the courier volume 37 issue 4

february 10, 2010

news 2

culture 10radical rebel 12

inside this issue

new directionsNew connections,

the buzzyour schoolcommunity

world

2 february 10, 2010

editors-in-chief:abbey borchers

lauren elder

photo editor:grace padilla

center spread editor:heidi roberts

staff writers:emily partida

chufan (jerry) dengjustine renfro

adviser:mr. friesen

the courier staff

policy

The Courier is the official 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

Valentine’s Day is this Sun-day, so if you need an idea for a date, check out the center spread.

photos by grace padilla

. . . Forest fires move faster uphill than downhill . . . In Philadelphia, it is illegal to put pretzels in a bag . . . It is illegal to pawn dentures in Las Vegas . . .

Meet the new students who have recently joined the Columbine family

emily partida

Being a new kid is hard. New school, new people, new everything! It's hard enough to walk into a new

high school as a freshman, but what about switching schools in the middle of the year, after you've already started your high school career? You have to start all over again, go-ing back to the beginning. These students were brave enough to make the choice to switch to Columbine this past semester. If you see any of these stu-dents in the hall, say hello and welcome them to the Columbine family.

Megan Clairmore is a new junior this semester. She originally at-tended Chatfield High School, then moved to Arizona. In Arizona she attended a school with an out-side campus, with five different buildings, sorted by subject. There were also no off periods, and the school did not have an open cam-pus policy. When she moved back to Colorado, she decided to attend Columbine. Clairmore said that Col-umbine, so far, is pretty good. She also said that it's easy being new here because she knows people.

Megan ClairmoreJunior

Kyle McElhatten is a senior this semester from Cher-ry Creek High School. However, he did not always go to Cherry Creek. McElhatten started out here at Columbine, but then he moved to Cherry Creek, then back here, then back to Cherry Creek, and finally, he has landed at Columbine again. This time, he is here to stay. "I didn't like [Cherry Creek]," he said. McEl-hatten also says that at Cherry Creek, the people are very different–they have lots of manners. When asked how he likes being a new kid, McElhatten said that it is cool because he knows people here–includ-ing his sister, Katie McElhatten, a sophomore. McEl-hatten asked that it be included that he was wearing his favorite black shoes at the time of the interview.

Kyle McElhattenSenior

As a new junior this semester, Keri Genthe transferred to Columbine from Dakota Ridge High School. She said that she "loves Columbine" and that it is very different from Da-kota Ridge–mainly because of the block schedule that Dakota uses. Genthe also said that at Columbine, it is easier to find her classes. Also, she said that the students here are more friendly and there is less dra-ma. Genthe on what it's like to be a new kid: "It's awkward at first, but it's also really nice because no one knows your past."

Keri GentheJunior

Originally from Colorado, Matt Nelson moved to Alabama, and attended Vestavia Hills High School. He moved back to Colorado this past summer, and began the year at Dakota Ridge High School. When asked why he transferred to Columbine, he said, "Because you go to classes every day, and Columbine is better than Dako-ta." Dakota has a block schedule for classes, so you only attend each class two or three times a week. Nelson also went on to say that it wasn't really hard to be a new kid, because he knew a lot of people before coming here. "Columbine is awesome," Nelson said.

Matt NelsonSophomore

photos by emily partida

With the pressures of high school academics and the impending difficulties of college-level work, some stu-dents would like to take advantage of any opportunity to ease the work load. One potential way to do that would be to take night school or summer school courses in order to reduce the amount of classes one has to take in the coming years, meet college or graduation require-ments without overloading one's schedule, or skip to a more challenging class. However, currently the only students who may enroll in night school or summer school programs are those who have failed one or more and need to make up those credits. The only classes offered in night and summer school are core classes (math, science, English, his-tory) which are not electives and are not considered advanced classes. "The reason that the night school and summer school programs are only for credit recovery is be-cause in order to earn credit in a course, the state re-quires a certain amount of ‘seat time’ in the course to qualify for credit. The night school and summer school programs do not meet the minimum hours re-quired to be considered a full class. They meet and cover enough of the material to be considered a credit recovery course, but not a full semester course," Col-umbine counselor Ms. Jimenez said. Although night and summer school classes fol-low the same general curriculum guidelines as a regu-lar course, the duration of the class is much shorter, so course material is not covered in much depth. This is why, said Columbine counselor Mr. Stout, night and summer school classes "really aren't a good fit for people who want to get ahead."

Expanding night and summer school programs to allow classes specifically for those who want to get ahead in credits has been considered by the school, but it has been determined impractical for several rea-sons. "The hardest things about that would be the staff-ing and the money component," said Columbine coun-selor Ms. Wilson. "The budget would be too much to consider doing that." Though the budget for such an endeavor would be tight, some still think it should be done. "I hope they do–that’d be really cool," Columbine English and night school teacher Mr. Pruett said, when asked if night and summer school should be offered for course advancement. "I think that'd be better because more people would graduate and get better grades," Sophomore Heather Underwood said. There are opportunities currently available, how-ever, for students who are looking to get ahead in credits–online courses or community college classes are two viable options. Online courses can be taken through he 21st Century Virtual Academy, which offers semester-long courses that students can take in addition to their classes at school. Some students wishing to get ahead can take classes at local community colleges, such as Red Rocks or Arapahoe Community College. "These courses can then be included on a high school transcript as well as will be on the college tran-script," Jimenez said. Instead of night or summer school, Stout recom-mends online courses and community college classes to students hoping to get ahead. "These classes are usually a much better fit!" Stout said.

The math department has made some significant changes this semester that will affect all students currently enrolled in math courses of all levels. These changes come in the form of a new attendance policy. Due to the number of unexcused absences and tardies, students will now be expected to adhere to policies re-sembling the attendance contract. After three unexcused tardies, the student will be required to attend a mandatory detention. This is also true for students who have one unex-cused absence. The student is expected to serve a one-hour detention within one week of being notified. If the student fails to show up, then a referral is submitted to the administration. The new tardy policy requires the math teachers to keep a close eye on their attendance records. "It is a lot of paperwork," said Mrs. Young, the current teacher in charge of running the detentions, "but we have an online system

that makes keeping track of students easy." A student serving the detention is expected to sit and do work for the hour and is not allowed the use of a cell phone or iPod. "The majority attend," said Young. On the other hand, there is also potential for good atten-dance to be rewarded. A student is able to receive a three percent increase on his or her grade at the end of the semes-ter if he or she has perfect attendance. This means a student must have zero tardies and absences, even if the absence is excused. School events such as sports and academic activi-ties are excluded, however. While many students are relieved to hear about the pos-itive effects the policy could have, there is still some back-lash to the strictness of the attendance policy requirements. "Just because I get sick doesn't mean that I'm not a dedi-cated student; they should be cool with excused absences," commented a freshman who wished to remain anonymous. "I feel like the policy is reasonable for the unexcused ab-sences, but the fact that even one tardy or excused absence

means you don't receive the three percent added to your grade is disappointing," said Junior Vinny Sonderby. "It en-courages kids to come to school when they should be at home." It is not clear how long the policy will be in place, but the math department intends on examining the results of the system at a later date. They will look to see if the number of tardies or unexcused absences have decreased since the policy was implemented. "So far mathematics teachers have noticed an improve-ment on the number of students who are getting to class on time," said Young. "Students who had a lot of excused absences last se-mester are coming to class to avoid consequences," said math teacher Mrs. Kane. Senior James Lopez said, "The policy is working. I was tardy 24 times to my math class last semester, but now I go to class because I don't want detention."

february 10, 2010 3

the buzznews

Tardies + Absences = Detention New attendance policy put into place by math department

lauren elder

Getting aheadNight school and summer school only exist for some

abbey borchers and justine renfroRelay for Life This year, Columbine will be participating in the Golden Relay for Life on May 15-16 from 5 p.m. to 7 a.m. at Bell Middle School. Teams are encouraged to be made up of 10 to 15 participants, and each team member is responsible for fundraising 100 dollars. The money raised works to support the American Cancer Society and goes to funding research grants, educational programs, advocacy, and a number of service programs. Students are highly encouraged to participate in order to meet Columbine’s goal for raising $30,000, and teams are required to be set up with captains on March 1, 2010.

