the courier volume 37 issue 3

december 15, 2009

news 2opinion 4radical rebel 5sports 6culture 8

inside this issue

the buzzyour schoolcommunity

world

2 december 15, 2009

editors-in-chief:abbey borchers

lauren elder

photo editor:grace padilla

staff writers:heidi robertsjustine renfro

chufan (jerry) dengtori shoun

casey roark

adviser:mr. friesen

the courier staff

policy

The Courier is the offi cial student newspaper of Col-umbine High School.

Expression made by stu-dents in The Courier is not an expression of Jefferson County Public School’s Board policy, and the school district and its employees are immune from any civil or criminal action based on any expression made or published by students.

on the cover

The sign in front of Ken Caryl Middle School issues a cry for help to “save our school.”

photo by grace padilla

. . . There are 18 different animals shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo . . . Dolphins sleep with one eye open . . . Ailurophilia is the love of cats . . .

News in BriefNews in BriefIB Approved Columbine has been accepted as an IB candidate school by the International Baccalaureate Organization, and will be starting Pre-IB classes in August of 2010 for 9th and 10th grade students. All IB courses will start in the fall of 2011 upon authorization. For 2010-2011 9th graders, there will be an informational meet-ing on January 19th for information on the IB curriculum and applica-tion process and information on Columbine High School course of-ferings. For 2010-2011 10th graders, there will be an informational meeting on January 21st for information about the IB curriculum and the application process. All students are welcome to attend these meetings in order to fi nd out more about Columbine’s offerings in Ad-vanced Placement and Honors courses.

Blood Drive Success Columbine has won awards for its blood drive for three out of four years, and this year the amount of blood donated has set a new re-cord for the school. This year Columbine donated 115 units of blood, a much higher number than in previous years. The new age that stu-dents are allowed to donate, 16, helped contribute to the amount.

Late Starts As many students have noticed, there are no late starts in this month of December. There will also be no late starts during the month of May. The late starts have been taken away in order for the school to meet state requirements for contact time.

compiled by heidi roberts

Jefferson County Public Schools are being faced with a budget shortfall for the 2010-2011 school year that spells big changes for the district. Somewhere between 15 million to 20 million dollars must be cut from the budget, meaning several major changes may be needed in order to bridge the gap. While it is typical of school districts to have budget cuts each year in order to balance funding and spending, the gap between them has recently become drastic. “The funding crisis right now has several components,” Superintendent Cindy Stevenson said, “In any given year, school districts’ expenses generally exceed their revenues. Therefore, because school districts must have a balanced budget, we make reduc-tions each year.” Many are attributing the budget crisis to ballot measures 3A and 3B being voted down last November. If passed, the measures would have increased funding for the school through a tax increase. “In 2008, 3A would have given us operating funds,” Stevenson said, “3B would have provided building improvements so its defeat does not impact our actual operating revenue, but does impact the conditions of our buildings and the technology in-frastructure.”

Buildings and infrastructure is where the district is planning to make its primary changes. The Fa-cilities Usage Committee, a group of about 30 volunteers, has been estab-lished to investigate ways that the district could save money on the use of buildings. Community forums are cur-rently being held around area schools, and are open to the pub-lic, the purpose of which is to open a discus-sion with the committee and residents to help determine the different aspects of the options be-ing considered. There are primarily three faci l i ty -related options that are being consid-ered, all of which will affect the Columbine area. The fi rst option would move Col-umbine Hills Preschool into the main elementary school, which would eliminate the use of temporary build-ings. The second option involves moving Blue Heron Elementary to the Columbine articulation area and

Governor’s Ranch Elementary to the Dakota Ridge articulation area. A fi nal option proposes closing Ken Caryl Middle School. If Ken Caryl were to be closed, students would be moved to Deer Creek Middle School which is lo-cated approximately two miles away from Ken Caryl. The school’s dis-

tance is a con-cern for many since the major-ity of students at KCMS walk. “That would be a tremendous change for a middle-school student,” said Ken Caryl Princi-pal Patrick San-dos. K e n Caryl is cur-rently operating at 86% capac-ity with 581 students, while Deer Creek is at 45% capac-ity. If students

were combined, the school would have more than 1,000 students. This would save on operating costs for the district, but could result on po-tentially crowded schools. Ken Caryl also recently underwent three mil-lion dollars worth of renovations to

the building. These issues are what have prompted a group of local residents and parents to form the Committee to Save Ken Caryl Middle School. The committee recommends moving all sixth-grade or ninth-grade classes in the Chatfi eld area to Deer Creek Mid-dle School. Other recommendations fl oating around include a move to a four day school week, or the closing of Carmody Middle School. “We understand the budget constraints the district is facing, and hope the district can come up with some innovative ways to reduce costs without having too great an impact on the students and class-rooms,” Sandos commented. “The reality is that there will be cuts and some very painful cuts at that.” While the district is hoping the minimize the number of cuts, there will still be a decrease in funds for teacher salaries and jobs as well as activities and other programs. “If we save funds through facilities, we might be able to do less reduction in people,” Stevenson said. As of yet, no fi nal decisions have been made. There is no set date for when the Facilities Usage Commit-tee will come to a conclusion, but the goal is sometime in January. As for what the most likely solu-tion is, Stevenson said, “I don’t have any idea what those decisions will be yet.”

