The Bison – April 2, 1993

The school board has passed a proposal to build a new high school about a mile out of town. “I think it is a really good idea -- it will make more room for the students and create a good learning environment,” said Superintendent Darrell Miller. The date for the referendum has not been decided upon, but the projected date will be in June or December. “The referendum money of an estimated $29 million, will go toward: the new high school, renovating the old high school, updating technology, redoing the black top, making library improvements, and making the buildings more accessible to disabled students,” said Miller. If residents in the 877 school district pass the bill, a high school will be built about a mile out of town, near Dan and Jerry’s Greenhouse. The projected completion date would be in the fall of 1996. “The only other options would have been year round school, 45 days on and 15 off, or a split shift with some kids going to school from seven until two, and others going from ten until five,” said Miller. “The school would have more multipurpose rooms, an auditorium with portable walls to provide space for drama classes, and one large gym that could be broken into three smaller gyms for the physical education classes. There would not be a pool or track, allowing for the existing ones to be used. “The present site is too small to add onto -- it would just compound the problems,” said District 877 Business Manager John Siffert. The Primary and Intermediate schools would be converted into elementary schools for Kindergarten through fifth grade. The existing high school would be turned into a middle school for grades six through eight. The new high school would take grades nine through twelve. The junior high would be used for new programs that might be introduced, or block classes like World Studies Odyssey, or Global Odyssey. “We have an opportunity to develop some unique programs that would require the space that the junior high provides,” said principal Dr. Nick Miller. There was a meeting on March 11 in the Junior high, where information and options on the new school were presented. “Well over 100 people attended the meeting and there was strong argument that building a new high school would but not the districts need in the future, said Miller

Principal Nick Miller has written a draft that will allow seniors to have open campus lunch. This draft was presented to the school board on March 15. As it is currently written, during the fourth quarter seniors will be able to go where they want to for lunch. Juniors may also have this opportunity next year if it works during the fourth quarter. There are mixed feelings about open campus lunch for seniors. “I think it would be great -- it would give the senior a chance to get out of school without skipping,” said senior Julie Fiedler. Some freshmen don’t think it is fair that only seniors could go. “It isn’t fair that seniors would have more privileges than the other students,” said freshman Nicole Donahue. Miller feels it would be a good idea to give the seniors more responsibility. “Some of them are 18 and in a few months they will be out on their own making all their own decisions,” said Miller. He also feels that in a climate where people like to be here, they will learn more. Although people will get a lunch they might like better, the lunch at the Senior High is the cheapest in Minnesota at $1.10. Going to a fast food restaurant such as McDonalds would cost twice as much. There are many fast food restaurants neat the high school, and they would definitely be affected by the switch to open campus lunch. “It couldn’t hurt us. I think it would be great,” said a Hardees manager.

Last fall 46 people participated in a four hour survey concerning our school. The survey dealt with general topics like facilities, the administration, and extra curricular activities. The survey, is the first step of the NCA, or North Central Association evaluation. The North Central Association is comprised of the Commission on Schools and the Commission on Institutions of Higher Education. It is not affiliated with any governmental associations and its purpose is to improve education through cooperative efforts with other schools. The NCA evaluation consists of: an in-depth self-study by the schools staff, a validation of the survey by a team of educators that visit the school, the establishment of plans to remedy problem areas, and the carrying out of those plans. Many people see this evaluation an opportunity in which to see what improvements can be made at BHS. “We get so busy in our day to day lives, we don’t take time to look at the big picture. This process will wake us up to some problems we’ve let slide by in the past,” said librarian Marcia Paulsen. Also, if a school meets certain NCA standards, they qualify for Regional Accreditation. Regional Accreditation provides a standard by which others can compare themselves with. Accreditation helps to assure the public that the school program will undergo continuing studies and reviews to better their programs and facilities and show that the school is committed to quality education. It also assures faculty members that conditions meet appropriate standards. “I think that it’s a good thing for schools to evaluate their programs every few years,” said English teacher Judy Jacobson. The results of the survey will come out in April and will show BHS what their strong areas are. “I think that there are so many possibilities in the school, like Independent Studies and mentorships. You just have to search for them,” said senior Laurie Miller. After the survey results are validated, the school will start to work on finding solutions to the problem areas. “I would like to see increased resources for the teachers and students and a stronger gifted program throughout the school and district,” said EAGLE advisor Gayle Zimmerman.

Imagine being in an activity that required knowing the meaning of lepidoptera. “Something that happens on St. Patrick’s day at midnight?” guessed a freshman. Most students have no idea. Any member of Knowledge Bowl, an academic extracurricular activity, probably could answer that question. “Knowledge Bowl teaches you weird things, like what is an anthropofite,” said sophomore Bob Pavlenko. “It’s a cannibal.” Knowledge Bowl is a team of about 20 students, divided into three teams, who travel to different schools to test their knowledge. Many questions in K.B. are similar to the questions in Trivial Pursuit, or “Jeopardy.” Scores are based on speed and accuracy of answers. “At the first couple meets, the team didn’t do so well, but they are doing better as the season goes on, and getting stronger,” said Coach Peggy Pasche. The subregion meet was held yesterday at Becker, and the team was prepared to compete. There is one major difference between the subregion meet and other meets. Only five students from Buffalo competed. Pasche stated that this added extra competition within the Buffalo group. People are involved in K.B. for various reasons, including having fun and meeting new people. “Knowledge Bowl redeems my life because they pay for my lunch. Seriously, I joined for fun and obscure facts,” said junior Emily McPheeters. Winning is a bonus for all the hard work and practice that members contributed. On March 27, team #1 won the North Suburban Conference meet. “I can name two rewarding things about K.B.--Finding out that kids know so much, and the satisfaction of getting a trophy and doing well,” said Pasche.

