and a robot to separate
glass marbles from steel marbles
from aluminum marbles from
wood marbles to plastic marbles.”
After students completed their
designs and computer programs, “I
dump[ed] them all into a hopper,
which split them into five different
locations using a computer program
they wrote and a machine they
built.”
As far as the rest of the semester
goes, students in POE will be taking
on at least three other projects,
including building tresses, wheeled
vehicles, and launchers. Dall is
excited for the challenges that
his class will take on. He states,
“We’ll do towers, where we look at
trusses, structures, and how a beam
is designed, the mathematics of
what makes a beam strong versus
weak, and minimizing material
while maximizing strength.” Dall
continues, “Then we do wheeled
vehicles; a lot of them do a
mousetrap-type vehicle, but they
can power it a lot of different ways.
We compete for speed, distance, and
strength using the same vehicle.”
After completing these projects, the
engineers of POE will design a golf
ball launcher and use it to fire golf
balls at targets outside the school.
About a week after Spring Break,
the trusses will be broken down.
Two or three weeks after that, the
cars will be tested, and the launchers
will be completed by the final week
of school.
Principles of Engineering isn’t
like other electives, however. Unlike
most electives, POE tests both
critical thinking and creativity as
students solve complex problems.
“They are given a set of parameters
that limit what they need to do, but
they’re given an open-ended way
to solve it, so they can go about it
many different ways. They have to
do trial and error; they have to do
“They are given a set of
parameters that limit
what they need to do,
but they’re given an
open-ended way to solve
it, so they can go about it
many different ways.
some research. They – it’s all on
them,” explains Dall. “It’s a chance
to try something without a lot of
grade impact, to teach them [that]
it’s OK to risk something and have
the risk of failure, but the grade’s
not going to get impacted. It’s trying
to get them ready for the idea in
engineering: not everything works
the first time.”
(Above) A student
in Principles of
Engineering designs
his marble-sorting
computer program.
This goal of this
project was to sort
different
types
of marbles as a
simulation of how
recycling
sorters
work.
(Right) One of the
robots used to sort
marbles. Photos by
Dalin Craig.
the other hand, the Lewis-Palmer
instructors are engineering specific,
which has allowed an expansion
in the PLTW curriculum. “They
have just introduced a two-year
biomedical engineering course over
there that requires the students to
stay the whole time,” comments Mr.
Obermeyer, “so yes, we’re trying to
see an expansion of the curriculum
here.”
“I would definitely recommend
Aerospace engineering to other
students,” said junior Vanessa
Schultz. “Although I haven’t taken
Intro or Principles of Engineering,
I would be interested in additional
engineering courses.”
07
Coach
Kochanski
No Regrets?
By Jimmy Kochanski
The other day, my dad showed
me a golf highlight. Since I am
under the age of 40, I did not
realize that the sport of golf
actually had “highlights.” Do not
fear, this column is not about golf!
This column is about the behavior
of an athlete who happens to be
the number one ranked golfer in
the world and about whether he
should regret his poor behavior at a
recent tournament. Rory McIlroy
is the number one ranked golfer in
the world. Recently, he displayed
some inappropriate behavior
when he threw one of his clubs
in a lake after hitting a poor shot.
Following the match, he told an
interviewer that he was not proud
of his behavior, even though it felt
good at the time. He also said that
he wouldn’t want young golfers
to emulate that behavior. Should
he regret his behavior, or should
he say sorry and continue playing
the sport while displaying his
emotions for everyone to see?
I guess the professionals as well
as every day golfers tend to get
upset when they hit bad shots. Is it
OK to blow off a little steam and
throw a club or utter some words
that you would not be proud of
later? Did his actions hurt anyone,
and would it have been better if
he had uttered some curse words
instead of throwing his club in
the lake? Let me first say that
getting upset and throwing a club
into a lake is not nearly as bad as
the domestic assault allegations
against professional athletes that
have been in the news lately. What
Rory McIlroy did was nothing
compared to those recent headline
stories. However, it appears that
the Professional Golf Association
(PGA) is not at all concerned
with this incident. This led me to
wonder why the people in charge
of the sport would seem to be not
worried at all about this incident.
And then I thought that maybe
the PGA might actually benefit
from their top golfer acting like
a common everyday weekend
novice. Maybe this incident made
him look more common and more
human.
Finally, this incident and the
lack of concern from the PGA
made me think about things that
have upset sports players in the
past and what our reactions have
been to them. For those of you
who beat yourselves up after you
have said and done things that you
regret, maybe you should consider
having “no regrets” and giving
yourself a break once in a while
when you inadvertently blow off
a little steam. It is something to
consider.
sports
BT
April 2015
Carson Blehm: Olympian
By Emily Plott and Ally Hansen
There are many amazing sports in
the Special Olympics, all requiring
intense training and an abundance
of natural talent and expertise. One
would have to search very hard to
find a school that has a student who
has won numerous medals in the
Special Olympics. Here at Palmer
Ridge, we have Carson Blehm!
Carson is a freshman this year, and
he started skiing when he was 4.
His instructor said that he didn’t
know if Carson would be able to
do it. However, Carson picked it up
right away, by just copying instead
of trying to follow the instructions.
Carson didn’t care for soccer,
football, or taekwondo, so he began
skiing with the Special Olympics.
He began competing in 2011,
and he competes in the Giant
Slalom and the Super G events.
Carson has won one silver medal
and nine gold medals in his skiing
career so far! This year, the Palmer
Divide Ski Team has gained two new
athletes, Davis, a 15-year-old boy
from Colorado Springs, and Max, a
boy from Monument who is 9 years
old. The boys love what they do,
and some of them, like Carson, take
their training incredibly seriously
and get very focused when they race.
With the addition of the new boys,
veteran Carson is stepping up as the
leader of the team, teaching and
Freshman Carson Blehm preparing to hit the slopes. Photo complements of Mrs. Blehm.
guiding them under their coaches
Kim and Dave.
There is always a large number of
volunteers who give their hours and
love to help these athletes improve
and mature. At Copper, the lift
operators recognize Carson and
encourage him every time he gets
on. When asked her favorite part
about Carson’s time with the Special
Olympics, Mrs. Blehm responded,
“Since Carson was little, he just
didn’t fit in. He didn’t play with other
kids, he didn’t do things the other
kids did, he didn’t have friends, and
he struggled at everything. Doctors
told us he’d most likely not talk, not
be able to do things like ride a bike,
and struggle to be independent. We
chose to ignore their grim outlooks
and treat him like any other kid.
Skiing is the one place where his
disability goes away. He doesn’t
struggle, he isn’t awkward - he’s just
as good (or even better) than most
of the people out there.”
The entire Blehm family has
been affected by Carson’s love of
skiing. Mrs. Blehm gets emotional
watching her son race. His father,
Dave Blehm, is inspired by his
youngest son. Carson’s brother
Zack was moved to make change
in a concrete way, which drove
him to watch the ski sledders and
their wheelchairs and then enter
the field of biomedical engineering.
His mother says, “It’s an incredible
gift to have a child like Carson and
get to know so many others with
disabilities like him through Special
Olympics. They are hardworking, so
genuine and kind, forgiving, pure,
and wonderful.” Carson has found
his place to fly, and his family and
Palmer Ridge could not be happier.
Athlete of the Month: Hannah Capek
By Jacob Cheeseman and
Jonathan Olds
Palmer Ridge is home to many
outstanding athletes, many of these
being runners. Junior Hannah
Capek is one of these outstanding
athletes. Capek is a runner on the
Cross Country and Track teams. She
is a leader and a team player who is
very successful. She has lofty goals
and is poised for success.
About six months ago, Capek
finished 16th at the 4A Cross
Country State Championship. She
was the first female runner to cross
the finish line for Palmer Ridge.
The PR girls’ Cross Country team
would later go on to finish third in
the state. Capek also ran in Nike
Cross Regionals, finishing 63rd in
the region.
Capek has new goals to aim for as
track begins. “I would like to run the
two-mile at state and place on the
podium, so top 8,” Capek explains.
She also would like to qualify for “the
mile, if it works out,” said Capek.
Coach Christensen added that “She
should score at state as long as she
stays healthy... Definitely in the
two mile, hopefully in mile and the
4x800. So she’ll score points, [and]
maybe be All-State.”
Track is not the only season
Capek is looking forward to. She
also has lofty goals for next year’s
Cross Country season. She states,
“Next year’s cross country season,
I really want our girls’ team to win
state. We have the potential to do
so. We all just need to keep working
Junior Hannah Capek running at last year’s PPAC Cross Country championships. She
finished third at the conference championships. Photo by Ally Herebic.
hard… I think that we will definitely
win state.” Capek always puts the
team first, but she also has some
personal goals for Cross Country.
“…personally, I would just like to
place in the top 10 at state,” she says.
Capek has shown immense
amounts of athletic success over
the years and is bound to have even
more success in the coming months.
Capek feels her success is most
influenced by “…our teamwork.
This past year…we’ve really stepped
up our team unity, and I think
that that has helped push us all to
new levels.” This team spirit pushes
Capek to be successful and also
encourages her other teammates.