Budget balancing actJeffco school’s budget shortfall may result in closure of Ken Caryl Middle Schoollauren elder

K e n

LOCAL FACILITIES USAGE OPTIONS:

OPTION 1: Columbine Hills Pre-school would move to main el-ementary school building, elimi-nating the need for temporary buildings which add extra utilities and maintenance fees.

OPTION 2: Blue Heron Elementary, located in Grant Ranch, would be moved to feed Columbine, while Governor’s Ranch Elementary would switch to the Dakota Ridge articulation area. This would alter building capacity and bus routes.

OPTION 3: Ken Caryl Middle School would be closed and stu-dents would attend Deer Creek. This would eliminate running cost of Ken Caryl, while utilizing Deer Creek’s larger building capacity.

A Colorado State Law which took effect Tuesday, December 1, could have a signifi-cant impact on teenage drivers. The law pro-hibits all cell phone use for drivers under the age of 18, whether they are text messaging or making a call. Using a cell phone while driving is clas-sified as a primary offense. This means that if a police officer sees a driver using a cell phone while operating the vehicle, the offi-cer can issue pull that driver over and issue a ticket. The penalty for breaking the law is a $50 fine. The second offense is a $100 fine. When asked about his opinion of the new law, which will impact all columbine

drivers under the age of 18, Sophomore Cameron McWilliams said, “I agree with the texting law because I think it’s stupid to text and drive.” When asked if she text messages and drives at the same time, Junior Molly Rog-ers said that she is “too scared to text and drive.” Sophomore Amy Bowman said, “I don’t text and drive because it’s too difficult.” The goal of the new legislature is to pro-mote safe driving. Teens are among those with the highest risk for an accident. Accord-ing to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of motor vehicle crashes is higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than any other age group. Many times this is a result of distractions while driving. Among these distractions are text messaging and talking

on the phone, but other distractions can be dangerous as well. Ben Baron, owner of Drive Safe Driving Schools, teaches safe driving to teenagers across the metro area. Baron explains that distractions are the leading cause of acci-dents for younger drivers. “Texting, adjust-ing the radio or iPod, and talking on the cell phone while driving are all distractions that can cause accidents,” Baron said. “Some of the more outrageous distractions would be putting on make-up, changing clothes, or even shaving.” Drive Safe Driving Schools is a drivers’ education company which specifically pro-motes safe defensive driving. Baron said, “We teach you to minimize distractions and to look for how to stay safe. Safe driving is really just about knowing your surroundings, being aware, and staying in control.” While defensive driving taught in driv-ers’ education is meant to increase safe teen driving and decrease teen accidents, often

their effectiveness depends on the student. Rogers said she “slept through most of [driv-ers’ education].” Baron said, “I would like to see all teen drivers required to take a drivers’ education program.” According to Colorado legislature, teen drivers are not required take a course in drivers’ education depending on the age at which they apply for a permit. Currently the Colorado driving law states that anyone who is at least 14 and a half years of age may attend a 30 hour driv-ers education program in order to get their permit at age 15. If a teenager waits until they are 15 and a half then they are only re-quired to take a four hour awareness class (Alive at 25). At 16, there are no require-ments for getting you license other than passing the driving test at the DMV (Depart-ment of Motor Vehicles) which takes about 15 minutes, but is not recommended. “Colo-rado’s [driving] laws are okay, but they can be improved,” Baron said,

december 15, 2009 3

the buzznews

Drive safe CHSStudent drivers must learn a lesson in safe driving

abbey borchers and tori shoun

In this day and age, technology is key. Unfortunately, however, many teenagers are pressing the wrong key when it comes to posting information through social networking sites and find-ing that it not only has immediate effects at school, but also can impact their future. Social networking is very popular among many people, in all varieties of age and occupation. According to “Web Strat-egy,” 150 million people around the world actively use Facebook, and almost half of these people use it daily. By these figures, if Facebook was a country, it would be the world’s 9th largest, just below Russia. Facebook is understandably used by teenagers, whose attention can be sparked by the social aspects it offers. The easy con-nection between people that the Internet can bring can provide both negatives and positives, depending on how it is used. “It [social networking] is positive be-cause it can introduce people to new peo-ple in a positive way, but a lot of fights oc-cur,” Ms. Wilson, counselor at Columbine, said. A lot of conflict is generated by Inter-net interaction, when typed words are later translated into physical or emotional con-flict in school. When such conflict arises, Wilson stated that the Facebook or Myspace accounts of the students involved can be accessed in order to locate the origin of the conflict. “I believe that Facebook is just another way to create drama for teenagers. Even though it does not create as much drama as Myspace, it has created a great amount of stress to my sister’s life,” Sophomore Jennifer Brownrigg said. Even if no conflict arises, social networking can have

