November 2010 Colony High School Volume 9 Issue 2

The Knightly News

What’s Happening? . . . . . 2

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Inside Spread . . . . . . . . . . 10

Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Opinions . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Student Showcase . . . . . . 16

Student of the Month . . . . 18

Back Page . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

INSIDE

The Mat-Su Valley’s current $23 million reconstruction of Trunk Road project is making real progress and is expected to be completed by July 2011.

This project was approved by the Federal

Highway Administration (FHWA) in 2002, but the first sign that this project has made some progress was the opening of the Trunk Road roundabout, which was on Tuesday, September 20th. This one portion of the road cost about $2 million. It may seem pricy, but officials believe that the roundabout will pay for itself in the way that it helps traffic flow more easily around the hospital. This roundabout is the 14th that has been built in Alaska, and is the very first to be located in the Mat-Su Valley.

“I had only ever heard of roundabouts being in cities that had really heavy traffic-flow, so to see one appearing in the Valley really shows how the community has grown over the years” CHS Junior, Derek McEwen commented.

This project was bid and approved by a company from Washington as opposed to hiring locally due to Scarsella Brothers Inc. from

Washington proposing a price up to $800,000 less than any other company from Alaska. This reconstruction is also conveniently happening at the same time as the Mat-Su Hospital is expanding their water service, which will end up saving the state millions of dollars because both projects require them to do similar things. The road will be funded through many different grants through state agencies and locals matching the contribution made. In the end, the city can only be held accountable for about $900,000 of the entire project.

“It was a smart decision to hire based on cost, rather than locally, despite the controversy it may have caused,” Mr. Booth comments during one of his classes, “The money we save there can be used towards other things to help our community.” The reconstruction is planned to happen in two separate phases, the first being rebuilt to connect Palmer-Wasilla Highway and the Parks Highway. They are rebuilding this portion to increase the width of the road to two-lane with room to eventually expand to a 4-lane road if the traffic flow continues to increase, add sidewalks for pedestrian safety, and create a straighter, quicker route from the two points. Phase 2 construction is planned to start shortly after Phase 1 has been completed in July 2011 and will provide a route from Palmer- Wasilla Highway to Palmer- Fishhook Road. As for the current Trunk Road, limited portions of it will be demolished, with the exception to the parts that are needed for homeowners to reach their properties, as there are many neighborhoods that branch off of the current road.

Road for the Future By Meagan Vance

Colony High School has always prided itself on school spirit, but that feeling has never been reflected on the salmon colored walls inside of the school. Now, green and black welcome visitors the way school spirit always has. “The positive compliments from staff, students, admin and parents make the whole project worthwhile,” said Kristy Johnston, CHS Leadership teacher. M r s . Johnston felt that the school was in need of an uplift after she heard some students in her Leadership class talking about the lack of spirit within it. The pink walls were much overdue of a new paint job that was school colors. “ W h e n we first chose our projects I couldn’t really imagine how they would all come together. It amazes me how well everyone pulled together to make such an improvement to our school,” stated Jasmine McEwen, a Leadership student who worked to repaint the Commons green and black. Now that the projects are almost finished, the ownership students feel on the court, field, or cheering their school on in the stands has seeped onto the walls. “It’s amazing the effect a coat of paint can have on the students. It’s a totally new atmosphere in the school. It’s really great,” sophomore Audrey Michaelson commented on how the projects look. Projects range in size and look, but they all incorporate green and black and the school mascot,

the Knight. The first project one will notice when walking into the school is the repainting of the pink brick that lined the walls. The bricks are now green and black. Next, as one walks through the first set of double doors down the main hall the wall above the second set of double doors has been painted to say “Home of the Knights.” One can also notice that the concession stand, the coffee stand, and library awning now are all matching. The main hall bricks have all been repainted to match the entry way, green

and black. A walk down the junior hall shows off the new paint job on the garage door next to the nurse’s office. If you take a trip down senior hall the Class of ‘11’s mural can be seen. Next semester will bring a new set of projects. L e a d e r s h i p students are hoping to make the move on

i m p r o v e m e n t s outdoors. Mrs. Duffin has voiced a few concerns she sees outside as well. “We will be doing a small project to start off with that will involve cleaning up and covering up some areas of need in the building,” commented Johnston.

Leadership students are proud of their efforts and hope that everyone appreciates their work. “Overall I think that this year’s Leadership kids are super motivated to make a difference at Colony and I am proud of them for putting their all into it,” Johnston said.

Improvements to the Knight’s CastleBy Chelsea Halstead

A Technological TormentBy Trace Harris

Many are affected by it. One in five admits to doing it. It is happening in schools and all communities with technology across the nation. It is cyber bullying, an epidemic that is sweeping the nation and is responsible for killing countless teens and adolescents as young as 12.

“If people are too scared to say something to someone’s face, they shouldn’t be saying it online. People who bully are scared and weak. I have never been personally cyber bullied but I know people who have. It makes me mad when I hear about people who get cyber bullied. No one deserves to be bullied, especially online where they can’t defend themselves.” said Colony sophomore Krista Stricklan.

Cyber bullying can take several forms, including cell phones, texts, e-mail, instant messaging, and websites like Facebook or MySpace. With 80 percent of teens having cell phones cyber bullying has become something most kids just live with, but people who are cyber bullied are more likely to be in trouble at school or cut class and they are usually emotionally distressed or just unhappy. With SOS (the Signs Of Suicide program) happening in the last couple weeks, some juniors and freshmen have the topic of suicide fresh in their

mind, besides depression, cyber bullying is one of the top contributors to teen suicide.

“With the increasing popularity of social networking sites like Facebook and MySpace, there are more opportunities than ever for cyber bullying to take place. It is important for young people to realize that once something is posted on the web,

One of the Leadership Class’s additions to CHS

Colony student Brandon Schafer knows first-hand the effects of cyber-bullying

The blueprint for the new Trunk Road roundabout.

See Killer page 3

3The Knightly News

November 2010

News

The Matanuska Susitna Borough has recently been experiencing some serious growth. Between the renewal of old facilities and the revival of businesses that have been lacking in Alaska, the Matanuska Susitna Borough is roughly the size of West Virginia and is finally putting itself on the map. “The Matanuska Susitna Borough is the place to be; with excellent schools and affordable housing. Valley residents will see the population grow drastically,” exclaims Alaskan Senator Linda Menard.

The over populated Anchorage also brings up another point of expansion. Anchorage will be able to move in only one direction, and that is the Knik Arm Crossing. The Knik Arm Crossing is the bridge being placed near Port McKenzie connecting to Anchorage, making the trip to Anchorage not only shorter but it will also allow for expansion for the Valley and Anchorage residents.

One of the big well known projects is that of Red Robin which is being built next to Sportsman’s Warehouse just off of the Parks Highway. Red Robin is supposedly the start to many food chains to make their way to the Valley.

