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News............................................ 1, 2, 3Sports...............................................3, 4Op/Ed...........................................4, 5, 6Feature.........................................6, 7, 8

The Wolverine ScoopVolume 21 Issue 2 Nov. 19, 2015

Robotics team nearly wins goldby Jonathon Shaber

The Weiser High School Robotics Team traveled to compete in Haley for their first competition of the year Oct 30 and nearly won the first place title.

At the end of a preliminary qualifying round, Weiser team 9551C, made up of members Brandon Hubele, Nathaniel Rasmussen, and Nathan Ueltzen was seeded in first place in a field of over twenty robots. Weiser team 9551B (Colton Burr, Devon Pohl, and Kale Poynor) was seeded fourth overall, and team 9551D (Logan and Wyatt Towner, Katelyn Wyss) was seeded ninth. In a final alliance (a team of three robots entering a double elimination final round), team 9551C teamed up with the second place robot and Weiser Team 9551A (Billy and Michael Brooke, Jonathon Shaber) to enter the final round as the first place team. However, in the semi-final round the alliance met difficulty, and team 9551C was disqualified on a technicality, falling short of the final round.

The remaining two Weiser teams, 9551A and 9551E (James Dworkin, Julian Nevarez, Dakota Wallace, placed seventeenth and twenty-first overall respec-tively. Following this competition, the Robotics class will settle in to prepare for their next competition Nov 24th at Weiser High School. The Weiser Robotics program will host its first home tournament in the new gym that day from 10 am until 4 pm. Approximately 20 teams from the northwest will be involved. This is an opportunity for the Weiser program to showcase its talent. “We are super excited to host this event,” said Lundberg. Teachers are invited to bring classes or individual students are invited to stop by throughout the day.

Canned fooddrive heldby Kaylee Nye

With Thanksgiving approaching, the WHS annual canned food drive is in full swing. Donations started be-ing collected this Monday. This year two TVCC students, and former Wolverines, are working with Project Dove to assist in this drive. They are also asking for clothing donations this year. FCA members will continue to collect donations for the needy during 7th hour classes through tomorrow. Food should be nonperishable items that come in cans and/or boxes. All types of food are welcome, but food with nutritional value is preferred. Do-nations will be going to places such as: Love Inc., the Catholic Church, and WICAP. The canned food drive will end tomorrow. Not only is this a wonderful chance to help our town, but the win-ners will also receive a prize from Project Dove. First place will receive a pizza party, with second place enjoying root beer floats. “The food drive is a great opportunity to be thankful for all that we have and to give back to our community that has supported us so wonderfully,” said Lundberg.

STEM Fair held at WHSby Roy Arana

A couple of weeks ago, ten classes from Pioneer School and ten classes from Park School visited WHS for a STEM fair. STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. A total of 500 kids visited different stations through-out the school and learned about the STEM field. The Idaho Aquarium, Micron, Babby Farms, the U.S. Forestry Service, and the 4H program partic-ipated and taught children about how they’re or-ganizations pertain to the STEM field. In addition to those organizations, student-run sessions by the Environmental Studies, Agriculture, Horticulture, and Robotics classes also welcomed the kids and educated them about their programs. The event served as the required service project for the Gear Up program and was a complete success.

Looking aheadby Melanie Girvin

Nov. 25-27 = Thanksgiving breakDec. 7 = Christmas choir concertDec. 11&12 = Christmas choir musicalDec. 16-18 = Final examsDec. 18 = End of 2nd quarterDec. 21- Jan. 3 = Christmas breakJan. 4 = 2nd semester begins

E-cigarette restrictions by Bradley Parker

The American Academy of Pediatrics presented forceful recommendations on tobacco products and e-cigarettes to protect U.S. kids from harm-ful effects of nicotine and tobacco. The Food and Drug Administration was asked to regulate vaping products including e-cigarettes and other electronic nicotine delivery systems. The recom-mendations include raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco and e-cigarette products to 21. Also, there is talk about putting a child-resistant packaging on liquid nicotine so that children won’t ingest the nicotine. Overall the goal is to have children not be exposed to the dangerous effects of nicotine.

(Source: U.S.News/pediatricians-call-for-E-Cig-arette-Restrictions.org)

High school football deaths raise attentionby Hannah Alder

There is an average of three high school football player deaths per year, but this number continues to go up sub-stantially. In the 2015 high school football season, seven high school football players died across the nation. These kids include Andre Smith, Kenney Bui, Evan Murray, Ben Hamm, Tyrell Cameron, Cam’ron Matthews, and Rod Wil-liams. Williams died not in a game, but in a practice the day before the game. There is much controversy as to why these kids are dying. People are questioning if it’s the schools’ lack of personal safety or the popularity and promotion of such a dangerous sport. There was a study done by the Journal of Athletic Training that showed that only 37% of schools in the nation have full-time athletic trainers. There are many people who want to ban high school football, and schools in Missouri, Maine, and New Jersey have listened. These schools have cut short and even cancelled their sea-sons due to these deaths. Football lovers argue that there is no reason to ban high school football. Their reasoning is that kids die every day due to different reasons. Football is one of the lesser reasons that kids die today, so there is no reason to ban it. Although both of these opinions provide a good point, many agree that “no one should die playing the game they love.”

(Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2015/10/09/football/high-school-football-deaths/#; http://www.mtv.com/ news/2340884/high-school-football-injuries-four-deaths/)

Backpack policy changesby Alex Raby & Orin Winegar

As WHS students know by now, back packs were not allowed in classrooms or hallways in the past. The thinking behind this rule was that a large student body had too many students bringing too large a back pack into classrooms cluttering the aisles. This ban was lifted this year. Teachers had to remind students not to bring their bags to class every day. According to Principal Davies, as long as there are no problems, stu-dents will be allowed to keep their back packs in classrooms.

NHS induction heldby Melanie Girvin

The National Honor Society was originally cre-ated to recognize outstanding students in high school. In order to apply for NHS, one must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5. He/She then writes a resume on leadership positions, community service involvement, examples of character, and any award or achievement that shows a commit-ment to scholarship. The student then distributes his/her resume and an assessment sheet to six teachers who complete them. If the student earns the minimum number of points necessary, he/she will be admitted to NHS. Induction for new members was held Nov 16 at 7:00 pm. Members were announced Nov 12.

The new members are: Alder, Hannah; Almanza, Lizette; Beams, Carson; Bouvia, Lauren; Bumgar-ner, Bridger; Chavez, Skylar; Curry, Melissa; Davis, C.J.; Davis, Katie; Fuller, Hope; Goodwin, Marissa; Hackbart, Emmi; Hagans, Kassidy; Hubele, Mikayla; Johnson, Olivia; Kerner, Jason; Lundberg, Alicia; MacDonald, Madi; Moyle, The-resa; Nye, Kaylee; Perez, Itzel; Reyes, Gregory; Ruth, Samuel; Tolman, Logan; Turner, Haley; Westover, Brenan; and Wootton, Ben.

Choir practices for Christmas musicalby Jonathon Shaber

The WHS choirs will perform Yes, Virginia, the musical to honor the upcoming Christmas season, Dec 11-12. The musical dramatizes the story of Virginia O’Hanlon, an eight year old girl in New York who wrote to a newspaper asking if there was a Santa Claus. It promises fun holiday music and talented acting and performing by WHS’s own singers and actors. The stars of the show are Rebecca Johnson, Jase Roberts, Blaine Chandler, Hannah Walker, Marissa Goodwin, and Jonathon Shaber. Yes, Virginia will also tie in with Macy’s Make A Wish program for children with terminal illnesses. The program collects children’s letters to Santa; for every one received Macy’s will donate a dollar to grant last wishes of children dying of disease. The choir will collect letters to Santa at each performance. Ticket sales will go to choir members to fund a San Francisco tour in the spring.

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News Briefs:

TheWolverine Scoop staff would like to thank the Gear Up Program and the Weiser Education Foundation for their support in publishing the Scoop this year! We absolutely could not survive without you!

NEWSWorld newsby Nina Kommer

Russian plane crash

There are current investigations into the case of a recently crashed Russian passenger jet. However, so far there are no results as to the cause of the crash. The plane crashed over Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula on Halloween morning. All 224 passengers died. Egypt’s investigating team announced that “a noise” was reportedly heard in the last second of the cockpit voice recording. The UK and the United States believe that it was an act of terror. Russia has stopped all flights recently, which means that there are no flights from Russia to Egypt anymore.