Parent/Teacher Conferences Parent/teacher conferences will take place on Wednesday, Feb-ruary 17 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

NHS Haiti Relief National Honor Society will be working with the Church World Service Emergency Response Program, a 60-year-old organization that assembles a variety of disaster relief kits that can be shipped anywhere in a time of need. The organization has identified that there is a great need for Hygiene and Baby Care Kits to be sent to Haiti. NHS will be collecting money between now and February 11 in order to help pay for shipping of previously collected kits, as well as to be used for the purchase of kits.

No School There will be no school on Friday, February 12 due to District-wide Staff Development. There will also be no school on Monday, February 15 due to the President’s Day holiday.

compiled by heidi roberts

News in BriefNews in Brief

Often times school can get challenging with having to balance home-work, free time, and ex-tracurricular activities.

It can especially get complicated with honors and AP classes. In my opinion, honors and AP classes are worth being involved in no matter how busy my schedule gets. Being in honors classes, I feel as if everything moves faster and learning is a lot quicker. For me, the best state to learn in is where things move at a quick and steady pace. I feel that honors classes also give students a better chance to learn. I feel as if I am not only challenged to learn more, but motivated to work more. I also get the opportunity to be in a class of students who are willing and prepared to work. I am not stereotyping honors kids, but I am saying that honors classes give the oppor-tunity for students to be in a class with people who have the same standards of education as they do.

From my experience, AP classes are also a good idea. I am only able to be in one AP class as a sophomore, but it does seem to prepare me for college. I think it is worth the time to take AP classes so that college will be made easier in the long run. AP classes prepare students for

college and help them get the feel for college-level work. Homework does tend to get outrageous with honors and AP classes at times, but it is necessary to develop good study habits in preparation for college anyway. Students will

more than likely have a lot of homework in col-lege, and in a way I think it is good that we get enough homework to maintain those study hab-its. Although I think homework can be a good idea, I am just like every other student, and I do not like homework. There are defi nitely times when I feel worn out by my workload and extracurriculars. Hon-ors and AP classes are a great idea if fi nding a balance is possible. If fi nding that balance is not possible, it might make circumstances a lot harder. I always fi nd a balance between my homework and my extracurriculars but it seems as if I never get much free time. Yet, I would rather keep busy and have a lot of work to do rather than having tons of free time. I enjoy all of my classes for the most part. I am glad that I chose to go with honors and AP classes because I think they are a really good idea. I am faced with a lot of homework at times but I don’t see that as a reason not to be in these classes. Yes, it can be a lot of homework, but it is not always an impossible workload.

rebel yellyour views

opinionvoice

. . . Tennessee used to be called Franklin . . . A ‘jiffy’ is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second . . . In Alaska, it is illegal to look at a moose from an airplane . . .

4 february 10, 2010

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

important issue? Send your opinion to

The Courier.

Man Poms No More

This year’s winter sports assembly in-cluded more than spirit and excitement over the Winter Formal. The Man Poms, a favorite at every assembly, brought their own brand of Rebel spirit to the event. For those who were not privy to the happenings of the assembly, the Man Poms performed a different routine for the school than the one that had been approved by the administration. Within that routine, there was what could be construed as a sexually provocative ges-ture. However, the administration firmly maintains that the boys involved in the Man Poms routine were punished for insubordination (failing to do what they promised they would), not the gesture they made. Though they may be allowed to perform at future Powder Puff football games, Mr. DeAngelis has made it clear to staff, students, parents and the com-munity that as long as he is principal at Columbine, there will be no more Man Poms performing at assemblies. We concede that the Man Poms

should not have gone off-script. We also concede that there should be conse-quences for those actions–we even agree that Man Poms should not be allowed to perform at the Prom assembly. But punishing the innocent majority for the actions of a few is wrong. Why should future classes at Colum-bine not be allowed to enjoy the hilarious antics of the Man Poms? Seeing their classmates perform as part of the squad is something students look forward, and to be honest, they are the only part of the stale and worn-out assembly routines we really look forward to. Why should the assemblies of future classes be ruined forever simply because a few people made a poor decision one year? We would also like to point out that our emcees went off-script as well, but it seems that emcees at assemblies have not been banned forever. We understand the punishment that was given to the Man Poms themselves, but we must contest that which has been handed to us–we who did not go off-script, were not insubordinate, did not ask the Man Poms to do what they did. If we are no longer allowed to have Man Poms at Columbine, expect a very poor turnout for assemblies in the fu-ture.

staff editorial

“Well, that is stupid. So what if a few guys were shaking their butts in front of 1,600 kids. Who cares? I thought it was hilarious.”

– Adam Hokit, 9

“Man Poms being banned is not fair in the least. Future classes should not be punished for the ac-tions of the class of 2010!”

–Molly Rogers, 11

“The Man Poms are funny and They should stay. Everyone likes to watch them.”

– Kelly Jowers 12

?What do you think of the Man Poms

being banned from assemblies?

SPEAK OUT

SPEAK OUT

“it’s not fair that the girls poms can be a little inappro-priate and get away with it but the Man Poms can’t do it in a humorous way without being banned.”

– Katelyn Phillips, 10

justine renfro

I feel that honors classes give students a better chance to learn. I feel as if I

am not only challenged to learn more, but motivated to work more.

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

The road less travelledIt seems as if some classes are too much work, but in the end they are worth it

february 10, 2010 5

rebel yellopinion

Agreed upon1) A trial of some sort must take

place2) Capital punishment should remain

an option for sentencing.3) Khalid Sheikh Mohammed de-

serves to answer for his crimes

WHERE WE DISAGREE

1) The use of water boarding to gain information

2) The trial scheduled to take place in New York City

3) Whether or not the same legal rights that apply to American citi-zens extend to suspected terrorists

LEFTr

igh

tThe masterminds behind the 9-11

tragedy are scheduled to be tried in federal court on US soil as opposed to before a military com-mission, which potentially gives confessed terrorist such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the opportunity to walk. Indeed, his chances are not high but they are still a possibility, as we are extending rights designed for citizens of the United States of America, such as a jury of peers, to terrorists responsible for

the death of thousands. It is sick that there are American lawyers preparing and strategizing right now on how they might secure the freedom of Mohammed, Ramzi Binalshibh, Ali Abd Al-Aziz Ali, Mustafa Ahmad Al-Hawsawi and Waleed Bin Attash. This, all after Khalid Sheik Mohammed proclaimed several times that he was the mastermind who planned the 9-11 attacks. The mere fact that “enhanced interrogation techniques” (i.e wa-ter boarding), were used on some of them to extract vital information is getting used as an excuse to throw out their confessions as crucial evidence. Of course, in a normal civilian trial if torture techniques had been used as a method of getting a confession, the confession might been dismissed with good reason, but this is not a normal civilian trial! These are terrorists we are talking about, responsible for taking 3,000 American lives right here on our own soil. Those Americans killed were not soldiers. hey were normal civilians, not the sadistic terrorists that blew them up. There is absolutely no reason that these men should be given the rights designed for United States citizens. Their long detention in secret locations and then at Guantana-mo Bay will surely be highlighted as a main argument for their defense attorneys. Another controversy is whether or not the death penalty should be given to these terrorists. The argument against this is that giv-ing them the death penalty is just making them martyrs, which is of

course their main goal. However, within jihad (i.e. suicide bombings) honor comes from dy-ing at their own hands and taking the lives of Christians with them. Being executed at the hands of “infi dels” is not the honor they are seeking. Furthermore, the alternative (assuming, of course, they don’t walk) is imprisoning them here on American soil, which would cost thousands of tax payer dollars. Its not right that we should have to pay to keep them alive. Once they are convicted, getting rid of them for good is the best thing we can do.

The decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the self-confessed

mastermind behind the September 11 attacks, is the absolute right thing to do. By giving him a public trial in fed-eral court in New York City, those who are responsible for plotting 9/11 can be convicted publicly at the location of

their crimes, allowing New York city residents the opportu-nity to have potential access to the proceedings. There is also a

far greater chance that the prosecution winning a conviction, consider-ing the court will be in session on American soil without interference from foreign powers. The biggest risk remains that Mohammed will walk. Unfortunate-ly, the greatest evidence against him, his own confession of plotting the World Trade Center attacks, may not be admissible. This is due to the fact that the United States has been ignoring its no-torture policy for the past eight years: Mohammed was water boarded a total of 183 times while being detained indefi nitely at Guantanamo Bay. United States Attorney General Eric Holder, along with the United Nations, consider the use of water boarding as “cruel and unusual punishment,” and they confi rm that information obtained by torture is typically given to end physical discomfort. Regardless of the morality of water board-ing for information, it doesn’t change the fact that it makes his con-fession unreliable. Hopefully, our country will not make this mistake again. In terms of sentencing, the death penalty would most likely be an acceptable course of action. Although Islamic extremists may view Kha-lid Sheikh Mohammed as a martyr and glorify his death if the United States executes him, Mohammed is one of the men responsible for the death of thousands of innocent American civilians, and as a result capi-tal punishment should be considered. If the United States allows Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to be held in-defi nitely in Guantanamo, or in a Supermax facility, we will do nothing but continue the same Bush Administration policies that ignored the Constitutional laws of fair trials for all foreign and domestic defendants, created secret prisons in third-world countries, and authorized the use of torture. We cannot let our fear of terrorism overshadow our principles; we risk losing any remaining legal and moral standing we have. The United States must send a message that our country is not afraid to uphold the laws and ideas that America was founded on.

of America, such as a jury of peers, to terrorists responsible for

he masterminds behind the 9-11 tragedy are scheduled to be tried

in federal court on US soil as opposed to before a military com-mission, which potentially gives confessed terrorist such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the opportunity to walk. Indeed, his chances are not high but they are still a possibility, as we are extending rights designed for citizens of the United States

he masterminds behind the 9-11 tragedy are scheduled to be tried

in federal court on US soil as opposed to before a military com-mission, which potentially gives confessed terrorist such as Khalid Sheikh Mohammed the opportunity to walk. Indeed, his chances are not high but they are still a possibility, as we are extending rights designed for citizens of the United States

Tmastermind behind the September 11 attacks, is the

absolute right thing to do. By giving him a public trial in fed-eral court in New York City, those who are responsible for plotting 9/11 can be convicted publicly at the location of

their crimes, allowing New York city residents the opportu-nity to have potential access to the proceedings. There is also a

far greater chance that the prosecution winning a conviction, consider-

Tmastermind behind the September 11 attacks, is the

absolute right thing to do. By giving him a public trial in fed-eral court in New York City, those who are responsible for plotting 9/11 can be convicted publicly at the location of

their crimes, allowing New York city residents the opportu-

FACING OFFDo Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other confessed terrorists deserve to be tried in the U.S.? What sentence should be carried out? ? TH

E

:

America is not deeming anyone “subhuman.” However, we need to be strong enough to see threats for what they really are and deal with them accordingly. It is fair to say that these extreme terrorists whose actions are being fueled by a religious agenda, that would love to see America wiped

off the face of the earth, can be classifi ed as evil with no second thoughts. The fear of “loosing our discretion” can not get in the way of our great nation’s security.

But where do we draw the line? Who gets to decide who is evil enough and who isn’t? I don’t have a lot of sympathy for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed after what he has admitted to doing, but water boarding is torture plain and simple. Until the past couple of years, the United States did not torture. It did not

deem certain people subhuman or below the rights and legal processes our constitution promises. While Mohammed has confessed himself, that doesn’t mean that others who were subjected to water boarding or “enhanced interrogation” were not innocent, or provided accurate information. It’s true that in times where security is at risk that occasionally moral lines become blurred and necessary measures must be taken, but by allowing our fear to overwhelm us, we risk losing our discretion.

It’s true, not 100% of information gained via water boarding is going to be accurate, but we don’t posses any sort of technique that’s going to yield all accurate results. As far as morality goes, these terrorists are not at all interested in playing fair and maintaining morals. Ultimately, by putting morals

and American ideals before national safety we risk not only the lives of our people but we risk having American ideals at all. It would be nice if we could effectively fi ght against this evil without crossing any moral lines, but the truth of the matter is that when fi ghting this extreme and atrocious evil, things are going to have to get a little messy. G

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GracePadilla

LaurenElder

GracePadilla

LaurenElder

6 february 10, 2010

BE MY VALENTINE? IT’S A DATE !

Not in the mood to go out? Prefer sitting on the couch? 500 Days of Summer, a romantic drama directed by Marc Webb, is anything

but a typical boy meets girl romance, and, as the narrator points out at the very beginning, it “is not a love story.” Regardless, watching this ! lm is a perfect way to spend a relax-ing date.

Throughout the ! lm, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) re" ects through " ash-backs to the 500

days he knew Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). For Tom, it was love at ! rst sight and there was no doubt in his mind that she was “the one.” However, Summer is a bit of a cynic when it comes to romance and does not believe in falling in love. A# er a few failed attempts, Tom develops a relationship with Summer and for a short time everything seems to be perfect, and Tom gains hope that Summer really is “the one.” Things roll-ercoaster between them and end in an unpredictable fashion represent-ing real life situations without unnecessary sugar coating.

The actors do a fantastic job getting the audience to feel what they are feeling and truly sympathize with them as they face emotions that most of people have felt at one time or another. They are realistic

and lovable making it easy to get into the movie and relate it back to simi-lar situations faced in real life. The plot is interesting and jumps around

in time without becoming confusing. Any relaxed romantic will enjoy sitting back and watching this quirky

! lm as it takes a unique look at a failed romance. The unique mix-ing of romance and cynicism makes this ! lm perfect for happy couples, the recently abandoned, as well as hopeful singles.

GIFT$ FOR BIG $PENDER$Earrings Gourmet chocolatesA dozen roses

LUXURY

Willing to spend a little extra on your date? Check out Le Central, located on the southeast corner of 8th and Lincoln Street in downtown Denver. According

to its website, Le Central was “conceived on the notion that French food doesn’t have to be stu! y, snooty, or expensive [and] o! ers a plate full for a reasonable price.” While this is true–the atmosphere is neither stu! y nor snooty–you should be prepared to spend quite a bit on your dinner. However, I assure you that it is absolutely worth it.