Along with restaurants the Valley is planning a long overdue theater, the theater is being placed just behind Wal-Mart and is scheduled to be completed in early 2011. The theater is owned by a private contractor who is known for building renowned theaters in smaller, more remote towns. “I’m excited for the new theater, Wasilla has needed a nice theater for a really long time,” says Colony High senior Kaitlyn Klapperich. In terms of medical care, the Mat-Su Borough will soon be receiving a new addition called the South Central Foundation. This foundation is a part of the Native Healthcare Organization, a non-profit organization which is

helping Alaska Natives and American Indians with all their medical needs. A South Central Foundation building is already established in Anchorage. By having one in the Valley, the Borough is opening 200 employee positions, available for certified nurses and doctors, that will need to be filled offering people without jobs a great opportunity. “The South Central Foundation is an extraordinary foundation in which residents of the Valley will not only be receiving many job openings but will also be habilitating the needs of Alaskans,” stated Alaska

Senator Menard’s Assistant, Michael Rovito. Goose Creek Correctional Facility is the newest prison that is being established in the Matanuska Susitna Borough. The correctional facility will be located near Port Mackenzie which is also going through some reconstruction. Port Mackenzie officials have completed the barge dock extensions and the rail spurs are under construction. By extending the rail spurs the Borough is extending the port line with the main line by connecting it in the Willow and Houston area. By developing this port line we will be making hundreds of millions of dollars in productivity for the State of Alaska. A new subdivision near Machetanz Elementary School is also

being planned. There are 600 empty lots which are owned by Rex and Inga Turner; the two owners were also behind the construction of Equestrian Acres. There are 11 contractors being used to help build new homes in the area. This will not only be a great opportunity for new home buyers but it will give Wasilla more housing as well. “When I moved to Alaska I was attracted to the Valley because of its housing affordability, it was too good to pass up,” Rovito says. The Matanuska Susitna Borough has nearly 90,000 residents and it is increasing quickly. In 2009

the population was roughly around 88,000. It is speculated that each year the population of the Valley will increase by at least 2,000 people each year. Some may question why the Valley is so popular, the schooling and affordable housing are the answers. Because Anchorage is exploding with people, Alaskan residents have turned to the Valley to find un-crowded schooling for their children. It has been found that more and more graduated seniors are choosing to stay in the Valley and go to college at Mat-Su College, keeping the student population in the Valley. The Matanuska Susitna Borough now has a Regional Hospital on

site as well, proving that it has all the necessary items to make the Borough the top spot in Alaska. “The fact that we have a Regional hospital, great school systems, affordable housing and room for expansion gets us on the map in Alaska and makes us as the Matanuska Susitna Borough irresistible,” says Pam Wolfe, a RN at Mat-Su Regional Hospital.

The Matanuska Susitna Borough is growing immensely, not only in businesses but in population as well. One can only imagine that the Matanuska Susitna Borough will be on the map not only for being the home of Sarah Palin but for being a city in and of itself.

Busting Out of the MapBy Gabrielle Menard

People around the world rush the stores for the biggest shopping day of the year; the day after Thanksgiving, known as Black Friday. According to the official Black Friday website and National Retail Federation, last year alone 195 million consumers shopped over Black Friday weekend, up from 172 million in 2008, but spent an average of $343.31 per person versus $372.57 per person the previous year. US shoppers spent a mere .5% more in 2009 than in 2008 bringing in $10.66 billion. “Black Friday for me is not black, it’s a time for making memories, getting up early and buying early Christmas presents,” explained Colony High School teacher and shopper Mme. Boyd who plans on traveling to South Dakota with her daughter and driving four hours to the Mall of America. Her motto: “Gain is worth the pain!” Black Friday is an unofficial holiday that is always the day after Thanksgiving; this marks the start of

the holiday retail season. As many workers have the day off as a part of the Thanksgiving holiday, this increases the number of possible consumers. There are two main theories on how the term ‘Black Friday’ came about. In 1966 the Philadelphia Police Department nicknamed the day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday due to all the traffic accidents and other unfortunate altercations that were caused by all the shoppers. The other meaning came later from an accounting term to mean profit. Where as being ‘in the red’ indicates a loss, and being ‘in the black’ means profit. Retailers noticed that this day would be of profit so the name Black Friday came about. “There’s more than just shopping to Black Friday. It’s a day to spend with your friends, find some good deals, and spread Christmas cheer!” exclaimed consumer, Abigail Maxwell. “It gives me an excuse to spend some hard earned money and help the economy.”

Some department stores such as Cabelas, Gap and Toys-R-Us open their doors for business at midnight while others like Walmart, Target and Best Buy wait until 4-6a.m. for those early bird specials. “I love getting up early and trying to beat the rush. It’s part of the whole experience,” freshman Izzy Tweed said. As department stores promote and advertise for this day months in advance, there’s another way shoppers can spend money and shop

without leaving their home. Cyber Monday is taking our nation by storm. CNNMoney reported that Cyber Monday sales climbed 14% from 2008 to 2009 and online shoppers bought 10% more per order compared to those who faced the crowded stores. “ S h o p p i n g online gives me the opportunity to buy from

stores we don’t have here in Alaska,” stated online shopper Chelsea Halstead, “And sometimes you can find better deals and more selection online verses the actual store.” Whether shopping online or taking part in the actual department store shopping madness, Black Friday is a great excuse to get in some retail therapy and kick off the 2010 holiday season.

Shop ‘Till You DropBy Kaitlyn Klapperich

Meier had bullied her at school so the girl’s mom went on MySpace and posed as a boy flirting with her. After a while the comments turned hostile and the fake boy suggested that she kill herself. She did just that. This tragedy however led to Meier’s mother Tina lobbying to get cyber laws passed in the state of Missouri. Several were, including one that made cyber harassment illegal and focused on schools making tighter restrictions. These laws have helped make the cyber world much safer.

“I think cyber bullying contributes to suicide by making the victim feel like there is no other option. However, not telling allows the bully to win and empowers him or her to continue to victimize others. There are many other solutions besides suicide. It’s a permanent solution to temporary problem,” suggests Colony senior Nathan Gumminger.Whether or not there will be an end to cyber bullying is unclear. People can only hope our nation will make even harsher restrictions on the crime, but for now people must deal with it and hope that it will end soon so people can enjoy going to school or work or being home without torment.

it is there for good. Even deleted comments can be retrieved by I.T. specialists. Also, information shared via posting comments online spreads instantaneously, which makes damage control nearly impossible. Facebook is at the center of most of the issues I’ve worked on with students. Generally the issue is information being shared about an individual that he/she didn’t want shared.” said Colony guidance counselor Rebecca Krupa. Recently in the media there has been many stories of teens killing themselves after being cyber bullied. The most infamous being Megan Meier, the 13 year old girl who committed suicide after being bullied on MySpace. In this case a girl

Target is one of the Valley’s most popular shopping destinations

Red Robin is one of the many new establish-ments opening in the Valley

Killer Continued from page 1.

5FeaturesThe Knightly News

November 2010

4 FeaturesThe Knightly News

November 2010

Colony High School choir is helping kids all over the world. They organized and are promoting a fundraiser to help needy kids ages 2-14 this holiday season.

“This year we are doing a project called Operation Christmas

Child, which helps kids that are less fortunate,” said CHS Choir teacher Ms. Monds.

In this project students fill a shoebox full of basic necessities, toys, and toiletries. Some items may include toothbrushes, hairclips, combs and stuffed animals. Other ideas consist of school supplies such as paper, pencils, crayons, and markers. These items go

to kids all over.

“This project helps kids all over the world, in places such as Russia, Africa, Ukraine, the U.S, and Haiti,” Monds continued.

If CHS receives one thousand shoeboxes we will be able to keep three hundred of those for kids here in the community. However the majority of the children that receive these gifts outside of the U.S have been affected by a war or bombing, others simply can’t afford the luxuries of necessities.

“I feel really good, knowing that I’m able to give to others since a lot of people have helped me and my family,” Colony Junior Alexandria Romaho stated.

Colony is the first school in Alaska this year that is participating in Operation Christmas Child. Choir students are doing this project for the simple reason of knowing that they are making a difference and are very excited to help others. They hope that other schools will join the cause so they can help even more kids around the world this holiday season.

“Operation Christmas Child helps kids realize that other people really do care about them,” Colony High

sophomore Trinity Teske exclaimed.

According to Samaritan’s Purse, the foundation who established this program, the purpose of this operation is to demonstrate God’s love for needy children all over the world. They want to let kids know that there truly is someone who loves them.