(Source:http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/welt/chron-ik/sn/artikel/kairo-schweigt-zu-absturzursache-80000-russen-sitzen-fest-172429/)

Scholarships…by Roy Arana

You can pick up the following scholarships in Miss Peterson’s office. Also, many of them have websites on which you may print the ap-plications or apply online.Elks Student of the Month, Due Anytime through March. There is a fill-in application online at http://www.weiserschools.org/scholarships-and-counselors.html. Fill-ing it out once will make you eligible for all of the months.Sussle Company--Give Scholarship Every Month. For seniors--you must be a U.S. citizen and be able to contrib-ute knowledge about your interests. Apply at http://sussle.org/scholarshipsAlert Magazine Scholarship, No Due Date For seniors, 2.5 GPA or higher is required, must write a 600-1000 word essay about a personal encounter that you or someone you know has had with drug or alcohol abuse. Apple at www.alertmagazine.orgQuestbridge National College Match Program, Due Date: varies with different colleges. This program is for high-achieving, low-income seniors. Various colleges are included. For more information see www.questbridge.org.Writers of the Future Contest, Due Date: Continu-al. For students interested in becoming a writer. Find contest rules at http://www.writersofthefuture.com/con-test-rulesElks Most Valuable Student, Due Date: Dec. 4, 2015. This scholarship is for graduating seniors. To apply go to www.elks.org/enf/scholarsElks Legacy Scholarship, Due Date: Jan. 29, 2016 at 12:00 noon. This scholarship is for high school seniors who are children or grandchildren of an Elks Lodge mem-ber. Apply at http://www.elks.org/enf/scholars/legacy/rules.cfm.Young Entrepreneur Foundation Awards, Due Date: Dec. 18, 2015. For graduating seniors who own and operate his/her own small business. Apply online at www.NFIB.com/YEA.

FFA stays busyby Katie Davis

What’s happening this month in the FFA? Nov 12 there were multiple competitions held at New Plymouth High School. The freshman FFA members competed in a green hand knowledge quiz about the FFA organization. The sophomores competed in the agronomy contest. They completed a crop analysis, a fertilizer prob-lem, and identified 40 plants and seeds. A member also competed in the FFA creed speaking. The Weiser chapter is deciding on a date to do a community service project this month. Members will rake leaves around town free. The last event will be held Dec 8th, when the Horticulture and Ag II classes will be collecting sagebrush to plant in local burned out areas.

Winter weather outlookby Tiara Goodenough

December will start with a low of forty degrees throughout the first week. The second week will start in the high 30’s then con-tinue to drop to the mid-thirties by the end of the week. The weather will continue to stay in the mid- thirties throughout the week with a low of 21 degrees. December will finish in the mid-thirties, with the low remaining in the twenties.  Only the second and third week have predic-tions of high chances of snow. Most of December is fore-casted to be sunny.

(Source: theweatherchannel.com)

Dec is AIDS awareness monthby Kyle Ferren

World AIDS Day, designated Dec 1 every year since 1988, is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection and mourning those who have died of the disease. Government and health of-ficials, non-governmental organizations, and individuals around the world observe the day, often with education on AIDS prevention and control.

World AIDS Day is one of the eight official global public health campaigns marked by the World Health Organization (WHO), along with World Health Day, World Blood Donor Day, World Immunization Week, World Tuberculosis Day, World No Tobacco Day, World Malaria Day, and World Hepatitis Day. Since 1995, the President of the United States has made an official proclamation on World AIDS Day.

As of 2013, AIDS has killed more than 36 million people worldwide (1981-2012), and an estimated 35.3 million people are living with HIV, making it one of the most important global public health issues in recorded history. Despite recent improved access to antiretroviral treatment in many regions of the world, the AIDS epidemic claims an estimated two million lives each year, of which about 270,000 are children.

(Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_AIDS_Day)

National Human Rights weekby Bradley Parker

Dec 10th-17th is National Human Rights week. Human Rights week is full of events to commemorate the anniver-sary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights signed by the United Nations General Assembly Dec 10th, 1948. The activities during the week are designed to celebrate and mobilize awareness of our rights and emphasize local, national, and international human rights issues. It’s a great week to generate awareness and knowledge about why human rights matter to everyone in the world.

(Source: humanrightsweek.org)

SC school resource officer is firedby Emma Burns

In South Carolina, Ben Fields, a former re-source officer at Spring Valley High School, was recently fired after pushing a student out of her desk and throwing her onto the ground for “being disruptive”. After further investigation attorneys discovered that she had swung at him multiple times, however Officer Fields’s actions were uncalled for. Sheriff Lott, Officer Fields sergeant, was livid about this act. “This is not how we train our officers,” he said in an interview on the subject. “Although the student might have been in the wrong, Offi-cer Fields never should have taken the precautions that he did.” The videos show the officer standing over the student, seated at her desk. He puts his arm near her neck then yanks her backward. The desk, which is attached to her chair, tips over; the student crashes backward onto the floor. But Fields didn’t let go, lifting her slightly off the ground. She flies out of her desk and slides several feet across the floor.

Fields did wrong and was fired for his actions, Lott said. But the student must shoulder responsibility for the disruptive behavior that escalated to the officer being called in, the sheriff said. “When a classroom is disrupted by a student, that disrupts the education process and the students can’t learn and the teachers can’t teach,” Lott said. “We have to have discipline in our schools.” What the student did does not justify the officer’s actions, the sheriff said, but she must take responsibility for her role. “We must not lose sight that this whole incident started by this student,” he said. “She is responsible for initiating this action. Some responsibility falls on her.”

The event was looked into much further, and it was later determined that it had started with cell phones. The student had been asked to give up her cell phone to the teacher and refused. That’s when the SRO was called in. Niya Kenny, another student in the classroom, told her classmates to get their cellphones out saying, “Record this. I have a feeling it’s going to go downhill.” And it did. Both students were arrested with a charge of “disturbing schools”. Kenny was arrested and accused of disturbing school after yelling and cursing at the officer, according to an incident report.

(Source: http://fox8.com/2015/10/28/officer-at-south-caro-lina-high-school-fired-after-video-of-girls-arrest/)

Presidential race heats upby Nina Kommer

The presidential election campaign is getting more thrilling, and the candidates are trying to set themselves apart from the others. At press time the Democratic party was clearly led by Hillary Clinton, followed by Bernie Sanders, and Martin O’Malley. On the opposite site, at the head of the Republican party is Donald Trump, closely followed by Ben Carson, and Marco Rubio. It remains exciting with an entire year left before election 2016.

(Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationwide_opin-ion_polling_for_the_Democratic_Party_2016_presiden-tial_primaries)

Cheer uniforms disallowed inPost Fallsby Kailyn Doty

An Idaho high school is requiring its cheer-leaders to wear leggings or sweatpants under their uniforms after finding that the short skirts were not suited for stairs or sitting without ex-posing certain areas of teen girls. The decision by the school district in the northern Idaho city of Post Falls to seek more modesty for cheerleaders came after teachers at the high school reported some girls’ bottoms (spandex) were sometimes visible when uniforms were worn to class on the day of football games or other sports matches. A long-standing policy in the district’s dress code requires skirts no shorter than mid-thigh, but that had not been strictly applied to cheerleaders in past because no incidents raising the issue had occurred. That tradition changed this year amid reports of exposures at the high school. The dress code directive has displeased some cheerleaders but has been supported by many parents who, like administrators, believe a degree of decorum is required in a learning environment. Post Falls is not alone in estab-lishing standards for its cheerleading squads. Neighboring school districts in Lakeland and Coeur d’Alene have in recent years ordered leggings or athletic pants be paired with cheerleading skirts when worn to school. None of the three districts require leggings or sweatpants while the cheerleaders are performing. They only wear the leggings on a game day when the team wears their uniforms to school.

(Source: www.reuters.com)

Drone delivery studiedKassidy Hagans

Amazon submitted its drone patent in September 2014, but details are only now being published by the US patent and Trademark office after it approved the ideas. Amazon is now “working hard to overcome a variety of technical obstacles.” One of these obstacles is to “convince the United States FAA to approve widespread commercial use of drones.” These drones can track people through a smartphone and deliver packages directly to a person, a boat, anything it is pro-grammed to do. Drones are supposed to have programmed weather patterns and flight patterns too. Who knows, your next online purchase could be delivered by a drone.