Le Central is a quiet, quaint little restaurant, and from the moment you walk in you feel like you have been transported to the heart of France. The colorful exterior

of the building translates to the interior, where French artwork covers the walls and beautifully set tables wait readily for pa-trons. The lighting is dim and the noise is minimal–perfect for a romantic evening.

The menu at Le Central changes frequently, but no mat-ter what menu you get, you are sure to " nd something you enjoy. If you and your date are feeling adventurous, start with the Escargot en Brioche–six

escargots (yes, snails!) on a slice of brioche with garlic butter. While I am not a fan of escargot myself, my dining companions thought they were fantastic. For the salad course, I enjoyed Salade Cesar (your basic caesar salad, but in this environ-ment, it just tastes so much better). For the main course, I recommend the Boeuf Bourguignon, described on the menu as “tender beef simmered in red wine and brandy with smoked bacon, onions, mushrooms, and Provence herbs served with natural reduction over pasta.” It was every bit as delicious as it sounds! And " nally, for dessert, Mousse au Chocalat is perfect for you and your date to share. Served in a cookie bowl and topped with thinly sliced almonds, Mousse au Chocalat is the best way to end your meal.

be prepared to spend quite a bit on your dinner. However, I

e Central is a quiet, quaint little restaurant, and from the moment you walk in you feel like you have been transported to the heart of France. The colorful exterior

of the building translates to the interior, where French artwork covers the walls and beautifully set tables wait readily for pa-trons. The lighting is dim and the noise is minimal–perfect for a

he menu at Le Central changes frequently, but no mat-

Luxury Activity

Take a romantic carriage ride

through downtown Denver. Call

Irish Rose Carriages at 303-364-

4125 or visit irishrosecarriages.com.

Your horse and carriage will pick

you up at your restaurant, and you

can choose any of three special Val-

entine’s Day Tours -- “Just the Mall”

($75), “LoDo” ($85), or “Deluxe

Downtown” ($110). All rides are

routed, not timed, so you are sure to

get your money’s worth.

GIFTS ON A BUDGET A mix tape

A single rose/! ower12 -piece box of See’s Candy

CHEAP

L ooking for a way to impress your date and not spend a fortune? Check out the White Chocolate Grill, located in the Pavilions at Park Meadows Mall. While this restaurant may not be as inexpensive as a trip to McDonald’s, it does o$ er a wide variety of delicious meals in a high class dining environment with

reasonable prices.

The atmosphere is comfortable, with dim lighting, and chic design. Despite a waiting list and fully packed restaurant to match, the volume never reached a level that made conversation di% cult.. The food is won-derful; everything is cooked to perfection. The cuisine is comprised of classic American dishes with

unexpected twists. All the food is artistically arranged, but is still served in sizable portions. The Grilled Cajun Chicken Sandwich ($10) along with the Rotisserie Chicken Crepes ($12) were the favorite meals.

With the name White Chocolate Grill, the dessert menu is inevitably irresistible. Most items contain white chocolate such as White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake, White

Chocolate Brownie, or White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie (my personal favorite). If you or your date don’t like white chocolate there is also apple pie and an amazing chocolate lava cake to choose from.

Dinner for two with dessert ended up costing around 25 dollars. The majority of the menu is very reason-ably priced with 10 dollar burgers and sandwiches,

and seafood and chicken items averaging around 15 dollars. While some items can be pricey, such as 20 dollar steaks, diners are able to ! nd a variety of gourmet dishes, such as a ! llet mignon salad for 15 dollars, at bargain prices. A visit to the White Chocolate Grill will allow you to impress your date on a lower budget.

enjoy sitting back and watching this quirky

Relaxed Activity Invite that special someone to your house and

have fun making an easy dinner together such

as spaghetti or a homemade pizza. A# er eat-

ing together just relax and enjoy each other’s

company while watching 500 Days of Summer

or playing your favorite video game.

WChocolate Brownie, or White Chocolate Banana Cream Pie (my personal favorite). If you or your date don’t like white chocolate there is also apple pie and an amazing chocolate lava cake to choose from.

Dand seafood and chicken items averaging around 15 dollars. While some items can be pricey, such as 20 dollar steaks, diners are able to ! nd a variety of gourmet dishes, such as a ! llet mignon salad for 15 dollars, at bargain prices. A visit to the White Chocolate Grill will allow you to impress your date on a lower budget.

Cheap Activity Bowling is a fun activity that is per-

fect for a low-budget date. AMF Bel-

leview Lanes o$ ers dollar per game

bowling a# er 9 p.m. on all nights

but Friday and Saturday. Then,

instead of spending 20 dollars on

movie tickets, try renting one from

a Redbox kiosk instead. They only

cost one dollar per night. There are

several close by, at King Soopers,

Walgreens, and McDonald’s.

RELAXED

NNbut a typical boy meets girl romance, and, as the narrator points out at the very beginning, the narrator points out at the very beginning,

days he knew Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). For Tom, it was love at ! rst sight and there was no doubt in his mind that she was “the one.”

EASY-GOING GIFTS

500 Days of Summer DVD

$15 iTunes gi" card

Batch of homemade cookies

CULTURAL

BE MY VALENTINE? IT’S A DATE !

Not in the mood to go out? Prefer sitting on the couch? 500 Days of Summer, a romantic drama directed by Marc Webb, is anything

but a typical boy meets girl romance, and, as the narrator points out at the very beginning, it “is not a love story.” Regardless, watching this ! lm is a perfect way to spend a relax-ing date.

Throughout the ! lm, Tom Hansen (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) re" ects through " ash-backs to the 500

days he knew Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). For Tom, it was love at ! rst sight and there was no doubt in his mind that she was “the one.” However, Summer is a bit of a cynic when it comes to romance and does not believe in falling in love. A# er a few failed attempts, Tom develops a relationship with Summer and for a short time everything seems to be perfect, and Tom gains hope that Summer really is “the one.” Things roll-ercoaster between them and end in an unpredictable fashion represent-ing real life situations without unnecessary sugar coating.

The actors do a fantastic job getting the audience to feel what they are feeling and truly sympathize with them as they face emotions that most of people have felt at one time or another. They are realistic

and lovable making it easy to get into the movie and relate it back to simi-lar situations faced in real life. The plot is interesting and jumps around

in time without becoming confusing. Any relaxed romantic will enjoy sitting back and watching this quirky

! lm as it takes a unique look at a failed romance. The unique mix-ing of romance and cynicism makes this ! lm perfect for happy couples, the recently abandoned, as well as hopeful singles.

In the mood for something di$ erent? Perhaps a date that takes you on an adventure while you eat? Check out The

Aquarium in downtown Denver. The Aquari-um contains lots of indoor ! sh tanks but also contains a restaurant with a huge aquarium that overlooks the tables where you can enjoy the scen-ery of the tropical ocean while eating.

You can experience a meal with a choice of a vari-ety of American foods, so everyone is happy. Being in the site of down town Denver, the food is a little

pricey, but it is worth it for the atmosphere in the res-taurant. This restaurant is de! nitely unique and is not your typical restaurant. There is quite friendly service and fairly good food minus the fact that you have to eat in front of ! sh. Its features of the ocean scenery give it something a little extra that some people ! nd cool.