“There are so many kids that are less fortunate that I just hope that everyone contributes to this cause,” said CHS freshmen Suzanne Ouellette.

Due to today’s economy, money is tight, and the reality of the economic downfall is become more and more prevalent. Teenagers don’t often feel the ramifications of this financial fallout near as much as adults do, yet their daily lives are influenced by it. Spending money has become limited and with the need to survive, society has learned how to cut corners and make ends meet without giving up on their wardrobe. The solution they found: Thrift stores.

Non-Profit organizations, such as Bishop’s Attic, found on South Bailey Street in Palmer, are giving back to their community on a daily basis. In addition to giving back, they are saving money for today’s cash-strapped teens.

“There are always the ‘regulars’, but due to the economy, business has just soared,” said Marni Warhus, who has been working at Bishop’s Attic since 1978.

Teenagers are finding more and more ways to make their limited budgets stretch. General “teenager’ jobs, which include; mowing the neighbors’ lawn, babysitting, and walking dogs have become practically non-existent, leaving teenagers to find other means of funds and to manage it wisely. One avenue teens have explored and loved, has been local thrift shops, such as Bishop’s Attic. With name-brand clothes at bargain prices, it’s impossible to avoid.

“See, we are very fussy about what clothing we actually put out, typically, 25-30% percent of all received donations are what we deem sellable. The rest of the clothing is picked up by the Boys and Girls Club in Anchorage and given to them and thrift stores such as Value Village and Salvation Army, so in the end, it is all going back into the community,” Rose Scheibl, employee and floor manager of Bishop’s Attic for the past 34 years stated.

With distribution going even further out of the Valley, cleaning out one’s closet has even a bigger impact than one might think. Bishop’s attic has over 30 organizations that they give money to, and they even give community service hours credit. When a teenager is sentenced to community work service hours, they are able to give back to the community that they harmed and restore that community by helping their peers. Other benefits of donating include; tax write-offs, decluttering closets, and of course community outreach.

“Last year, we gave back into the community what came out to be a total of almost $200,000 dollars, in addition to giving $83,000 each to both Sacred Heart and St. Michael’s churches,” Assistant Manager of Bishop’s Attic, Charlene Harrel said when asked just how much is given back into the community.

The startlingly high numbers speak for themselves. Thrift shopping is where it’s at! Getting great deals, with

the knowledge that a world of good is being done for people? One definitely leaves the store with their head held just a little bit higher.

“I love thrift stores, they are like treasure chests,” Colony High Sophomore Holly Gregory said.

K n o w n for their strikingly low prices, thrift stores hold a special appeal to the teenagers of today. With not much money to spend, but the necessity of wearing clothes, and the desire to look nice and ‘fit in’, teens browse the aisles of the low-priced racks and find articles that will gain them acknowledgment and n turn, self-confidence for just the smallest fraction of what would be found in the actual stores. With name-brands like Abercrombie and Fitch, American Eagle, DC, teens find exactly what fits their style. Even the more individuality-based kids can find their forte shopping

Operation Christmas ChildBy Ali Riggan

If students want to help Operation Christmas Child go to the CHS choir room and pick up a shoebox and brochure. Then fill out the label in the brochure, stating whether the shoebox is for a girl or boy. Once that is filled out the label and taped it to the filled shoebox, return it to the choir room. If students can’t participate in Operation Christmas but still want to help an option would be to go www.samaritanspurse.org and make a donation to help a child in need.

Coming Out of the ClosetBy Aly Foster

Above: Operation Christmas Child collects boxes and ships them all across the world.

Above: Suzanne Ouellette shows off her box before shiping it out.

at thrift stores. Every article is unique and perfect for self-expression.

Whether teens are feeling the heat and money crunch of the economy today, or simply wanting to stand out, Thrift stores offer the perfect entity at perfect prices. It all starts with just coming out of the closet.

Above: Charlene Harrel and Marni Warhus show off a huge variety of things to buy at the

Bishop’s Attic.

It is many people’s favorite time of year, the time to eat, play and watch some college basketball. The Carrs/Safeway Great Alaska Shootout is just around the corner starting on the 23rd of November and going until the 27th.

“I’m really excited for The Great Alaska Shootout this year, it’s become a tradition in our family,” says Colony High sophomore Greyson

Gredigan.The Great Alaska Shootout

is a basketball tournament that takes place over the Thanksgiving holiday. The University of Alaska Anchorage hosts the tournament and all games are played at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage. The men’s tournament which has been held annually since 1978 includes eight teams. And the women’s tournament has been held

annually since 1990, includes four teams.

“I love the Shootout because it’s not often that we get teams like these up here,” says Colony High School and head basketball coach Tom Berg.

U s u a l l y NCAA regulations state that teams are only allowed to play in 28 regular season games. But they are allowed to be involved in one

exempted event per season. Those who choose to take advantage of

The Great Alaska Shootout opportunity may play up to 31 games per season.

“The Shootout is always a fun place to go with family and friends to watch good basketball that normally as Alaskans we wouldn’t be able to see in person,” says Colony High sophomore Chase Farrell.

Bob Rachal was the University of Alaska Anchorage’s boys coach from 1977-1978 but he soon after died from a heart attack in 1985. Rachal wanted to put a new spin on the way basketball is played in Alaska while putting the UAA basketball program on the map with style.

The 2010 men’s tournament will feature Arizona State, St. John’s, Ball State, Drake, Houston Baptist,

Move Aside Turkey, Here Comes Some BasketballBy Gabrielle Menard

Southeast Louisiana and Southern Utah who will join the hosts Alaska Anchorage.

For the 2010 women’s tournament, the teams include Kent State, San Jose State and Washington who will join Alaska Anchorage in the women’s portion of The Great Alaska Shootout.

“Hopefully both the UAA girls and boys can pull it out and win it,” states Gredigan. The UAA girls have only won five championship trophies. Four of the five consecutively in the last four years and the fifth was in 1990. The boys unfortunately have not won a Great Alaska Shootout Trophy yet but have come close many times.

Below: The Great Alaska Shootout takes place every Thanksgiving weekend each year so sea-sonal food and donations are always accepted.

Above: The Great Alaska Shootout is an Alaskan Thanksgiving tradition.

Nine years ago Warner Brothers brought the magic of J.K. Rowling’s writing about to the big screen. With part one of the final installment of the Harry Potter movies coming out in November, Colony High School is gearing up for the big day.

This month CHS will be temporarily transformed into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to celebrate Harry Potter Day, on November 18th. The day is set aside to promote literacy in a fun and innovative way. “I am so excited for the movie premiere. I’m glad that CHS is finding a different way to bring student’s interests into the school,” stated junior Karen Clement.

Each grade level will be assigned a house from the Harry Potter series. Seniors will be Gryffindor, juniors- Ravenclaw, sophomores-

Hufflepuff, and lastly freshman will be Slytherin. Students are encouraged to dress up in their designated house colors, as it adds to the enjoyment, but no one will be stopped from dressing as a different Harry Potter character.

Advisory will be switched around that week so that Stop, Drop and Read will fall on Harry Potter Day. Staff and Students are encouraged to bring their favorite Harry Potter book to read during Advisory. Even though the day is an exciting spirit day, promoting literacy is the main goal. Even if one is not a Harry Potter fan, make sure to bring a book for the celebration. “I’ll be bringing book one, The Sorcerer’s Stone. My favorite is Prisoner of Azkaban, but I’d like to restart with the first book. This day is going to be an excellent way to promote literacy,” said Mrs. Duffin who is an avid Harry

Potter fan.Although Harry Potter Day is

only celebrated at CHS until 1:50, many students’ festivities won’t end there. A number of students will be attending the midnight showing of the new movie; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Some are even going dressed up as characters from the book.