negative effects on school and school-related activities. Such social Internet interactions can be a major cause of distraction and can take away time typically used for things such as home-work. “I definitely think it affects schoolwork,” Wilson said. “It’s just like a cell phone or an iPod. It’s a distraction.” Many teens use social networking as a way not of con-necting with others, but displaying themselves to others. Nega-tive things can come from such display, when students post re-

vealing pictures or use profane language. “Its so egotistical,” Senior Kate Jensen said. Often, teenagers will not think of this as having any direct consequences, although those consequences could be se-vere. The dangers of the Internet are often hidden by the illusion of privacy settings which may protect identities against un-wanted eyes. However, such information can be revealed to those who wish to find it, such as potential employers. “People are unfortunately not that smart about what they do on Face-book,” said Wilson. Wilson also suggested that if employers look on a prospective em-ployee’s Facebook, they may judge the indi-vidual accordingly. Many students go through and clean up internet profiles while looking for

a job, and others take it down completely. Wilson suggests that students just be smart about it. “They [students] should be really careful about who they friend and what they post,” Wilson said. Although there are potentially negative consequences to social networking, there are also many positive aspects which can be accessed when networks are used appropriately, such as the ability to keep in touch with others. “I think Face-

book is a great way to keep in touch with distant family mem-bers and friends!” Sophomore Alexandra Robinson said. Social networking can also provide a way to connect with future employers, and possibly build a relationship which could one day be used to gain a successful job. According to “Web Strategy” Facebook is used in more than 35 different languag-es, and 170 countries and territories, so it is an easy way to connect with people all around the world. Benefits or risks of social networking ultimately vary by use. As Wilson stated, “It really depends on the teen and their ability to control themselves.”

To do: update status, post pics....Social networking can have long-term effects on the futures of teens

heidi roberts

Many of my c h i l d h o o d m e m o r i e s are of watch-ing televi-sion. That’s

probably how it is for most of us. That’s not a bad thing; watching TV as a child can be very benefi cial to development. According to the Media Awareness Network, tele-vision can hold many benefi ts for young children; it can help develop critical thinking, social and learning skills, and teach important values. My favorite shows when I was little were Arthur, Rugrats, and Scooby-Doo. As I got older–around age 6 or 7–I watched shows like Lizzie McGuire and Spongebob. One thing these shows all had in common: they were intelligent. Recently I was baby-sitting a small group of young children, aged 2 to 7. We played outside for a while, but as it got colder, I took them inside to watch TV. I con-sulted the parents’ approved list of shows, which included Dora the

Explorer, Backyardigans, and Bob the Builder. Flipping on the TV, I scrolled through the channels and found Dora the Explorer on Nick-elodeon. Dora’s massively dispro-portional head popped up on the screen, and I was immediately as-saulted with her shouts of, “LET’S GO TO THE MOUNTAIN, BOOTS! LET’S GO TO THE MOUNTAIN AND FIND THE MAP!” The kids s q u e a l e d with de-light, and Dora shout-ed, as if in r e s p o n s e to them, “WHERE ARE WE GOING?” The kids yelled back at her, “TO THE MOUNTAIN!” The rest of the evening con-tinued as such. By the time I got home, my head was pounding. For the next few days, I found that my normal speech patterns had been replaced by Dora-speak; I was con-

stantly talking at an unnecessarily loud decibel level, using extremely simple words and repeating them over and over. It was then that I realized how dumbed-down children’s television has become. The shows kids are watching are so simple and lacking in substance that kids cannot pos-sibly take any valuable lessons or

skills away from them. On the other hand, the lovable third-grade a a r d v a r k from Arthur episodes of years past

had relatable experiences, realistic problems to solve, and advanced speech and social skills. In each episode, Arthur used problem-solving skills to fi nd solutions to his problems, and usually a lesson accompanied those solutions. He and his friends also conversed in-telligently (for third graders), which

challenged me to do the same. Even shows like Spongebob were intelligent, although they did not always appear as such. Sponge-bob did some crazy things, and his best friend Patrick was portrayed as simple and dumb, but the show had several valuable aspects, one of which being that it constantly incorporated humor into the ma-terial. Spongebob’s crazy antics, Squidward’s occasional sarcastic remarks, and the idea of a squir-rel living underwater are just a few examples of Sponge-tastic humor. By watching funny TV shows, chil-dren are able to develop a sense of humor, and a good sense of humor conveys intelligence. In contrast, Dora the Explorer, the Backyardi-gans, and Bob the Builder never struck me as funny–they were gen-erally just simple and boring. Children’s television has been dumbed down so much in just the past few years that I wonder if our little brothers and sisters, and the kids we baby-sit, and even our kids will have developmental problems

due to a lack of intelligent televi-sion programming. TV is such a prominent part of modern life that the sudden change to mindless, simple children’s television could have a profound impact on the way kids develop into functioning adults.

rebel yellyour views

opinionvoice

. . . A cat sleeping with all four paws tucked under means cold weather is coming . . . The longest recorded fl ight of a chicken is 13 seconds . . .