(Source: http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-32653269)

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SportsREI closed for Black Fridayby Lilly Burns

Last year nearly 87 million peo-ple shopped door buster sales on Black Friday, the biggest commercial retail business day of the year. This year REI, an outdoor gear and sporting goods retail giant, is not par-ticipating. REI will have no promotions or sales until the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Starting that Tuesday, REI plans to launch a campaign to get people outside on Black Friday using the hashtag #OptOutside to encourage holiday shoppers to share their outdoor adventures and experiences through social media platforms to encourage others to join in. REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke said, “Any retailer that hears this will be startled by the idea. As a co-op, we define success a little differently. It’s much broader than just money. How effectively do we get people outside?” In past years other retailers like Costco and Nordstrom have refused to open their doors on Thanksgiving, REI is one of the only retailers to completely shut down the day after Thanksgiving to tear down the frenzied consumerism Black Friday represents as the start of the holiday season.

(Source: h t tp : / /www.usatoday.com/s tory/mon-ey/2015/10/26/rei-closing-on-black-friday-for-first-time-in-its-history/74627872/)

Processed meat and cancer?by Kyle Ferren

The W.H.O. (World Health Organization) is one of many organizations are researching the mystifying question; does processed meat give you cancer? The only wrong thing with the articles and research studies by the World Health Organization is that their agency did a poor job of explaining the risk ranking system. In more ways than one, the system is arcane and confuses most scientists. This is the cause of the basis of the overall research and the fact that it is not on the danger of a specific product.

As a result the W.H.O. has created chaos of probable and im-probable carcinogens that border on the ridiculous: pickled vegetables, coffee, cell phones, frying, working as a barber, and now red meat. Bacon, they list it alongside cigarettes, alcohol, asbestos, plutonium, and salted fish. Of over 900 different carcinogens evaluated since 1971, it has deter-mined only one – a nylon-manufacturing material found in drinking water supplies- is probably not carcinogenic. Even the most strident anti-meat crusader knows that eating bacon is not as risky as smoking or asbestos exposure. Smoking raises a person’s lifetime risk of developing lung cancer by a staggering 2,500 percent. Meanwhile, two daily strips of bacon, based on the associations identified by the W.H.O., would translate to about a 6% lifetime risk for colon cancer, up from the 5% risk for people who don’t enjoy bacon or other processed meats.

However, that’s not the message that came across in the media. “Processed Meats Rank alongside Smoking as Cancer Causes” read a headline in The Guardian. “Bacon, Hot Dogs as Bad as Cigarettes” read another. We do know that eating a lot of processed meat or red meat is associated with higher cancer risk; the W.H.O. report cited 800 studies documenting the association. That’s a long way from cause and effect. It may simply be the so-called healthy user bias, the idea that people who eat lots of bacon are more likely to engage in risky behaviors (like smoking or a sedentary life-style) that lead to cancer; and that non-meat-eaters exhibit other healthful virtues (like exercise or eating vegetables) that protect them.

According to probably more accurate research, processed/red meat probably won’t hurt us in the long run. The W.H.O is in need of major lessons in accuracy.

(Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/01/sunday-re-view/so-will-processed-meat-give-you-cancer.html?_r=0)

High school coach fired forprayingby Bradley Parker

In Bremerton, Washington Joseph Kennedy was fired for leading a prayer on the 50 yard line. Kennedy, who is the head coach of the junior varsity football team and the assistant coach of the varsity football team, began the post-game prayers in 2008 when he was first hired by the school district. The problem wasn’t the prayers themselves but the fact that Coach Kennedy was leading them. The school district tried to give Coach Kennedy other places to pray but because of the tradition he refused to ac-commodate the district. It’s not the school’s fault for firing him because in our government there’s the “separation of church and state.” Coach Kennedy was fired for leading the post-game prayers on the 50 yard line because he refused to change locations.

(Source: eagnews.org/hs-football-coach-defies-schools-warning-prays-on-feild-after-game/)

McDonalds, healthy or fattening?by Gregory Reyes

For many years Americans have believed that McDon-ald’s is the most fattening fast food restaurant, but has a science teacher from Iowa proved this belief wrong? John Cisna, a fifty-six year old high school teacher in Colo, Iowa, decided to participate in an experiment for his sophomore science class. The experiment included ninety days of eating nothing but McDonalds. The hypothesis, is it possible to lose weight eating nothing but McDonalds? The students put together fifty-six different combinations for the teacher’s meals. Cisna left it up to his students to plan his daily menus, with the stipulation that he could not eat more than 2,000 calories a day and had to stay within the FDA’s recommended daily allowances for fat, sugar, protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients. A local McDonald’s franchisee agreed to provide the meals. An ex-jock who played baseball back in his college days at Iowa State, Cisna also began walking 45 minutes a day four to five days a week.

After finishing his ninety days and losing thirty-seven pounds, Cisna decided to continue for another ninety days. After his one-hundred-eighty day McDonald’s diet, Cisna stated “just because this experiment worked for me doesn’t mean it’s going to work for everybody else.”

Today, Cisna continues to eat one meal at McDonalds and is now a McDonald’s corporate brand ambassador. He also does speaking engagements in high schools across the nation, which angers some parents who feel that he is promoting McDonald’s to their children.

(Source: http://www.al.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/08/meet_the_science_teacher_who_l.html)

Teen cyber securityby Kyle Ferren

What is cyber security? It is the protection and prevention of mal-ware and viruses transferred through torrent files, links, and email spam. Today, malware and viruses can be transferred through a number of ways including: googling a famous person, email, or clicking on a URL, but this isn’t all you have to be wary about. You should also be careful of your online account passwords and protections. This, too, is part of cyber security. Ways to make sure your accounts can be protected are: keeping your pc clean, managing mobile apps, creating multi-factor protections, and creating a better password. Be safe on the internet.

Football season endsby Kourtney Grothaus

After a season of ups and downs, the varsity Wolverine football team travelled to Gooding to play the Senators Oct 30 for the chance to advance to the state tournament. The score was a disappointing 56-16, ending the team’s season. Coach Srholec said of the season, “The kids of the 2015 football team showed some character after starting the season slowly. They did not quit. Our team got better and better as the season progressed and managed to qualify for post-season play for the first time in three years.”

Cross-country goes to stateby Camille Weldon

This year Weiser High School had three stu-dents run in state cross-country. The state meet was held at Farragut State Park outside Coeur d’Alene Oct 31st. State cross-country runners run 3.1 miles. Isaac Lopez ran the state race in nineteen minutes and forty seconds. Jonathon Shaber ran it in eighteen minutes and twenty-five seconds. Abbey Shirts finished in eighth place overall with a time of twenty min-utes and twenty-six seconds. This is especially good for Shirts since she is a freshman. Coach Cardenas said that “even though the course was muddy, my runners ran very well and to the best of their ability.”

Volleyball takes 4th at stateby Alecia Lundberg

The Lady Wolverines finished their season strongly. The volleyball team was ranked fourth going into the dis-trict tournament but came out on top with a district champions’ trophy. On the Tuesday of districts, the Weiser varsity volleyball team played against Homedale in the late afternoon and successfully beat them in five games to advance to the semi-finals. The evening of that same day, the Wolverines played Emmet, who was ranked first in the conference. Despite the odds against them, the Ladies beat them in three games and secured a spot in the state tournament. On Thursday, Weiser faced off against Parma in the district championship game. After four very intense games, the Wolverines claimed the championship title and the trophy. During the district tournament Alecia Lundberg totaled 49 kills, three aces, and 39 digs. Paige Brown had 32 kills and 39 digs. Emily Gluch had 18 kills and 20 blocks. Sara Lundberg contributed six aces and 31 digs, while Mikayla Hubele had six kills and 15 blocks. CJ Davis added 17 digs and 113 assists, and Katie Davis had 51 digs.

At the state tournament, the Wolverines faced the Shelley Russets early Friday morning. Though the game resulted in a disappointing loss, the Weiser girls didn’t let up and beat Timberlake and Snake River later that day. Advancing to Saturday, and guaranteed a trophy, the Wolverines competed against Sugar Salem. Our girls fought hard but still came up just short of a win. They earned a fourth place trophy as well as the sportsmanship award. Congratulations to the Weiser varsity volleyball team on a great season and bringing home three trophies!