“I’ll be going dressed up as Ron Weasley. He isn’t my favorite,

Below: Jessika Kast is a Harry Potter “Superfan” showing off her locker which says “JK” for J.K. Rowling and her Harry Potter book.

Above: Colony administrators Mr. McMahon, Mr. Looney, and Mrs. Duffin read their favorite Harry Potter books in anticipation for the upcoming movie and Harry Potter day.

but his sister Ginny is. I am a Harry Potter enthusiast, so there’s no way I’m missing HP day,” senior James Meaney stated.

The new date added to the CHS calendar may seem like a once in a lifetime occasion, but hopefully the idea of literacy promotion will not end here. The goal for this day is to spark everyone into opening up a good book of any sort.

Abra KadabraBy Chelsea Halstead

7Features6 Features

Thanksgiving- that day when people give thanks and eat a delicious meal is here again. However are there more health hazards than commonly realized?

It is generally thought by stu-dents and adults alike, that just about all the food prepared on Thanksgiving is unhealthy but Colony High School nurse Mrs. James would disagree with that. “The main dishes by themselves actually aren’t that bad for you,” she stated.

On average, turkey, the most

common main course, not including garnishes of any sorts is 340 calories for dark meat but only 124 calories for white meat per two cup serving. It is

also high in protein. Mashed potatoes, another common dish are only 150 calories though high in carbohydrates.

All the extra embellishments and toppings contribute to the health hazards such as raising cholesterol and blood pressure. “Gravy and stuff-ing are definitely not good for you” Mrs. James continued.

To add half cup of gravy it’s an additional 150 calories and is extremely high in cholesterol. Another common garnish, butter, is 100 calo-ries for one tablespoon and is high in saturated fat. For 100 grams of turkey

bread stuffing is 177 calories and is loaded with sodium.

“On Thanksgiving people really need to practice more portion control,” Colony freshmen Jordan Rowell stated.

Instead of piling a mountain of each dish on a plate, have smaller portions of each. Calories can add up fast, up to 3,000 calories on this holi-day meal, so controlling the amount of food consumed is key to avoiding devouring execs fats, sodium, oils, and cholesterol. “Pies undoubtedly have one of the worst nutritional values,” Rowell continued.

Health Hazards of Thanksgiving By Ali Riggan

Above: Mrs. James, the CHS school nurse warns students about over eating on Thanksgiving.

Pies are usually divided into eight slices, and one of those eight slices in a pecan pie contains 480 calories and is practically nothing but sugar and fat. Apple pie comes in second for the worst holiday pie with 410 calories, but pumpkin pie only has 180 calories.

It’s okay to eat your favorite meals on Thanksgiving CHS freshmen Gabby Black exclaimed, “Crispy ham with gravy is my favorite!” Just be sure to watch for health hazards that may be sitting on the dinner plate.

Above: Pumpkin pie is considered to be the healthiest to con-sume during the holidays, however, like anything it should be enjoyed in moderation.

Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s a subtype of depression that has its grasp on many Alaskans during the winter months, with its peak during October and November.

Depression, contrary to popular belief, is NOT just a ‘mood’ or a period of sadness. Rather, it is a chemical imbalance. A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger for the brain and when there is an interruption in-between the brain and the neurotransmitters, it leads to a deficiency of serotonin, which in turn, leads to the symptoms of depression. Depression, like many other illnesses, has subtypes. Some of those subtypes include; Bipolar Depression, Atypical Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD.

“Being in Alaska, I see a lot of patients which I deem as having Seasonal Affective Disorder, it’s most definitely regionally defined, the further you get from the equator, the more prevalent SAD is,” says Dr. Yvonne Gambini of Wasilla Medical Clinic.

The reason why SAD affects nearly 20% of all Alaskans is because during the winter months, the average amount of daylight that is seen is about six hours of daylight, and compared to the average 20 hours of daylight in the summer, it’s a drastic change and shock to the system. The most change is between October and November, when the weather change is most extreme, and starts to dwindle about March and April.

“Whereas SAD is known as the winter depression, patients diagnosed with SAD also have depression-like symptoms year round. As depression is a lack of serotonin, and that deficiency is pre-determined. An outlet people say helps, however, is exercise. The activity is greatly accepted by the body, and may help mitigate symptoms. Those who suffer both SAD and other forms of depression, their symptoms get slightly more predominant in the winter months and sometimes those with SAD have to switch medications, or resort to other therapies. A popular treatment is the SAD Light,” Gambini states.

The SAD Light is a small, box-shaped device designed to treat most symptoms of SAD. The box is to be plugged in, preferably in the early morning for 30 minutes, while the recipient soaks in the light that the day is not giving. Whereas the Light treatment is widely used and seems to work, there is quite some controversy associated with this form of therapy. For example, there is debate on whether the treatment actually works, or if it is a placebo effect. Either way, however, both sides of the argument agree that as long as the treatment helps patients, whether with scientific proof, or if it it a psychological thing, it really doesn’t matter, all that counts is the fact that people are receiving help.

“I find that teenagers especially have hard times with battling depression, and with that, SAD. Oftentimes, teenagers are blown off with adults blaming hormones and dismissing their cries for help. In fact,

teens are just as prone, perhaps even more so to feel the effects of SAD, as adults are. Without help, teenagers suffer in silence, and that is just totally unacceptable,” Gambini stated when asked how teenagers deal with SAD.

Teenagers often find it hard to articulate their feelings, and even if they wanted to, even find it extremely difficult to talk to a family member of friend. Their other resource would be a doctor, but teens’ access to care is very limited, as usually, they rely on a parent or guardian to get them set up with and get to their appointments. Because of this, teenagers with depression often suffer and go untreated, which can be

How SAD Is The Winter?By Aly Foster

an extreme health risk. However, there are options. For example, a school counselor. They can offer support and an ear to listen, as well as helping a teen talk to their parents, or give them different options to talk to a doctor.

The most important aspect of dealing with depression is to speak up. Let a friend know what’s going on. Be a friend to someone who needs it. Don’t bottle up the emotion, rather let it all out. There is help, and there is nothing abnormal about depression, or any subtype of it. During these ‘sad’ months, make sure to stay active and offer support wherever needed.

Above: The SAD device makes you think it is light indoors which makes you feel in a better mood and not depressed.

A new fad has emerged not only in the U.S., but in the Valley and even in the halls of Colony High School. The fad is Silly Bandz.

Silly Bandz are elastic bands that come in many different shapes and colors including Harry Potter, Baseball, Princess, and Instruments. It is nearly impossible to walk down hallways at Colony and not see someone sporting Silly Bandz.

“I think they’re something you either love or hate right off. I think they’re awesome now after forcing myself to like them,” said Colony junior Lori Herbranson.

Silly Bandz were invented in

late 2008 by Robert Croak. He found the inspiration for them at a trade show in China. Robert worked for BCP imports, a company based out of Toledo, Ohio, a company known for making the livestrong bracelets by Lance Armstrong, T-shirts, and mugs. They wanted to make a more kid friendly version, which led to the creation of Silly Bandz.

“Silly Bandz are a way for people to distinguish themselves by wearing different bands.” said Silly Band inventor Robert Croak in an interview with “E!”network.