4 december 15, 2009

How’s your REBEL YELL? Want to comment on an

important issue? Send your opinion to

The Courier.

Ken Caryl may close its doors

Massive budget cuts and redistricting could soon affect students within Jefferson County. In an effort to cut the required $15-20 million, the district must make many changes and diffi cult decisions. One option up for con-sideration is closing Columbine’s only feeder middle school, Ken Caryl. Whether or not this is necessary is up for debate. This is an exceptionally complicated, many-sided issue, and probably a logistical nightmare. Closing Ken Caryl and sending students who would have gone there to Deer Creek raises complaints from parents, not to mention creates new issues with transporta-tion and enrollment. Columbine’s student population could be negatively impacted as well. With every new potential solution comes several new issues, and so we must be sym-pathetic to the people who must make these incredibly tough decisions. That aside, the closing of Ken Caryl would

be an unfortunate event. Many, if not a major-ity, of Columbine students spent their middle school years there. We met many of our cur-rent friends that fi rst fateful day of seventh grade, and we were educated under some truly great teachers. And so for nostalgic rea-sons, let Ken Caryl keep its doors open. The closure of the middle school would also be a shame for fi nancial reasons. About $3 million went into building renovations just a few years ago. New lockers, fl ooring, and ex-terior upgrades, among other things, changed the face of the school for the better. It would be sad to see all those improvements wasted. The loss of so many wonderful people within our community would be unfortunate as well. So many beloved teachers that played such a signifi cant role in not only our middle school years, but in our entire lives, will likely have to go elsewhere to fi nd work. Gone will be the days when we could pop into Ken Caryl for a quick visit with a favorite teacher. These are teachers who did not do anything to deserve this. They could be out of a job, and possibly out of a close-knit community, simply because no other solution to the district’s money woes was feasible.

staff editorial

“Ken Caryl should not be shut down because that is the main source of students into Colum-bine.” –Randi Ralston, 9

“Ken Caryl should stay open be-cause they just renovated and put so much money into it. It would be a waste.” –Nicole Clute, 11

“Ken Caryl should stay open because it is the only middle school in the Columbine area.”

–Candace White, 12

?Do you think Ken Caryl Middle

School should be shut down or stay

open? Why or why not?

SPEAK OUT

SPEAK OUT “I think they should shut it

down because I did not like the teachers.”

–Zach Dowd, 10

Let’s go to the mountain, Boots!Dumb TV infects kids everywhere

abbey borchers

The shows kids are watching are so simple and lacking in sub-

stance that kids cannot possibly take any valuable lessons or skills

away from them.Letter Guidelines: Please limit your submission to 200 words. Letters may be edited for space and inaccuracies, and The Cou-rier reserves the right not to pub-lish any letter. Please submit to the Publications Room, Mr. Eric Friesen’s mailbox in the main offi ce, or e-mail to chs.courier@yahoo.com

5 december 15, 2009

top tenkizzle & tizzle

rebel yell

radicalebel

REBEL YELL: Winter Break is right around the corner.

REBEL HELL: Finals time. Welcome to all night study-ing, sweatpants and nervous breakdowns.

Mysteries of the Universe: What’s the deal with Tiger Woods? . . . Why do we care so much?

Quote of the Month: “Remembering undergar-ments,” said Senior Matt Huntington when asked what the hardest part of playing basketball was.

Cinema Secrets: “New Moon”: Teen Angst + Shirt-less Men = Box Offi ce Gold

On this day: National Lemon Cupcake Day

What are you getting your kids for Christ-mas?

K: Well, we have a huge Christmas book col-lection so I’m thinking about giving them one of Pruett’s annotated Huck Finn books!

T: Laurie does most of the shopping, but I am getting Timmy a feed bag to catch his drool. The kid looks like Niagara Falls.

How would you feel if the Jonas Brothers broke up?

K: The same way if the Pettibones broke up! Nick is on a solo tour, though. Hmmm.

T: Not as bad as I’d feel if they stayed togeth-er.

Kizzle & Tizzle

How did you fi nd out that Santa wasn’t real?

T: I saw jolly old Lee Andres coming out of the Guitar Room dressed up like Saint Nick.

K: I saw Santa at the mall, then driving in a truck. He’s everywhere I look! I saw him doing the weather on the 6 a.m. news, then I saw him in a bathroom stall, red pants around his shoes. He was riding the Light Rail then cheering at the game. I think this dude is stalking me, but he never looks the same. I saw him eating Qdo-ba today! That dude packed it away! I saw him at the gas station but there wasn’t a sleigh. I saw him down town riding in the parade–he was on a fl oat being pulled by a tractor. I think there’s more than one! Maybe he’s an actor? The sign said “Photographs 5 bucks–10 with the deer,” so how can he be over there when he is over here?