The Speech team is completing another season of hard work and competition in 1993. This year, the team competed at Shakopee, Glencoe, Dassel-Cokato, Mounds View, and Mankato East as well as hosting the home meet held on March 13. The team consists of 30 members who have had much success this year. At the conference meet on March 18, twelve out of twenty members placed as all conference speakers. The next hurdle for the team is regions on today and tomorrow. The team will travel to Mankato East and spend the night. They will actually compete tomorrow. Head Speech Coach Dave Alto has a positive attitude about this. “If we work hard and do the best, how we do as individuals or as a team will take care of itself,” said Alto. Alto had help this year from two assistant coaches; Vicki Larson, who was substituting for English teacher Denise Whalin-Fiskum, and Vicki Sundholm, a teacher at the Buffalo Intermediate School. Another new addition was made to the team this year. Coach Alto chose seniors Kristi Fix and Jill Dobis to be the first speech captains. As captains, they took care of many odd jobs, put signs on lockers to bring more team unity and were generally around to help other members with their speeches. Regardless of the number of awards the team brought home this year, coach Alto finds that there was a more valuable lesson to be learned. “I wanted the students to do the best they could. We weren’t in it to win everything, but for students to get comfortable speaking,” said Alto. Fix feels that meeting goals and having fun was equally important. She says, “I wanted the experienced members to meet their goals, same with the new, but I also wanted the new members to have fun and understand that winning isn’t everything.”

Last April, conservation officers gave the science department an immature bald eagle. The eagle had died after being caught in a fox trap. After conservation officers gave the eagle to BHS, the school had to apply for a permit to get the eagle stuffed. The cost of taking the eagle to a taxidermist was about $500, which was raised by recycling aluminum cans. “I think project eagle is cool. I mean we are helping to mount an eagle for our school that will stay here for years. Project eagle is a great way to spend money we get from recycling cans,” said sophomore Emily Tessmer. Having the eagle mounted and on display will not just be an ornament, but also a symbol of American heritage. “It’s positive how the eagle is being used as a symbol of freedom. The idea of school pride and the American dream is being preserved,” said Assistant Principal Tom Hoffman. Some people don’t agree with the project and what the money is being spent on. “I think project eagle is a waste of money! I’m sure the school could use the money for lots of other things,” said sophomore Sarah Carians. Some people think that the money could have been used for better things. Some students said that the money should have been used to buy new biology books. “I think that project eagle is a good idea, but I think the money could have been used for other things like science books. Every day I go into Biology, I hear Mr. Fiedler complaining that he doesn’t have enough books to hand out to students so that they can do their assignments,” said sophomore Dennis Zitzloff. The Eagle will be on display this spring. The recycling money is now being saved to buy a great horned owl a student brought in. The estimated cost of the procedure is $250.

Student Representative

Board of Education Meeting Monday, February 22, 1993

Item #1:
The board voted to build a new high school on the Maehling property. The land is located on County Road 35 near Dan and Jerry's Greenhouse. The building will accommodate 1,500 students in grades nine through twelve.

One of most significant changes the new high school will bring is changing the way the grades are distributed. The Primary and Intermediate buildings will contain kindergarten through fifth grade, the current high school sixth through eighth, and the new school ninth through twelfth. This should alleviate all the crowding in the elementary buildings. The question is "What will be done with the current junior high?" It will be used as an alternative school for several hundred high school students. The focus of the classes at this school will be determined by the School Board, Administration and the high school staff.

To determine the best plan was for District #877, the board has conducted studies for the past several years and found that our enrollment will continue to rise steadily.

A meeting was held on March 11, 1993 at 7:00 pm, in the Junior High Library. The Community Facility Advisory Committee, who helped with research to make this decision, had been asked to attend. The board presented preliminary plans to the members of that committee.

District #877 is Proud of...
* 1993 Tatanka Staff and Advisor Vicki Cary for having the 1993 Yearbook selected as a yearbook example by Taylor Publishing Company.
* Laurie Raymond, Student Council Advisor, for being selected as Minnesota's nominee for the Warren E. Shull Advisor of the year award.
* Sophomore Monica Hill, who competed in the State Gymnastics Tournament and placed in the floor exercise and in vault events.
* Sophomore Justin Pomerleau, senior Frank Birch, and senior Jim Kath, who advanced to the state tournament in their individual categories.

The next regular school board meeting will be held on Monday, April 5 in the Elementary School at 7:00 pm.

Student Council Member

Hopefully, most of you are aware of the EMASC convention that was held here at BHS Tuesday, February 23. We just want you to know what happened.

After registering and a light breakfast of rolls and juice, the convention was called to order at 8:30am by President Deb Theis. Following a welcome there was roll call and Senior Laurie Miller sang the National Anthem.

Then there was an introduction of the executive board, which included Theis and Delegate-at-Large Sophomore Matt Gorill. Following that was the explanation of EMASC, the reading of last year's minutes, review of parliamentary procedures (such as how to make a motion), and a slide show.

Next on the agenda was to nominate the 1993-1994 officers. The candidates each had to be nominated by two other delegates from two different schools, and make a short speech to all the delegates.

After that, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Ester Tomljanovich spoke to us about law and justice. Did you know that the Minnesota is the only state in the U.S. that has a majority of women on the Supreme Court?

Then resolutions were distributed and reviewed in caucus while the rest of us had a short break.

Now it was time for discussing and debating the resolutions. In all, there were seven resolutions debated, two of which passed. Next, they will be presented at the MASC convention to be further debated. If passed there, the resolutions go to the State convention in Red Wing, March 28-30. The resolutions that were passed delt with having AIDS information and condoms available in school, and teacher evaluations every few years.

Following the debate was an idea exchange. The whole convention divided into groups of four of five to exchange ideas about what their schools have done that have turned out well.

After this, we went back to debating resolutions again. Then, finally, it was time for lunch!