She states, “Our team spirit’s
awesome. We cheer for each other,
and…it helps push you because you
know… that everyone else wants
you to do well too. And, even at
the two-mile, everyone cheers all
eight laps, and that just really means
a lot to the people running.” It is
also Capek’s work ethic that propels
her to success. She sets an example
through “hard work and always
bringing it every day,” Christensen
said.
For her athletic success, team
spirit, and leadership, Junior
Hannah Capek is the Bear Truth’s
April Athlete of the Month. Capek
will continue to represent the Bears
well on the track and the trail. We
wish her the best of luck this track
season and next cross country
season.
BT
April 2015
08
sports
New Sport Comes to the Ridge
Tryouts and Championship All on April 1
By Jacob Cheeseman, Evan
Ochsner, and Jonathan Olds
Due to recent success in Track
and Field and Cross Country,
administrators here at PR have
decided to form a third running
related sport. A Speed Walking
team. The team will start up next fall
under the leadership of former Pac12 Champion and Social Studies
teacher Mr. Williams. How does a
social studies teacher become the
head coach of the soon- to-be newest
sport at PR? “Because I cannot
think of any other athletic endeavor
that requires a full commitment of
mind, body, soul, and spirit,” says
Coach Williams. Freshman Trent
Douglas, who plans to try out for the
speed walking team next fall, feels
similarly about the subject. “I mean,
it’s kind of an intense sport. There’s
lots of stuff going on out there,
people bashing into each other,
you’ve got to be tough out there.”
One of the expected leaders on
the girls’ team is sophomore Diana
Araje, who has been “speed walking
since I was a kid. My whole family
grew up speed walking. It’s kind
of a tradition.” Both Douglas’ and
Araje’s training regimens are unique
in their own ways. Douglas “walks
a mile a day, just going around the
school. That’s enough practice.”
Araje exercises every, day turning
normal daily tasks into workouts.
She says, “I speed walk every
Freshman Trent Douglas worked on his walking form earlier this week. Douglas hopes to be a
key contributor to the new speed walking team next year. Photo by Jonathan Olds.
morning to school and I speed walk
to the bus to get home.” This kind
of dedication has her set up to make
key contributions early and often to
the team. Coach Williams is looking
forward to having a deep talent pool
to tap into for this first season. He
says, “I’m expecting, well we’ll have
to make cuts; you know I can’t
carry everybody. We’re expecting
Girls’ Lacrosse Update
Sophomore Sam Rippley and freshman Liz Phillips advance up the field against Thunder Ridge. Photo by Erin Tirpak.
By Erin Tirpak
The Girls’ Lacrosse Team has
had a great start to its season. It has
not been perfect but shows great
potential.
The first game the Lady Bears
played against Columbine resulted
in a decisive win. They won 134, which should make a lasting
impression and show their true
spirit to the competition. This is
a good sign, as the Lady Bears are
coming into the season strong with
an impressive initial showing. This
proves to the rest of the state that
the Bears are serious about this
season and are ready to face any
competitors with a decisive attitude
and winning spirit. This game will
hopefully set a positive precedent for
the rest of the season. The girls are
looking for more wins to come.
These wins did not come quickly,
however. The Bears did not win
any of their next three games, but
they did put in a strong effort.
The beginning of a season can be
extremely difficult, as team members
discover each other’s strengths
and weaknesses and attempt to
work through any awkward team
dynamics. Though the next few
games were not an excellent showing
for the Bears, they will be sure to
come back stronger for the rest of
the season.
If nothing else, the first four
games had a great presentation of
the girls’ potential, and tangible
success will be sure to follow in
the rest of the season as the girls
gain more experience and get more
comfortable as a team. The girls
are putting large amounts of hard
work and effort into the season,
practicing every day to get stronger
and more technically advanced. The
girls are looking forward to the rest
of the season, hoping to see better
performances soon. Soon, all of
their hard work and potential will
pay off, with the girls hoping to
repeat the level of success seen at
their first game against Columbine.
tryouts of probably about fifty, and
I’ll have to cut it down to the top
ten.” These kinds of expectations are
somewhat ambitious for a first year
team but hopefully will turn into
results. Some of the teams’ toughest
competition will come from inside
the PPAC, namely Cheyenne
Mountain, because according to
Coach Williams, “they walk up
and down the doggone mountain
all the time.” Some of the toughest
competition for the team outside of
the conference will most likely come
from Coronado because “they have a
lot of returning starters.”
The team will begin training
sometime in late August of this year,
with their first meet on September,
2 at UNC Greeley. Coach Williams
expects his team to be well
conditioned by the time they enter
competition with a full arsenal of
workouts Coach Williams’ will use
on his runners. He plans on taking
full advantage of the many staircases
around the school. The team also
plans on attending the World Speed
Walking Championships in Boston
over the summer to gain some
outside advice.
While starting a new program at
any school can be a challenge, with
strong coaching and promishing
young talent, the Bears appear to be
in good shape for next year.
Boys’ Lacrosse
Update
By Erin Tirpak
The boys’ lacrosse team has had
a good start to this spring season.
Their success has been great, with
a current record of 10-5.They
have a handful of dominating
wins including a 13-4 victory over
Douglas County and a 15-1 victory
over Fountain Valley.
With this good of a record, the
team has a right to be proud and an
incentive to work towards continual
success. With a record of 4 wins
and 2 losses within their athletic
conference, the boys are sure to go
far this season. The boys will work
hard all season to maintain a high
level of performance.
Their next home game will be on
Friday, April 4. So if you have some
free time, you should get out and
cheer on the boys’ lacrosse team at
Don Breese.
Freshman Kevin Eels against Valor.
Home Athletic
Calendar
Wed 4/1: Tennis vs.
Discovery Canyon 3:45
PM
Thurs 4/2: Swimming
vs. Coronado @ MHCC
4:00 PM
Fri 4/3: Boys Lacrosse
vs. Highlands Ranch
7:00 PM
Sat 4/4: Girls
Lacrosse vs. Thompson
Valley 9:00 AM, Girls
Soccer vs. Fossil Ridge
3:00 PM
Tues 4/7: Baseball
vs. Sand Creek 4:00
PM, Swimming vs. Air
Academy @ MHCC
4:00 PM
Wed 4/8: Girls
Lacrosse vs. Pine Creek
5:30 PM
Thurs 4/9: Girls
Soccer vs. Air Academy
7:30 PM
Fri 4/10: Boys
Lacrosse vs. Legend 7:00
PM
Sat 4/11: Baseball vs.
Thompson Valley 12:00
PM
Mon 4/13: Girls
Tennis vs. Pueblo South
4:00 PM, Girls Lacrosse
vs. Pueblo West 5:30
PM
Tues 4/14: Baseball
vs. Air Academy 4:00
PM
Wed 4/15: Girls
Tennis vs. Air Academy
3:45 PM, Girls Lacrosse
vs. Palmer 5:30 PM
Thurs 4/16: Girls
Soccer vs. Vista Ridge
7:30 PM
Fri 4/17: Boys
Lacrosse vs. Thunder
Ridge 7:00 PM
Sat 4/18: Girls Tennis
vs. Mullen 10:00 AM
Tues 4/21: Baseball
vs. Falcon 4:00 PM, Girls
Soccer vs. Lewis Palmer
7:30 PM
Wed 4/22: Girls
Lacrosse vs. Cheyenne
Mountain 5:30 PM
Thurs 4/23: Baseball
vs. Lewis Palmer 4:00
PM, Girls Soccer vs.
Falcon 7:30 PM
Fri 4/24: Boys
Lacrosse vs. Rock
Canyon 7:00 PM
09
entertainment
Album Review:
TV Series
Just Like You by Falling in Review:
Reverse
Better Call
Saul
By Katie Padilla
On February 20th, Falling in
Reverse released its third album, Just
Like You. Seeing how different the
band’s first two albums were, I had
no idea what to expect, and to be
completely honest, I’m still not quite
sure what to think of this album.
The album’s first track, “Chemical
Prisoner,” fits the album perfectly
as the opening track. With a bassdriven intro and a chorus that is
easy to sing along to, “Chemical
Prisoner” is actually pretty good.
Lead singer Ronnie Radke hits
the chorus with “It’s so hard to be
together/ and I try and I try/ but it
won’t get better.”
“God, If You Are Above”, the
second track and the first single
released off the album, is the first
song on the album and is designed to
take old fans back to Radke’s Escape
the Fate days. The song sounds like
something that would have been
found on an old Escape the Fate
album or even the first Falling in
Reverse album; I think this throws
listeners off a little as this sound was
almost completely lost in the band’s
second album, Fashionably Late.
With the first two tracks, the album
seems as if it is headed in a good
direction.
However, the album seems to take
a wrong turn in the third and fourth
tracks. “Guillotine IV (The Final
Chapter)” seems to be a conclusion
for Ronnie’s time in Escape the
Fate. The screaming vocals alone are
enough to make me skip this song
while listening to the album.
Although the album seems to have
its ups and downs, overall it is pretty
good and I would recommend this
album to both new and old Falling
in Reverse Fans.