All-Star football game heldby Corina Larsen & Jackson Jensen

With football season wrapped up, a few WHS senior football players were selected to play in the annual All-Star Shriner football game. This football game is a charity event, and all proceeds raised will go to the Shriners’ hospital. The game will be held Nov 28th at 2 P.M. at Eagle High School. Coach Srholec nominated eight football players to be voted on by the other 3A coaches. Srholec nominates seniors who are good players, who put in the time and work to get better, and who would be good representatives for WHS. Three Wolverines were selected. Seniors Nick Gluch, Jacks Whitehurst, and Brenan Westover were chosen to partici-pate in the all-star game. Asked to react, Westover said, “I was happy and honored to be nominated by Coach Srholec and proud to be chosen to represent our school. Getting to play one more game is exciting because it is my last year of high school, and I’m excited to have Nick and Jacks by my side.” Being selected to play in this game is a huge deal for a small school like Weiser. Having three seniors chosen to play is awesome because these boys were up against players coming from the big 4A and 5A schools. Weiser High is proud to have Nick, Jacks, and Brenan represent us. Best of luck, boys!

PTECH program offeredby Austen Thomason

WHS sophomores and juniors had the opportunity to learn about the Idaho PTECH Program Oct 29. This program offers many benefits, but there are also some limitations. During the freshman and sophomore year, students learn about PTECH. During junior year, if PTECH thinks students will be successful, they can start taking FREE dual credit online courses. The PTECH program will also pay for a laptop and textbooks for students to complete these classes. PTECH degrees can be earned through NIC, Lewis-Clark State College, or the College of Southern Idaho. Keep in mind that this is a two-year technical degree in health care, technology, or aerospace/advanced manufacturing. As far as deadlines and qualifications go, there are no hard deadlines, but recruiting is done in spring and fall. To qualify, students need to meet the class stipulation mentioned above and be an interested, hardworking student with a minimum C average GPA. This is a rare opportu-nity. WHS is one of just 16 schools in Idaho with access to the PTECH program. If a student wants to withdraw from PTECH, there is no penalty. They fill out a bit of paperwork and return the computer. Overall PTECH can be a very beneficial program. For more information, visit their website www.idahoPTECH.org.

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VB all-stars namedby Alecia Lundberg

After a very successful volleyball season, many Weiser varsity volley-ball girls received spe-cial recognition for their individual skills. Both of the team’s seniors, Emily Gluch and Paige Brown, participated in the Senior All-Star game Nov 9th at Payette High School. Sara Lund-berg, Emily Gluch, and Katie Davis were chosen for the Honorable Mentions team, while CJ Davis made second team. Brown and Alecia Lundberg were honored being chosen for first team. Congratulations to all the girls hon-ored and to the volleyball team on a great season finish.

Boys’ basketball season beginsby Corina Larson & Stella Beams

Colder days, falling leaves, and changing seasons means the start of winter sports for Weiser High School. The boys’ basketball team held their first practice Nov 13th followed by their first game Dec 1st. The season opener will be against New Plym-outh at home.

With the five returning varsity players, Jacobi Beesley, Tony Lopez, Jase Roberts, Alberto Sanchez, and Bridger Bumgarner, the boys’ varsity team is looking to make up for some unfinished business. Head coach Brad Adolfson said his goals for his boys this season are, “to be the best team in the conference and to become better people off the court.” With a lot of up and coming talent, it is unknown who will be the starters this season. The boys will face some tough competition this season including, Emmett, Fruitland, and Homedale, but Coach Adolfson commented that he’s excited for the potential the team has and that he is looking forward to what the boys are going to be able to accomplish.

Girls’ basketball season beginsby Theresa Moyle

The 2015 girls’ basketball season got un-derway with the Ladies’ first practice Nov 2. Six returning players will lead the team this year. They are Ali Reed, Paige Brown, Emily Gluch, CJ Davis, Katie Davis, and Lauren Bouvia. The starting line-up is not yet set, however.

Head Coach Nick Reed’s goals for the season include to “try to get better each game and be district champions and state champions”. He sees either Emmett or Homedale as the girls’ toughest competition. Reed is “excited to play”.

The girls faced the Caldwell Cougars Nov 17. At press time, results were not available.

Wrestlers hit matsby Garrett Hinkley

The Wolverine wrestling sea-son officially began Nov 16 with the team’s first practice. They will see their first action Dec 5 in the Capital Bucks Bags Dual. The squad boasts 50 returning athletes. The team’s leaders will include: Cristian Delgadillo, Shane Loughran, Marco Delgadillo, Ricky Sandoval, Colt Yeager, Rafael Favela, Garrett Hinkley, Alex Raby, Gustavo Molina, Dakota Lewis, David Perez, Jeb Johnson, Kaden Fager, and Kristian Claudio.

Coach Dickerson’s goal for the season is simple – a state title. He sees Fruitland as the boys’ toughest competition this season. Dickerson added, “Wrestling prepares a young man to fight the game of life!”

Featured athletes (soccer, xc)by Hannah Alder & Alecia Lundberg

Name: Tony LopezSchool sports played: soccer, basketball, trackFuture plans: to live on a farm with my cowgirlFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: chickenWhat are you most thankful for: my bedFavorite football team: FC Barcelona

Name: Jacobi BeesleySchool sports played: soccer, basketballFuture plans: to go to college & to play ballFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: ThanksgivingFavorite football team: New York Giants

Name: Roy AranaSchool sports played: soccerFuture plans: to have a mid-life crisis and prob-ably live in a trailer parkFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: Isaac TareloFavorite football team: Kansas City Royals

Name: Oscar PadillaSchool sports played: soccer, basketball, footballFuture plans: to be a janitor at HarvardFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: ice cubesWhat are you most thankful for: Mia’s embar-rassing momentsFavorite football team: Cambridge Titans

Name: Jose Ruben PerezSchool sports played: football, soccer, basketballFuture plans: to play college soccer then to go proFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: everythingFavorite football team: Real Madrid

Name: Billy BrookeSchool sports played: soccer, trackFuture plans: to attend college to become an electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, or com-puter scientistFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: candied yamsWhat are you most thankful for: my familyFavorite football team: I don’t like football.

Name: Alex AlbaSchool sports played: soccer, wrestling, trackFuture plans: to go to collegeFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: my friends and familyFavorite football team: Seattle Seahawks

Name: Kelsie HemphillSchool sports played: soccerFuture plans: college lifeFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: I don’t have one. What are you most thankful for: my loving familyFavorite football team: Seattle Seahawks

Name: Maggi LaanSchool sports played: soccer, tennisFuture plans: to go to college then work abroadFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: huckleberry pieWhat are you most thankful for: friends and familyFavorite football team: I don’t watch football.

Name: Grace ZimmermanSchool sports played: soccerFuture plans: a career in dentistryFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: family and friendsFavorite football team: Philadelphia Eagles

Name: Lisa HeitschSchool sports played: soccerFuture plans: to finish high school in GermanyFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: chocolate cakeWhat are you most thankful for: for all of my friends and familyFavorite football team: Boise State

Name: Isaac LopezSchool sports played: cross-country, wrestling, trackFuture plans: undecidedFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: family and friendsFavorite football team: Denver Broncos

Name: Jonathon ShaberSchool sports played: cross-country, tennis, trackFuture plans: college and world dominationFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: piesWhat are you most thankful for: kabanas Favorite football team: Weiser Wolverines

Name: Samantha LattinSchool sports played: cross-country, tennisFuture plans: to go to college to become an ele-mentary school teacherFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: my family and friends (here and in Colorado)Favorite football team: Denver Broncos

Name: Alex LattinSchool sports played: cross-countryFuture plans: to find BigfootFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: the blood of my enemiesWhat are you most thankful for: my hot tubFavorite football team: Denver Broncos

Name: Blaine ChandlerSchool sports played: cross-country, track, soccerFuture plans: to become a rock starFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: celeryWhat are you most thankful for: my brainFavorite football team: none

Name: Nayeli SosaSchool sports played: track, cheerleading, cross-countryFuture plans: to go to college to be a copFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: cheesecakeWhat are you most thankful for: Tyler McElroyFavorite football team: I don’t watch football.