Included in wrapping up the convention was: the announcement of MASC candidates, an update on the MASC convention in Red Wing later this spring, convention evaluations, recognition of EMASC advisor of the year, awards and door prizes, and lastly the announcement of the 1993-1994 EMASC officers which included Junior Mike Preim as Vice President.

In all, hours and hours were spent to make the convention the success that it was.

Rebecca Ebnet has been named as the new Editor-in-Chief of the Bison newspaper for the 1993-94 school year. All other editor positions will be announced after Spring Break.

Orders will be taken this week through April 15 for extra yearbooks which will be distributed in June. If you have not ordered a yearbook, bring a check for $25 to D-4 as a deposit. Your balance of $10 will be due when the books arrive.

District 877 Community Education is looking for responsible, creative young people for positions in their numerous summer programs. If you are interested in any of these positions apply at the Community Ed. office by April 15, 1993.

He opened his speech with "Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of House, and Senate...it is nice to have a new excuse for a long speech." After a nervous chuckle and more applause, President Bill Clinton started his (very) lengthy speech about the reforms he has in mind for America. He began with the economy, and said that it has been three decades since a president has challenged the American people to wipe out the national deficit. Throughout the entire speech Clinton stressed CHANGE and said, "We can't get something for nothing -- we are all in this together." To make sure that we felt guilty about the extent of the national debt, even though we weren't the ones who spent the money, he recalled the words of Ronald Reagan, "If you stack dollar bills one on top of the other they would reach 67 miles in the air." Then he added that now the stack would be 267 miles and we really need to do something about it. Well, Mr. Clinton, we've known we need to do something about it for a long time. It's like when Bobby Kennedy assessed a strike of some sort in New York. He said that the situation was really intolerable. Like the people weren't able to figure that out for themselves. Knowing about the problem and having ideas how to solve the problem don't do anything, unless you actually solve the problem. Maybe we should tell Clinton to join the high school speech team. Then he would have to limit his speech under six minutes and would save a lot of time with pointless talk.

Last week, I was working in my classroom on the computer, and had the occasion to write my age on a form that I was filling out. A student happened to be looking over my shoulder, and when I typed the number, for teachers never lie, she gasped. The question did not arise why she was looking over my shoulder like a peeping Thomasina in the first place. It got me to thinking of the myths that students have about teachers. Perhaps in this short space I can dispell some of the myths that have plagued teachers since Socrates sipped his hemlock, which, by the way, he really took to cure his indigestion. I know the truth. I am a teacher. The first myth, already alluded to, has to do with age. To students, it seems that teachers were placed on this earth the first day of class in September. When the student leaves in June, the teacher remains in a kind of time warp, unchanged in that student's memory for the rest of her life. Students don't associate the teacher with a number of years; to do that, the student would have to acknowledge that we will forever be inscribed in a student's mind the way we were at one of the important time of her life. The student is secure that no matter how old she gets, she will never, never be as old as Mrs. Zimmerman was. I once looked on Miss O'Hara, my tenth grade English teacher, as the oldest living thing on earth. Now I know better. The giant redwood is older. Myth Number Two: teachers don't have a life. Although it is rumored that Mr. Wilcox lists Buffalo Senior High as his permanent address, most of us have homes and families. I always enjoy walking into a restaurant and seeing a student's slightly startled face, reading in her eyes the question, "What is Mrs. Z doing here? I thought she was a teacher." Yes, we eat, sometimes too much, and we have friends, and sometimes we get lonely and frightened, just like the students we teach. Myth Number Three: "He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches." Of all the myths about teachers, this one, put into words by G. B. Shaw is the most devious of all. It is true that teachers are not the wealthiest of professionals, and, after all, myths are based upon a truth that cannot be understood: Why would anyone want to become a teacher and be doomed to a life of near poverty and nosy kids? The fact is, we couldn't help it. It's not that we couldn't have become lawyers or scientists or doctors. It's just that somewhere along the way, some person standing in front of a classroom much like the ones at Buffalo Senior High gave us a love of learning and a need to share that love with others. My person was Miss Grace O'Hara. I believe she still stands in front of a classroom somewhere, ancient but ageless, and I'm so glad she's there.

DEAR EDITOR: In the last issue of the Bison, an article was written concerning censorship of books in school libraries. I must admit I'm extremely opinionated, but when I feel my personal rights are being infringed upon, I have to stand up for what I believe in. Censoring literary materials because people deem them as "inappropriate" not only violates my rights insured by the first amendment, but also reflects on how we, as teenagers, are perceived by society. No one can tell me what I can and cannot read, especially the government! Laws are meant to protect people, not shelter them from the realities of life. That's what my mommy and daddy are for. I realize I can't state that by age 15 or 16 everybody should be intellectually mature enough to make their own decisions, because many are not. Good or bad, we live in a very diverse world! However, by censoring a book due to the fact it deals with dysfunctional families, the government is assuming I don't have enough intelligence to decipher right from wrong. I may be just a student, but I can't think of anything more degrading. I know a parent may not want their child reading about sex, but where do you draw the line? Are you ready to let a judge decide? This is an issue that needs to be dealt with individually within the home, not in the courts.

Rachael’s Note Anything I write from here on out are my personal feelings only. I apologize ahead of time if I offend anyone or if you feel I shouldn't talk about this. When you finish reading this, I strongly encourage you to think about the presented material and what your views are. Write a letter to your principal, a school board member, letter to the editor or the President stating your concerns.

One Act play members recently presented us with the realities and problems of the HIV virus. They taught the public of safety and the emotional impact HIV/AIDS can bring on the victim and the victim’s friends and family.

Actors and actresses put their emotions into action, getting positive response from most of the audiences. The emotion and feeling they put into their parts made people wake and take notice. I must admit that I, Rachael Weller, cried not even into the third scene.