What is your favorite Christmas movie?

K: Well, Tizzle gave our family “The Exorcist“ last year, and well, let’s just say we’re a closer family because of it. We sleep in one bed now.

T: The original “Home Alone.” It was a home movie my dad made about a little Italian boy growing up in Leawood during the mid-70’s. My problem wasn’t protecting our home from criminals, but drinking too much water before bedtime – hence the true origin of the term “wet bandit.”

What do you want for Christmas?

T: Mr. Thomas’ height. Mr. Pruett’s arms. Mr. Friesen’s intellect. Ms. Young’s sense of hu-mor. Mr. Hill’s mounted projection system. Ms. Schwartz’s sweater collection. Mr. Santaniel-lo’s hair and Mme. Barerra’s accent.

A Return to Rebel Time: “Occasionally it’s nice to get to class on time.”

The ability to walk through Clement and Leawood: “Aren’t these places public property?”

Longer late starts: “I have no time to talk to my teachers . . . aka sleep in later.”

Bagel and Cheese: “I’ll just take my lunch money to Qdoba instead.”

Ottis Spunkmeyer Cookies: “Chocolate chip cookie. . . I miss you.”

No more stair patrol: “Can I get something from my locker?” “NO!” “Can I get help from a teacher?” “NO!”

The pit: “Because driving the smokers to childrens’ playgrounds is so much better.”

Non-death-trap parking lot: “Sorry I’m holding up the line, my tire seems to be stuck in this pot hole.”

Snow days that don’t need to be made up: “Is it really so difficult to predict that it will snow in Colorado?”

Top Ten

4

98

1

32

10

7

56

Things Rebels want for Christmas . . . Top Ten Things Rebels want for Christmas . . . Top Ten

21 minutes off the school day: “Three extra miunutes added on to each period makes all the difference in my education!”

and the number one present Columbine students want is . . .

HOROSCOPE: CAPRICORN (DECEMBER 22 - JANUARY 20)ASTROLOGIST: LAUREN ELDER

CHARACTER PROFILE:YOU KNOW THAT KID WHO ALWAYS GETS AN A ON THE BIG EXAM WHEN THE REST OF THE CLASS GETS A C? CHANCES ARE HE OR SHE IS A CAPRICORN. LIKES: ALPHABETIZING AND MAKING SMALL CHILDREN FEEL LIKE THEY WILL NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING IN LIFE. DISLIKES: ALMOST EVERYTHING AT SOME POINT. IDEAL CAREERS: CORPORATE CEO, RUTHLESS DICTATOR OR RELIGIOUS CULT FOUNDER, AND BASKIN ROBBINS ICE CREAM TASTE TESTER.

MONTHLY PREDICTION:

UPON CLOSER OBSERVATION OF YOUR BIRTH CERTIFICATE, YOU WILL NOTICE THAT YOUR PARENTS HAVE BEEN CELEBRATING YOUR BIRTHDAY ON THE WRONG DAY OF THE YEAR. AVOID OPENING PRESENTS IN GREEN-COLORED WRAPPING PAPER, AS THIS IS AN INDICATION THAT THE CONTENTS WILL BE SOMETHING KNITTED, SECOND HAND, OR HIGHLY COMBUSTIBLE. PERHAPS ALL THREE. WALK BACKWARDS UP THE STAIRS AFTER 7:19 PM TO AVOID EMBARRASSING SITUATIONS. YOUR LUCKY NUMBER IS PI, BUT ONLY TO THE 5TH DECIMAL PLACE.

What was the one toy you wanted as a child, but never recieved?

K: Nothing as a child, but as an adult . . . I still want those boots. Hint Hint

6 december 15, 2009

in motionyour teams

healthenergy

. . . Tipping at restaurant in Iceland is considered an insult . . . The electric chair was invented by a dentist . . . Clinophobia is the fear of beds . . .

The snow is fl ying and ski areas all across Colorado have opened and lift tickets are on sale. As the holiday season moves into full swing, lift ticket prices will increase at most ski areas. For most resorts, this week is the last week of the cheaper pre-holiday ticket prices. Starting December 19, tickets will be raised to the holiday prices until Janu-ary 3. However, for those who do not want to break the bank this ski season, many discounts and money-saving opportuni-t i e s

are

available. Arapahoe Basin is currently offering the Bonus Pass. Kimberly Trembearth, who handles public relations for Arapa-hoe Basin, said, "Our best discount is the Bonus Pass. For $359, a person can have unlimited skiing at A-Basin for the entire 2009/2010 season. The Bonus is fi ve days to use at Breckenridge or Keystone Resorts. One of your fi ve days can be used at Vail or Beaver Creek." The Summit Pass is another option–a $309 teen pass buys unlim- ited ac-