The company does not use advertising; they solely rely on word

of mouth. Celebrities such as Mary-Kate Olsen and S a r a h J e s s i c a P a r k e r have been s e e n w e a r i n g them. Silly Bandz have also been featured on TV shows i n c l u d i n g Ellen and Live with

Silly Bandz: The 2010 Fashion Revolution By Trace Harris

Regis and Kelly. They have even been added to Kids’ meals at Quiznos restaurants. However, Silly Bandz have received mixed reviews.“I don’t like Silly Bandz because everyone has them. Once everyone goes with a fad it’s no longer cool. I am an individual and want to be my own person, which is why I don’t wear them,” said Colony sophomore Reloyi Simmons.Silly Bandz became popular around the nation shortly after their release. They were most popular in the southern US at first but then progressively made their way up the East Coast and by August 2010 could be found nearly everywhere. Silly Bandz took seven spots on the April 22nd list of the top selling toys and games. There are also currently 8000 businesses across the US and Canada that carry Silly

Bandz, some places that carry them in the Valley include Walgreens and Blockbuster. Walgreens is known for carrying Silly Bandz necklace and ring counterparts. However, Blockbuster is the place to buy Silly Bandz in the Valley, they have many different varieties along with a boasting sign that says, “Silly Bandz are here!”“Silly Bandz are cool because they come in different shapes and colors. I like how by wearing different ones you can express yourself and no one is exactly like you,” said Colony senior Meghan Riopelle. Whether people love them or hate them, for now at Colony Silly Bandz are here to stay and an end to the fad is well out of sight.

Below: Meghan Riopelle shows off her various Silly Bandz including sharks, a hotdog, and, a microphone.

Above: Blockbuster in Wasilla has several signs surrounding their build-ing with movie posters that advertise Silly Bandz.

November is a time of joy for many Alaskan teens. The snow comes and the happiness and freedom of youth along with it. Snowboarding, sledding, skiing, making snowmen,

hanging out by the fire, the holiday season starts and cheer is definitely in the air.

“I definitely love the snow the most! It’s beautiful, wonderful, and downright awesome. It makes everything look perfect and you can do anything in it,” says Colony High freshman Kevin Skinner.

He is not alone in his thoughts either!. When asked, 8 out of the 10 students said that snow is their favorite part of the holiday season. It provides a white sparkly blanket and

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!By Aly Foster

as senior TK Teawsomboonkit says, “It just makes everything magical.”

“I really enjoy it when it snows, because I can pull out my old

snow machine and take it for a spin whenever I please,” Colony Senior Dan Matthews states.

Whereas snow machining seems to be wild, exciting, and popular, there are definitely some dangers associated with it. Just last year alone, there were three snow mobile

r e l a t e d fatalities a n d a b o u t

17 other accidents. However, the excitement pushes the snow lovers to test the limits.

“Well really, no matter what sport you choose to do, there’s risks and the possibility of injury, but that’s just life you know? states sophomore Aleisha Gillespie.

Always, no matter what one chooses to do, there are rewards and consequences for those actions, but in lieu to winter sports and having fun, the memories made and good times to

be had, definitely seems to outweigh the possibility of injury. It all depends on what method of protection is used.

“It’s all about the thrill of going fast, the adrenaline rush when going off a jump or crashing,” Colony Sophomore Dalton Vance said, in reference to his winter sport of choice, snowboarding.

Snowboarding is very popular among teens here in the Valley. Eighty percent of teenagers have tried snowboarding at least once, and of that 84%, 79 percent keep with it and make it a weekly hobby.

“I’m not really a big fan of

playing out in the snow, but I love how beautiful it makes everything look, and my family starts a fire and we read or play board games together, it makes for some really great memories,” freshman Dani Peltier says.

Whether snowboarding is calling, or just hanging by fire is what’s enticing during the cold months, remember safety first, and then mix in all the memories. Let’s hear it for the snow!

Above: The Mat-Su Valley received it’s first snowfall in late October.

Above: Students are excited for the snowfall so they can frolic in the snow

The Knightly NewsNovember 2010

The Knightly NewsNovember 2010

9ActivitiesThe Knightly News

November 2010

8 ActivitiesThe Knightly News

November 2010

By Meagan Vance The Rifle Team is one of the newest additions to the list of clubs offered at Colony High School. “This sport teaches you to focus. When you shoot, you have to focus on one thing. You can’t focus on what’s going on around you,” CHS freshman, Nathan Barnett most enjoys the mental aspect of the sport, and feels that things those who participate

learn here help even outside of the sport. This club offers a way for students to shoot competitively and learn to safely handle guns. It teaches its members aspects of shooting

ranging from breathing techniques to proper trigger control. Although this club is still relatively new, there are a total of 14 members involved who are all active participants of helping the team grow into something bigger. “I’ve never seen a more dedicated group of students. They have done everything I’ve asked them to do,” Rifle coach and teacher

at Colony, Shawn Arnold stated about the members “They’ve been incredibly patient helping build this team.” Although the club has the schools support, they are required to provide all of the funding themselves,

which they do so through active fund raising for their guns and saving money by building their own targets. The group is small, but they are very proficient when it comes to getting things done. So far, they have raised enough money to fully outfit two shooters at a time, and are working towards even more. “It’s all us. All the money, we’ve raised ourselves. The targets we use, we built ourselves.” Team captain, Lyle Swallows, acknowledges the fact that without the work of the member, the Rifle Team would not be able to exist. Right now, the team practices in the Colony High School Gymnasium, but have recently been approved to start training at the Matanuska Valley Sportsmen Indoor Shooting range, located just outside of Palmer, which will allow for them to get even more

experience with handling the guns. They hope to get enough practice in that they can start competing within the state. So far, they have participated in what is known as a ‘postal match’, which allows for teammates compete against others from the Lower 48, by shooting the targets here and then mailing them to Civilian Marksmanship Program, where their targets will be scored and compared to the other teams. Colony’s Rifle Team is the only one currently in the Mat-Su Valley, but Arnold hopes that the team will soon be able to compete against teams from Anchorage. The team is still new, but they are constantly striving to improve and learn more about the event. Arnold hopes that with this continuous growth in the teams spirits, Rifle Team will expand and possibly attempt trap as well as skeet competitions.

By Laura Holman

This year’s 2010 Holiday Bazaar will take place on November 27th at Colony High School, this year it is being coordinated by Mr. Berg, the Close Up advisor.

This is the 16th annual Christmas Bazaar, and every year it takes place on the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. P r e p a r a t i o n s have been going on for the past few months. The event is completely student, teacher, and community based. There are no outside sponsors. “I’m very excited for this year’s bazaar. Last year when I went I got a bunch of Christmas presents for my family; it was great,” said sophomore, Mary Geist.

This year’s bazaar will start at 10 A.M. and will continue throughout the day until 5 P.M. although vendors will have the opportunity to start setting up their booths at 7 A.M. There are all types of vendors, from salsa booths, to candle vendors.

The Colony High Christmas Bazaar is a tradition that offers a fundraiser for students participating in extended educational opportunities. It was created by Mary Sue Backus and has supported students participating in Science Olympiad and ELP Extensions, as well as the Washington, D.C. Close-Up

program. All profits from the Bazaar are distributed to CHS students using an economic model developed by Ms. Backus. Students earn shares

and then are paid dividends depending on share totals and the profits from the event.

Booths for the 2010 Christmas Bazaar cost about $100 and it runs on a mostly first come first serve basis. Preference is given to veteran vendors. Veteran registrations are processed immediately and those who wish to remain in their current booths will have first priority to do so. After the date that veteran

preference ends, the sooner the vendors application and booth fee comes in, the better the booth location they will receive.

Most of the booths are relatively small, due to fire regulations. They spread throughout the entire school, in the big gym, commons, main hallway, science hallway, library, small gym, and also in the freshman hallway. The Bazaar staff tries their best to direct customers to all the different booth locations. They often sponsor drawings, musical groups and special door prizes to help introduce new areas and increase traffic.

Catch Up With the Holiday Bazaar

Posters advertising the bazaar are piled up in Mr.Berg’s room.

Sophomore Keiran McCafferty and junior Lyle Swallows practice their aim after school.

Tessa McKittrick takes a breath while she aims at her target.