During the Inner-Circle performances, one judge voiced her concern about high school students dealing with such emotional subjects. She was also concerned about the ability of high school students acting out this type of deep set emotions.

Does society understand that whether they like it or not, we are the main target for sexually transmitted diseases and unwed pregnancies?

As teens probably know more today about the consequences of sexual relationships (such as diseases and pregnancies) than our parents knew at our age.

I feel teens should discuss what’s happening. It’s our right to know what affects us! We are not two years old anymore. We see this sort of problem every day of our lives. It’s happening whether society wants to admit it or not!!

This brings me to another issue of major concern. The question is, should schools make some form of birth control available to the students? Should condom machines be placed in school?

A few months’ back I read a letter to the editor in the Star Tribune. This man wrote that putting condom machines in schools would only promote sex and give teens the idea that it’s o.k. to have sex. He also said that teens are not mature enough to handle this sort of responsibility. So what are we if another girl becomes a teen mother?

I’m sorry if I offend any of the teen mothers in our school, but right now, we are not “supporting” it and look what is happening!! Where is it getting us?

Y’know, parents often tell their daughters that older guys who have graduated from high school only want one thing. It’s not just the guys who want “one thing”. It takes two to tango!

In 1988, statistics showed that 61% teens reported having sex before age 14.

So who says only older guys want to have sex? It’s hard for parents/society to let go and to accept that teenage girls/boys are having sex, and they need to help us, not fight. It’s not going to stop!

Please carefully consider the facts (not necessarily mine) and keep an open mind to solutions.

‘Till next time...

For the last two weeks, I have walked around school wheezing and coughing, barely making it alive from class to class. The ever present fear of falling over and dying a lonely death in the middle of the hallway, while being trampled on by students walking down the hall is always with me.

Ok, so it’s not really that bad. I have done my time coughing, sneezing, and have been weak, but it wasn’t incredibly bad. It was just enough to make a person really tired, and feel like sleeping forever in a nice warm bed. But we come to school anyway.

I went to the doctor, and they just said that it probably would run its course, and that I should just take it easy and rest.

That really helps.

How does a person rest, when they go to school, do their homework, and participate in after school activities?

You have two choices over what to do.

One is to take little naps after school, and the other is to stay home and just sleep all day.

As with most people, I can’t take little half hour naps. They either have to be the big long ones, or not at all. Then when I take the long ones, I can’t fall asleep at until two in the morning.

Generally, after school naps just don’t cut it. To get sleep it has to be an all-day affair.

Being the average high school student that I am, I don’t have the time or the opportunity to take a day off, let alone a few.

The weekend is supposedly an excellent time to veg out, and stay home.

I would have to agree and say that it is, unless one of the sports that you participate in is only on Saturdays, and it’s all day.

So, after not being able to sleep for about a week, you finally decide to stay home a day.

Remember when you were younger, and could just stay home from school for a day, and not have to worry about make-up work or anything like that?

Welcome to the world of staying home now.

In high school, it’s harder to take the day off, because you have to worry about all the things that you’re missing, like tests and big projects. Another thing to worry about is everything you had to do after school, or what events coming up that would be affected by your one day of leisure. So what can a person do?

In my case, the thing has just about died, and I think that hopefully I’ll be back to normal soon.

I just love writer’s block. It comes right after being hung by my toenails over a pit of starved lions. Although I don’t know what it’s like to be hung over a pit of starved lions, it was the best analogy I could come up with. (Truthfully, the ultimate torture would be being tied to this user-unfriendly computer by my editorials editor until I finish writing this.)

I decided that after staring at computers for so long, I’m going to give you my opinion of them.

First, I’d like to explain that I think computers are great for writing and laying out a newspaper. But computers are not my friends.

For some reason they just don’t like me. I know some of you are going to come and tell me computers can’t think, so they cannot hate me, but I don’t care. I still believe computers take a fiendish delight in confusing me. After all, what else could explain my dazed look as I stare at a computer.

As I sit here looking at the world around me (which is a bunch of computers because I’m sitting in the computer room) I was thinking about how important computers have become to us.

Last year, I was working on a class project. The computers went down. It created a major catastrophe in the school. Students couldn’t type in reports or whatever they “needed” the computers for.

Back when our parents were in high school, a computer shutdown wouldn’t have been a problem. All the students would have calmly written their reports, mainly because they wouldn’t have been using computers in the first place.

Now we can’t live (or write a report) without them.

Today we don’t even need to know how to spell. Spell-Check will find all our spelling mistakes. It even finds words that we accidentally wrote twice twice. (Bye the way, A Spall-Checker is for sail, it works reel grate.)

All of our essays, reports, and stories can be written in perfect English with the help of several grammar correcting programs.

A thesaurus is a convenient apparatus for searching for substantially sized words to impress your intellectual peers.

Don’t get me wrong, I love these tools on the computer. It’s just that we can go overboard in computorship.

Sending a program through grammar changes the computer wants me to make. I’m sorry if some sentences are so long that they become hard to understand for some people, but sometimes a long sentence is necessary to get a point across.

Computers aren’t perfect. In fact, they can be as annoying as any person. People try to blame it on the operator. Personally, I like to think it’s the programmer’s fault, but that’s my opinion. My point is that a computer can only do what a person tells it to do, whether it’s me giving it orders or some person who told it what to do in the first place.

Oh, well, I guess I’ll just be satisfied if the computer lets me save this and doesn’t eat it up somewhere between here and the press. (By the way, a million thanks to Mr. Wilcox for all technologi-cal help in getting all the issues to press!)

Until I get around to writing again. (Which will be after spring break!)

Good-bye!

B.U.M., Girbaud, Guess, Z. Caverichi, E.N.U.F. Enough is right. This list of designer labels could go on forever.

“The more people that have them, the more people want them,” said sophomore Leih Johnson.