cess to Arapahoe Basin, Keystone, and Breckenridge. Six ski-with-a-friend tick-ets come with the pass as an added discount. Aspen Snowmass is currently offering the Escape Pass, which pro-vides access to all four mountains at the resort on a pay-as-you-go basis. Echo Mountain offers the least expensive option, touting itself as "Denver's cheapest, closest & fresh-est!" They offer unlimited season passes at only $169. "I go up to Loveland usually because it's close by and cheaper, plus it's usually not very crowded," Junior Nicole Clute said. Season passes at Loveland run around $350, but those who do not wish to commit to a pass can get dis-counts with Loveland's frequent user card. Daily discounts are available for the pass holder and a friend, and every fi fth time it is used, lift tickets are free. Full-day lift tickets at Eldora Mountain are $49 for adults and $23 for students ages 6 to 15. Discount tickets can be pur-chased in advance at most King Soopers stores on the front range, and at the Eldo-ra Mountain Sports store in Boulder. Sea-son passes are $309 for juniors ages 13 to 17 and $429 for adults. A season pass also includes "Snow Perks”–pass holders receive 10% off all retail items and 20% off services at Christy Sports. For those who are not interested in purchasing season passes, timing is ev-erything when hoping to hit the slopes for less. "The general rule is to visit outside of peak holidays such as Christmas, MLK, President’s Weekend and Spring Break," Jen Brown, who works in communica-tions at Beaver Creek, said. The best time to get a great deal at Steamboat is in the spring. "Get a group of friends together and come up to Steam-boat April 4-11th and you can receive free lift tickets," Loryn Kasten, public relations manager at Steamboat, said. "For every room that is booked for three nights or more, two people can get free lift tickets for skiing and boarding at Steamboat. Spring is an awesome time to visit since

we're in the midst of our Springalicious celebration that includes free concerts, a pond skimming contest, the Cardboard Classic and more," Kasten added. For those hoping to improve their skiing or snowboarding skills and tech-niques, Copper Mountain is the place to go. "I think one of the best things here at Copper for students would be attending a Woodward at Copper session because this is the coolest and most unique facility anywhere in the world," David Roth, public relations coordinator at Copper Mountain, said. "Woodward at Copper is the fi rst in-door/outdoor ski and snowboard camp on the planet with a focus on terrain park and pipe progression. This winter, Wood-ward at Copper will offer Winter Camp Days, One Hit Wonder Sessions, Drop-In Sessions, Private Lessons and Skate only sessions." Drop-In Sessions offer the best value–the price per session is $29, a 5-session punch pass is $99.99, and a 10-session punch pass is $179.99. "Drop-In Sessions last just under 2 hours and are a time when skiers and riders can work on what they want, using The Barn to focus on the trampolines, jumps, and rails, or using the spring fl oor for stretching and tumbling," Roth said.

IF YOU LOVE TO SKI OR SNOWBOARD...WITH SKI SEASON UPON US; WINTER ACTION SPORTS ARE STARTING UP TOO. THE WINTER DEW TOUR HITS BRECKENRIDGE THIS WINTER ON THE FIRST STOP OF THE THREE-STOP TOUR. FROM THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17 TO SUNDAY, DECEMBER 20, PROFESSIONAL SKI-ERS AND SNOWBOARDERS WILL COMPETE IN MEN AND WOMEN'S SNOWBOARD SUPERPIPE AND SLOPESTYLE AND MEN'S FREESKIING SUPERPIPE AND SLOPESTYLE.

YOU CAN CATCH THE DEW TOUR LIVE ON NBC SPORTS, WITH ADDITIONAL BROADCASTS ON USA, MTV, AND MTV2, OR YOU CAN JUST MAKE THE SHORT TRIP UP TO BRECKENRIDGE AND WATCH THE EVENTS YOURSELF. THERE IS NO COST FOR ADMISSION UNLESS YOU WISH TO PURCHASE A PACKAGE DEAL WHICH WILL PUT YOU UP CLOSER TO THE ACTION.

SENIOR LAURA WEST, WHO ATTENDED THE WINTER DEW TOUR IN BRECKENRIDGE LAST YEAR, SAID, "I LOVED THE DEW TOUR BECAUSE THERE WAS LOTS OF ENERGY AND EXCITEMENT. IT WAS COLD BUT TOTALLY WORTH IT!"

SAVE ON THE SLOPESGetting the most bang for your buck is easy with these great dealsabbey borchers

t i e s

are

AS THEY CAREEN DOWN MOUNTAINS AT

HIGH SPEEDS,

SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS FACE MANY RISKS,

INCLUDING SERIOUS INJURY AND EV

EN DEATH.

DURING THE 08/09 SEASON:

-39 SKI- OR SNOWBOARD-RELATED DEATHS

OCCURRED IN THE U.S.

-30 WERE SKIERS, 9 WERE SNOWBOARDERS,

31 WERE NOT WEARING A HELMET.

-44 SERIOUS INJURIES OCCURRED (

PARALYSIS,

SERIOUS HEAD AND OTHER SERIOUS

INJURIES).-21 WERE SKIER

S, 15 WERE SNOWBOARDERS,

32 WERE NOT WEARING A HELMET.

IN THE PAST TEN YEARS:

-AN AVERAGE OF 39.8 PEOPLE DIE

D PER YEAR

SKIING OR SNOWBOARDING.