Name: Kataro FurukawaSchool sports played: cross-country, basketballFuture plans: I want to use English.Favorite Thanksgiving dessert: apple pieWhat are you most thankful for: my host parentsFavorite football team: Boise State

Name: Addison PelletierSchool sports played: cross-countryFuture plans: to work and to go to collegeFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: pieWhat are you most thankful for: my family, friends, school, and lifeFavorite football team: Cowboys

Name: Nina KommerSchool sports played: cross-country, cheerleadingFuture plans: to go to college in the USFavorite Thanksgiving dessert: apple pie & pumpkin pieWhat are you most thankful for: all of the people who have become my friendsFavorite football team: Notre Dame

Opinion/Editorial

Editors’ columnby Jonathon Shaber & Roy Arana

Welcome to November, Weiser High School! What a crazy month. Juniors have senior projects, seniors have college application week, and everyone else has winter sports heating up. Keep holding on; Thanksgiving is coming up, and Christmas isn’t long after. Good luck to all of the winter sports getting a start this month and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

Junior editor’s columnby Kaylee Nye

With the holidays right around the cor-ner, our thoughts should turn towards the less fortunate. Many Americans don’t have enough to eat, or they go without heat during the winter season, so it’s our responsibility to provide them aid. This year, make it a priority to change the life of an individual, either through the canned food drive, clothing donations, or the Ho Ho Express. Instead of focusing on what we want this Christmas, we should be thankful for what we have.

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College Cornerby Miss Peterson

Welcome to this month’s edition of college corner. There is always something for every grade level of students. If you ever have any college or post-high school education-relat-ed questions, please stop by and see Miss Peterson.

Technical schools: bridging the gap between education and industryThere is an unfortunate yet vibrant stigma attached to blue collar jobs and technical or vocational schools in our society. However, technical and vocational colleges are filling a much needed gap in the skills workforce while employing people at an incredibly high rate. These people are also being paid comparably to some graduating from traditional degree programs working in non-tech-nical skills professions.

College of Western Idaho in Nampa began in 2008 and has explod-ed since due to a wide array of technical programs. Over half of their programs have a certificate or technical certificate as one of the degrees available. Typically, these programs are anywhere from six weeks to two years long. Many instructors have connections in the field they are teaching that lead to internships. A great deal of these programs are also incredibly hands-on.

They are meant to include more work force training than a tradi-tional degree program. CWI’s programs span many different fields such as the medical field, electrician apprenticeships, welding and fabrication, and professional truck driving. A complete list can be found at http://cwidaho.cc/program.

Treasure Valley C.C. in Ontario also offers many programs at a similar cost. Welding, horse production, nursing, aviation, and fire science technology are among them. TVCC’s programs are listed on their website, www.tvcc.cc. North Idaho College and College of Southern Idaho also have an expansive division of profession-al-technical programs. NIC recently opened an aircraft mainte-nance program, while CSI has a windmill technology program.

What the heck is a FAFSA?FAFSA is an acronym for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is how students apply for access to Pell and other grants, federal student loans, work study, and some scholarships. Many colleges and universities will not award students any scholarship money until they have completed a FAFSA. It is to be completed by students who will enroll in college the following fall and every year after of enrollment.

January 1, 2016 is the first day that seniors from the Class of 2016 can complete it. Tax returns from 2014 can be used as an estimate until 2015 tax returns are completed, and the form can be updated later. While it can be a cumbersome process, there are a lot of myths surrounding the FAFSA, which adds headaches. Many believe that if their student will not be eligible for any money, their student should not complete the FAFSA. However, that can keep their student from scholarship money, and one never knows where a student’s financial need will fall.

Another issue is to make sure that students are completing the correct version. You can go to www.fafsa.gov to fill it out. Other websites that are similar, such as www.fafsa.com, charge money to submit the FAFSA. It is a free application, hence the first word of the acronym being Free. Do not fall into that trap! Lastly, if this information is too overwhelming, it is okay. WHS will be holding four FAFSA workshops that offer personal help with the completion.

Fashion policeby DJ Moyle

As the year progresses into winter, more and more trends are starting. One trend that I have noticed is the Ariana Grande half up/half down hair style starting to become very popular. Also, winged eyeliner is a huge trend. Plus, wearing pink on Wednesday and fancy printed jeans with a rolled up cuff look are in. As for the guys, there is wearing cowboy boots and North face jackets. Wearing tan jeans with a nice pair of gray Levi’s or dark blue or black vans is also in. In addition to those trends, there is also wearing of joggers, whether they be gray, galaxy, black, or even floral, they are a huge thing right now. They are the most com-fortable thing you could ever wear next to sweat pants, which are of God. Many trends are sparking this year, so stand by for the next big trends, because you won’t want to miss it. Remember, dress to impress and look your best.

Movie review- Inside Outby Daniel Parker

9 of 10 stars 2015 Disney PixarAnimation Rated: PG

Disney and Pixar’s newest film since Monsters University in 2013, Inside Out is a funny and emotional story about the life of a girl named Riley from the time of her birth to her pre-teen years. The story takes place in Riley’s mind with her emotions that decide what she’s going to do next in the control center of her mind. Those emotions are Joy (voiced by Amy Poehler), Sadness (voiced by Phyllis Smith), Anger (voiced by Lewis Black), Fear (voiced by Bill Hader) and Disgust (voiced by Mindy Kaling). Riley is a hockey player from Minnesota who lives with her mother and father. Ev-erything changes when her family moves to San Francisco, California. In Riley’s mind, Joy and Sadness are separated from the control center after her memories go awry and go on an adventure through her mind to get back. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who’s looking for a good movie to watch; I give it 10 out of 10 stars!

Music reviewMadison MacDonald

With Thanksgiving in just a few days and Christmas right around the corner, it’s about time to get into the holiday spirit. Not like ghosts, not that kind of spirits; Halloween’s over. By anonymous student and staff vote, here are the top five favorite holiday songs of the season.

1. All I Want For Christmas Is You- Mariah Carey2. Jingle Bell Rock- Bobby Helms3. God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen4. Jingle Bells5. Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Book review - Tenby Itzel Perez

If you like scary thrillers and enjoy getting a little spooked, you should read the book Ten by Gretchen McNeil. Meg and Minnie decide to go to a three-day weekend party at White Rock House on Henry Island. All of a sudden, people start dying, and with a storm outside, the power gets cut. As more and more people start dying, Meg begins to speculate that there could be someone responsible for their ‘accidental’ deaths. Can she find the murder? Read and find out!

Would you rather...by Itzel Perez

Would you rather be stuck on a broken ski lift or in a broken elevator? Several WHS students were asked which of these two horrible scenarios they would rather face. Their responses follow:

• Jacky Delgadillo (9): broken elevator•Aline Cortez (9): broken ski lift•Damian Perez (9): broken elevator•Braden Bumgarner (9): broken ski lift• Stephanie Coronado (10): broken elevator• Payton Reyes (10): broken elevator•Daniel Prado (10): broken ski lift•Mikel Davies (10): broken elevator•Alecia Lundberg (11): broken ski lift• Lizette Almanza (11): broken elevator•Greg Reyes (11): broken elevator•Carson Beams (11): broken ski lift•Ana Duran (12): broken ski lift•Kelsie Hemphill (12): broken ski lift• Jose Ruben Perez (12): broken elevator•Roy Arana (12): broken elevator

Should he be fired?by Melanie Girvin

A recent incident has many asking this ques-tion nationwide. It started when a female stu-dent from Spring Valley High School in South Carolina was on her phone and the teacher asked her to put it away. When the student con-tinued to revolt, the teacher asked her to leave. She also disobeyed that order, so an SRO was called in. The end result was the student being roughly pulled out of her chair and practically dragged out of the classroom. The officer was later fired from his job. Several WHS students were asked if they agreed with this action and why. Their responses follow:

Jack Barrie (9): I don’t know.Darrian Hoobery (9): He should have pulled her out of the chair harder.Amber Boyle (9): That’s not okay. The girl should have put her phone away.Natalie Williamson (9): I think that the officer was being kind of ridiculous.Nathan Galligar (10): It’s not rightDevin Pohl (10): I have never seen it, so I have no opinion.Danny Olivo (10): He didn’t have to go that far; he is kind of a worthless cop.Katelyn Wyss (10): If she wasn’t listening, he didn’t have much of a choice.Emily Tincher (11): I don’t knowBen Wootton (11): It almost seemed like she deserved it, and there really was no way to get her out.Logan Tolman (11): I have no idea.Taylor Jo Wood (11): I don’t know; I have never seen it.Alecia Lundberg (11): She should have gone out of class when she was told to.Bryan Downing (12): It was uncalled forJonathan Shaber (12): I think he used unneeded force.Camille Weldon (12): Well, the girl didn’t get hurt, so it’s okay.Kelsie Hemphill (12): I think that people should respect their officers, and it›s not like he wanted that to happen.