Design, according to Webster’s Dictionary, is to intend or set apart. Does this fit with today’s use of the words “designer clothes”?

“I would define them as really expensive and hard to find,” said a freshman girl.

Not everybody agrees on exactly what designer clothes are.

“Most people think of things like Guess and Girbaud, but I usually think of the dresses and kinds of clothes models wear on stage,” said sophomore Babette Hill.

Everyone seems to have a different definition of the phrase.

“I think all clothes are basically the same, but designer ones have labels more people recognize,” said Johnson.

Designer labels, some would say, are the life blood of the teenage world. Others would beg to differ.

“It doesn’t matter what the label says. You should not have to prove something by what you wear.”

Sophomore Stacey Dubbeldee

“Individuality is the most important thing we have, because it sets us apart from everybody else and makes us our own person,” said Hill.

“In clothes are often charged with stereotyping the appearance of teens.”

“I think it does to a degree. People are trying to wear and to have what other people have, and be somebody they’re not,” said Hill.

Some students believe that seeing the same clothes on every person seems to get repetitive.

“In my opinion if everybody is wearing the same thing they are not thinking for themselves,” said the freshman.

Yet some students feel that they cannot separate themselves from the image the clothes create. Others feel just the opposite.

“A person is a person and the outfit is separate,” said Hill.

The way to express yourself can be how you talk, how you behave, what you believe in, and even how you dress.

Different ways of dressing can lead others to think that you might be feeling a little different that day or that you just wanted to take a plunge and try something new.

Yet, for some time, some teenagers have started to dress in a new style.

Grunge.

The name seems to set a mood to the clothing. Some people may think right away that they dress like they live in a dumpster and that they don’t care a thing about the world they live in. Yet, there is a totally different story behind the latest rage.

“It’s a way to express who I am,” said sophomore Hilary Thornley.

Many of today’s youth dress very casually in the grunge style. If you have not heard of the non-conformist fashion of grunge, let me explain. Many of today’s youth, ages 14 to 22, feel that they should not have to pay hundreds of dollars for fashions so they can “fit in.” They buy much of their clothing at second-hand stores like Ragstock.

This non-fashion fashion is not too common on Buffalo High School. Grunge is found everywhere in the Twin Cities and at First Ave.

Society has a way of looking at how people dress and immediately making assumptions about who they are and what they are like, but a lot of times assumptions are not true.

“I feel that everybody has their own thing. Everyone wants to be wild in one way or another. It’s just the way I am,” said Thornley.

Some companies have sat up and taken notice. Lately some advertisers have started to appeal to the younger, wilder generation.

“They seem to be relating more to being wild, what we were, what we are, how we act,” said Thornley.

“Individuality is the most important thing we have, because it sets us apart from everybody else and makes us our own person,” said Hill.

“In clothes are often charged with stereotyping the appearance of teens.”

“I think it does to a degree. People are trying to wear and to have what other people have, and be somebody they’re not,” said Hill.

Some students believe that seeing the same clothes on every person seems to get repetitive.

“In my opinion if everybody is wearing the same thing they are not thinking for themselves,” said the freshman.

Yet some students feel that they cannot separate themselves from the image the clothes create. Others feel just the opposite.

“A person is a person and the outfit is separate,” said Hill.

My Sunday night at the First Avenue and the 7th Street Entry turned out to be a pleasurable experience. Many alternative music fans think this is the best place to be in the Twin Cities.

First Ave. is a former bus depot converted to a club. The main room is very large, and usually packed full of people by 9:00 p.m. Cover is five dollars at the main door. The hours are from 7:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. The secondary, or “live” room is known as 7th Street Entry. It is just around the corner from the main door, and cover is six dollars. If you enter at 7th Street Entry, you have access to both rooms. Seventh Street Entry is small compared to the main room, with a small stage in one corner where live bands play on Sunday nights. On Valentine’s Day, 7th Street Entry featured the Andy Sullivan Orchestra, Rex Daisy, and the Willy Wisely Trio. Rex Daisy, an awesome band, played songs that made my ears ring with pleasure! :)

Sunday Night Dance Party (SNDP), in the main room, plays techno, techno and more techno. Since this dance is not a rave they sometimes play songs other than the rapid beating techno. The other songs come from alternative and modern rock groups.

Many kids spend most of their time in the main room, which consists of two floors. The top floor is in a shape of a horseshoe overlooking the dance floor. The restrooms are on either of the far ends. The restrooms are fairly clean, but full of stickers and graffiti. Directly overlooking the dance floor is the soundproof, mixing room where you can see the DJs playing the music.

Meanwhile, downstairs while the music is pumping on the giant dance floor, you can see a gigantic television screen that flashes rapidly moving, almost hypnotic psychedelic images that inspire you to dance. Sometimes they feature a cartoon or an old black and white movie clip. On the bottom floor, far away from the dance floor, you can find the Smart Bar. They serve refreshing non-alcoholic beverages, like fruit juices and other interesting drinks that resemble Gatorade. I tried the Power Maker II beverage. The taste was amazing! It took away all the bad tastes in my mouth. The drink had powerful electrolytes and other nutritional compounds in it. The drinks are helpful in giving power and energy back to your body while you dance.

The SNDP appeals to a certain types of people, and how much you would like the First Ave. depends on your personality. However, I noticed some negative things, like the rooms filled with cigarette smoke. I also saw a few people using drugs, but drug use seems very uncommon. I rated the overall experience of the SNDP to be excellent.

Whenever what the label says. You should not have to [unclear] by what you wear.

Sophomore Stacey Dubbeldee

“Individuality is the most important thing we have, because it sets us apart from everybody else and makes us our own person,” said Hill.

“In clothes are often charged with stereotyping the appearance of teens.

“I think it does to a degree. People are trying to wear and to have what other people have, and be somebody they’re not,” said Hill.

Some students believe that seeing the same clothes on every person seems to get repetitive.

