What really grinds my gears

Students ask for healthy choices

Jarrod Crump

Assistant Editor-in-Chief

 

     You know what really grinds my gears?  The school lunches. I really wish that we had some more nutritional foods other than pizza, hotdogs, corndogs, and hamburgers. We need a greater variety of good, nutritional foods instead of all these processed foods.

     In the movie Super Size Me, the host of the movie goes into public school and examines the schools foods, as well as examines the kids’ eating habits. All the food in the school was processed, much like our food. The host then went to an alternative school that offered well balanced non-processed foods for the kids. Most schools get all their food from a business that supplies schools food. The business supplying the alternative school was a very health conscience business. The school received fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as well balanced foods to be prepared in the lunch room. The meals supplied are not extremely hard to prepare so that the lunch ladies do not have to do too much work, but the food is much better than just having frozen processed foods that are re-heated.

     Now, I do not wish to put down the lunch ladies by any means. They are all hard working peopel who deserve every amount of respect we can muster. I do not wish to create more work for them but to provide a better meal for the students to live a healthy life style. 

   Every student should be offered a well balanced meal.

 

Battle for my buck

Edward Stone

Features Editor

 

     Most of us go to Riverstone Theaters whenever we want to go to see a movie; although, there are some people who go to other theaters such as the Hayden Cinemas.   Is it worth it? Are Riverstone’s seats really more comfortable; is the experience worth the extra $1.50? Is it worth traveling 5 miles farther and using the gas? I took it into my own hands to find out.

     Why is the Riverstone Theater preferred so much more over the Hayden Cinema? Well for one thing the stadium where the movies are shown is huge, and there are always seats available. The seats are comfortable, and considering it’s a movie theater it’s rather spacious. It stays open later than the Hayden Theater, it shows movies more frequently, and it’s nearby to many social places such as Starbucks, and other restaurants.

     Hayden Cinemas doesn’t seem like a better movie theater than Riverstone, but is it better? No, it isn’t. It is closer to where most of the THS students live though, and the movie tickets cost less (students $6.50, adults $7.50, children/seniors $5.50), the food at the concessions counter is also cheaper. That’s good and all, but it still doesn’t outweigh its cons. It has better prices, but the seats are uncomfortable; in fact, some of them are broken. Maybe it’s just because of the fact that it is Hayden Cinemas, but I would only go there to watch a movie as a last resort.

     I’ve made it quite obvious that Riverstone is the winner, but that doesn’t leave it without its negatives. Something that could be argued is whether or not the movie tickets cost too much. For student’s it costs $8.00, adults $9.00, and children/seniors $6.00 after 3:00 p.m., $1.00 less before. Another negative about Riverstone is that they charge outrageous prices at their concession stand. Would you pay $5.00 for a medium slurpy? It doesn’t matter whether you say you would or not because you’ll probably end up doing it anyways. I did, and yet every time I go to the movies with my friends I end up doing it again anyways whether I decide I’m not going to hours before.

     To wrap up this “battle for my buck”, I’d say Riverstone is a better investment. It might cost a little more, but when you go out you plan to spend money anyways. It’s also a better place to be with friends, and there are other things to do there after the movie. An example would be wandering the Hampton’s and dodging the attendants. Fun stuff! They also have extremely nice bathrooms.

By the book

Uncoding The DaVinci Code

Kaycie Miller

Copy Editor

 

     You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to enjoy a good conspiracy.  “The Da Vinci Code” by Dan Brown is just that, a good conspiracy novel.  The basic plot of this novel is the quest to uncover the truth behind the modern understanding of religion and the search for the Holy Grail.  I warn you, the author presents the line between the truthful and embellished elements of this novel very vaguely.  The author said that the Priory of Scion is in fact real, that Opus Dei is also real, and that, “All descriptions of artwork, architecture, documents, and secret rituals in this novel are accurate.”  However, keep in mind, this novel is sold as fiction and should be treated as such.

     Beyond the novel’s essence of fiction or non-fiction, it has extremely likeable characters and will keep you wanting more if you can get past the controversial subject matter or can live through the suspense that will leave you barely clinging to life.  Often you will feel like you have it all figured out until yet another fact comes creeping by and completely chages your perspective of the events in the book.  Brown does a great job causing you to neglect your instincts and keeping the reader guessing until the very end at which time he divulges every intriguing detail.  You will be surprised with the ending even if you have seen the movie.  The two are quite different and in my opinion the book is much better.