The Boys Next Door
Preview
By Katie Padilla
“The Boys Next Door” is a play
set in New England where four
mentally handicapped men, Lucien,
Arnold, Norman, and Barry, live
under the supervision of a young
social worker named Jack.
Lucien P. Smith has the mind
of a five year old but he imagines
that he can read and understand
the books he carries around.
Arnold suffers from deep-seated
insecurities, a persecution complex,
and hyperactivity. Norman works
in a doughnut shop and is unable
to resist the delicious pastries. Barry
is a schizophrenic who is upset by
the cold rejection of his father and
fantasizes that he is a pro golfer.
To find out what happens with
these boys, be sure to check out the
show on April 16, 17, or 18.
The Boys Next Door Cast:
Jack......Jacob Plott
Arnold……..Ben Capp
Barry……..Michael D’ Arcangelis
Lucien….Ben Faber
Norman……..Jacob Skaggs
Shelia….Katie McDonald
Mr. Klepmer…..Danny Kuchinsky
Senator Clarke……..Luke Foster
Mr. Hedges……Bennett Monsen
Mr. Corbin…….Derek Rugles
Clara………Lillian Horn
Mrs. Fremus……Elena Sayeedi
Ms. Warren……..Mckenna Burford
By Jimmy Kochanski
All the die hard Breaking Bad
fans out there should give a round
of applause to Vince Gilligan. The
man who brought us Breaking Bad
is at it again with Better Call Saul,
a prequel of sorts to Breaking Bad.
This spin-off takes a look into the
life of James “Jimmy” McGill six
years before the intricate character
appeared on Breaking Bad.
The creators of this show were
in a difficult position, trying to
keep the viewers of the former
show happy while also making this
new show a creature of its own.
Although the shows share similar
dark and often twisted themes along
with the same characters and parts
of the plot, I’ve found this spin-off
to be pleasantly unpredictable and
capable of standing by itself. It is
very difficult to keep the viewers on
the edge, when it seems as though
the “answers” and “ending” have
already been revealed by the parent
show.
The cast has some familiar faces
returning from Breaking Bad,
Saul Goodman scam artist lawyer,
played by Bob Odenkirk. Jonathan
Banks plays as Mike Ehrmantraut,
a “private investigator” for Saul and
another returning character. There
are some new faces too, including
Patrick Fabian as Howard Hamlin,
Saul’s opponent in the opening
season, and Michael McKean who
plays Chuck McGill, Saul’s brother
who is plagued with an unusual
handicap
of
electromagnetic
hypersensitivity.
The pilot episode received a
staggering 6.9 million views,
showing the strength and faith of
the Breaking Bad followers who are
still hungry for more. The show has
also received very positive critiques,
scoring an 100% on rotten tomato
(based on 60 positive reviews) and
a 9.2 out of 10 from IMDb. This
show has had huge shoes to fill and
it has filled them to the bursting
point.
The season 1 finale “Marco,” will
air on April 6 on AMC. A second
season has already been ordered by
AMC, so I would tune in and hang
on: this is only the beginning.
BT
April 2015
Movie Review: Chappie
By James Patrick
This month, I watched and
reviewed
Chappie.
Watching
this movie gives you hope that,
in the movie industry, (kind of )
original ideas can become movies
- there may not only be sequels or
superhero movies forever! That was
this movie’s greatest feature: the
ability to watch something original.
The makers actually pulled it
off pretty well too, so that it wasn’t
a good idea put to waste. Chappie
was directed by Neill Blomkamp,
who has directed a few other sci-fi,
futuristic movies like District 9 and
Elysium, so he had a name before
making this one. A quick summary
about Chappie: in a time when
a robotic police force is active in
South Africa, the engineer of the
robots is working on a project to
create a robot with consciousness
that can learn and communicate
like a human being.
When Chappie is taken by
people who are in the organized
crime business, Chappie needs to
learn what is right and wrong before
his battery runs out. The movie
Chappie doesn’t have a group of
stars for the cast. Although it does
have Hugh Jackman, the rest of
the cast is a new group, except for
Dev Patel, who starred in Slumdog
Millionaire.
The soundtrack can be described
as interesting, as it features music
made by the two main criminals who
star in the movie. At the beginning
of this review, I mentioned that
Chappie was a sort of original
concept. Chappie uses many ideas
and themes that come from other scifi movies, but it puts its own swing
on things with the whole gangster
feel about it. It is aimed at a more
mature audience who likes futuristic
themes or sci-fi movies. Overall, I
would give this movie 3.5 stars out
of 5 for having a semi-original idea,
an odd group of people for the cast,
a strange soundtrack, and being
produced fairly well.
Book of the Month:
The Alchemist
By Paulo Coelho
By Dalin Craig
The Book Club chose The
Alchemist for the month of
February, and, in my opinion, it was
a great choice. I really enjoyed this
book and thought it was amazing.
The book takes place in Spain
and follows a boy named Santiago.
Santiago wants to travel the world,
so he becomes a shepherd. Later,
when he has a dream of a treasure
at the pyramids of Egypt, a fortuneteller tells him to go and search for
it.
Along the way, as he travels to
fulfill his dreams, he meets a king,
an Englishman, and an alchemist.
The plot is very enjoyable and the
message it presents is very clear.
Coelho clearly presents the
theme that people allow fear and
work to stop them from following
their dreams; those who choose to
follow their dreams live happier lives
knowing they are fulfilled.
The language in the book
appears to be very simplistic, but
it is very appealing; the characters
are sometimes one-dimensional and
many of them are kept at a distance.
I enjoyed this book; it was good
and easy to read. I seldom talk about
the theme, but in this book the
theme was great. Many people do
not end up following their dreams
and the way this book explains it
really spoke to me.
Part of me also thought there
was a theme that all humanity could
get along because we are all the same
race. The boy in the book ends up
meeting people of many cultures
and religions and they all got along.
I would recommend this book
to almost everyone. It is an amazing
book that I really enjoyed and
the message is something all of
us should hear. Historical fiction
readers would enjoy the book as it is
set in the past.
THE BEAR TRUTH
Hey! Hey, you! Do you want to be responsible for the death of a polar bear? No! Of course you don’t! But the cold hard
truth is that you could be slaughtering innocent polar bears with your trash and energy habits. And while no one wants to
be that kid: the animal-loving, tofu-eating, insane-o, Ecoterrorist, that gives anyone the death glare if they shower more
than once every three weeks, it’s still important that we take care of our environment. Lucky for you charming students of
PR, you’re already doing a lot by just attending Palmer Ridge! This month’s features will offer an exciting variety of Palmer
Ridge’s energy saving techniques, clean energy habits, Earth Day, the animals you could be killing, how to stop the killing
of these animals, an underground tour of PR’s geothermal heating system, and some other good eco-y things.
Green (And Navy And Gold) School
These water pumps help heat and cool our classrooms. Photo by Tara Fugate.
by Faylyn Bruecken
Everyone is trying to find ways to be eco-friendly, and if you haven’t noticed, our school is filled with genius ways to conserve energy. I was fortunate to be able
to interview Mr. Wall, our Facility Manager, to find out what Palmer Ridge does to help the environment and stay energy-efficient. Our school has an impressive
amount of technology used to save the environment, energy, and most importantly, money. Compared to our rival Lewis-Palmer, we used approximately
$26,000 less on our annual energy bill. “That’s one of the big ways, is that just through our energy savings, by things that shut themselves off automatically when
they’re not in use,” Mr. Wall claims, and, looking at the data, he must be right.
There are several environmentally friendly pieces of equipment in our school that I was even surprised to hear about. Have you ever noticed a shelf above the
windows in your classrooms? I had Mr. Wall help explain the purpose of them. These “light reflecting shelves” help reduce electricity consumption in classrooms.
When a classroom is full of bright light from outside, sensors dim the lights, which helps save electricity. The lights in classrooms also have motion sensors. After
about twenty minutes, if the sensors haven’t detected any movement, they will turn off automatically. The sensors don’t only turn off the lights, however. If
there is no one in a room, it isn’t necessary to keep the classroom at a certain temperature, so the sensors signal to reduce heating or cooling as much as needed.
Isn’t it nice to not have to flush the toilet or turn off the faucets? Water conservation is important everywhere, and our school also supports this cause. “(This
system) is all metered for less water consumption,” explains our knowledgeable janitor.
Have you ever heard that our school uses a geothermal system? If you weren’t aware, like me, it is quite interesting. Used mostly in the summertime, a
heating/air-conditioning system called a “heat pump” is located in every classroom. When the radiator needs to cool down a classroom, the water goes through
designated coils down into the ground, which cools the water, so when it comes back up to the classroom it can cool it down.
On top of all of that, our school recycles! Palmer Ridge partners with Waste Management to recycle our paper, plastic, and aluminum cans. Anyone can bring
in his or her recycling from home, too.
Earth Day is a celebration to keep our environment, around the world, safe and healthy for more years to come. So this Earth Day, be proud to go to
a school that’s doing its best to help the areas where we live. There are several ways to support the cause. Happy Earth Day, Bears!