“In my opinion if everybody is wearing the same thing they are not thinking for themselves.” said the freshman.

Yet some students feel that they cannot separate themselves from the image the clothes create. Others feel just the opposite.

“A person is a person and the outfit is separate,” said Hill.

My Sunday night at the First Avenue and the 7th Street Entry turned out to be a pleasurable experience. Many alternative music fans think this is the best place to be in the Twin Cities.

First Ave. is a former bus depot converted to a club. The main room is very large, and usually packed full of people by 9:00 p.m. Cover is five dollars at the main door. The hours are from 7:00 P.M. to 1:00 A.M. The secondary, or “live” room is known as 7th Street Entry. It is just around the corner from the main door, and cover is six dollars. If you enter at 7th Street Entry, you have access to both rooms. Seventh Street Entry is small compared to the main room, with a small stage in one corner where live bands play on Sunday nights. On Valentine’s Day, 7th Street Entry featured the Andy Sullivan Orchestra, Rex Daisy, and the Willy Wisely Trio. Rex Daisy an awesome band played songs that made my ears ring with pleasure! :)

Sunday Night Dance Party (SNDP), in the main room, plays techno, techno and more techno. Since this dance is not a rave they sometimes play songs other than the rapid beating techno. The other songs come from alternative and modern rock groups.

Many kids spend most of their time in the main room, which consists of two floors. The top floor is in a shape of a horseshoe overlooking the dance floor. The restrooms are on one of the far ends. The restrooms are fairly clean, but full of stickers and graffiti. Directly overlooking the dance floor is the soundproof, mixing room where you can see the DJs playing the music.

Meanwhile, downstairs while the music is pumping on the giant dance floor, you can see a gigantic television screen that flashes rapidly moving, almost hypnotic psychedelic images that inspire you to dance. Sometimes they feature a cartoon or an old black and white movie clip. On the bottom floor, far away from the dance floor, you can find the Smart Bar. They serve refreshing non-alcoholic beverages, like fruit juices and other interesting drinks that resemble Gatorade. I tried the Power Maker II beverage. The taste was amazing! It took away all the bad tastes in my mouth. The drink had powerful electrolytes and other nutritional compounds in it. The drinks are helpful in giving power and energy back to your body while you dance.

The SNDP appeals to a certain types of people, and how much you would like the First Ave. depends on your personality. However, I noticed some negative things, like the rooms filled with cigarette smoke. I also saw a few people using drugs, but drug use seems very uncommon. I rated the overall experience of the SNDP to be excellent.

TO SMOKE OR NOT TO SMOKE? THAT IS THE QUESTION

As the 2:50 p.m. bell rings on a Monday afternoon, students rush out their cars to quickly be relieved by the inhaling of a cigarette.

Out of sixteen people surveyed at Buffalo Senior High School, eleven people said they smoke. These results show that smoking among high schoolers is growing rapidly because of the enjoyment and relaxation a cigarette brings.

“I think smoking is fine. If people want to do it, it’s their choice,” said junior Kristina Kind. “I love it. It’s very relaxing to have a smoke after a hard day at school,” said junior Bill Henk.

On the other side, some people at BHS don’t think smoking is such a great thing.

“I think students should have to write a three hundred word essay on the latest evidence found on cigarette smoking and the diseases it causes,” said LeRoy Erickson, BHS teacher.

Despite warnings that smoking can kill, teenagers — especially females -- are lighting up in increasing numbers. Despite Canadian Cancer Society warnings that smoking related diseases kill 35,000 people a year, teenagers don’t seem to be getting the message.

For the first time, the number of females between 15 and 19 who smoke surpassed the number of males in that age group, educators say. They fear they are actually losing ground in the battle to stop teens from smoking.

An estimated one billion packs of cigarettes are sold to children each year in this country, but only three states reported citations against 32 vendors last year.

Studies show smokers tend to have less self-esteem, says Dr. Bobbie Jacobson, a British health consultant and author of books on women and smoking. Young women and girls who smoke are more likely than non-smokers to say they’re unhappy with their appearance, get frequent headaches and have trouble sleeping due to worry. They are also much more likely to agree with statements such as, “I often feel left out” or “I wish I had someone else.”

“Why should cigarettes bring you down? Drinking and drugs lower your self-esteem, not cigarettes,” said junior Niki Jorgenson.

So as you high schoolers rush out to those cars every day, you better think about the effects of smoking before lighting up.

It’s happening again throughout America just like it does every year.

This strange phenomena called “senioritis” affects millions of seniors each year. Senioritis, an “illness” that causes seniors to skip school, tends to worsen as spring approaches.

“During spring, we tend to have more absences from the seniors. It gets busy trying to track them down,” said secretary Arlene Dickson.

Several students spend their time in a variety of different ways. They like to do the things that they were not able to do over the weekend or they take long weekend vacations.

“In the spring, I usually skip Fridays and Mondays to go fishing,” said senior Sean Sprauengel.

Others feel that they could be doing something more worth their time.

“I usually go home and sleep or I go shopping,” said senior Kerstin Kealy.

Skipping school is just one way seniors cope with their senioritis. Seniors are given no special treatment to their absences. BHS principals try to follow the attendance policy given for everyone.

“We give the same punishment for everyone. Seniors are treated no different than anybody else,” said assistant principal Tom Hoffman.

Many don’t feel that senioritis has become a problem yet. Some even think it will get better.

“I’m looking forward to graduation. That’s what keeps me going sometimes,” said senior Tom Nordell. “Baseball helps to pass the long days also.”

Graduating from high school may be the only prescription for this condition. Others say it will take even longer to overcome.

“It [senioritis] will end for me after I graduate from college,” said Kealy.

Many are considered to be at their worst stage of senioritis. Some solutions offered by BHS seniors to get rid of the feeling of senioritis were no school, burn down the school, and get your diploma.