I would not recommend eating any type of sea food (even though they serve it) because it does not seem like the best idea to eat ! sh in front of ! sh. However, any other American food should be just ! ne. Not only does this restaurant give you a chance to sit and be

instantly entertained by the many circling ! sh you see, but it ! lls you up by the time you are done eating.

You will for the most part be completely satis! ed with the restaurant’s atmosphere minus the costs and your date will be overjoyed with how unique it is. Perhaps eating in front of a bunch of ! sh is not as romantic as many other dates, but who said dates couldn’t be adventurous at times?

enjoy sitting back and watching this quirky ! lm as it takes a unique look

The unique mix-ing of romance and cynicism makes this ! lm perfect for happy couples, the recently abandoned, as well as hopeful singles.

Relaxed Activity Invite that special someone to your house and

have fun making an easy dinner together such

as spaghetti or a homemade pizza. A# er eat-

ing together just relax and enjoy each other’s

company while watching 500 Days of Summer

or playing your favorite video game.

In the mood for something di$ erent? Perhaps a date that takes you on an adventure while you eat? Check out The

Aquarium in downtown Denver. The Aquari-um contains lots of indoor ! sh tanks but also contains a restaurant with a huge aquarium that overlooks the tables where you can enjoy the scen-ery of the tropical ocean while eating.

Yin the site of down town Denver, the food is a little pricey, but it is worth it for the atmosphere in the res-taurant. This restaurant is de! nitely unique and is not your typical restaurant. There is quite friendly service and fairly good food minus the fact that you have to eat in front of ! sh. Its

little extra that some people ! nd cool.

Iwould not recommend eating any type of sea food (even though they serve it) because it

Adventure Activity

What could be more of an

adventurous date than scuba

diving? With scuba diving

lessons at The Aquarium in

down town Denver, you and

your date can swim with

lots of ! sh and even sharks.

You can enjoy the ocean and

the creatures in it all in the

convenience of being in the

heart of downtown Denver.

All you have to do is go grab

your " ippers!

!Cultural Activity For a cultural activity, Mudra

Dance Studio is the way to go. Mudra Dance teaches a North Indian Classical dance called “Kathak” (dancing a story). Beginner classes are every Sunday from 11:15 AM to 12:30 PM. Black and red cloth-ing is required, and classes run around $15 a person. It’s a little pricey, but well worth it to learn a beautiful dance.

would not recommend eating any type of sea food (even though they serve it) because it

ou will for the most part be completely satis! ed with the restaurant’s atmosphere minus the costs and your date will be overjoyed with how unique it is. Perhaps eating in front of a bunch of ! sh is not as romantic as many other dates, but who said dates couldn’t be adventurous at times?

ADVENTUROUS GIFTS GogglesGold! sh Scuba Tank

RELAXED

NNot in the mood to go out? Prefer sitting on the couch? drama directed by Marc Webb, is anything

but a typical boy meets girl romance, and, as the narrator points out at the very beginning, the narrator points out at the very beginning, it “is not a love story.” Regardless, watching this ! lm is a perfect way to spend a relax-ing date.

Tdays he knew Summer Finn (Zooey Deschanel). For Tom, it was love

at ! rst sight and there was no doubt in his mind that she was “the one.”

ADVENTURE

Seeking a little cultural " are in your date? The Damascus Grill is the place. First started in 1990 by Mah-moud Kassir, Damascus Grill o$ ers a large variety of Middle-Eastern Cuisine. The idea for Damascus Grill ! rst came to be a# er Kassir came to America and discovered he didn’t like the food. His mom

sent him recordings of the traditional family recipes so he could cook the food to which he was accustomed.

Pulling into the parking lot of Damascus Grill, you can immediately smell cooking meat and various spices. As you walk into Damascus, you ! nd a tiny room, decorated in gorgeous red-and-gold cloth, and with pictures of an Arabian woman and the city of Damascus. Our host sat my party down at

a middle table and immediately brought us some home-made pita bread and hummus. This in itself was the best part of the meal. There was hardly a force in the world that could keep me away from this stu$ .

This food was the best I have ever tasted. We ordered meat combo and ! sh kabobs. As far as presentation, both dishes were extremely colorful–they were served over a bed of

bright-yellow rice, green salad, and some sort of pink veg-etable (which I have no name for, but which was still

delicious). The meat there was exquisite. On the meat combo, you are served a ka# a, lamb, and chicken kabobs, and chicken and meat shawarmas. Kabobs at Damas-

cus Grill are like logs of the meat, and shawarmas are strips. Both are " avored di$ erently and each have a unique taste. My favorite would have to be the lamb shawarma and the rice. For dessert, I would recommend the Kanafah, which is a sweetened vermicelli mixed with butter, then is stu$ ed and baked with a cream ! lling. The only problem was that there wasn’t enough of it!

cus Grill are like logs of the meat, and shawarmas are strips. Both are " avored di$ erently and each have a unique taste. My favorite would have to be the lamb shawarma and the rice. For dessert, I would recommend the Kanafah, which is a sweetened vermicelli mixed with butter, then is stu$ ed and baked with a cream ! lling. The only problem was that there wasn’t enough of it!

CULTURAL GIFTS

Museum Pass

Bamboo Water Fountain

Incense

february 10, 2010 7

by abbey borchers, lauren elder,

grace padilla, emily partida, justine renfro

On Wednesday February 3, athletes from all across Colorado signed letters of intent to the College Athletic programs of their choice. National Signing Day is the first day high school

student-athletes can sign letters of intent for collegiate sports. This marks the end of the recruiting pro-cess, in which high school athletes are selected to play in exchange for academic scholarships. Here at Columbine, six stu-dent-athlete seniors were present at a meeting in the Smart Room, where they signed their letters of intent with students, family, and the media watching. Two students who will remain in state. Kristin Hamilton commit-ted to playing soccer for the Uni-versity of Denver, and football player Tyler Loendorf will at-tend the University of Northern Colorado. Students who will play out of state include football play-ers Demetrius McDondle and Kalvin Cruz, who will attend Fullerton Jr. College in California. Sean Neu will play football at University of South Dakota. Quarterback Danny Spond also signed with an out-of-

state school. Despite being committed to play for the Uni-versity of Colorado earlier in the year, Spond changed his plan and will instead be attending Notre Dame. "With the opportunities I've been given and blessed by," Spond told the Denver Post, "I have greater things waiting for me." February 3 isn't the only opportunity for student ath-letes to commit to colleges. Most will sign at later dates for a variety of sports.

Before they can lace up their cleats or strap on their helmets, all Columbine athletes must pay the required fee of $125 if they want to step foot on the field. Yet all athletes are still re-quired to do extensive fundraising for their respective teams. So where does that $125 go? Columbine athletic director Mr. Woytek has the answer. "Athletic fees pay for transportation, cost of referees or of-ficials, coaches' salaries, stadium fees" and more, Woytek said. According to Jefferson County Athletics, revenue from participation fees totaled $1,251,168 last year throughout the district. This money, along with funds from gate receipts, ticket sales and the district's general fund, went toward miti-gating the total athletic expenses of $8.7 million. Revenue from participation fees helps to pay for neces-sities such as administrative costs, athletic trainers, security, building rental, and awards. The money also pays substitute teachers for coaches during playoffs, as well as game work-ers at both school sites and stadium venues. Despite all of these expenses covered by funds funneled through the dis-trict, individual teams are still required to fundraise in order to pay for other remaining costs. Money from fundraising covers various team-specific expenses. In football, among the most expensive sports to play, fundraising helps to pay for helmets, shoulder pads, and other uniform expenses. Two years ago Columbine foot-ball used fundraising to pay for a trip to Florida.