     I highly recommend this book if you can get past the book’s accusations of the Catholic Church.  As I said previously, this book is fiction so treat it like you would any other piece of fictional work.

 

Sleeping beauty wakes again

Drama class bursts through with musical talent

Sarah Bricky and Amaris Partyka

Staff Writers

 

      Mrs. Duran’s drama class was successful in bringing new life to a classic tale. Enchanted Sleeping Beauty debuted on Tuesday, March 4^th, and had its final performance on Thursday, March 6^th.

     Mrs. Duran, drama class teacher, said her students did wonderfully. Mrs. Duran said, “I try to do musicals because musicals are a lot of fun. And it is a challenge for the students.”

     The drama class didn’t only perform in front of students and relatives, but also put on a show for the children of Athol and Spirit Lake Elementary schools. When asked the purpose of performing for the elementary students, Mrs. Duran replied, “It’s our goal to have our class perform at least one children’s play a year. Kids give a positive energy to the play.”

    Overall, the students who participated in the play thought it went well, Cole Bartlet as Prince Alexander, Katrina Cook as sleeping beauty, Coltin Fullwiler as the King, Kendra Pyles as the Queen, and Jennifer Vickers as the witch. Vonie Grecian, Senior, said, “The play turned out awesome; incredibly great compared to our practices.” When asked if she was nervous, Grecian replied, “I was more nervous about singing than performing.” “My favorite part of the play was when Cole sang his fight song,” said Grecian.

     The elementary kids weren’t the only ones to enjoy the play, though. Several high school students in the audience said the performers did a fantastic job. “They did outstanding,” said Rachel Morgan, sophomore, “Excellent singing, very intense.” “Evilina was my favorite character. I loved her songs!” said Morgan.

    The drama class practiced hard to pull off the classic tale of Enchanted Sleeping Beauty. And that’s just what they did. Not only did they perform the play, but they also sang in it as a musical as well. This increased the difficulty in creating a better crowed, pleasing performance. Well done drama students!

Lasting impressions

Modern flare brought to the dance floor

Sarah Bricky

Staff Writer

 

     The sophomore class was given the opportunity of one last dance before the prom, which they called their Last Chance Dance. The theme of the dance was techno.

     The whole idea for the dance was thought up by sophomores Amanda Kistler, Shayla Clark, Jennifer Bitner, and Natalie Lambert. The dance was intended to be the night before prom, as a special dance for underclassmen. However, when the plans were being put together, it was found that the DJ would be too expensive for that night, so the whole thing was rescheduled for Friday, March 14th.

     The cost was five dollars at the door. Since the sophomores thought of the idea, all money raised went to the sophomore class graduation and prom funds.

     In addition to purchasing a ticket, students had the opportunity to purchase glow sticks throughout the night. The prices ranged from fifty cents for a bracelet to a dollar for a necklace. The glow sticks were very popular items, adding a modern neon flare to the dance floor. Black lights, placed at the front of the dance floor, would outline the students in lighter-colored clothes with their own fluorescent glow.

     Under a flashing strobe light, students moved with the strong beats of various hip-hop and techno dance mixes. The sophomore student officials said that they tried to stray from too much country and slow music. The dance was meant to be lively and memorable, as the last dance for underclassmen for the rest of the school year.

     At the dance there could be seen Mr. Crump, Ms. Knoll, Mr. McDouggall, and others supervising the activities around the dance floor, and keeping everything in order. A local police officer helped with the supervision as well. 

     Sal Miranda, sophomore, said, “I had a great time. The strobe light was awesome. They could’ve played more techno music, though. I’m not too partial to hip-hop and rap.”

     Alas, with the passing of the Last Chance Dance, no more can a ninth or tenth grade student be seen at a dance held by Timberlake High School, unless they are invited by an upperclassman to prom. But in only two years, those same ninth and tenth graders would become the next juniors and seniors, and thus not fret about having one less dancing opportunity.

 

Breaking away for spring break

Anastasia Graham

Business Manager

 

     Spring Break, which goes through March 29th to April 6, will have many people traveling on the road. It is a time to take a break from work, school, or perhaps the everyday people around you. All around the world people wait for the week long vacation to come around the corner. On their down time they sketch out plans to travel elsewhere.   