Colony Is On TargetBy Laura Holman

In February 2011, the Colony High School Drama Club will present the world premiere play of Mansfield Park, but until then, they’ve got a lot of work to do.

“I’m extremely excited about this play. I think it would be incredible to be a part of a brand new play, something no one has ever done before,” sophomore, Allison Bargelski. Bargelski acted in the first play this year, 1984, and is looking forward to playing a role in Mansfield Park. This play will have about 18 major roles, a chorus, and also extras. It is going to have 22 songs and three reprises. It will last about two and half hours.

The book Mansfield Park was originally written by Jane Austen in 1814. It is the story of a girl named Fanny Price. Fanny is sent to live with her wealthy uncle and aunt, Sir Thomas and Lady Bertram. While there, she falls in love, has her heart broken, and in the end marries the man she loves. The playwright, Grant

Olsen, who is a teacher at Palmer Junior Middle school, wrote the first ever script of Mansfield Park, and

will also be directing it. Olsen has also written and directed two movies, “Crossing the Rubicon”, and “Jack and Jill” which were both filmed locally. The

music for this extraordinary play was written by Blaine Lee. Lee is a teacher in the valley at Butte Elementary, and

also is the top tenor in Alaska.

The play will not be premiering until February 2011, but the Colony High School drama club has already started preparations for the show. On Monday and Tuesday, November 1st and 2nd, the drama department had an audition workshop. On the first day they

all learned how to audition. What to do, what to say, where to stand. Anything

they might have needed to know to audition, they learned it. On the second day the hopeful auditions were given an actual piece from the play to

learn, and also a piece of music from the play. Each person recieved a solo audition, and also a duet with another person. On November 3rd, 4th and 5th Mrs. Monds worked with the budding actors who wanted extra help to make their auditions just perfect. Finally, the big day arrived. November 8th and the 9th, auditions.

Rehearsals started on the 11th, and the cast will have rehearsals everyday from 3 P.M. to 6 P.M. They will have Semester break off, and rehearse until February where they will have at least three shows.

Colony High will be the first in the entire world to perform this play. “It will be a big deal in the valley.” Mr. Mead, CHS Drama Advisor said, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if we had done the first production of a play that someday is on Broadway?” There will also be some children‘s roles, so the auditions will be open to kids from the middle school. The entire valley will be waiting, anticipating this great play.

A World Premiere Play

Junior Ian Hendren and sophomore Whit-ney Winders rehearse their lines before practice.

By Meagan Vance From October 11 to October 22, students at Colony High School went through all of their old books to donate to the book drive that was sponsored by the CHS chapter of NHS. T h i s two week event was set up as a competition between English classes to bring in books that the teachers could turn into NHS at the end. The prize for the class who turned in the most books for the drive won a pizza party. Throughout the two weeks, National Honor Society was able to raise just under a thousand books to donate The highest amount of donations were made from Mrs. Johnson’s 3rd period class, with 279 books donated. Following in second and third places were Mrs. Thaler’s 4th period class with 198 books and Mr. Townsend’s 6th period class with 169 books. “ N H S picked this project because we work hard to promote service and academics within the school, and this project was able to meet both of those needs.” President of NHS, Kelly Moran strives to motivate other members to go above and beyond what is expected from them, and to try and really make an impact with what they do.

The high school level books that were collected are being donated to Burchell High School’s new library collection and the younger level books are going towards the Badges and Books Program which are delivered

to bush schools t h r o u g h o u t Alaska. Any other remaining books are being sold to Title Waves Book Store and the proceeds from that are going towards Colony’s own library collection. N a t i o n a l Honor Society is a club where the members exceed expectations of what an average high school student is by planning events to help improve the school as well as the community. All of the members put hours of work into all of the projects they have and also complete a required amount of community service done quarterly, all of this on top of keeping their grades high enough to

remain eligible for the club. By doing these activities, the members are trying to build the clubs

image around the school. Including the book drive, NHS has also sponsored Elephant Day and Bring Your Teddy Bear To School. They want to encourage students that school can be fun, and create ‘mini spirit days’ for everyone to look forward to during the month.

National Honor Society Is at It Again

These books among many others have been col-lected for Burchell High School.

What would you bring?If you could only bring one thing to a deserted island, what would it be?

Skye Rench 12- Josh Doan.

Josh Doan 12- Skye Rench.

Joe Nelson 12- A hot chick.

Micheal Sizelove 10- Flare gun.

Lilli Gadbois 10- Boat.

Cody Sass 11- Knife.

Nick Haylor 9- Machete.

Quavion Stewart 9- My pets.

Jake Smith 10- A house.

Ethan Hooker 11- A shovel.

Alexander Weimerskirch 9- Trash Can

T h e 2010 Colony High School wrestling season is in full swing. Throughout the months of October, November and December the Knights wrestling team is dedicated to maintaining and cutting weight, practicing, and working towards a 5th consecutive state title.

T h e Colony High School wrestling program is one not to be taken lightly. Since head coach, Mr. Booth, has been coaching at Colony High School, six Colony High graduates have gone on to compete at the collegiate level, and in 2006/2007/2008 and 2009 the Knights brought home the State Championship title setting a new ASAA record of four consecutive State Titles from a single school.

“We’re not focused on the competition or winning, only wrestling the best we can and improving as a team,” stated assistant wrestling coach and business teacher, Mr. Todd Hopkins.

The wrestling team practices from 2:20-4:30pm Monday-Friday and also Saturday mornings. Practices include conditioning, drills, six minutes matches and take downs. Before meets and duals wrestlers must weigh in at the specific weight class they are signed up for.

“The most I’ve ever had to cut

was ten lbs, but I know kids that have had to cut as much as 20 lbs before a weigh in,” stated Varsity wrestler, Nate Wolfe. “Right after I weigh in, I eat.”

Although cutting that much weight may be seen as extreme, the pain is worth the gain. “My favorite thing about wrestling is winning!” Wolfe said, “We’re headed straight for the top.

Senior Captain Renn Wright who took second place last year will be competing for a state title this December.

“We have done pretty well overall. We took first at the Nikiski Duals, fourth at the Lancer Smith Tournament in Palmer, and second at the North/South Tournament in Soldotna,” Wright said. “What I like most about wrestling is being under the spotlight for the finals! ”

The Knights will be competing against the Wasilla Warriors this Thursday, November 18th

at WHS. Although the Warriors won the Dual at Homer October 28th the Knights have had three weeks to improve and will be working towards the first place trophy.

“As of right now it looks like a five team game throughout the state. We’re one of those five teams, and with help from the other teams it’ll be close,” stated head wrestling coach, Mr. Dave Booth. “We have a legit shot at the state title. We look

Wrestling DominationBy Kaitlyn Klapperich

at the state tournament as twenty-eight matches and how we can win the most matches.”

On the Varsity team there are 14 weight classes with 2 wrestlers at each class. There’s also a certain amount of strategizing that plays into this competitive sport.

“As a coaching staff we spend just as much time strategizing and planning each match as actually coaching,” Booth said.

The 2010 state championships will be held at Chugiak High School December 10th and 11th. Any questions regarding the Wrestling program can be answered on the Colony High School website or by contacting Mr. Dave Booth.

Last year’s varsity squad poses with their State Dual Championship trophy. The Knights are the hunt for it again, this year.

Two wrestlers grapple during a practice in preparation for an upcoming dual.

From October 18 to October 29, Colony High School held their hockey tryouts. Ending up with 39 students on the team, the coaching staff, as well as the players, are excited for the promising season ahead of them. They started off their season the weekend of November 4th with three challenging games against Juneau, Houston, and Palmer. The boys had a busy couple of days. ”I can’t wait for the games this weekend. It’ll be fun to kick some hawk butt,” said Forrest Savel, a junior and the varsity goalie.