Radiators regulate temperatures in the big parts of our school. Photo by Tara Fugate
Our wonderful Facility Manager, Mr. Wall! Photo by Faylyn Bruecken
10
April 2015
Species Endangered
We’ve all been told about how we could be killing
the polar bears. Well it turns out that we could be killing
more than just polar bears. Below is a list of ridiculously
cute and super awesome animals you could be killing.
So next time you leave the water running while brushing
your teeth, think of this.
Sri Lankan Elephant
Where?
Sri Lankan elephants are found in Sri Lanka!
What do they eat?
The Sri Lankan elephant is an herbivore. They eat grass,
roots, leaves, shoots and bark.
How many are left in the wild?
There are 2,500 to 4000 Sri Lankan Elephants left in the
world. They’re considered endangered animals.
Why do they matter?
In Sri Lanka, elephants have a cultural, symbolic, and
economic significance. They attract tourists and help with
logging operations.
What are they being threatened with?
The biggest threat to elephants is deforestation. Elephants
need large pieces of forest to live in and they continue to be
forced out of their homes.
History of Earth Day
April 2015
11
Many people have heard of Earth Day; however, they do not know its history or the significance that it holds in
general.
History - The 1960’s were a time when factories could pollute the air without a care in the world and huge, gasguzzling vehicles were very popular; in other words, the decade was not a very environmentally friendly time at
all. To put it simply, Earth Day was started by a senator in the late 1960’s to raise awareness for the environment.
Senator Gaylord Nelson of Wisconsin was the man responsible for the creation of Earth Day. He was a widely known
advocate for environmental issues who traveled throughout the United States to speak to people about environmental
awareness.
During this time, Anti-Vietnam War protests were taking place all over the nation; this protesting is said to be the
catalyst that sparked the idea for an environmental demonstration. In the fall of 1969, senator Nelson announced
that, in the spring of 1970, there would be a nationwide grassroots demonstration for environmental problems. The
public’s reaction to the announcement of the demonstration was electric; many people were fascinated and largely
supported the idea.
This day gave people the first opportunity to come together to discuss environmental concerns as a nation on a
larger scale. On the first Earth Day, April 22, 1970, it was estimated that 20 million people nationwide participated in
festivities. Earth Day has now blossomed into an international celebration as well, with over 175 countries recognizing
the importance of the day. Since the 1970’s, many things have changed regarding the environment. In fact, recycling
did not even exist forty years ago. In the 1970’s, many acts were passed, such as the Clean Air Act, Water Quality
Improvement Act, Endangered Species Act, Toxic Substances Control Act, and Surface Mining Control Reclamation
Act. Earth Day even eventually lead to the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency in the late 1970s.
Can
We Recycle?
Ms. Cross with all the cans she has currently. Photo by Emalie Houk
Sloth
Where?
Sloths are found in Central and South America, and they
live in the rainforest.
What do they eat?
A sloth’s diet consists of leaves, twigs, and buds.
How many are left in the wild?
There are six species of sloth in the world and two species
are
considered endangered.
Why do they matter?
Sloths are an essential part of the rainforest ecosystem.
What are they being threatened with?
Sloths live almost entirely in trees, and they face a threat
of deforestation.
Sumatran Orangutan
Where?
The Sumatran orangutan lives on the island of Sumatra.
What do they eat?
Orangutans eat lots of fruit, their favorite being the
Durian, which smells bad and tastes like garlic and custard.
How many are left in the wild?
There are 7,300 Sumatran orangutans left, and they’re
considered critically endangered.
Why do they matter?
Orangutans are frugivores, meaning they eat mostly fruit.
They play an essential role in dispersing seeds; if they were to
die off, many trees would also disappear.
What are they being threatened with?
Orangutans face habitat loss, but they also face other
hardships. Orangutans are status symbols, so people want
them as house pets. Orangutans are also eaten on occasion.
After showing “The Human Footprint” to her Earth Science students, Ms. Cross was inspired to see how much she was
wasting. In the movie, students learned that the average person throws away 64 tons of garbage over his or her lifetime.
Since she is an avid Diet Coke consumer, Ms. Cross decided to save all of the empty soda cans that she would normally
throw away. Every day, her collection of cans grows and all of her students can see how much waste only one person
can leave behind. So far, Ms. Cross has collected over 300 soda cans and bottles. At the end of the year, her students
are going to make a giant sculpture out of all the soda cans that would have been thrown away. Besides being a fun
project, the assignment was given in hopes that Cross’s students would see the benefits of recycling. 64 tons of garbage
per person really adds up, and recycling can reduce a lot of that waste. By recycling the cans, paper, glass, and other
products we use, we can keep a lot of waste out of landfills. This will greatly benefit the prevention of the deterioration
of our Earth.
How to Be Energy-Efficient
Everyone wants to be able to save money by being energy-efficient. When people commit to spring cleaning, this is
usually a good time to start doing a few things if you haven’t done so already in order to be more energy-efficient. Two
of the obvious strategies are not to let the water run and to take shorter showers. Saving on clean water is better for the
environment and helps you with the water bill. Speaking of such bills, heating or cooling during extreme temperatures
is usually a killer during the peaks of the summer or winter. If you change the filters in the AC or the heating system
you use every month, you can get the optimum efficiency all together. When it comes to electricity, which is seemingly
the most important because of such a growth in technology today, you can replace standard light bulbs with CFLs and
unplug any electronics when they are not in use. Despite not being used at that very moment, plugged-in electronics
will still draw energy. This goes for the use of lights in your house as well; if you can open a window to let the natural
light in instead of using artificial light, then do that instead to save on power.
Spring cleaning is also well known for airing things out, including clothing. This not only helps get rid of pent-up
fumes and dust, but it saves you water and electricity by hanging your clothes out to dry instead of using the dryer. You
should also switch your washing machine to cold water instead of hot so that you don’t have the water heater running
as often. Better yet, you can wash your clothes by hand (if you’re that brave). It takes a lot to be energy-efficient and
get out of our bad habits. Sometimes it’s better to go outside and enjoy the sun and fire up the grill. Grilling outside
helps keep the house cool from not using the oven, and it saves on either electricity or natural gas, depending on what
type of stove you use.
•
Don’t let water run.
•
Repair leaky ducts.
•
Change filters of your AC or heating system every month for optimum efficiency.
•
Replace standard bulbs with CFLs (Compact Fluorescent Lamps). They are more energy-efficient while
giving off the same amount of light.
•
Hang-dry your wet laundry so you don’t have to run the dryer.
•
Grill outside more often so you don’t use the oven as much. This can save on heat and the bill.
•
Unplug the computer or any electronics in general when they are not in use. Even though they aren’t being
used at that very moment, electronics that are plugged in still draw on energy.
•
When using the washing machine, switch it to cold. By using cold water, the machine won’t take up hot
water.
•
Take shorter showers.
Spring Cleaning Tips
•
Take out all of your sheets, blankets, pillows, etc. from your house and hang them outside to air them out.
•
Make an organized system to prevent clutter.
•
Get rid of dust buildup.
•
Preparing for summer: Get rid of dead leaves; prep the garden if you have one.
Quotes/ Statements from Students, Parents, Teachers, etc.
•
Chris Pruneski: “I do fall cleaning and just a weekly clean-over through my house.”
•
Tina Bristowe, mother of two: “Spring cleaning is just a natural occurrence at my house. It’s nice to air out
my house and get everything thoroughly cleaned. It’s less crowded to me.”
BT
12
mini-features
April 2015
Department of The Month:
Exceptional Student Services & ELL
By Calli Krueger & Katie Padilla
Mr. Mukpik
Mr. Mukpik is a Special Education
Case Manager and Resource Room
teacher. He has been teaching for
nine years, three of them here at
Palmer Ridge. Mr. Mukpik enjoys
playing basketball, as he used to
coach and still plays the sport with
his family. Mr. Mukpik says he
greatly enjoyed the time he spent
at Creekside Middle School; “I am
still in touch with some of those
students which amazes me since
it has been so long ago now.” Mr.
Mukpik says the most inspiring
part of his job is the people he is
surrounded by, “the students and
staff.” He has two dogs, Duke and
Cameron.
Ms. Doan (Miss Brandy) has been teaching for
eleven years total and for seven years at Palmer
Ridge. Some of Ms. Doan’s hobbies include
reading, painting, sewing, gardening, playing
cards/board games, “and spending time with
family and friends.” Ms. Doan says that her
favorite part about teaching is the class she has
now. She explains, “we laugh every day! I have
too many happy and/or funny moments to
choose just one!” She says the most inspiring
part about her job is “watching my students
learn and mature into independent young
men and women.” Ms. Doan has a cat named
Elphaba and a salamander at school named
Sally.
Mr. Bekker
Mr. Bekker is a resource teacher.
He has been teaching for 18 years,
and he has been teaching at Palmer
Ridge since its inaugural year. Mr.
Bekker enjoys participating in long
distance races and photography.
Mr. Bekker says his favorite
memory from teaching is “having
a group of students rappel down
a 90-foot fireman’s tower, and the
girls did it face-first.” His favorite
part about teaching is watching
students graduate when others did
not believe in them. Mr. Bekker has
two cats named Scarlett and Twitch
and two guinea pigs named Fireball
and Snow Flake.