“Just budding in the lunch line usually helps me feel better,” said Sprauengel.

Graduation might cure almost everybody’s case of senioritis. But until then, seniors have around fifty days of school left. It’s hard to keep track of the days unless you’re counting them down.

“Counting the days makes me feel better. It doesn’t seem possible that I’m going to graduate,” said senior Nan Davis.

Until June 11, seniors will just have to cope with their senioritis.

Start school, stop school. Move in, move out. Get a job, lose a job. Get married, get a divorce. Young adults face increasing complex choices. They must investigate more options before they can settle into adult life.

“Marriage is definately a choice, not a feeling. I don’t know if I’m ready for that,” said senior Justin Hartman.

People who marry in their early twenties are now as prone to divorce as those who marry in their teens. Getting married is probably the riskiest decision a young adult can make.

Marriage involves a lot of risks that need to be talked about and planned through before making the commitment of getting married.

“How do you know if you can trust your spouse with so much adultry going on?” asked junior Kristina Kind.

Young marriages are increasingly likely to fail, and young adults are aware of it. The biggest reason so many of them still live with their parents is they’re increasingly hesitant to marry at an early age, which results in a raising age in first marriages.

Over half of men and more than two thirds of women who get divorced are before age twenty-five. The probability of divorce for women who first marry at ages twenty to twenty two increased nearly 40 percent between the late 1970’s and early 1980’s according to University of Wisconsin demographer Larry L. Beinpass.

“I think you’re ready to marry after you graduate from college, along with a stable career,” said senior Michelle Calyor.

Most 18 to 24 year-olds who live independently are married, but young women are almost twice as likely as young men to be married (24 percent to 13 percent) because women marry at a younger age than men, according to the 1989 Current Population Survey.

Overall, the views of seniors and BHS teachers were common. Their views shared a certain kind of interest and concerns.

“For a healthy marriage both people need their marital and family priorities straight,” said teacher ? West.

When teens tie the knot, the problems that result may be more than a little tough to untangle. Considering, you may struggle before you get married, but when you set up house as husband and a wife you take on a added pressures like bills, full time work, even kids can get in the way of domestic bliss.

THE FUTURE IS NOW. The highest technologies are available to students until four pm in the computer lab.

The school day may seem long to some people, but to those who stay after school, it can be even longer. Students stay after school for a variety of reasons. Some participate in activities, some go to detention, and some just “hang out.”

Whether it be athletic or academic, after-school activities may be at the heart of BHS’s motto, “Education Beyond the Blackboard.” Students may stay later then eight o’clock in the evening preparing for the next deadline, issue, match, game or tournament.

Many students stay after to work in the computer lab. The computer lab is open until four pm every day, and gives many chances for students to catch up on the latest assignment or to relax and play some games.

When students stay after, they always have to be under the direct supervision of an adult. This does help to keep people from "hanging out," but it is often difficult for students to find a teacher with the time to supervise them.

WHOEVER SAID teenagers liked to hang out in malls probably didn't have this in mind. Administrators often make announcements after school to persuade unsupervised students to go to the front foyer.

KEEPING TRACK OF THINGS, coaches talk to track members before practice. Almost any day of the year, some sport is practicing somewhere on school grounds.

The Buffalo wrestling team wrapped up their 1992-93 season, falling to Worthington in the section playoffs. Despite the loss, team members are looking forward to next year.

“This year has been pretty successful. We won our match at Totino Grace, we placed second at the Osseo tournament and we placed third in conference. This has been one of our better years,” says coach Gerry Bakke.

Coach Bakke was pleased with the season, sending seniors Frank Birch, Jim Kath and Justin Pommerleau to the individual portion of the state tournament. Birth placed third in the heavyweight class, and Kath placed fourth at 140 lbs.

Despite the performances in the conference and at the individual and team regions, several players felt that the team did not perform up to its capabilities.

“We have had a good year, but we should have done better,” said junior Aric Antil.

Other members agreed with Antil, saying that the team did not take advantage of its strengths.

Team members are already preparing for next year. The team will be losing only three seniors: Frank Birch, Jim Kath, and Josh Sandell. All three agreed that the team has a shot at the state tournament next year.

“Next year there will be a tougher young team,” said Kath. Sandell agreed, stating that the younger members wanted another chance at going to state.

“Next year’s team will be intense. They will need more team unity,” said Sandell.

With the finishing of this years season, many wrestlers are looking forward to what the team is going to need in coming years for a better record.

“Next year we will need more wrestlers, there’s no such thing as too many wrestlers. Wrestling isn’t a very expensive sport,” said Bakke.

Bats swing and balls jet through the air as the Buffalo softball players began preparing themselves for the season ahead of them.

On March 8, the softball team started practicing for the 1993 season. From lifting in the weight room to running in the gym, team members feel that they are prepared for what the season holds.

“Practices are tough,” said junior Tracy Lemire. “[Coach] Alto works us hard, but it all comes out in the end.

The team started their season on March 23 and 24 with the Mankato East Tournament. The team is scheduled to play at the Champlin Park Tournament on April 5. Team members are hoping to place very high and carry on past tradition.

“We are going to have a struggle this year because our schedule consists of tougher teams than we’ve had in years past,” said coach Becki Miller.

Practicing hard and preparing for the tough challenge they face, the players showed confidence about the upcoming season.

“The schedule’s tough, but we’ve seen tough before,” said junior Lea Ramthun. “We have good players are that’s what it takes.”

Some of the tougher teams the Bison will have to face are Elk River, Mounds View, and Centennial. The first conference game is scheduled for April 8 against Irondale, giving the team exactly one month to practice.

“We set high goals and practice very hard in order to prepare for the tougher teams,” said junior Sarah Opsal.

The softball team has a valuable addition this year. With the money put together from past fund-raisers, the school district was able to purchase a new batting machine.