Should cheer uniforms be banned at school?by Hannah Alder

In recent years there has been a nationwide movement to ban cheer uniforms being worn on school campuses, including some in Idaho. With this in mind, several WHS students were asked for their opinion on this issue. Their responses follow:

•Aline Cortez (9): “No, wearing a cheer uniform is like wearing a dress.”

• Jacky Delgadillo (9): “Not every day. On game days they should be able to wear them.”

•Braden Bumgarner (9): “No, as long as they follow the dress code.”

•Matthew Westover (9): “If it follows the dress code, I think it should be okay.”

• Sarah Jorgenson (10): “No, it just doesn’t make sense to ban it.”

• Stephanie Lazaro (10): “No, it shouldn’t even matter.”• Jacen Smith (10): “No, just let females be females.”•Daniel Prado (10): “No, because spirit, spirit, spirit! I

support my female athletes.”•Olivia Johnson (11): “No, if other teams can wear their

jerseys to school, the cheerleaders should be able to wear theirs. If it is that much of a problem, they can just change the cheer uniforms.”

•Hope Fuller (11): “No, because they are not that immodest and people shouldn’t be staring anyway.”

•Carson Beams (11): “No, because they are ‘sporty’.”• Tad Moser (11): “No, because the school has had them

forever and they are legit.”• Lisa Heitsch (12): “Yes, because it’s too cold outside.”• Tabitha Joseph (12): “No, they are a team. If other teams

can wear their uniforms, cheer should be able to.”•Blaine Chandler (12): “Yes, because it’s against the

dress code.”•Alex Lattin (12): “No, because if I say yes the cheerlead-

ers will come after me.”

Black Friday – do you go?by Melanie Girvin Even though we all love Thanksgiving, most seem to look forward to the sales after the meal. Several WHS students were asked to name their favorite part of Black Friday. The results follow:

•Brooke Anderson (9): staying home and listening to my parents’ stories

•Cami Thomas (9): My parents aren’t home.•Brenden Barbot (9): I don’t like Black Friday.•Kyler Thomason (9): all the crazy people• Emma Packer (10): eating leftovers from Thanksgiving•Katelyn Wyss (10): Stuff is cheaper.•Berke Walker (10): staying home•Daniel Parker (10): good deals if you get there early•Haley Turner (11): cheap crap• Sierra Shaver (11): excitement of shopping.• Eric Sanchez (11): lot of expensive stuff you can’t usu-

ally get•Kayd Kunz (11): staying away from stores to limit chance

of death•Becca Shepherd (12): getting to punch people in the face

for stuff•Bekah Johnson (12): It’s not worth getting run over by

crazy people with shopping carts.•Alex Lattin (12): It’s the one time of year I get to lose

my cool.•Nolon Perry (12): Black Friday is awesome! I went once,

got in a fight, and now I can’t go!

Comics submitted by senior Skylar Thomas

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FeatureBackpack ban liftedby Austen Thomason

Students have noticed by now that back-packs are allowed in classrooms this year. Several WHS students were asked if they think this is a good idea and why. Their responses follow:

•Kyler Thomason (9): It’s a bad idea. People are always tripping over them!

•Russell Chandler (10): Backpacks are good as long as they’re out of the way.

• Shawn Schultz (11): I’m kind of neutral. I like having backpacks, but no one uses their locker and backpacks take up space.

•Nina Kommer (12): I really like to take my backpack with me because it’s more comfortable to take my stuff in a bag.

•Danielle Hoopes (9): I don’t really care.•Huntley Kenley (10): Yes! My backpack is my life. It’s a

lot easier to carry around than binders or folders.•Marissa Goodwin (11): Yes! I’m never late to class be-

cause of a stuck locker anymore. •Bradley Parker (12): It’s awesome! I can carry all of my

stuff plus snacks!

What would you eat inchocolate?by Hope Fuller & Kayd Kunz

Dec 16 is National “What would you eat covered in chocolate” day. Several WHS students were asked this question. Their responses follow:

•Braden Bumgarner (9): M&M’s • Sara Lundberg (9): pretzels or almonds•Brenden Barbot (9): fruit•Abbey Shirts (9): fruits•Rein Laan (10): steak• James Dworkin (10): bacon• Emma Davidson (10): anything•Mikaela Laird (10): fruit •Angelica Vazquez (11): frijoles •Kryshna Sylvia (11): fruit •Brenan Westover (12): rocky mountain oysters •Alex Lattin (12): sushi•Nina Kommer (12): fruits of any kind •Grace Zimmerman (12): anything

Should high school football be banned?by Kaylee Nye

During this football season, sixteen students have died from head injuries after practice or a football game. This has caused a nationwide discussion whether or not high school football should be banned in the United States. Several WHS students were asked their opinion on this matter. Their responses follow:

•Bradon Collins (9): I think it should be banned if that many kids have been dying.

•Kelvin Price (9): No.•Abbey Shirts (9): No, a lot of people really enjoy football.• Lacey Wilson (9): No, but I think there should be more

rules to keep kids safe.•Berke Walker (10): I don’t know. Many students enjoy

football, but if kids are dying, something should be done about it.

• Jaceyn Smith (10): No, I really love football, and I would leave to somewhere else to be able to play.

•Brittany Hickey (10): No, football involves hitting, and kids know what could happen.

•Katelyn Wyss (10): No, it would suck not being able to watch football. I think that they should make better helmets or rules.

•Brenan Westover (11): No, many kids know what they signed up for, and hitting people is part of the reason why they sign up.

•Kaden Fager (11): No, I think we should keep football but try to make it safer.

• Theresa Moyle (11): No, because everyone would riot against the decision.

•Melissa Curry (11): It would really affect me, and I believe that it should be banned to keep students safe.

•Marco Delgadillo (12): No, too many people enjoy playing football. I don’t think they should change things because there are already so many rules for hitting, that it would be even harder to play.

•Roy Arana (12): No, I think that rules should make it safer for players.

• Sam Garcia (12): No, but steps should be taken to help and to have better equipment.

•Coco Larsen (12): No, but I think that the rules should be changed for hitting.

College of the Month: Universityof Idahoby Lillian Burns

November’s college of the month is the University of Idaho, located in Moscow, Idaho. U of I is known as the black and gold Vandals. They participate in NCAA Division 1 athletics and have funded $96 million to student research in the last year. There are 11,534 students enrolled on campus, and they have a student to faculty ratio of 17 to 1. U of I offers 85 different bachelor’s degrees and 63 master’s programs. The total cost of attendance at the University of Idaho is $20,500 per year for in-state students. This is a catch-all price including tuition and fees, dorms and food, books, health insurance (if not provided by parents), transporta-tion, and personal expenses. However, the average financial aid package awarded to U of I students is $13,573, leaving an out of pocket price of $6,927 per year. Over half, 55.7%, of University of Idaho students graduate with a degree, and 76.5% of students will continue on to their sophomore year of study at the university. The average profile for incoming freshmen at the University of Idaho is a 3.42 average high school GPA and a composite ACT score of 23.6. The Princeton Review recognized the University of Idaho in their “Top 286 Green Colleges” as one of the most environmentally responsible universities.

(Source: http://www.uidaho.edu/about/fast-facts)

Career of month - water slide testerby Itzel Perez

Who doesn’t love water parks?! These recreational parks are solely for enter-tainment, and if you’re interested, you can even acquire a job as a water slide tester. People who work in this industry truly love to have fun and enjoy a thrill! Since the tester is asked to rate the water slides’ performance, he or she may have to ride the slides several times in order to fully experience them and provide a rating. Who wouldn’t love that? A water slide tester is asked to travel to interna-tional water park locations to try different water slides by rating the overall experience. The average salary is $34,000.