Columbine boys' lacrosse also raised money for a trip to Florida two years ago. Tennis teams have fundraised in the past to pay for trips to Grand Junction for tournaments. Many teams take similar trips which are far away, so they fundraise to pay for charter buses for such events. Both the cross country and track programs fundraise for invite fees. The Dave Sanders softball fields were upgraded through fundraising–a new stereo system was recently pur-chased for the fields. The tennis and golf programs fundraise to play in tournaments. Each sport has its own unique ways of raising money to cover all of these costs. Kristi Marosy, who coaches both boys' and girls' swimming at Columbine, said, "We have sold magazines in the past, as well as candles and jewelry. We tend to stay away from what the other sports are doing so we are not duplicating efforts and so those that are purchas-ing don't feel that they have to buy the same things all of the time." The girls' tennis program fundraised for the first time this year. "We did a Christmas tree, wreath, and garland fund-raiser. It was a great success and netted us about $500," said coach Dawn Selindh. The team also did a Red Robin dinner night, where a percentage of the profits from diners representing Columbine were donated to girls' tennis. Columbine track and field coach Mr. Moore said that fundraising for track "is a must every year." Moore contin-ued, "In the past we have done a number of ventures from restaurant coupons to cookie dough. Our greatest efforts oc-cur when we approach fundraising with a team concept."

Columbine athletic director Mr. Woytek said some of the most creative fundraisers he has seen are dinners with silent auction items, wiffle ball tournaments, dodgeball tour-naments, and restaurant nights.

8 february 10, 2010

in motionyour teams

healthenergy

. . . The first product to have a barcode was Wrigley’s gum . . . All windmills turn counter-clockwise, except windmills in Ireland . . .

Not another car wash!Why athletes have to fundraise even though they pay to play their sport

abbey borchers

12345HAVE A GOLD-FISHING TOURNAMENT AND CHARGE FOR THE USE

OF A FISHING POLE - WINNERS RECEIVE THEIR VERY OWN GOLDFISH TO KEEP AS A PET.

HOLD A MOVIE MARATHON AND HAVE PARTICIPANTS PLEDGE TO DONATE A SMALL SUM OF MONEY EVERY TIME A CERTAIN WORD IS REPEATED DURING THE FILMS.

HAVE A DOG WASH - PEOPLE PAY YOU TO GIVE THEIR DOG A STRAIGHT-FROM-THE GROOMER LOOK. BONUS: WHILE EVERY OTHER TEAM IS ADVERTISING A CAR WASH, YOUR TEAM WILL STAND OUT.

HAVE A BAKE SALE, INCLUDING A FEW ITEMS THAT ARE MARKED WITH A STICKER ON THE BOTTOM. THOSE THAT BUY ITEMS WITH STICKERS WIN PRIZES.

CREATE CARDBOARD CUTOUTS OF CELEBRITIES (TAYLOR LAUTNER, THE JONAS BROTHERS, ETC.) AND HAVE PEOPLE MAKE DONATIONS IN EXCHANGE FOR A PICTURE WITH THEM.

TOP FIVE ALTERNATIVES TO THE OLD FUNDRAISING STAND-BY: “THE CAR WASH”

Signing dayColumbine’s top prospects commit to colleges

lauren elder

Seniors Danny Spond and Demetrius McDondle sign their letters of intent. Spond committed to Notre Dame, while McDondle committed to Fullerton Junior College. Both will play football at their respective college. photo by grace padilla

Seniors Tyler Loendorf, Sean Neu, and Kristin Hamilton prepare to sign their letters of intent. Leondorf and Neu will play football, while Hamilton will play soccer. photo by grace padilla

Boys’ Basketball

The boys’ varsity basketball team has sev-eral games coming up. They will be playing against Bear Creek High School on Febru-ary 11, against Northglenn High School on February 13, against Green Mountain High School on February 17, and against Dakota Ridge High School on February 19.

Girls’ Basketball

The girls’ varsity basketball team also has several upcoming games this season. They will be playing against Bear Creek High School on February 11, against Green Mountain High School on February 16, against Northglenn High School on Feb-ruary 17, and against Dakota Ridge High School on February 19.

Girls’ Swimming

The girls’ varsity swim team has State Championships on February 12 and 13.

Wrestling

The Boys Varsity Wrestling 5A Regional Meet will take place on February 12 and 13, and the Boys Varsity Wrestling State Championships will take place on February 18, 19, and 20.

Hockey

The boys’ varsity hockey ice hockey team have a game tonight, February 10, against Ralston Valley High School.

How long have you been playing basketball? How long have you played for Columbine?

I’ve been playing since I can remember–probably since I’ve been able to walk; all four years for Columbine.

What is the best part of playing basketball? The hardest part?

[The best part is] the feeling you get when you accomplish something you’ve worked really hard on and seeing all that hard work pay off. [The hardest part is] dealing with other people on and off the court.

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

School comes fi rst, then basketball, which is the majority of my time, and then friends and activities.

How do you prepare before a game?I go to the gym and make 100 shots at least. Then

I eat food and listen to my iPod with my base head phones.

Any plans for college yet?I received a full ride to New York Institute of

Technology to play basketball and study physical therapy.

What advice do you have for the freshmen players this year?Keep working hard. If you think you are working

hard, you’re not, work harder–it will pay off.

Favorite motivational quote:To practice is to suffer; to win is to fi nd meaning in

the suffering.

Favorite pre-game meal:Chick-fi l-a or Greek food my mom or grandma

makes

Favorite pump-up song:Anything by Nicki Mina or Ne-yo

How long have you been playing hockey? How long have you played for Columbine?

I’ve been playing hockey for about nine years now and this is my third year playing for Columbine.

What is the best part of playing hockey? The hardest part?

The best part of playing hockey is the thrill of making a big save or getting a win, and the hardest part is dealing with a close loss.

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

Hockey is a big part of my life but I make sure to fi nish all my homework before bed, and whenever I don’t have hockey I hang out with friends as much as possible.

How do you prepare before a game?I take a pre-game power nap and make sure I stay

relaxed and focused before I get on the ice.

Any plans for college yet?I plan on either going to college on the east coast to play hockey or play juniors in Chicago.

What advice do you have for the freshmen players?Know your place on the team and play your role.

Favorite motivational quote: ”Hey man, I’m just trying to support

the team.” - David Puddy

Favorite pre-game meal: A big bowl of Kix.

Favorite pump-up song: “Public Service Announcement” by Jay-Z

in motionsports

february 10, 2010 9

She said He saidathleteprofi le

compiled by heidi roberts

mike mccuaig

demitra apergisdemitra apergis

mike mccuaig

compiled by abbey borchers

IN COLUMBINE SPORTS . . .

culture shock. . . The Mona Lisa has no eyebrows because it was fashion during the Renaissance to shave them off . . . The electric chair was invented by a dentist . . .

10 february 10, 2010

your stylescene

idea of fun

chufan (jerry) deng

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

Guys and Dolls, a musical based on the book of the same title by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows, is coming to Columbine this spring! There will be four showings, and each cast will perform twice: Cast A will per-form on February 24 and 26 at 7:00 p.m, and Cast B will perform on February 25 at 7:00 p.m and on February 27 at 2:00 p.m. This classic mu-sical revolves around high-rolling gambler Sky Masterson, who went to New York to gamble; instead, he ends up falling in love with Sarah Brown. Simultaneously, a 14-year engagement plays out between Miss Adelaide and Nathan Detroit, who is for-ever attempting to find a place for his craps game.