Mrs. Peterson
Mrs. Peterson is a Paraprofessional at Palmer
Ridge. She has been teaching for 20 years
in total, and for four years here at PR. Mrs.
Peterson enjoys hunting, reading, and cooking.
Her favorite part about teaching is seeing
her students learn. She has two dachshunds
named Marley and Duke, two birds named
Sunny and Tootles, and fish.
Mrs. Houk
Mrs. Miller
Mrs. Miller is a paraprofessional
here at Palmer Ridge. She has been
teaching for eight years, four of
them spent here at Palmer Ridge.
She enjoys running, being creative/
crafty, “and shopping for great dealsfrom King Soopers to my favorite
store, Anthropologie!” Mrs. Miller
says the most memorable moment
with PR would be a Cross Country
meet in South Denver. The meet
was held in a park with beautiful
green grass and a small creek. “The
weather quickly turned on us from
sunny to a monsoon! When the
rain stopped, we emerged from our
shelters to find that the fun little
creek was now a rushing river. Later,
I watched in amazement: EVERY
student jumped down into the
river, was assisted by 4 volunteers
standing in the water (to make sure
everyone got across safely), then
got pulled out of the water, and
kept on running to the finish. It
was the craziest race I’ve ever seen!”
Mrs. Miller says the most inspiring
Ms. Doan
Mrs. Houk is a resource teacher at Palmer
Ridge. She has been teaching for 15 years,
and this is her first year at Palmer Ridge. Mrs.
Houk enjoys hiking, photography, reading,
listening to music, and arts and crafts. Her
favorite teaching moment was seeing a student
learn how to communicate using a program
on an iPad. She says the most inspiring part
about her job is seeing students make progress
and overcome challenges. She says she enjoys
seeing them accomplish something they didn’t
believe they could. Mrs. Houk has two dogs
named Max and Bandit.
Mrs. Kearns
part about her job is helping because everyone needs help
sometimes, “and that’s what I’m here for!” She does not
have any pets, but enjoys visits from her neighbor’s dogs,
and she will be hosting a friend’s labradoodle over Spring
Break.
Mrs. Kearns works as a paraprofessional.
She has been teaching for 12 years, and she
has been here since Palmer Ridge opened,
seven years ago. She enjoys hiking, camping,
shopping, traveling, and working out. Mrs.
Kearns says she loves helping her students, and
she loves watching them feel successful in the
classroom. Mrs. Kearns has one Boxer named
Duke.
13
mini-features
Department of The Month:
Exceptional Student Services & ELL (cont.)
BT
April 2015
By Calli Krueger & Katie Padilla
Mrs. Bucknall
Mrs. Bucknall has been a paraprofessional for
eight years, and this is her fifth year at Palmer
Ridge. Her hobbies include reading, camping,
and spending time with her family. Mrs.
Bucknall says the most memorable moment
for her was making connection with a nonverbal student, and she knew exactly what
the student was trying to tell her. The most
inspiring part about her job is when she sees
the light come on in students after explaining
a challenging concept. Mrs. Bucknall has two
dogs, a Lab mix named Seamus (Shaymus)
and a Shih Tzu named Pookie.
Mrs. Herman
Ms. Herman (Ms. Becky) is a paraprofessional.
She has been teaching for seven years, all here at
Palmer Ridge. She enjoys hiking, 4-wheeling,
boating, and travelling. She remembers one
time she took her class to Downtown Denver
and they had to take the LightRail. They ended
up missing their train and almost didn’t make
it back to school on time. Ms. Herman says
she loves seeing kids’ faces light up when they
“get it.” She has one Black Lab named Lucy.
Mrs. Minarick
Mrs. Minarick is Dept. Chair has been
teaching for eight years, and this is her third
year here at Palmer Ridge. Mrs. Minarick
enjoys spending time with her close friends
and family. She loves skiing with her son,
travelling with her daughter, and watching
her LAX and softball tournaments. “In the
summer, I love to hike, especially 14ers with
Mrs. Jestice and Mr. Weiher.” Mrs. Minarick
says that she enjoyed teaching in the Autism
program at Prairie Winds and in the Transition
Program (18-21 year program) with District
38. Mrs. Minarick says that the most inspiring
part about her job is “hearing success stories of
my students living life and going to college”
and seeing them “enjoying life and working
out in our community.” Mrs. Minarick has a
chocolate Lab/Doberman named Decker.
Mr. McGuinness
Mr. McGinnis is new to Palmer Ridge just
this semester, although he has been a youth
pastor working in schools for over 10 years.
Mr. McGinnis says his hobbies include his
three kids, sports, coaching baseball, and
officiating basketball and baseball. He loves
seeing victories, whether its teams winning
championships or students graduating. Mr.
McGinnis says that he loves the high school
environment and being around students in
the classroom. He has a dog named Lady and
some hamsters.
Ms. Holland
Ms. Holland is a paraprofessional. She was
unavailable for a picture and an interview.
Mrs. Gammell
Mrs. Gammell teaches ELL (English
Language Learning) at Palmer Ridge. She has
been teaching for 10 years, and she has been
at Palmer Ridge for five. Mrs. Gammell enjoys
participating in strength/cardio, reading
thrillers, and spending time with her family
and friends. Mrs. Gammell says a sad moment
in her teaching career was finding out that
one of her students was not getting enough
to eat at home. She says realizing this taught
her an important lesson; “In our relatively
affluent community, it’s easy to forget that
not everyone has the basics that we take for
granted…This taught me to never forget
that, to benefit from education, people have
to have a safe place to live, healthy food, etc.”
Mrs. Gammell says the most inspiring part
about her job is “vicarious travel.” Although
she doesn’t get visit such an array of foreign
countries, she gets to know people from there.
Mrs. Gammell has two dogs named Sophie
and Tito and a cat named Snowball.
Mrs. Hardin
Ms. Hardin has been a
school psychologist for
10 years; this is her first
year at Palmer Ridge.
She enjoys reading,
hiking, and spending
time with family and
friends. Ms. Hardin says
the most inspiring part
about her job is seeing
students meet their goals
and succeed. She has one
dog named Max.
BT
14
lifestyle
April 2015
By Tess Kelly and Emalie Houk
We all know about the recent
schedule change to accommodate
for the delayed starts and snow
days. Most students are outraged,
frustrated, and thinking “this is
totally ridiculous,” but there was
more thought put into this decision
than you might think. Before
listening to Mr. Gabel’s explanation
for the schedule change, we were
also pretty upset. Having heard
what he had to say about it, we can
now understand why this decision
was put in place.
Most people think that the district
should have added minutes onto
the day by ending school at 3:00
instead of 2:52. Others think they
should have just kept the schedule,
and prayed that we didn’t go over
the amount of snow days we were
given. We agreed, so we asked Mr.
Gabel why it was so crucial that we
added time on to the day. “We have
had three school closures and ten
delayed starts. The school builds in
seven days as a buffer. Right now we
have about one and a half days left...
Unfortunately, you have to have
so much contact time, and that’s a
state statute you have to follow…”
Even though we haven’t had many
snow days, we’ve had enough delays
that we are still close to going over
our buffer. This means the school
needed to take action to prevent
us from shortening our summer,
which would be the worst change
for everyone. “You can appeal for a
waiver, which we are in the process
of doing, because February was the
snowiest month in the history of the
state, but you have to show good
faith being good measures to make
up for those minutes.” Basically, we
have to add minutes onto the day
so that the state knows we’re trying
to accommodate for lost time. This
way, if we go over our built in time,
Adding Time to the Day
Adding 5 minutes to the schedule changed all the starting and ending times, so now everyone’s checking their watch! Photo by Emalie Houk.
we have a chance of keeping the
school year at its appropriate length.
Without changing the schedule, the
school year would have to end later,
which would upset everyone who
has scheduled summer vacations
and other events. “Instead of ending
at 2:52, let’s just end at 3:00 or take
one minute off a passing period here
or there.” Ending at 3:00 is also not
an option because of the bussing
situation. Changing the time we end
school would also affect the other
schools that have to share buses with
Palmer Ridge.
“There were a lot of variables that
went into this decision, safety being
number one. Obviously, we don’t
want to get to the point where we’re
afraid to make a delayed call that
needs to be called delayed or snow
closure because of minutes, because
then we’re putting everybody at risk.
(We asked ourselves) what was the
best way we could do this without
impacting people’s schedules?” Even
though the schedule change might
seem very unfair and inconvenient
to us, it was the best solution to the
situation. “Obviously, I understand
that no one likes losing time off their
lunch or anything, and I understand
and respect that; however, out of all
the choices that we were given based
on buses and ending times and
start times… we probably made the
decision that least impacted kids.”
You’re probably wondering, ‘okay,
so… what about that waver?’ but
Mr. Gabel has got that covered. “We
already submitted the waiver for
modifying our schedule and possibly
being in jeopardy of minutes. (They
will probably get back to us) in April,
but we’re not unique to this; some
other schools have been impacted
by this as well… the first thing we
had to do was modify to show we
tried to do something.”