-AN AVERAGE OF 43.5 SERIOUS INJURIES

OCCURRED EACH YEAR FROM SKIING OR

SNOWBOARDING.

STATISTICS COURTESY OF THE NATI

ONAL SKI AREAS ASSOCIATION

DANGER!

How long have you been swimming? How long have you competed for Columbine?

Since I was 12. I have been swimming for Columbine for 3 years (this year will be my fourth year).

What is the best part of swimming? T h e h a r d e s t part?Big meets and friends are the best part. The hardest part is pushing

yourself to do your best at every practice.

How do you balance swimming with school, friends, and other activities?

I have to manage my time very well. I make sure to get my homework done before I hang out with friends. I

also make sure I attend as many practices as possible.

How do you prepare before a meet?I listen to music and stretch.

Any plans for college yet?Yes, I am going to University of North Texas.

What advice do you have for the freshmen swimmers this year?Work hard and you can achieve your goals.

Favorite motivational quote:When you think you’ve tried your hardest, try harder.

Favorite pre-game meal:Morning: eggs, toast, hash browns, orange juice.Afternoon: peanut butter sandwich and green tea.

Favorite pump-up song:Too many to list: “Truth is” - Brother Ali, “Le Disco”

-Shiny Toy Guns, “The Nosebleed Section” -Hilltop Hoods, “You” - Atmosphere

How long have you been wrestling? How long have you wrestled for Columbine?

This is my 4th year, and they have all been at Columbine.

What is the best part of wrestling? The hardest part?

The best part about wrestling is it keeps my bod lookin’ good. The hardest part are my muscles.

How do you balance wrestling with school, friends, and other activities?

This ain’t no balancing act, this is life.

How do you prepare before a tournament?

I usually start with some classical music, and then get my balancing practiced by standing on one leg.

Any plans for college yet?College is for chumps.

What advice do you have for the freshmen wrestlers this year?Push yourselves, don’t give up.

Favorite motivational quote: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

Favorite pre-game meal: Shark fruit chews.

Favorite pump-up song: “Love Story” -Taylor Swift

in motionsports

december 15, 2009 7

She said He saidathleteprofi le

kaitlynn jackson

compiled by abbey borchers

compiled by casey roark and heidi roberts

kaitlynn jackson

anthony linoanthony lino

IN COLUMBINE SPORTS . . .Boys’ Basketball

On December 1, the boys participated in their fi rst game. By a fi nal score of 56-88, they lost the game. So far they have played four games this season, and their next game is against High-lands Ranch High School on December 16. After that, they will be playing in another game against Cherry Creek High School on December 18.

Girls’ Basketball

On December 7, the Lady Rebels lost their opener to Loveland High School. Their next few upcoming games to look out for will be on December 15 at Fairview High School and December 17 at the Ft. Collins Tournament.

Girls’ Swimming

The girls’ swim team is currently busy pre-paring for their upcoming competition at the Colorado Invite Loveland in Ft. Collins, which will take place at the end of this

month. Returning varsity swimmer Senior Kaitlynn Jackson is hopes to contend for a state title.

Wrestling

On December 4, wrestlers participated in their fi rst meet, competing at Mountain Vis-ta High School. The Columbine Invite was on Saturday, December 12. On December 18 the team will be com-peting in their next meet at the University of Northern Colorado Invite.

Hockey

The hockey team has played fi ve games so far this season. On December 4, the team played in their fi rst game against Chatfi eld High School. In their second game, the play-ers tied with Pine Creek High School. Upcoming games to watch out for are on December 21 and January 14 against Dakota Ridge High School and a rematch against Chatfi eld High School.

culture shock. . . Paraskevidekaphobia is the fear of Friday the 13th . . . There are 18 different animal shapes in the Animal Crackers cookie zoo . . . Most lipsticks contain fi sh scales . . .

december 15, 2009 8

your stylesceneidea of fun

OUTTHISWEEK

NEW

RELEASES 12/14 - 12/18

IN THEATERS:Avatar

Nine

The Young Victoria

ON DVD:

The Hangover

Inglourious Basterds

Taking Woodstock

G-Force

ON CD:

Lady Gaga–The Fame Monster

Lil Wayne–Rebirth

Alicia Key–The Element of Freedom

Last Friday I went to see the new re-lease, “Everybody’s Fine” and came to fi nd that it was quite different from what I fi rst expected. Look-ing like a movie full of heartwarm-ing family festivities, it proved to be quite the opposite: a movie fi lled with heart-wrenching questions which arise from a common case of family miscommunication. The movie is about a widower named Frank, who, when his fam-ily are not able to come visit him, decides to take a trip himself and surprise all of them. When he sees them he is met with the constant disappointment of their lack of time for him and later fi nds out that dur-ing his visits, lies about all of his children’s lives have been twisted and tangled both right to his face and behind his back. The movie is based on a situa-tion with which many people face: a parent wanting the best for his or her children, and the children want-

ing to be the best for their parents. Yet when such expectation arises, as “Everybody’s Fine” exemplifi es, often both sides of expectation are faced with disappointment. Although when I went to see the fi lm I realized that the theater was not fi lled with people my age, I thought that witnessing such a movie as a teenager gave a me a whole different perspective on my own life, by seeing the parents’ side, while knowing the childrens’ side. It was interesting to see and un-derstand why the man pushed his kids so hard: because he worked so hard for them, and he wanted the best for them. Yet I, being a child myself, understood how hard it can be to live up to expectations, and that constantly being pushed to perfection can be quite diffi cult to live with. I can understand how for some, it is easier to lie about suc-cess than to tell the truth and know you are disappointing someone. The movie included many inter-esting features, such as overheard

telephone conversations, and fre-quent fl ashbacks that really let a viewer get involved in the story, and be helped to understand how both sides of the issue exist. The movie also included a lot of symbols used to enforce the message. While I found the movie to be quite sad throughout most of its course, I also found that it had a great underlying message and the entire picture it painted was quite realistic and believable because it really related to issues that many actual families face. At one point in the movie, Frank has a sort of epiphany and realizes that maybe instead of pushing his kids so hard for success, he should have just made more sure that they were happy with what they were doing and therefore, happy with their lives. I found this to be one of the most powerful points in the movie and it really made me realize that such a message, even though it was provided through a fi ctional story, can be greatly applied to

real life. Maybe what true success means is being happy. I personally enjoyed this movie, and even though I found it very sad throughout most of its duration and sometimes slightly repetitive, I thought that the variety of mes-sages it conveyed and the lessons it enforced to viewers were very strong. I give “Everybody’s Fine” an A-.

Is everybody fi ne? New movie “Everybody’s Fine” absolutely hits homeheidi roberts

As we all know, Chi-nese food is very pop-ular in the world. Even so, I seldom went to Chinese restaurants

where I lived in China. The meals my mom cooks are also real but folk Chinese food. There are many types of cuisine in China. There is Cantonese food, Sichuan food, Shanghai food, Hunan food and so on. Gen-erally speaking, Cantonese food is a bit light, Sichuan food is very hot, Shanghai food is rather oily, and Hunan dishes are very spicy, having a strong and hot taste. Mapo Beancurd, steamed fi sh sweet and sour pork ribs, spring roll and many Chi-nese dishes are very delicious. In the north of China, people eat a lot of noodles and dumplings. In the south of China, people eat a lot of rice and seafood. Chinese food is good in color, fl avor and taste. Except for Thanksgiving turkey, it’s hard to fi nd a typical “American” food. The United States is a land of immigrants, so Ameri-

cans eat food from many different countries. When people move to America, they bring their cooking styles with them. That’s why you can fi nd almost every kind of ethnic food in America. In some cases, Americans have adopted foods from other countries as favorites. Americans love Italian pizza, Mexican tacos and Chinese egg rolls. F o r breakfast, people in A m e r i c a seem to m o s t l y eat cereal with milk, w h i c h I have never eaten before in China. It is very easy and fast to make it and it tastes really good. And sometimes on weekends, there is more time to make a good meal for breakfast such as pancakes, toast, and

fried eggs. I like them very much. In China, we have a distinctive breakfast, and I think these kinds of food are just in China. There are Doujiang (Soybean Milk), Baozi (cooked in bamboo steamers), Youtiao (breadsticks fried in pairs), and wontons.

People can buy them at small res-taurants and eat them on the way to work or to school. We also eat bread, o m e l e t s , noodles, and gruel some-times, which are similar to

some typical American break-fast items. On school days in China we have to eat lunch in the canteen. We use lunch cards to pay. It is cheap: about 85¢ per meal. We

have rice every lunch, and there are differ-ent dishes on different days. Students get together to eat and talk. Sometimes we can watch TV, especially the NBA, while we are eating. Here at Columbine, students are al-lowed to go outside to have lunch. Students have more freedom and they can drive to wherever they want near school. We cannot drive in China until we are 18. Normally, we eat rice as the main course with another side dish and a soup. These dishes are made up of meat and vegetable such as haricot and mince, egg-plant, chicken, fi sh. The meat is sliced, so we can just use chopsticks to eat without a knife. In some American families, people have dinner while watching TV programs, football games, or movies. We do not do that; instead we eat at the table together. Sometimes, parents are busy at work which causes them to come home late. They often buy some Baozi, Roulong, or some other dish as take out. We fi nish very quickly.

chufan (jerry) deng

East meets West 东方 碰撞 西方Comparing life in the United States with life in China: Food

Traditional Chinese foods: Shao Qiezi, Millet Congee, Baozi, You-tiao (clockwise from top)