“The Musical really brings everyone to-gether, like we’re all family,” said Sophomore Analisa Holden, a chorus member. “I am known by some as the sand-wichboard guy, that’s it,” Cody Thomasson, a senior and also a chorus member, said.

Speaking about her part in musical, Sam Perkins, a junior, stat-ed, “I get to help pick-pocket a boxer! I feel so stealth.” All the students participating in musical have been practicing for weeks, and will con-tinue to practice right up until the days of the performance. These kids are determined to make a great produc-tion for the collective Columbine population.

Besides the actors and technical crew’s contributions, Columbine’s production of Guys and Dolls will also use the musical tal-ent of the school’s band.

Guys and DollsUpcoming musical soon to hit the Columbine stage

emily partida

CAST A LEADS Mike Simmons Haley Beutler

Connor DohertyJennifer McGilchrist

CAST B LEADS

Travis Tucker Christin Edwards

Kurt TocciJacquelyn Sheehan

All the people in the world like holi-days, especially the holidays when we do not need to go to school or work. Due to different customs in the differ-ent nations, there are many different

kinds of holidays around the world. As an exchange student from China living and studying in America for five months, I experienced several American holidays, some of which are new for me. I also missed some Chinese holidays that I nor-mally celebrate. There are lots of different holidays between China and America. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter are all big traditional holidays which we do not celebrate in China. On Halloween, kids in America go trick-or-treating, play games and get lots of candies. On Thanksgiving, family get together to have a nice dinner which the main food is turkey and children play games after dinner. During Christ-mas, which is the biggest holiday in America, families put up Christmas Trees, have a feast on Christmas Eve, sing Christ-mas carols, and everyone can get many gifts. In China, students go to school during these holidays. Hardly anyone celebrates Christmas like they do here; just some Christmas decorations are sold in certain stores. In China, the biggest festival and also my favorite fes-

tival is Spring Festival, known as Chinese New Year. It is on January 1 of the Lunar Calendar. This means that it is always in January or February. In 2010, it falls on Valentine’s Day, February 14. For this holiday, families post Spring Couplets which are about celebrating Spring Festival out of the front door before Spring Festival Eve. On Spring Festival Eve, fami-lies get together to have dinner. The main food is dumplings. There is a big TV show on every TV channel from eight to three. That is very popular and most people watch it. I know I watch it every year! Families use money to play a traditional game called Mahjong. Some people here even play it. The best part for children is called “Lucky Money.” Rela-tives give Lucky Money inside red pockets to kids. Each year I can get about five hundred dollars, but my parents “help” me save it for college. At almost midnight, people all go outside beside the streets, then we watch the fireworks together at midnight. It is very exciting! We do not go to bed until three in the morning on Spring Festival. During the celebration there is a seven-day holiday. People do not go to work. It is very nice! There are also traditional holidays in China: Dragon Boat Festival, The Lantern Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival. We do not have school during these days. An interesting fact is that we have days off besides just the holiday. For example,

if Dragon Boat Festival is on Thursday, we have Thursday, Friday, and Saturday off. We go to school on that Sunday. We borrow a Friday, so we use Sunday to pay back. May 1 and October 1 are Labor Holiday (May Day) and National Day. Both of them allow seven days off. We call those Golden Weeks. It is a really good chance to go shop-ping, go on a trip to other places, or have a rest!

The movie Avatar, directed by James Cam-eron, has taken the silver screen by storm. It only took six weeks for Avatar to beat Titanic’s $1.843 billion box office total. It has already grossed in around $1.85 bil-lion so far. Avatar also won best drama motion picture at the Golden Globes and is predicted to make a huge impact at the upcoming Oscars. Starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Sal-dana, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang, Avatar is an adventure sci-fi flick set in the future. A paraplegic war veteran (Worthington) is sent to another planet called Pandora, which is inhabited by the Na’vi, a humanoid race with a very unique culture. Humans from Earth find them-selves in opposition with the natives over a natural resource of Pandora’s that brings in a massive profit on Earth. However, to some people, Avatar is not simply a good movie, it is an all too-real obsession. Because of the advanced ani-mation techniques used in Avatar, many have become fascinated by the realistic

visuals it presents. There have even been reports of people becoming depressed and suicidal because they cannot visit Pandora. On the website “Avatar Forums”, the topic “Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible” has more than 1,000 posts. According to CNN, a user named Mike wrote on the fan Web site “Naviblue” that he contemplated suicide after seeing the movie. Mike wrote, “Ever since I went to see Avatar I have been depressed. Watch-ing the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na’vi made me want to be one of them. I can’t stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film and all of the tears and shivers I got from it,” Mike posted. “I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be re-birthed in a world similar to Pandora and the everything is the same as in ‘Avatar’.” Junior Elya Robertson said, “I thought the movie was cool, but it’s really not whats is cracked up to be. I mean, it wasn’t life-changing or anything.”

Avatar bluesNa’vi depression consumes watchers

grace padilla

see CONTROVERSY on page 11 >>>

Rowers at the annual Dragon Boast festival in Hong Kong. The Dragon Boat festival is one of the many traditional holidays of China.

CONTROVERSY

february 10, 2010 11

culture shockentertainment

Scarlet Letter 2.0October 2008 brought exciting news to the world of historical fi ction, and also to Mrs. Reed, an English teacher here at Colum-bine. It was in that time that St. Martin's Press bought Hester, a new novel authored by Reed, and it is on February 16, 2010 that it will be released into the hands and embroidered into the minds of all who wish to read of the unknown adventures of Hester Prynne from The Scarlet Letter.

The Scarlet Letter is a novel which was written by Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1850. According to the description as given by the Prestwick House Literary Touch-stone Classics, it is a novel in which "Hawthorne explores the range of human response to sin and the deadly consequences of the inability to forgive oneself and others." The strong female role of Hester Prynne is greatly described throughout the entirety of the nov-el, excluding one gap in the story

where Hester and her daughter's lives are not illustrated. That is the gap which Reed sought to fi ll with her novel. "As a literary character, Hester really got the shaft in the original novel," Reed said, "I gave her an adventure. And that was the coolest part for me." As described by Reed's website, Hester is "a deeply hu-man story of family, love, history, desire, and the human ideal." It is a novel which tells the tale of Hester Prynne and her daughter, and the adventure on which they embark–an adventure not told in The Scarlet Letter. Reed said that she wrote the novel in order to answer some of the questions that her students have asked. Although it does have the same characters as developed by Hawthorne, Reed explained that Hester "really is the develop-ment of a completely different novel." Reed has had an interest in historical fi ction since a very young age, and her writing is clas-sifi ed as historical romance. She has published three other books–Nobody's Saint, For Her Love, and Into His Arms, all in her historical romance style. Her style of writing, however, is much different than stereotypical romance novels–it embodies many serious issues as opposed to being simply a novel about love. "I tend to write things that are a little more serious," said Reed. While The Scarlet Letter is a novel which is required reading for most sophomore students at Columbine, the content of Hester is more mature, and it is defi nitely considered adult fi ction.