This year there are new coaches;

Skating to VictoryBy Molly Sullivan

the head coach is Jamie Smith, and the assistant coaches are Peter Frank and Harold Henderson, both counselors at Colony. “We are very optimistic about turning this program into a winning one,” said Coach Smith, who has never coached hockey for Colony before, but coached at Wasilla for two years and at Houston for 14. Mr. Smith teaches physical education at the Career and Tech School.

Even though hockey is typically a male-dominated sport there are two girls on the team this year. They started out with more but many of them switched to the Ravens, the girls hockey team for the Mat-Su Valley. The

remaining girls are Kylie Matson and Sara Diltz, both freshman.

“Both my sisters played hockey; one almost made the Women’s Olympic Hockey team so I know first-hand that girls can keep up with the boys, ” said Assistant

C o a c h Frank. Mr. Frank has been playing

hockey since he was three years old and this is his first year officially coaching. He graduated from Colony High School in 1999.

This year Colony’s toughest competition will be Palmer and Wasilla. But lucky for them they have many strong returning players such as Kevin Hartley, Forrest Savel, Darryl Belanger, Trevor Naylor and Jason Murak, as well as many other upperclassmen. Sophomore Kevin Hartley was a defenseman last year but has been moved up to a forward this year, and is leading off the season with three goals. There are also many freshmen and

sophomores who the coaches are excited to see perform, one of whom is Morgan McJimsey who is starting the season off on the varsity team as a defenseman, and has already scored two goals for Colony.

On Thursday, November 4th, the Knights played Juneau and lost 2 to 1. On Friday, November 5th they played Houston and won 4 to 2. Palmer High defeated them 7 to 2 on Saturday the 6th of November. Despite their losses the hockey players have been showing great enthusiasm and improvement. Here’s for a great season!

The varsity squad lines up for introductions before a game at the Brett Memorial Arena.

Johnathan Boyer tangles up with a Wasilla offender.

The Colony Knights varsity volleyball team is been playing for a spot in the State Tournament on November 11, which they have proven time and time again that they are capable of reaching.

In late August, the team played in the Valley Jamboree located at Palmer High School against seven

other teams, and managed to place second, losing only to Wasilla and Palmer. In late September, the team participated in the West Spiketacular at West High School and managed to place fifth out of 20 teams from around Alaska.

Junior and back-row player, Brittney Anderson states, “We definitely have some of the best hitters in the state. At West Spiketacular we were able to connect as a team, which was a major turning point for us.” The players’ connection was noticeable, and many players feel much more confident about their playing. “My

playing was a little rough until the Spiketacular, but now I feel like I am doing a whole lot better on my defense.”

The team’s conference record ended at five wins and five losses, but the proof lies in their past tournament outcomes that they are fully capable of defeating the other teams when it really matters. Many of the teams’ losses have been caused by unforced team errors, rather than

playing techniques or skills.

“Our record doesn’t give a good account of how we are actually doing. Every game we are improving and learning how to work together better.” Junior and right-side hitter, Jordan Ertz has said of the teams’ record. Coach Amy

Mary Klapperich and Shellina Irwin go airborne to block a Moose spike.

Lady Knights in Full Force By Meagan Vance

Carter agrees, and feels that the team improves every week, but it doesn’t always show during the games.

This year’s team is young, with only four remaining seniors, two juniors, and four sophomores playing. Despite the young team, players worked hard all season to do their best and earned a spot in the State Tournament

“The challenge for us was going in and playing up to our potential in every game” Carter comments on the Varsity team

The Lady Knights’ placed third at regions, which took place on November 4th and were able to make it to state which was on November 11th, 12th, and 13th, along with Palmer and Wasilla. The team fought hard, and ended up with a 5th place spot on the roster.

The Varsity girls celebrate after a good of-fensive spike.

Sports12The Knightly News

November 2010

SportsThe Knightly News

November 2010

13

The world’s fastest man could become the world’s next soccer superstar. That’s right, Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt has recently expressed interest in playing the world’s most popular sport on the professional level.

Bolt, a 6’5”, 24 year old phenom became a household name after his record-breaking 2008 Olympics. Bolt won 3 gold medals, and broke records in the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and the 4x100 meter dash. Since 2008, Bolt has continued his dominance, continuing to embarrass his opponents, and shatter records. But despite his astounding success, the world’s fastest man is considering taking his talents to a new frontier, soccer.

In an interview with The Guardian, Bolt stated that “If I keep myself in shape, I can definitely play [soccer] at a high level.” While such a statement is obviously presumptuous, someone with such astronomical speed and world renown surely has a chance of making a professional lineup. Bolt has visited with the German team Bayern Munich, and the English team, Manchester United. When asked which team he would like to play for, Bolt hardly hesitated. “Ideally, if I was to play football, I’d sign for my favorite team – Manchester United”. Does Bolt think that he has the

technical ability to play with the world’s best? “I’m definitely a good player - a defensive or attacking midfielder I

always watch those guys and I think I could be a professional footballer.”

Usain Bolt: The World’s Next David BeckhamBy Logan Basner

Because of the nature of sprinting, especially at the Olympic level, athletes typically have a very small window by which they are able to compete. After dropping out of contention for Olympic titles, athletes typically have to settle down and get a second job. It only makes sense for Bolt that he would try for soccer, because given his 6’5” frame and his sub 4.2 40 yard dash, it is entirely possible that he could work his way up to a professional soccer team. While Bolt may not have the technical abilities of his counterparts, he certainly has the natural advantage. Speed is obviously a crucial aspect of soccer, as two of the world’s best, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are renowned for their speed. “He’ll be the fastest player out there, with his tallness and acceleration, also with his celebrity status he could get a trial with any professional club team, which might turn into a consideration among coaches who need a talent. so yes he’d be good,” says Colony Varsity team Captain James Meaney.

Should soccer not work out for Bolt, he could easily find a job as a pinch-runner for a MLB team, or a job in the NFL. Bolt merely has to decide what he wants to excel at. One thing is certain: The future for this phenomenal athlete is bright, and whatever sport he decides on, he’ll surely have the potential to be great.Usain Bolt after a finishing a sprint race in Berlin, Germany.

sisting of only two or three food groups, grains and maybe dairy and legumes, these do not pro-vide enough variation to obtain all the necessary vitamins and nutri-ents. Even the salads are mainly iceberg lettuce and tomatoes with cheese and meat on top, and if the meat and dairy is left off, there is virtually no nutritional value. For a vegan, who does not eat any animal products at all, the cheese-laden Mexican food and pizza are also ruled out, making what poor choices there are even narrower.

The most obvious solu-

tion would be for anyone who wished to eat well to bring their own meal from home. The new Birch Tree Elementary does not offer any food for purchase, and

What’s For Lunch?By Eva Colberg

November is World Vegan Month, and as such it should be not-ed that in order to follow any healthy diet, plant-based or otherwise, the proper nutrients must be provided. At school, nutritious choices for a vegan, vegetarian, or any student trying to eat healthily are limited.

Students at Colony High

School can choose between typi-cal concession-stand fare such as pizza or pretzels from an a la carte stand, or anything from the caf-eteria, such as Mexican, salad, or the daily hot lunch offering. While the choices at first seem varied enough, they are not enough. For a vegetarian, meat is out of the question, so the only options for purchase are junk food from the a la carte stand or Mexican. Con-

requires all students to brown bag it. For teenagers who must find the time between homework, jobs, and extra-curricular activities, put-ting together a good lunch every single day is not always a possibil-ity. Even for those who do usually come prepared, there is always the off day that it slips their mind, and then they are forced to ei-ther starve or face the lunch lines.