“After hitting baseballs last year to prepare, I didn’t think it was even possible for us to get a brand new machine,” said Ramthun.

With a new schedule, a new batting machine, and unknown faces, the players expect to live up to their motto: “Work Harder and Play Harder.” They are prepared to show everyone what they can do.

Well, I did it. I set a new school record. I made the football team’s “Ten Most Wanted” list for the record seventeenth time. (Alright, maybe the record was a little lower.) Because of my comments in last month’s column, I had our big 250-pound linemen breathing down my back. That is one situation that anyone would try to avoid.

I am sorry for even bringing up last school year’s Homecoming game in my column on the North Suburban Conference break-up. I was only trying to find Buffalo’s most embarrassing loss to Elk River. I could have easily put in this year’s basketball scores against Elk River, but fewer people know about those games.

It was only meant to be an example, and I didn’t mean to offend anyone.

On January 30, I went to a sports writing clinic and contest at the Target Center, sponsored by the Timberwolves and the Minnesota High School Press Association. We got to talk to the writers who cover the Wolves constantly (called beat writers, because they keep a beat on the team) and a beat writer covering the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team for the Milwaukee Sentinel.

They said that in a story, you have to write about the truth, no matter how much it hurts.

We also got a chance to interview Christian Laettner. No one was expecting him to show up in place of former Wolves coach Jimmy Rodgers, who was fired on January 26. When asked about the bad rap that the (Laettner) was getting in the press, he said it was just that: “A bad rap from the press.”

All players go through that, both amateur and professional. After the Indiana Hoosiers lost to Ohio State in basketball, Sid Hartman was picking on Calbert Cheney for not playing up to his potential. While I agree that this “picking” on players and coaches should be avoided in high school sports, even I will accidentally become barbaric and revert to my sports columnist tendencies to pester a team. One thing I will not be is clicché, but everyone makes mistakes.

Once again, I apologize for my comments about the football team, and in this story about the girls’ and boys’ basketball teams. I was not trying to pick on any of you in last month’s column, and I am not trying to pick on you here. You are all doing the best that you can, and I have to respect that and use a little more caution.

Coming off a tough year in the North Suburban Conference, the girls’ basketball team prepared for the 1993-94 season. Many underclassmen played on the varsity team due to the small number of seniors on the team. Several members said that the team had to be built from the ground up. The team was led by seniors Jodi Stock and Deb Thies, who were the only members on the team with previous varsity experience. "It was kind of hard at the beginning because we had graduated eight seniors," said Stock. Although the team’s win-loss record showed a disappointing season, team members were pleased with how the year progressed after a slow start. "It was a big improvement from the beginning of the year," said sophomore Kara Wickman. Teammates agreed, saying that they were playing as individuals at first, and not as a team. "We learned how to play together, so that next year we can play together," said junior Amanda Miller. According to team members, the team wasn’t into the season at first. About halfway through the season, the players realized how much they had to put into the game. "We had our minds on other things," said Miller. "We got into it as the year went on." Team members are expecting to do better with the number of varsity players returning to the line-up. The team finished ninth in the North Suburban Conference this year, but is planning on a better performance in upcoming seasons. "Next year, we’ll be improved," said Wickman. "In a couple of years to come, we’ll be really competitive."

After a long, cold winter, the snow is melting and the scent of spring is in the air. With that smell comes baseball season. Bison baseball is back. This year’s roster is full of seniors with varsity experience. The team will return with eight starters, including All-Conference players Luke McLain and Josh Jewell and honorable mentions Tom Nordell and Mike Haag. The only player missing from the lineup this year is Ted Zrust. Last year, Zrust had nine wins and one loss, with a .96 ERA and 71 strikeouts. "Ted will be our key loss from last season," said coach LeRoy Erickson. With all the returning seniors, the juniors on the team are having a difficult time breaking into the lineup. "I’m just going to work hard on my hitting and fielding, and see if I can’t get in some rips on varsity," said junior Eric Novacek. The team had a .292 batting average last season, scoring 101 runs and stealing 67 bases. Individually, six players batted over .300 last season, including Jewell (.415), Leonard Keyes (.409), and McLain (.380). Coach Erickson said all six are the players to keep an eye on. Erickson also said that juniors Aaron DeMarais, Darren Holm, and Jason Ramthun will be players to look for. All three were .300 hitters on the B-squad team last year, and are probable back-up players. The Bison finished third in the North Suburban Conference last year, and second two years ago. This year, team members are looking to come in first. The team’s first conference game is on April 8 at home. "It’s going to be a tough conference again this season, but we’ve got a good chance at winning it," said Erickson.

The Bison track and field team began practice on March 8. With the post-season already in mind, they planned to start off as a winning team at the pre-season U. of M. Indoor Fieldhouse Meet on March 6.

“I think at the Fieldhouse we will be in high spirit and we will be ready to go for our goals,” said junior Lisa Aro.

Although there will be many excellent teams at the fieldhouse, along with achieving their goals, many believe the Bison will do well.

“Buffalo always does well at meets like these. We know we can finish towards the top,” said junior Matt Mattson.

With four state runners returning this year, the runners feel they can equal past accomplishments.

“The track team always has people running in the state meet,” said Mattson. “This year will be no different.”

For those who went to state last year, all the people and the pressure will be easier to handle.

“After experiencing the state meet last year, it will be easier to deal with this year,” said sophomore Erin Buselmeier.

Like every sport facing a new season the track team could also use some improvement.

“We’ll have to fill in where the graduates competed last year,” said senior Tara Zahler.

Many runners have also set personal goals for this year.

“My goal is for me to keep getting closer to the team, considering last year was my first season,” said Buselmeier.

Team members agree that the team has improved a lot since last season.

“There are a lot of promising relay runners returning to the team,” said Buselmeier.