Reed explained that many of the historical fi ction books that she read in high school were in-tensely historical, and that such historical content has decreased with years. However, Reed's novel follows more of the history which she grew up reading. She said writing Hester took "easily 200 hours of research." Writing and publishing novels is a lengthy process. "It took me a little over a year to write it," said Reed. She later explained that it

took over a year from being sold to the publishing company to being released. Hester is available for pre-order in places such as Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Tattered Cover, and has received a variety of fantastic reviews from many readers, including New York Times bestselling authors. On Fri-day, February 19th, at 7:30 p.m., Reed will be doing a reading and a book signing of Hester at the Tat-tered Cover in Highlands Ranch.

Columbine teacher Mrs. Reed releases new novel Hester

heidi roberts

EXCERPT FROM HESTER Even the most domestic, mundane tasks present us with moral choices, and for better or for worse, we make them. For example, should I ere to the side of maternal modesty and say that when my daughter, Pearl, was eight, she was competent with a needle, or should I speak upright honesty and say that her talent exceeded my own at her tender age? As a girl, I, too, sat be-side my mother in the lamp light and stitched sam-plers to hone my skills. It took me weeks to fashion “A good name is to be chosen rather than riches” in silk letters even enough to suit my mother’s exacting standards. All around this wisdom from Proverbs, I nursed a thread gar-den of daisies and other simple blooms. It was a fair effort, but I had much to learn.

My Pearl, her dark, glossy head bent over her frame, had been working on her new sam-pler all week. In time, it would read, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

It was to be my birthday gift she said, which, to be fair, did give her some months to com-plete it. Still, when she had told me what she wished to stitch, I advised her that it was too much and recommended she choose a briefer text.

She was resolute. She spent the fi rst three nights on the “A” alone, illuminating it with scrolls and fl ourishes. Though the colors she selected included neither scarlet nor gold, I thought perhaps it was some of her previous mischief, mocking my own design.

my birthday gift she said, which, to be fair, did give her some months to com-plete it. Still, when she had told me what

her that it was too much and recommended

briefer text.

Life-changing or not, Avatar is stirring several contro-versies, including that it is a racist fi lm. “I doubt [Ava-tar] was intended to be racist,” Junior Breanna Mol-loy said, “but I can see why people might think that. I mean, the white hero saves the day for the natives just like always.” Junior Will Vitale disagreed. “People are oversen-sitive to things being racist these days, I think it’s just a movie,” Vitale said.

There are other hot topics within Avatar as well, including the fi lm’s underlying commentary on envi-ronmentalism. To many, the fi lm sends a clear mes-sage of the importance of natural conservation. “Why is it that recently all movies seem to have some kind of environmental message in them? I mean it gets old,” said Junior Coleman Mance. Avatar has earned critical acclaim and is up for best picture at the Oscars this award season.

continued from page 10 >>>

12 february 10, 2010

top tenkizzle & tizzle

rebel yell

radicalebel

REBEL YELL: Best Man Poms routine ever!

REBEL HELL: Too bad it’s going to be the last one. So much for assemblies.

Quote of the Month: Mr. Friesen: “The World Cup is coming up this summer.” Emily: “Are you talking about Quidditch?”

Columbine Salutes: General Larry Platt (aka pants-on-the-ground guy) for is brilliant social commentary on today’s fashion

On this day: National Plimsoll Day

Cinema Secrets: Avatar is a big-budget rip off of Disney’s Pocahontas

Which character on Jersey Shore best repre-sents you?

T: Snookie or JWOWW (fi st pump!).

If you could be any type of fi sh, what would you be?

K: You guys are desperate for questions.

T: A clown fi sh, but I heard they taste funny.

Kizzle & Tizzle

What was your most embarrassing date ever?

K: I was on a double date with a buddy. We were cruisin’ in his sweet new car. We were going out to eat and then dancing. After dinner we were driving when my buddy says, “Hey, there’s your ex.” She went past us in the op-posite direction and then whipped a U-turn, She came fl ying up next to us and she was scream-ing at me and yelling unkind words of a threat-ening nature–which I didn’t understand because she broke up with me for another guy anyway! It was horrible! Later at the club I was danc-ing with my date and I spot my ex! She came charging at us on the dance fl oor so I grabbed my date and we ran. I never had a date with her again.

Which teacher will get the most Valentines this year?

K: Mr. Garkow! That kid is a Renaissance man! He serves the needy in Africa, teaches kids in America, wrote a dance story about balloon boy, and he’s single!

T: Savino for four reasons:1) The guy is DDG (drop dead gorgeous).2) He can serenade a lady with his guitar.3) He can explain the production possibility frontier.4) He once swam the English Channel for his girlfriend.

What messages would you write on a heart candy?

K: 1) “Holla!” 2) “Shut up and write!”

T: To the people I like: “U R HOT,” “U R SWEET,” ‘HOLLA,” “FRIEND ME”To the people I don’t like: “U R A TRAIN-WRECK,” “SMELL U LATER,” “I DE-FRIEND U”

Qudditch “We totally would have won had it not been for that last bludger!”

Marching Band “Is too a sport! You try marching around with a giant tuba!”

Yoga “Who says it’s not a competition?”

Underwater Basket Weaving “How long can the knitting club hold their breath for?”

UFC “Because the Olympics lacks an adequate amount of violence”

Freeze Tag “Reminds us of simpler times on the playground”

DDR “Dance like you’ve never danced before!”

Competitive Eating “Olympic gold never tasted so good”

Call of Duty “Calling all ‘athletes’ with a Y chromosome!”

Top Ten

4

98

1

32

10

7

56

“Sports” that should be in the Olympics Top Ten “Sports” that should be in the Olympics Top Ten

Wii Sports “For those who aspire to greatness in their favorite sport, but lack all athletic ability or talent”

and the number one “sport” that should be in the Olympics Is . . .

HOROSCOPE: AQUARIUS (JANUARY 20TH - FEBRUARY 18TH)ASTROLOGIST: LAUREN ELDER

CHARACTER PROFILE: AQUARIUS ARE THE TYPE OF PEOPLE PRONE TO RISK TAKING AND COMMON SENSE ALLERGIES. MOST SKYDIV-ING INSTRUCTORS, ALLIGATOR WRESTLERS, AND DARWIN AWARD RECIPIENTS HAVE BEEN PROUD TO CALL THIS ASTROLOGICAL SIGN THEIR OWN. COMMON TALENTS INCLUDE THE ABILITY TO BURP THE ALPHABET. BACKWARDS. AND THE ABILITY TO SPIN IN OFFICE CHAIRS FOR EXTENDED AMOUNTS OF TIME WITHOUT GET-TING DIZZY.

MONTHLY PREDICTION:

WITH FEBRUARY COMES THE PROMISE OF ROMANCE. FOR YOU THIS PROMISE WILL BE BROKEN, HOWEVER, WHEN YOU REALIZE YOUR BLIND DATE IS EITHER: A) GOING PREMATURELY BALD; B) WANTED IN THE STATE OF TEXAS; C) MORE IN LOVE WITH EDWARD CULLEN THAN WITH YOU. ATTEMPT TO AVOID STOP SIGNS AND OTHER TRAFFIC SIGNALS, AS THIS COULD LEAD TO A CAR ACCIDENT. SEEING ANY MOVIES STARRING TOM CRUISE WILL RESULT IN SPINAL INJURIES. YOUR LUCKY NUMBER IS INFINITY. GOOD LUCK PLAYING THAT IN THE LOTTERY.

What teachers should replace the Man Poms squad?T: We would have to do try-outs, but can you imagine the pyramid we could build with Mr. Mosier at the base. And just think how high we could toss Mr. Lowry.