    There are many students at Timberlake High School that are taking advantage of the week long break. It may not be warm in the Northwest region, but freshman Olivia Hom will travel to get that to sun light. Hom will be taking a week long cruise to Mexico with her family.

    “I’m looking forward to swimming with the dolphins and shopping in Mexico,” Hom said.

    Another traveler, freshman Brandon Nory, will be going with his dad to see four different concerts. All four concerts are in different cities; Las Vegas, Reno, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Nory said that the best part of Spring Break is “no school”.

    Still some students will be staying home. Students like Sophomore Micheal Cox and Freshman Lauren Estven will be enjoying their time away from school. Cox said, “I’ll be jamming out with my band.”

     Cox plays the drums and bass. His favorite part of Spring Break is “relaxation; time from school, no homework, and no tests.”

     Freshman Lauren said, “I will use it (Spring Break) as time for hibernation, sleeping the whole time.”

     Students, who are not traveling, take advantage of this time. Spring Break may not be the warmest this year, but there are always many things to do to have fun and be safe at the same time. Many options are available; sight seeing, tourism in a historical place, attending museums, camping with friends or family, or perhaps relaxing at home.

Pie hits its mark

THS’s first ever pie-in-the-face fundraiser a success for paper

Edward Stone

Features Editor

     On Friday, February 29th the newspaper held its first Pie-in-the-Face fundraiser with the help of Mr. Jarstad’s Tiger TV class. Roughly 20 jars were located in the office with approximately 25 teachers volunteering to get a pie in the face. The rules were that all the money was to be in the jars by 8:00 A.M. on the 29th or it would not be counted. The winning jar held $68.17, while the second place held $48.15. The grand total of money raised was $174. The winners were Mr. James and Mrs. Trotter, counselors, who’s faces received a banana cream, and chocolate cream silk pie.  Mr. Zimmerman, the second place winner, and Mr. McDougall, Vice Principal, had the privilege of throwing the pies.

     When asked about the outcome of the fundraiser Mr. James replied, “I was extremely surprised; we’d only had $8.00 before.” Overall though he was happy with the amount of money raised and glad that goggles and a covering, consisting of a garbage bag with a whole cut out, had been provided. When asked if he would participate in this type of event again he said he would, and that it was an enjoyable experience, but that he would have rather had a student throw the pies.

     Mr. James wasn’t the only one pied in the face though; Ms. Trotter said she “felt privileged to get a pie in the face from Mr. McDougall and to honor the students.” When asked if she would do it again Mrs. Trotter responded, “Yes! But my only regret was that the pie had been in the refrigerator, and because it had been refrigerated it was firm; didn’t get down to the chocolate.”

     Every student who was present first or sixth period that day had seen the pie in the face event live via Tiger TV. Many students liked the idea and thought that it was funny and entertaining, but that it hadn’t quite reached the mark. Jacquie Ivy, senior, said that she “thought it could have been funnier; needed a bigger splash.” She also added that it could have been advertised better and that she actually had forgetten about the event until the day it actually aired.  When asked about her opinion on who won, and the event itself she said she was “surprised at who got it,” and “thought it would have been a lot better if a student had thrown it.”

 

Carving a future

Anastasia Graham

Business Manager

 

    Timberlake High school offers a Freshmen Wood Working class. Even though there are a couple sophomores and five seniors, they are considered “first timers”. Mr. Adams, the adviser, gives his students basic knowledge of wood working and design projects. The class is a semester long and can go through two to six projects in that amount of time. The class has just started their actual first projects.

     Before starting a project, there is of course a process which the students must go through. The students must take general safety tests. These tests insure that the students will be able to handle and work with the machinery. In order to move on to the next step you must receive a C or better. Then the students are put into groups to work together on minor projects. Once they are finished, the students can start their first projects that they individually design.

     The varieties of projects that the students are working on right now are: bird houses, small toy trucks, and toilet paper holders. There are also three types of wood they will be working with; Pine, Red Maple, and Fir. The students get a feel with hands on objects too. Some machinery that they learn with are jointers, sanders, table saws pan saws, power tools, and chop saws.

     Mr. Adams says that his students come out of his class with “basic knowledge of wood working and designing projects.”

     Mr. Adams also spends time with his club of different design projects. He recently had a student go to state and take first place.