Overall, the way that the district
and the school handled the problem
was the easiest and less painful
way to do it. As you know, ending
at 3:00 seems easier, but it would
be a logistical nightmare for the
buses. No one wants the school year
to invade the summer, so earlier
mornings and shorter lunches are
really the best solution for all of us.
Jasmine Garden Restaurant Review
Here is a picture of Low Mein noodles, sesame chicken and Mongolian beef. Photo by Tara Fugate.
By Tara Fugate
There are a number of Chinese
restaurants located in Colorado,
but if you are looking for one that
is local, Jasmine Garden is the way
to go. Although the restaurant itself
isn’t very big, the great food makes
up for it.
The employees working there make
sure that you and your family have
everything that you may desire,
whether it be an extra straw or a refill
of your beverage. The menu consists
of many things that you can choose
from, like Lo Mein, orange chicken
and a selection of soups. I decided
to settle with the sesame chicken,
Lo Mein, and the Mongolian beef.
Shortly after I ordered, my food came
out fresh and hot. Along with the
super-fast service, the food was also
fantastic. My noodles were nothing
short of delicious and my beef didn’t
let me down either. Although my
sesame chicken was still fantastic,
it seemed a bit overcooked because
the chicken seemed really dry. The
chicken was edible, but I wish it
had been cooked less and juicier.
Although my sesame chicken was a
bit overcooked, the sauce that had
been placed on it made up for it. It
wasn’t too sweet or sour, and there
wasn’t too much of it. The sauce gave
the chicken a little kick, but I liked
how it was a bit spicy; it gave the
meal more flavor. The Mongolian
beef was mixed in with vegetables,
but not too many, and the Lo Mein
had just the right amount of chicken
in it. Another additional positive
about this restaurant is that it wasn’t
too terribly expensive either.
If you’re looking to eat somewhere
that has great, fast service, amazing
food, and low prices, Jasmine
Garden for you.
Jasmine Gardens
Address:
1425 Cipriani Loop,
Monument, CO 80132
Hours:
- Monday : CLOSED
- Tuesday-Thursday :
11:00 AM - 9:00 PM
- Friday & Saturday :
11:00 AM - 9:30 PM
- Sunday : 11:00 AM 9:00 PM
Phones:
- Main Phone #: (719)
481-0769
- Seconary Phone #:
(719) 481-1845
15
Lifestyle
Put the Meaning Back in Community Service
By Jenna Bethany
Community service is great! It’s
one of life’s rare “win-win” situations.
You help an organization in need,
and in return, you feel good about
life... and make that A in freshman
civics. Upon entering high school,
community service often becomes
all about the resumé-building
instead of a personal interest in
building into those around you.
Community service requirements
won’t be going away anytime soon,
but you can return the meaning into
your contribution.
First and foremost, it’s worth it
to find something that interests you.
If you are a bookworm, go straight
to the library sign-up list with pride,
instead of counting the seconds
until you can leave whatever random
activity your mom signed you up for.
2098... 2099... 3000! Just another
another 10,800 seconds to go.
Passion shines through in whatever
you do, so if you enjoy working the
face-painting booth at the carnival,
your cat whiskers on that little girl
will reflect it and everyone will get
more out of the experience.
That being said, interesting
doesn’t always translate to easy.
Colleges love community service
for a reason: (wait for it) it’s
character-building.
Volunteering
isn’t glamorous, especially as a high
school student. Without a college
degree, you’re often relegated to
the most basic tasks like stacking
paper plates, which can get boring
fast. However, if you look up and
watch the grand effect of the group
April 2015
Make Your Hours Count Beyond Your Resume
Ideas to help get you
started:
- PPLD Library
- Soup Kitchen in
Colorado Springs
- The animal shelter
- More than a Meal
(Google it)
- Tri-Lakes Cares
- Church Events
- Local enviornmental
projects
Community service comes in many different shapes and sizes. LINK orientation is an opportunity to help your community while excercising
your creativity and leadership skills. Photo by the yearbook staff.
effort, you’ll realize that each thing
definitely adds up. This realization
might even help in a college essay
(hint hint).
When finding your niche,
remember that there are no rules
that say you must volunteer at
the local animal shelter. Don’t
be afraid to branch out and make
your own mark!
Student-led
projects can be some of the most
inspiring. If you see something
that bothers you, like that broken
down playground, take up the
challenge of a fundraiser. Ambition
like that will take you places. Keep
in mind, starting major projects
can be overwhelming, especially if
you’re in other extracurriculars on
top of school work. The solution?
Palmer Ridge
Find a local organization that shares
your interest and partner up. This
way, you can split the project into
manageable pieces with the help of
people who have some experience
with these things.
After you discover your calling
in the world of philanthropy, invite
a friend to join you! They’ll get
some hours in, and there’s a 99.9%
We are committed to relevant
relationships, radical transformation
and a deep understanding of the
truth! Come be apart of an intense
pursuit of excellence, integrity,
service, and teamwork!
Who: All students are welcome!
When: Every Monday from 7pm-9pm
Where: The Ponderosa 15235 Furrow Road (off County Line
road) Brasswell Activities Building #1
- Contact Huddle Leader Scott Northway at [email protected]
- Check out the FCA page on the PRHS website under Clubs and Activities
- SIgn up for FCA updates through the Remind app at www.remind.com/join/
prhsfc
- Any nonprofit
organization
- Keep your ears open
around the Ridge!
guarantee that epic memories will
be made. After all, how often do
you get the opportunity to put on a
talent show for the kindergarteners
you’re babysitting?
Lesser Known April Holidays
Sophomores Tess Kelly and
Emailie Houk celebrate national
High Five day. Photo by Lauren
Jones.
We are students making an impact.
For More Info:
BT
By Lauren Jones
We all know about April Fool’s Day and
Easter, but we often forget about or don’t even
know about the lesser-known holidays this
month. Believe it or not, there are a ton of
weird holidays to celebrate every day in April;
here are just a few of them. As well as April
Fool’s Day, April 1st is International Fun at
Work Day, so your job can be great even if
it’s not usually fun. April 2nd is International
Children’s Book Day. It encourages young
kids to read and to love books. Libraries often
celebrate this holiday by reading to children.
April 16th is National High Five Day, which
was created in 2002 by college students at the
University of Virginia. So, take the time to
give someone a high five. Whether it’s your
friend, family member, or a random person
you walk past, high fiving is a great way to
show someone a little love.
Another holiday most people don’t know
about is Winston Churchill Day on the 9th.
This is the day when he was made a U.S.
honorary citizen. To be an honorary citizen,
he had to make great accomplishments and
had to be drafted and voted on by the Senate.
There is also Reach as High as You Can Day on
the 14th. This might sound kind of random,
but it is a day for you to reach your goals and
just go for anything you’ve wanted to do but
haven’t.
April 30th is National Honesty Day. Mr.
Hirsh Goldberg created this in the early 1900s
because he felt that, since April started with a
day of lying - April Fool’s Day - it should end
with a day of honesty. Some other holidays
include Bat Appreciation Day on the 17th
(to appreciate the great qualities of bats) and
World Penguin Day on the 25th. This holiday
occurs at the same time penguins make their
northern migration and is a day to wear black
and white and learn about penguins. There
are even some holidays as crazy as National
Peanut Butter and Jelly Day on April 2nd, and
Draw a Picture of a Bird Day on April 8th.
BT
16
lifestyle
April 2015
Ingredients:
Flour
Sugar
Baking Soda
Brown Sugar
Vanilla
Eggs
Salt
Butter
Chocolate Chips
(Read full article
for measurements,
instructions, and an
April Fool’s Trick!)
Most people are expecting to be
pranked on April Fool’s Day, and
usually will be wary of anything
out of the ordinary. However, by
following this simple change to
an average chocolate chip cookie
recipe, your parents, friends, or
anyone else you give these cookies to
will probably never trust you again.
Start by preheating your oven to 375
degrees. Then, combine two and
one fourth cups of flour, a teaspoon
of baking soda, and a teaspoon of
salt in a large mixing bowl. Next,
beat two sticks of softened butter
in a mixing bowl, along with threefourths of a cup of granulated
sugar, and three-fourths of a cup of
brown sugar. While the ingredients
continue to be mixed in the bowl,
April Fool’s Day Cookies
Final Chocolate Chip
Cookie Product, but
beware, it may not be a
sweet treat after all! All
photos by Olivia Gilmer.
add in a teaspoon of vanilla and two
large eggs. By now, you should have
a thin, sugary mixture in one bowl
and the combined dry ingredients
in another bowl. Slowly add small
amounts of the dry mixture into the
mixing bowl until all of the flour has
been emptied into the mixing bowl.
Then, add three cups of chocolate
chips to the mixture and continue to
beat the mixture until the chocolate
is thoroughly mixed in. Take a
greased cookie pan, and place small
drops of cookie dough on the pan.
If you want these cookies to be an
April Fool’s joke, roll each drop in
a handful of salt before putting the
cookies in the oven for about eight
to eleven minutes, or until golden.
Once taken out of the oven, the
cookies will either be delicious or
horrible depending on the amount
of salt you used in the making of
the cookies. If you decide to roll the
cookies in salt and give them to your
friends, make sure you bring some
regular cookies too, just to make
sure they don’t get too mad at you.