(Source: http://www.bestjobsinfoguide.com/)

Nonsense wordby Kailyn Doty

This month’s nonsense word is oxter. Several WHS stu-dents were asked to try to define this word. Their responses follow:

• Juan Garcia (9): someone who lives outside• Lacey Wilson (9): a herd of baby oxen•Russell Chandler (10): a personality disorder• Shannon Sherbondy (10): a baby otter• Jackson Jensen (11): a scholarly letter• Emmi Hackbart (11): any Ivy League graduate•Marco Delgadillo (12): a thumb•Corina Larsen (12): someone who raises oxen

These are good guesses, but the real definition is “an outdated word for armpit”. The closest guess was Marco Delgadillo with another body part. Better luck next month!

Dec strange holidaysby Bradley Parker

*Antarctica Day: Dec 1*National Mutt Day: Dec 2*National Christmas Tree Lighting (DC): Dec 3*Faux Fur Friday: Dec 4 *Bathtub Party Day: Dec 5 *National Pawnbrokers Day: Dec 6*National Cotton Candy Day: Dec 7 *Pretend To Be A Time Traveler Day: Dec 8*Weary Willie Day: Dec 9 *Nobel Prize Day: Dec 10*Official Lost & Found Day: Dec 11*National 12-hour Fresh Breath Day: Dec 12*Pick A Pathologist Pal Day: Dec 13*Monkey Day: Dec 14 *Cat Herders Day: Dec 15*National Chocolate-covered Anything Day: Dec 16 *National Regifting Day: Dec 17 (3d Thursday) *Answer The Telephone Like Buddy The Elf Day: Dec 18 *Mudd Day: Dec 20*Celebrate Short Fiction Day: Dec 21*Short Girl Appreciation Day: Dec 21 (shortest day of the year)*Human Light Celebration: Dec 23

(Source: http://www.brownielocks.com/DEC-2015.html)

What is your favorite side dish?by Melanie Girvin

It is almost everyone’s favorite hol-iday, Thanksgiving. The day one can eat anything and everything he or she wants. Of that “everything”, what is everyone’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish? Several WHS students were asked this ques-tion. Their responses follow:

Jaquelin Delgadillo (9)- cheesecakeSara Lundberg (9)- stuffingJack Barrie (9)- biscuits and gravySantiago Ixta (9)- steamed veggiesEmma Estes (10)- mashed potatoesEmma Packer (10)- green beansDalton Turrentine (10)- cranberriesHunter Hendrickson (10)- foodAlexys Rasmussen (11)- mashed potatoesItzel Perez (11)- potato saladLogan Tolman (11)- pumpkin rollJason Kerner (11)- stuffingTyler Kenley (12)- suffingBekah Johnson (12)- stuffingJonathan Shaber (12)- stuffingBryan Downing (12)- deviled eggs

Ski reportby Mikel Davies

Bogus Basin Ski Resort Projected to open around Dec 20, 2015At the base, there are currently 10 inches of powderPrices for full mountain season passesSenior ages 70+, $199Adults ages 20 to 69, $389Juniors ages 12 to 19, $329Children ages 7 to 11, $59Preschool ages 6 & under, $25A family pass is $1556 for 4 people

Brundage Mountain Ski ResortProjected to open around Dec 20, 2015At the base of the mountain, there are currently 23 inches of powderPrices for full mountain season passesSenior pass $199Adult pass $539College pass $199Junior pass $199Youth pass $89Children Pass $15First Time pass $248First Time Bogus Upgrade pass $199Bogus Upgrade pass $299 Military pass $199Mid-Week Club Card $248Family pass $1299

Advisor’s note: In last month’s Scoop, I accidental-ly misidentified two of our foreign exchange students. The girl pictured above is Lisa Heitsch, and the one below is Tia Lietermann. I apologize for the mistake. ~ Mrs. Gonzales

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What are you most thankful for?by Kaylee Nye

With Thanksgiving next week, several WHS students were asked to name what they are most thankful for. Their responses follow:

•Seth Kampilla (9): my new baby sister•Mckenzi Fager (9): my parents for pushing me to do

better and try new things•Westi Walker (9): good friends•Philip Soulen (10): pumpkin pie•Hunter Stone (10): my mother•Alexis Walsh (10): new friends•Anabelle Frederick (10): my family•Ben Wootton (11): mi familia•Greg Reyes (11): my mom• Itzel Perez (11): hot Cheetos and Takis•Liz Carnig (11): Theresa, for keeping my love alive•Nick Gluch (12): for being alive• Jacks Whitehurst (12): you•Mia Sanchez (12): another year of life on this earth

and Beck Jones•Nina Kommer (12): to be able to be in the United States

What is your favorite pie?by Conner Hilt

Thanksgiving next week is causing most Americans’ mouths to water al-ready. We all love the turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Some love the stuffing and the green bean casserole, while others prefer the candied yams. When the meal is over, however, who saves room for Thanksgiving pie? Several WHS students were asked to name their favorite pie. Their responses follow:

•Brenden Barbot (9): American•Braden Bumgarner (9): banana cream• Sara Lundberg (9): pumpkin•Amber Boyle (9): pumpkin• Sydney Maloney (10): Oreo chocolate•Anabelle Frederick (10): pumpkin•Caleb Deidrich (10): apple•Michael Brook (10): apple• Theresa Moyle (11): coconut•Kayd Kunz (11): pumpkin•Hope Fuller (11): strawberry rhubarb•Kaden Fager (11): pumpkin• Jase Roberts (12): strawberry rhubarb•Corina Larsen (12): peach•Nina Kommer (12): apple crisp• Logan Rowley (12): cobbler

National cookie dayby Jackson Jensen

Dec 4 is National Cookie Day. Did you know that the English word “cookie” is derived from the Dutch word “koekje,” which means little cake? Dutch bakers used to test oven temperatures on small amounts of batter so that they would not waste the entire cake mix if the temperature wasn’t right. It was not long before they discovered that these tiny pieces of cooked batter were actually quite tasty. Cookies come in all different flavors, shapes, and sizes. To celebrate National Cookie Day, bake a few batches of your favorite variety and invite your friends over for a cookie swap!

(Source: http://www.punchbowl.com/holidays/national-cook-ie-day)

National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day by Bradley Parker

Dec 7th is National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. On Sunday morning Dec 7, 1941, the American Army and Navy base in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii was attacked by the imperial Japanese Navy. The attack came as a surprise to the US and lead to a great loss of lives and equipment. More than 2,000 American citizens were killed and more than 1000 were injured. The motive for the Japanese to attack was to prevent America from increasing her influence in the Pacific. This event caused America to go into WWII and helped thousands and thousands of Americans to go to work, which ultimately saved America from the Great Depression. On National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, the US flag is flown at half-mast to honor those who died in the attack. This is a great opportunity to remember the people who lost their life in one of America’s most tragic days.

(Source: www.timeanddate.com/holidays/us/pearl-har-bor-remembrance-day)

National chocolate covered anything dayby Bradley Parker

Dec 16th is National chocolate cov-ered anything day. This day is not just a day to eat chocolate but a day to have chocolate on anything you classify as delicious. The history of national chocolate cov-ered anything day does not really give too many details on how it started, but it’s a day dedicated to all of the chocolate addicts who just cannot forgo the bittersweet extract of the coco bean. The most common foods to pour chocolate on are raisins, nuts, and waffles. People even go to the extreme and pour chocolate on sushi. Get creative and enjoy!

(Source: ifood.tv/facts/246509-history-of-national-cho-clate-covered-anything-day)

December fun factsby Bradley Parker

1. The birthstone of December is turquoise.2. Zodiac signs for December are Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21) and Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19).3. The birth flower of December is the narcissus.4. World’s AIDS Day is celebrated Dec 1st.5. Dec 3 - International Day of the Disabled Person6. Universal Human Rights Month7. National Read a New Book Month8. In December, Nobel Prizes are awarded.9. On Dec 4, 1791, The Observer newspaper (the first Sun-day newspaper) was first published in Britain.10. Christmas Day is celebrated Dec 25th.11. On Dec 7, 1941, the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor was attacked by Japanese planes which killed more than 2,300 Americans.12. On Dec 20, 1803, the Louisiana Purchase was com-pleted.13. Kwanzaa is celebrated Dec 26 - Jan 1 every year.14. National Stress Free Family Holiday Month15. Dec 27th is National Chocolate Day16. On Dec 29, 1862, the bowling ball was invented.17. Poinsettia Day is Dec 12th.18. On Dec 3, 1967, the first heart transplant was completed.19. On Dec 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers made their first flight.20. On Dec 14, 1791, the Bill of Rights was passed.