     “I encourage students to come participate in the student’s club,” Mr. Adams said. 

Defining taco-tastic

Ailise Nunnallee

Photography Editor

 

     If any student is looking for a mini fiesta to celebrate the up and coming Cinco de Mayo, tacos would be an easy and traditional choice.

     There are many different toppings, and countless numbers of ways to make the taco. There are hard shells and soft shells (also known as fajitas). The ingredients can include guacamole, sour cream, salsa, enchilada sauce, ground beef, steak, chicken, beans, rice, tomatoes, cheese, lettuce, etc. If anyone cared to try and make every single kind of tacos, it would take up an entire room. The best kinds of tacos are the ones customized to the eaters taste.

     For example, taste tester, Sarah Bricky, came up with her own recipe that “tastes taco-tastic”. It called for a ½ shell full of taco meat, a ¼ of it was lettuce, and ¼ of it was cheese. When asked to describe it she said it had, “blissful mountains of spicy ground beef, lovingly garnished with crisp lettuce shreds, and cheddar cheese, all delicately wrapped in a toasted golden blanket.”

    Matthew Parent, taste tester, said, “The tacos were fantastic. They had every ingredient you could want in a taco; the right amount of spice and the right amount of crunch.”

     “They looked lovely” said taste tester, Edward Stone.

     There are many different ways to make a taco, but if students at Timberlake High School are all out of fresh ideas on the best way to make it, they can use the simple and easy recipes given.

 

 

Taco #1- the Mango-hot Pepper Salsa Taco

2 cups leftover lasagna filling
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 cups diced fresh mango
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons minced red onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and ground black pepper
8 taco shells
1 cup shredded Romaine lettuce
1 cup grated Cheddar (regular or reduced-fat)
1/2 cup sour cream (regular or reduced-fat)
 

Spoon lasagna filling into a large skillet and add chili powder and cumin. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer 5 minutes. 
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mango, jalapeno, red onion, cilantro, and lime juice. Season (to taste) with salt and black pepper.
Serve beef mixture with taco shells, lettuce, grated cheese, sour cream, and mango salsa on the side.

 

 

 

 

Taco #2 – the Taco Bar
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons minced garlic
3 tablespoons ground cumin
2 pounds ground beef
1 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup tomato paste
12 to 16 taco shells or warmed soft tortillas, as desired
Grated Monterey Jack or Cheddar, for garnish
Diced tomatoes, for garnish
Minced jalapenos, for garnish
Sour cream, for garnish
Shredded iceberg lettuce, for garnish
Guacamole, recipe follows, for garnish
Salsa, recipe follows, for garnish
Chopped red onion, for garnish

 

Set a 12-inch sauté pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Once hot, place the onions in the pan and sauté until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and continue to sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beef to the pan and cook, breaking the pieces up as they cook, until the meat is browned, about 8 to 10 minutes. Season it with the chipotle pepper and the salt. Add the beef broth and tomato paste to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook the meat, stirring occasionally until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve with the garnishes for guests to assemble their tacos to their liking.

 

 

The reel deal

10,000 B.C. reviewed

Jarrod Crump

Assistant Editor in Chief

 

     The movie 10,000 B.C. is about a young hunter part of a pre-historic tribe. The tribe lives in an area of cold bitter winter. The regular supply of Mammoths has not come to there area for a while, and the tribe is lacking on food. The witch-doctor woman foresees a prophecy that four legged demons will ransack their village and that one of their people will free the enslaved. A young man comes ahead as a good hunter, and even goes on to distant lands to free the enslaved people of the area and defeat the foreign invaders.

     Now, a lot of people have mixed feelings about this movie, and I am not an exception. First off I would like to say that the graphics were phenomenal. The mammoths looked completely real, and so did all the other pre-historic animals. The plot was indeed a bit predictable. But, to be honest, I can’t think of a movie that isn’t predictable. If Hollywood ever made a movie that didn’t end with the hero saving the day, Americans would be mad. I thought this movie was reasonably action packed, had a good story line, no matter how predictable it is, and is definitely worth seeing in the theaters just because of the graphics. I would not say that this is the movie of the year by any means, but I do feel it deserves a bit of recognition. I’d say that it’s marginal.

     So I’d say go see it if you think it looks good, but only if you like mammoths, or huge ostriches that can tear you limb from limb.