Deviled Eggs
Ingredients:
Eggs
Sugar
Mayonnaise
Mustard
White Vinegar
Celery
Onion
Paprika
Fill in the eggs with the yolk
mixture, and they will b e ready
to eat. Photo by Olivia Gilmer
Hard boil the eggs, and then
let them cool for five minutes.
Photo by Olivia Gilmer
On Easter, it’s common for
people to go to brunch either at
a restaurant or someone’s house.
If you’re going to the home of a
friend or family member, you can
often expect to be asked to bring a
dish. Brunch can be a difficult meal
to bring food for; seeing as it’s a
combination of breakfast and lunch,
you can never be sure if you should
bring pancakes or sandwiches.
Deviled eggs are a perfect answer
to this dilemma because they’re
easy to make, delicious, and not
specified to be a dish for just one
meal. Begin by taking six hardboiled eggs, cutting them evenly in
half, and removing the yolks. Set the
whites aside, and use a small bowl
to mash the yolks. Then, take two
tablespoons of mayonnaise, along
with white sugar, white vinegar, and
mustard (one teaspoon of each), half
a teaspoon of salt, a tablespoon of
chopped onion, and a tablespoon
of chopped celery. Add all the
ingredients to the mashed yolks, and
continue to stir the mixture until it
almost has a whipped texture. Then,
stuff the egg whites with the yolk
mixture, sprinkle with paprika,
and refrigerate the eggs until you’re
ready to serve them. The entire
recipe should only take about fifteen
minutes to prepare, and the eggs will
be ready to eat immediately.
17
student life
BT
April 2015
Student of the Month: Chris McGann
By Rio Lane
Since the spring and summer
season are now starting and the air
feels warm and nice, it feels like
a time for new beginnings. What
better way to freshen up your
school year then finding a new
friend or even reaching out to talk
to someone you’ve never met. Even
your most sociable friend can get
scared sometimes to branch out
and meet new people but don’t
fear; your handy student life section
is here! Here at Palmer Ridge we
have a plethora of interesting and
well-rounded people you might
have never even seen before. One
of these people would be our very
own Christopher Ryan McGann.
Chris or as his friends call “C-dawg”
was born on December 3, 1996, in
Denver, Colorado. He lived there
briefly until he moved to sunny
Monument where he has lived for all
his years. The people who brought
him into this world (his parents)
had a very large impact on the way
he has turned out today. His dad
works as a groundskeeper for UCCS
overseeing all the landscaping while
his mother is a probation officer. As
he is a senior here at Palmer Ridge,
we asked about his college plans.
Like father like son, Chris aspires to
attend UCCS alongside his dad as a
mechanical engineer. He has already
applied and has been accepted and
is excited to start his new life in the
world of science. Outside of his
7 Facts
About Chris
Chris going to his upper locker, one of his favorite benefits of being an upperclassmen. Photo by Olivia Gilmer.
rigorous academics, Chris shows
a more creative side in his job as a
tech for the Palmer Ridge Theater.
Chris is largely in charge of the
sounds and light elements that go
into our amazing productions at
the Bear Necessities. Besides that,
he volunteers as a fire fighter for
the Palmer Lake fire department.
Although he seems to be too busy
to even have any free time, Chris
is making time over Spring Break
for absolutely nothing. He plans
to just relax and catch up on all
his lost sleep and probably catch
up with his friends. Coming back
from Spring Break refreshed and
ready to work hard again, Chris
won’t be scrambling to get ready
for the magical night of prom. On
the weekend of April 25th, he will
be in Orlando, Florida, to represent
the school for DECA. It’s obvious
that Chris is a well-rounded and
adventurous individual who knows
where he’s going in life. Even though
Prom Preview
By Olivia Gilmer
Every April, the juniors and
seniors of Palmer Ridge eagerly
prepare for the most exciting dance
of the year, Prom. This year, the
success.”
Prom normally hosts about
400 students and runs from eight
at night to twelve in the morning.
However, the night doesn’t stop
Pictured is couple Claire Wilson and Phillip Reigert. Photo by Rio Lane.
dance’s theme is a Masquerade, and,
according to sophomore Stephen
Marter, “Prom should be a lot of fun
this year. We’ve been working hard,
and we’re hoping that it’s a huge
there. After-Prom is an event hosted
directly after the dance, and it
happens at the school, while Prom
is at a different location. AfterProm is from midnight to five in
the morning, and some students say
they are almost as excited for AfterProm as they are for Prom itself.
Alissa Bertagni, a Palmer
Ridge junior, is “super excited for
Prom” and is “definitely planning
on attending After-Prom; I can’t
wait!” Student Council is patiently
waiting for the delivery of the Prom
decorations, and sophomore Holly
Knutsen, the head of planning
school dances, told the Bear Truth,
“I’m really looking forward to seeing
how the dance turns out. Student
Council has been working on Prom
for a while now, and it will be cool to
see everything come together.” We
interviewed one of Palmer Ridge’s
famous couples, juniors Liam Cox
and Ally Herebic, who are planning
on going to Prom together. They’ve
been together since June of 2014,
after they met in Mr. Newell’s Civics
class and were introduced by a close
friend. After talking to Liam, he
revealed that they are going to Prom
with a group of Cross Country
members and are having a “Costco
dinner.” They are both excited for
Prom and can’t wait to go. Philip
Riegert and Claire Wilson, both
seniors, are also planning on going
to Prom. Claire says, “We’re keeping
it simple. Dinner and pictures with
the rest of the group. We’ll definitely
go to After Prom. The whole night
should be great.” Make sure to keep
an eye out for Prom advertisements,
and we hope to see you there!
he’s constantly running around
doing things, he is a very sociable
guy that would be happy to talk
to anyone new. So, if you’re feeling
crazy one day or just happy and
ready for something new maybe go
talk to Chris and get a little more
detail on his many hobbies. Never
be afraid to branch out and make
a new friend especially since your
friendly Bear Truth is here to help
you get acquainted with someone
before you even leave your desk.
• Favorite animal:
cats
• Spirit animal:
lobster
• Favorite color:
blue
• Favorite movie:
Avengers
• Favorite artist:
Pretty Lights
• Favorite food:
Chinese
• Favorite teacher:
Mr. Williams
Jump into Band
By: Aaron Brachfeld
Our Band program here at
Palmer Ridge is one of the best in
the region. We have sent at least
one band to the State Band Festival
every year. Just this last year, PR sent
both bands, Symphonic Winds and
Wind Ensemble. However, besides
this fact, many people don’t know
anything about it. We also have a
fantastic Jazz Band. Sophomore
Maclin Tucker, a trumpet player in
Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band, and
a participant of the very selective
and hard to get into State Jazz Band
says, “I love playing in jazz band
because the music’s great and I
have a lot of fun with friends.” Our
Wind Ensemble this year received
all ones, the best score you can
get, at the Regional Concert Band
Festival, which took place at Palmer
Ridge two weeks ago. When asked
about going to State, Maclin said,
“We are preparing two new pieces
and one old piece, so we should do
pretty well; we have some time to
prepare. It should be great.” All state
Jazz is a very hard band to make
and Maclin was the only one from
our school who was accepted. He
says, “It was fun; we played some
professional grade music with a lot
of good players. We were instructed
by a professor from Mesa University.
We had six hour rehearsals over
the weekend and a concert on
Saturday.” State Jazz Band took
place last month. Although our
concert and jazz bands are looking
very good, many people don’t seem
to know about them. So next time
you’re thinking of doing an extra
elective, do band! It’s a great way
to meet new people and it has been
scientifically proven that making
music of that type increases mental
activity because it uses parts of your
brain that you don’t usually use.
BS
18
the bear spoof
April 1, 2015
By Erin Tirpak
This past month, candidates were
selected for the upcoming Mars One
Mission. This mission will take 100
selected volunteers to Mars in order
to start colonization and civilization.
Human life on other planets is a
concept that people have dreamed
of for a long time, and Mars One is
making that dream a reality.
The Mars One participants will
begin departure for Mars in 2024.
Groups of four will be sent every
four years until all 100 volunteers
arrive at the new colony on Mars.
This plan is designed to start
permanent civilization on Mars,
which means that these astronauts
will never come back.
Recently, the company has released
to the public the 100 candidates
who have been selected. These 100
volunteers will be making history for
mankind, being the first humans to
settle on a planet other than Earth.
This experiment is groundbreaking
for means of civilization and will set
the precedent for future planetary
colonization. The Bear Spoof was
pleased to discover that a few of the
participants come from right here at
Palmer Ridge.
Mr. Gabel, Mr. Karr, and Mr.
Mars One From Monument
Mr. Karr, Mr. Gabel, and Mr. Porter pose in their astronaut suits, ready for whatever challenges they will face. Photo by Cori Dech
Porter all decided they were done
with the kids here at Palmer Ridge.
In fact, they are done with people in
general. They are ready to get off of
this “awful planet.” So, they created
their video applications to submit
to Mars One. They weren’t sure if
they had a shot, but were confident
that they effectively communicated
their desires to leave Earth in the
videos. And sure enough, the three
administrators were all selected to
be Mars One participants. This is
exciting news that will affect the
rest of the course of their lives, and
training for the mission will start
Is High School Valuable?