The cafeteria’s options

are not all bad, of course. The lunch ladies are quick to point out that there is always fresh fruit on hand, and for those who do par-take in dairy products, the milk is now locally sourced from Mat-Su Creamery. Besides, most stu-dents are not vegetarians, so there is little cause to make over the

whole menu just for that lifestyle. But, whether vegan or not,

a healthy diet is apparently not a high priority for the school. The of-fered meals are high in carbohy-drates and low in fruits and vegeta-bles. For teens who should but do not care about eating healthily, the school lunches do little to encour-age good choices. Birch Tree’s policy might be more difficult to instigate when there is already an established way to buy lunch at the school, but it might be benefi-cial to replace some of the worst offenders on the menu with more rounded meals, as well as make sure that there are tasty options for those who do not eat meat.

The Matunuska-Susitna Education Association has been bargaining with the district for a contract for over a year now. What should have ended last spring has dragged out into the winter. The uprising of teachers could have a dramatic affect on students, but what was looking like a workforce strike has now become a tentative agreement.

“Since I started this posi-tion I’ve noticed a dramatic change in the attitude of the teachers. Espe-cially at the last meeting, they were really upset,” says sophomore Ken-dra McPhail, the Student Advisor Board Representative of one year.

On Wednesday, October 20, so many teachers attended the School Board meeting, it had to be moved from the usual room to the gym of Palmer High. The gym was filled with hundreds of angry teach-ers yelling and protesting the con-tract proposed by the district. The meeting on November 3rd was far calmer and laid back. For the first hour it was crowded with teachers who wanted to share their opinions, but once they were heard, they left, leaving the room half empty.

“We definitely would have struck if the district did not be-come more reasonable, but luckily, things look like they’re turning up,” says Dan Miles, a Spanish teach-er at Colony High and a very ac-tive member of the fight. As much fun as a break from school might sound, a strike would prolong the school year into the summer. There has never been a strike in the Mat-Su Borough School District and the teachers, as well as the board would like to keep it that way.

Though the teachers haven’t been on strike they have been participating in other forms of unified protest. They wear T-shirts with protesting slogans to

the board meetings, write articles in the local paper, and testify at board meetings, picket, and ‘work to rule’. At the end of the last school year there was a huge amount of teachers who ‘worked to rule’, meaning they only worked during the hours indicated in their contract, not spending extra time grading papers or making lesson plans out side of school. This affects the students because it

prevents their work from getting graded promptly. Also, without district employees there are no coaches or club advisors, mean-ing no sports or school activities such as drama and other clubs.

In the past, the procedure for signing a new contract goes as follows. First, the District comes up with a contract and then the MSEA looks it over and points out what they like and dislike, after that they produce a contract that is more suitable to their needs and pres-ent it to the board. At this point, because usually both sides are in disagreement, both the MSEA

and the district get their bargaining teams together and they negotiate until they can come up with a ‘ten-tative agreement’, or at least until they can agree to disagree. Either way, nothing is official before both the district and the teacher’s union sign it. At the times when neither side can agree they each come up with their ‘last best offer’, and they get a mediator to help both sides to come to a mutual agreement.

If they are still not agreeing the district will hire an arbitrator who will try to split the issue so both sides get something they are ask-ing for. They don’t have to abide by what the arbitrator says but this step is required by law if they have not yet reached an agreement.

This time, the battle for a contract is unique. It began in the fall of 2009 and was meant end in the spring of this year. When the MSEA tried making changes to the contract presented to them by the board, the board informed them that it was a ‘take it or leave it deal’. This didn’t work out too

well because if the teachers had just walked away there wouldn’t be a school district. Just many empty classrooms. So when the teachers got upset and started to threaten to strike the board be-came slightly more lenient. On No-vember 12th there was a sched-uled arbitration but it has been canceled because on October 2nd the bargaining teams had an-other meeting and finally came to

a ‘tentative agreement; af-ter so long of disagreeing it came as a huge surprise that they came to terms.

”I believe this happened because the district’s financial pic-ture changed this fall and nearly 400 teachers came and expressed their feel-ings to the school board at recent meetings,” said former MSEA president George Stuart. The main issues under contention are the elimination of plan-ning time, the increase in cost of health insurance, and they also want a slight raise to go with the in-crease in the cost of living.

Currently, the teachers are working un-der last year’s contract.

Though they aren’t ecstatic about it, they get a small increase in their yearly salary, fair healthcare, and 45 minutes of planning time daily. Some teachers are the only ones who work in their families and they need an increase in their pay to fol-low the increase in the cost of liv-ing. As for planning time, teachers already spend hours at home af-ter hours grading papers, entering grades, and making lesson plans. Taking away their sacred planning time would not be a good idea, if the district respects their employees.

District employees protesting outside of a school board meet-ing on October 20, 2010

A Conflict With the ContractBy Molly Sullivan

Sports Opinions14 15The Knightly News

November 2010The Knightly News

November 2010

November 2nd marked a turning point in American politics. In the last two elections, America has witnessed a takeover by the Democratic Party, but in the November 2nd elections, the Republican Party has made huge gains on both the Alaskan and national scale. For the past two months or so, Democrat Scott McAdams, R e p u b l i c a n Joe Miller, and Republican Lisa Murkowski have flooded Alaska’s airwaves with ads for their respective Senate campaigns. All three candidates have worked tirelessly to discredit their opponents, creating a political tension that will certainly leave a bad taste in peoples’ mouths for years to come. “I felt like Lisa Murkowski had a good chance because of her previous senatorial experience.”, said Evan Dodd. As of November 5th, the results showed Murkowski as the probable

leader. With 432 of 438 precincts

reporting, 41% of the voters had filled in the “write in” bubble. Joe Miller had received 34% of the vote, and Scott McAdams had received 24% overall. It is likely however, that an official winner

will not be declared for weeks to come, as absentee ballots have yet to be accounted for, and Murkowski’s votes need to be counted by hand. In order for the votes for Murkowski to be counted, voters must both fill in the oval and write in Murkowski’s name.

If Murkowski is able to hang on, she will have run the first successful write-in campaign for U.S. Senate since 1954, when Strom Thurmond ran a successful campaign in South Carolina. Ironically, her potential victory will have come one day after the San Francisco Giants won the World Series, who also last won in 1954.

History is cyclical, and as it indicates, the party in power during poor economic periods generally loses seats during the next election. In 1932, FDR was able to play off of the poor economic climate to pull out a victory against President Herbert Hoover. Fifty years later, Ronald Reagan capitalized off of the recession to become the

oldest American President. This pattern continued in 2008,

when Barack Obama won a historic election again in the face of the worst economic recession since the Great Depression. Four years later, although the stock market has shown significant

The Elephant on the RiseBy Logan Basner

improvement, America’s housing market remains in poor condition, and America’s unemployment is still very high. “I think that people are bound to be angry when the current employment rate is nearly ten percent and the national debt has topped 12 trillion. I’m sure that factored into voter’s decisions on Tuesday,” muses Dodd.

Alaska’s only representative, Don Young also won in convincing fashion. Young, one of the House of Representatives most senior members, has been serving since 1973, and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. The governor’s race between Republican Sean Parnell and Democrat Ethan Berkowitz was won easily by Parnell. Parnell took over the role of Governor after Sarah Palin resigned mid-term in 2009, and in this election was able to win his first campaign for Governor. Both elections however, were overshadowed by the three-way senatorial race run by McAdams, Murkowski, and Miller.

This historic election marked a major turning point in American politics. The last time so many seats in the House changed hands was in 1948. This election could also potentially mark the first successful write-in campaign since 1954. Regardless of the final outcome however, this election has been one for the ages, and will certainly be analyzed for years to come.

Alaska Representative Don Young was one of many Re-publicans that was able to win big on Election Day.

News20The Knightly News

November 2010