(Source: http://www.famousbirthdays.com/facts-about-de-cember.html)

Monthly exotic creature – blue sead-ragon slugby Melissa Curry

Fascinated with animals big and small, there are many creatures that I am not aware of around the world. Driven by this fact, I proposed that the Wolverine Scoop include an article on a creature each month that is not well-known . As a result, animal lovers at WHS can join me in my research of animals that we might not have heard of.

This month we are going to learn about the Blue Sea Dragon Slug. When people first hear the name of this creature, their first reaction is to grimace in disgust., Slugs are disgusting...right? My reaction was similar until I found a picture of this interesting creature. Instead of finding an ugly blue slug, I found the image of an animal that does bear similarities to the mythological dragon. Colored a beautiful silvery blue with dark blue and white stripes, this creature is truly an animal one could imagine swimming through the waters of a fantasy world unreachable to reality. Instead of those mythical waters, the Blue Sea Dragon Slug, also known as Glaucus Atlanticus, swims natively in temperate and tropical ocean waters, including those off the coast of South Africa, Australia, and most of Europe. Never growing bigger than three centimeters in length, these ocean dwelling slugs are more dangerous than one would initially guess. They are known to kill and consume very poisonous creatures such as the much larger Portuguese Man O’ War (averaging 30 centimeters long, 12.7 centimeters wide, and, including tentacles, 165 feet long) whose sting is very painful to humans and sometimes fatal. Not only does the Blue Sea Dragon Slug eat these dangerous creatures, it also recycles their poison, storing it in the tentacle like fingertips shown in the picture. This recycled poison can at times be even more dangerous than the creatures the Sea Slug originally recycled the poison from, depending on the concentration and sheer amount stored within the fingertips.

(Source: http://www.factzoo.com/invertebrates/blue-sea-slug-little-blue-big-sting.html)

National 12-hour fresh breath day by Kevin Bravo

Bad-smelling breath isn’t just an annoy-ance to the people around you; it can also indicate a health problem. Those foul-smelling, invisible vapors could indicate dry mouth, gum disease, or other ongoing illness. Check your breath during Na-tional 12-hour Fresh Breath Day Dec 12 and make taking care of your health a breath of fresh air. If your bad breath is caused by an illness, see a medical professional. Otherwise, to tame those toxic fumes: brush and floss, rinse your mouth, use a breath freshener or breath mint, and see your dentist regularly. Remember that fresh breath not only makes the girls like you better, but it makes sickness stay away from you. Stay healthy, stay fresh, and always remember you don’t have to brush your teeth - just the ones you want to keep. (Source: http://www.purecountry1067.com/2014/12/12/de-cember-12)

2015-16 Wolverine Scoop staff

Officers: Roy Arana & Jonathon Shaber = Editors

Kaylee Nye & Itzel Perez = Junior editors

Reporters:Corina Larsen Kevin BravoJason Kerner Kailyn DotyHannah Alder Mikel DaviesBen Wootton Lillian BurnsEmma Burns Camille WeldonJackson Jensen Bradley ParkerAlecia Lundberg Kyle FerrenStella Beams Samantha WilcoxMelissa Curry Nina KommerAusten Thomason Kassidy HagansTad Moser Garrett HinkleyMelanie Girvin Kayd KunzLauren Bouvia Hope FullerDaniel Parker DJ MoyleGreg Reyes Theresa MoyleKatie Davis Madison MacDonald

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WHS STUDENTS: Color the picture on the back page each month and turn it in, with your name and grade, to Mrs. Gonzales in Room 13 to win an awesome little prize.

Horoscopes - Decby Melissa Curry

Capricorn- Monday has you on the run, but Tuesday through Thursday are much more mellow days. Watch out for friends or family members who seem like they’re giving you a hard time for no reason - they’re probably just trying to bug you. Make sure you have some way to get a hold of your best friend on Friday and Saturday. If something happens toward the end of the week, there’s no one else you’d rather talk about it with than your BFF. Texting is better than nothing, but a face-to-face chat is best.Aquarius- Someone’s hiding something from you on Monday, but by Tuesday, you’ve got everything figured out. Don’t get back at them; sometimes leaving them wondering by doing nothing is the best revenge! The end of the week your head gets a little fuzzy, so try not to do anything too detail-oriented on Friday or Saturday. One of your biggest wishes has a chance of coming true on Sunday. Stay cool – you don’t want anyone else to know that you’re freaking out on the inside!Pisces- Something’s bugging you at the beginning of the week, but you can’t quite put your finger on what it is. You want to be emotional on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, but the situation you’re in requires an intellectual response. There’s a time for fun, but this isn’t it! Show them what you’ve got, and they’ll stop asking you to prove yourself. Someone wants to show you they’re the boss on Sunday. Let them win just this once.Aries- You’re totally on top of your game on Monday, but not everyone wants to hear about it. A close relationship isn’t what you want it to be on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thurs-day, but try not to be overly clingy when trying to figure out what’s going on. The person you’re most attracted to on these days wants to do their own thing. Save your money

at the end of the week; you’re tempted to buy something shiny and new on Friday and Saturday, but your money is way better off in the bank.Taurus- Your hard work finally pays off on Monday. You deserve to celebrate, but the party won’t last for long – Tues-day through Thursday are the days you need to really dig in and get started on something new. Organization is key; if your room is a mess, clean it. If your e-mail is jammed, clean out your inbox to make room for new incoming mes-sages. Remember that the world doesn’t revolve around you on Friday and Saturday. Someone needs your help; don’t make them beg.Gemini- Something you thought was finished comes back to haunt you at the beginning of the week. Don’t panic – there’s a way to make it go away again, but you have to stay calm. You get along really well with almost everyone on Wednesday and Thursday, so if you have an apology to make, these are the best days to say you’re sorry. There’s no way you can plan for what might happen on Friday and Saturday, so do your best to roll with the punches at the end of the week.Cancer- You have to make the first move on Monday if you want anything to happen. Your mom or dad hassles you about something you thought was finished toward the middle of the week; the best way to handle it is to just do it again and get it over with. A secret crush is revealed on either Friday or Saturday, which has the potential to make your weekend a lot more fun that you thought it would be!Leo- You can’t stop thinking about money at the begin-ning of the week. You don’t have as much as you want on Monday, and then on Tuesday or Wednesday, you’ll get the chance to make some; just make sure you don’t work too hard - summer is almost over, and you don’t want to miss any of the fun! Something important gets lost on Friday or

Saturday. The chances of finding it are good if you look somewhere you’d never expect it to be.Virgo- Monday is your day. If you can dream it, you can do it. Watch out for someone who doesn’t have your best interests at heart on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, though - if you fall for their scheme, it will seriously bum you out. You’re in a creative mood on Friday, so try to find an outlet for it. Writing is especially productive. Sunday is what you make it; stay positive and good things will happen.Libra- If you aren’t sure about something on Monday, say “no.” It’s way better to be safe than sorry. Tuesday through Thursday is your time to shine; the energy you have on these days helps you accomplish more than you ever thought you’d get done! A mistake relating to money could be big trouble on Friday or Saturday, so don’t do any major spending. You may not have as much in the bank as you think you do.Scorpio- Someone’s in a position to help you at the begin-ning of the week. Go ahead and accept a favor, but make sure you realize that the other person may want something in return. The shoe’s on the other foot in the middle of the week, as you’re in a position to help other people, but when you’re in charge, there are no strings attached. Treat yourself to something new over the weekend. You deserve to splurge.Sagittarius- Stick with it in the beginning of the week. You might think you can’t do it on Monday, but Tuesday through Thursday is your time to shine. You’ve always wanted the power to make your own decisions, and on those days, you’ve got it! One of your dreams may come true, literally, toward the end of the week. It might freak you out, but don’t worry - your subconscious knows what it’s doing even if you feel like you don’t!

(Source: https://www.horoscope.com/us/horoscopes/teen/index-horoscope-teen-weekly.aspx)

Congratulations, October winner, senior Sam Garcia!

Comics submitted by senior Skylar Thomas