By Erin Tirpak and Emalie Houk
High school is supposed to be a great environment of learning and success to prepare students for their life in
the real world. But recent studies and opinions have shown that high school may not be that useful after all. So
we decided to ask a few students here at Palmer Ridge, “How do you think high school will prepare you for the
future?”
“Don’t worry, Now I know how
to cover up a good murder.
I think. I mean honestly, I
wouldn’t be surprised if
I developed into the next
Dexteresque small-town story
in the next few years.”
Photo by Dalin Craig.
-Jonathan, aspiring
serial killer
“School pretty much does
nothing; I already know
everything. Now I just need to
get over my narcolepsy. Every
time I try to explain something
with my voice of reason, I just
fall asleep halfway through.”
Photo by Dalin Craig.
later this year.
The selected participants will
spend several months during every
upcoming training year until
launch time in a simulated version
of the civilization they will live in
on Mars. This will be an exciting
experience in which the volunteers
will learn how to interact with
and maintain the habitat they will
spend the rest of their lives in. The
volunteers will undergo intense
psychological testing to ensure that
they are prepared for the desolate
environment of Mars. Mr. Karr,
Mr. Porter, and Mr. Gabel may be
expected to resign from their jobs
here at Palmer Ridge to focus on
their Mars One training.
The administrators were initially
excited to embark on this mission
together but were disappointed
when they realized they would
not be allowed to leave Earth for
another ten to twenty-five years.
They have been waiting to leave the
people of Earth behind for a long
time. Luckily, they will face some
reassuring isolation during training,
just to get them excited with a taste
of seclusion.
It may seem far-off and extravagant
to know that there will soon be
people living on Mars, but it will
be nice to know that as we look
into the night sky and see Mars in
the distance as a shining dot on the
horizon, we will be able to say, “Our
Principal is up there.”
Leaning Bear of Palmer Ridge
By Sean Hansen
Bear Pride is at an all-time low
with the school announcing that
Fred the Bear Statue is being taken
down due to safety concerns. For
those who do not who Fred is, he is
the bear statue in front of the Arts/
Athletics Wing who dresses up for
Spirit Week. “We found that the
bear was not structurally sound,”
states Mr. Karr. “He’s known to
get tipsy lately, so the school has
decided it’s cheaper to get rid of
him rather than fix the problem.”
Although the school ensures that
Fred will have a replacement, it will
not be a statue - it will be a group
of paintings displayed in various
areas of the school. “To replace the
bear, we have decided to paint some
depictions of a bear throughout
the school, because it’s more likely
that people will see them and feel
school spirit!” explains Mrs. Smith,
Director of the SSC (School Spirit
Committee). Students are outraged
by this, and many have something
to say about Fred’s removal. Joshua
Anthony, Vice President of the SSC,
says, “This is an outrage! Fred is
what makes us the PRHS Bears, not
the paintings on the walls. When
Fred dresses up for spirit days, it
makes other people feel school
spirit. The SSC is in a serious debate
on the bear’s removal. We are trying
everything we can to keep it.” That’s
very encouraging, but Mr. Karr said
that the school has already finalized
its decision and that Fred will be
torn down over summer break. This
April, the SSC will petition against
the removal of Fred over the course
of the next few days, trying to save
the beloved mascot.
-Jacob, aspiring
genius
“I’m really prepared for my
future career. I get to take the
trash out all the time. But it
bothers me when people mix up
the trash and recycling. Palmer
Ridge has really allowed me to
foster my passion.”
Photo by Emalie Houk.
–Evan, aspiring
garbage man
Fred will continue to roar through the very end of his legacy. Photo by Sean Hansen.
19
Gamers Inside
By Sean Hansen
ridge ramblings
Newell only said, “That’s classified.”
The last question was about the
release date and the number of games
in the new saga. Gabe replied, “We
currently don’t have a release date
yet, but expect more information
soon. As for the number of games,
we don’t quite know yet, but I do
know there won’t be three.”
That’s all the info we have now.
I think this will be a great game,
but I’m not sure how it will fit into
the story, as Half-Life 2: Episode 2
ended with the story unresolved,
and Portal 2 ended with resolution
to the conflict, as you escape from
the lab you play in during the game.
I think it is a good idea that HalfLife 3/Portal 3 is now going to be
a new series. I like the new name,
because the Quantum part of the
name comes from the Portal series,
as you travel through portals. The
Decay part of the name comes from
the Half-Life series, as the name
“half-life” is in terms of radioactive
decay. I quess we will see how it
plays out, but I will say one thing,
April Fools!
BT
April 2015
Man-Vice
By James Patrick
Maze
By Dalin Craig
Finally, after many, many years
of waiting, Half-Life 3 is confirmed!
Well, when I say Half-Life 3, the
Half-Life 2: Episode 2 sequel will
not actually be called Half-Life 3,
probably so Valve (the creators of
Half-Life) can keep up the running
joke that they make no games with
the number 3 in it.
As many of you probably have
heard, in a recent interview, Gabe
Newell, C.E.O of Valve, confirmed
that Valve was working on a sequel.
When asked what the title of this
sequel would be, he said, “We were
tossing some names around, but we
settled on Quantum Decay.” The
reporter followed up asking why
they wouldn’t call it Half-Life 3.
Gabe replied, “Per company policy,
we don’t make 3rd installments of
games, but since Half-Life 3 was
popular in demand, and to a lesser
extent, Portal 3 (another game series
by Valve), we decided to combine
the two and make an entire series
out of it.” The follow-up question
was, “Why did Valve decide to
combine the two series?”
“Well, for those who don’t know,
Portal and Half-Life take place in
the same universe. Since we knew
that with all the hype surrounding
Half-Life 3, we could never make
a normal sequel up to everyone’s
high expectations. So we decided
to combine the two series into a
new saga, which hopefully will get a
better reception.” When asked about
the storyline, Gabe said, “All I will
say is Gman (mysterious character
in Half-Life) and GlaDOS (main
antagonist in Portal), well. . .”
The next question was, “Who
will you play as Chell from Portal
or Gordon from Half-Life?” Gabe
Funny Fools
By Dalin Craig
Hello again, fellow men of Palmer
Ridge! This month, we will be
discussing an important topic that
many people, especially in America,
need to hear about. This topic is
sports: what to play and what to
watch. Before I begin, I would like
to say that this is a mostly opinionbased topic to discuss, though
there is some reasoning for ‘correct’
answers.
First, let us discuss what sports are
better to play than others. All over
the world, the definite dominant
sport is soccer, as we call it, or
football to everyone else. I have no
clue why this sport has seemed to
be replaced by American Football
in the United States, but it is a clear
mistake. If everybody else agrees on
something, America has a habit of
ignoring it, not only in this case but
also in units of measurement.
America has to use Fahrenheit
and inches and feet, while nearly
everybody else has agreed on
Celsius and the metric system. In
my opinion, if the entire rest of the
world thinks that soccer is the best
sport, then all American men should
take this up, as it’s obviously a more
fun, mature, and manly sport than
American Football.
One other sport that America
does wrong is autosport. In America,
we like to watch very inspirational
and intense things, such as cars
driving in circles hundreds of times.
Meanwhile, in the rest of the world,
Formula One racing is the only type
of autosport, and it is far superior to
NASCAR. Sure, America has some
people following F1, but the crowd
is far less than the NASCAR crowd.
In fact, America is not totally
out of the picture in football either,
as America did pretty well versus
the world in the 2014 World Cup
(Thanks, Tim Howard!). So far,
I have discussed that if the entire
world agrees on a sport, then that
means the men of the world also
agree that the sport is the best one to
play, so the Men of America should
get to work and start learning to play
real football in order to display the
manliness that America holds!
In America, we find that it is
manly to watch football just because
everybody else is watching it. I find
that basketball and hockey are also
two other good sports to regularly
watch during the season. However,
this section only comes down to
your personal opinion. Whatever
you find entertaining to watch is
probably what you should watch,
not what is normal or accepted in
our society. Watching television isn’t
even a very manly thing to do in
the first place, compared to playing
sports. So, the final conclusion is,
watch whatever sports you want, but
if you truly want to become manlier,
you should play the sports instead
and show the rest of the world that
America is a manly country too.
BT
bear life
20
April 2015
Mrs. Reed and the rest of Student Council stay at school all night doing fun activities like scavenger hunts and balancing games to practice their leadership skills. Photos by
Mr. Patrick.
Students work on a graphing project where they chart their fitness progress.
Every day they do pushups, situps, and planks and graph how many they do.
(Above left) Mrs. Houk, freshmen Stirling Bastin and Carson Blehm try to
do as many situps in one minute as they can. (Above right) Freshman Trever
Heeks and senior Julia Fuentes do a full minute of planking. Photos by Emalie
Houk.
Sophomores Nolin Clark and Cori Dech worry about getting their homework done
in time before class starts because they have to be there five minutes earlier! Photo by
Emalie Houk.
Junior Jenna Martin and freshman Kevin Eells realize they’ve overslept and have
to rush to get to class on time! Photo by Emalie Houk.