The Bison – December 22, 1995

A budget plan currently under debate in the United States Congress could affect the cost of loans for college-bound students. Rep. David Minge, a moderate Democrat from Minnesota, said that the Republican Budget Reconciliation Plan includes the elimination of the Stafford in-school interest exemption, which pays for the interest on student loans from the Stafford program during the time the student is attending a university or college.

If this in-school interest benefit is eliminated, the average undergraduate who takes out a Stafford loan each year of college will accumulate an additional $3,042 in interest by the time the loans must be repaid, said Minge.

In addition, the plan would increase charges to private student lenders, cap direct federal lending at 20 percent of the nation's total student loans, and would require colleges to pay a fee on the amount of federal loans they receive.

Minge said that Congress also recently passed an appropriations bill that included a $3.6 billion total reduction in federal funding for education programs. A spokesman for Republican Sen. Rod Grams of Minnesota said that the increase in cost for students would be very small.

"There actually isn't anything being cut from student loans," said the spokesman. "The difference is in how it's going to be paid. They're going to eliminate the six-month grace period [on loan interest]. It'll cost students about an extra $16 a month."

The spokesman also said that the fee assessed colleges for the loans their students receive would not affect them greatly. However, some members of Congress believe that the Republican plan could have serious negative effects on students.

"I oppose the elimination of [the Stafford loan subsidy] because it unfairly targets middle-class families who are the main beneficiaries of this subsidy," said Minge. The Coalition, a group of moderate Democrats of which Minge is a member, has authored an alternative to the Republican Budget Reconciliation Plan. The Coalition's plan postpones the proposed tax cut until the budget is balanced. It uses the $245 billion to moderate many of the proposed cuts to agriculture programs, Medicare, Medicaid, and education programs.

"I strongly believe that the immediate needs of our students are tied to the long-range health and viability of our nation," said Minge. Many legislators feel that in order to reduce the budget deficit of $4.8 trillion and to balance the budget, every program should be reevaluated.

"Student loan programs should not carry a disproportionate share of cuts," said Minge.

Future Farmers of America might as well have the name Fun Filled Adventures, at least according to the FFA members at BHS.

FFA performs many services for the community.

"We do many things for the county," said sophomore Megan Duerr. The most popular FFA activity is the annual corn drive. Members go to area farms and ask for shelled corn. They then sell the corn to Centra-Sota, an agriculture-related business located in Buffalo.

"We went to area businesses and asked for donations," said sophomore Abby Neu. "The money raised goes to Camp Courage (a camp for kids with disabilities to attend during the summer)."

The Buffalo chapter of FFA is also involved in Hides for Habitat. People bring in deer hides and FFA preserves them. FFA receives one dollar for every hide they preserve.

"People bring in deer hides from all over the community," said junior Kaje Dubbeldee. FFA is involved with live animals as well. They take part in the judging of many animals including cattle, general livestock, poultry, small animals, and horses.

"I like to do horse judging and go to contests," said Dubbeldee. The Buffalo horse judging team won the Region 4 Invitational. They also took 5th place at the University of Wisconsin, River Falls Invitational. The team will be attending the state tournament later this year.

"All of us have experience with horses, but none of us have ever been on the horse judging team," said freshman Kyle Meyer. The Buffalo small animal judging team went to the U of M for a competition on November 28.

"It [the competition] was educational because we had to identify dogs using only a list of the possible dogs," said Duerr. FFA isn't all about agriculture.

"We play in a basketball tournament with other chapters," said Dubbeldee. Anybody who wants to, can be in FFA, students don't have to live on a farm or know a lot about agriculture. There are many members that do not live on farms, or even know anything about them.

"FFA isn't just for farmers anymore," said senior Dan Rumsey. If a student is interested or wants more information on becoming a member of FFA, they can speak to FFA adviser Gregg Adler in Room E-7.

This year BHS performed a 16th Century Christmas. It is held once every other year. Groups that took part included BHS Singers, Treble Singers, actors in a skit, a recorder ensemble, a brass ensemble, a harp, and choir students acting as servants. Performances were on December 1 and 2 at 7:30pm.

Reckless driving skills concern many.

New Year's resolutions, kept or broken.

Midget hockey begins first season.

It's that time of year again when the snow is falling and the ground is glistening. Most people are preparing for the holiday season. Some people are driving to places so they can enjoy winter sports that they have not been able to participate in during the summer.

There is sometimes a high price to pay when winter comes around. It has almost happened to most people. What are we talking about? The car accidents that happen because of bad weather. With the holiday season already begun, it means more travel for many of us. It also means snow or ice-covered roads which can cause hazardous roadways. Even the smallest accident can cause a major headache. No matter how fast you drive or how careful you are, there is a possibility that you might experience this migraine. The holidays are a time for happiness that can end in a tragic car accident.

So, now that we have had our first snowfall, it is time to brush up on those winter driving skills.

The snow has that magical power to grab your wheels and take you where it wants to go. Try to stop and all you do is slip and slide. There is little or no control over which direction your car goes. You turn the wheel in the direction you want the car to go, but all the car does is go in the same direction as before. Even the best snow tires cannot stop the problem; it just eases it. Even four-wheel-drive can't help prevent an accident. Some people think they can do anything with four-wheel-drive, but the truth is that it is ineffective on ice, packed snow and when driving at high speeds.

In case you get stranded be sure you have winter clothes. Also make sure there is a candle, candy and a blanket in your car. This way you can survive.

So this year let's try to reduce the number of tragic accidents. Be a little slower after a fresh snowfall and pay more attention to the road while driving. If you are not sure how road conditions are, take your time until you know for sure. Make sure that you have tires with good tread. It will make it easier to get through the snow. Use four-wheel-drive on, but take your time because you still can have problems driving. If it is your first time driving in the snow, an empty parking lot is an excellent place to practice.

How many of you have ever skipped over open water on a snowmobile or raced your buddy in the car next to you? Why pull such dangerous stunts? So often people think that nothing will happen to them instead of facing reality: they could end up hurt or dead.

The feeling of invincibility is one that has plagued people for generations, sometimes leading them into dangerous activities that occasionally prove human mortality. Recently, I have been saddened by the careless deaths of two Minnetonka High School students as a result of such incidents.

The first incident happened nine months ago, just before Spring Break. A 12th grader was giving an 11th grade friend a ride to work. As they drove down the highway in broad daylight, another car filled with friends began driving recklessly near them, finally pulling in front of the 12th grader's car and slamming on the brakes -- just to be funny. In order to avoid hitting the pranksters, the driver swerved and ended up in the opposite lane. The car was hit broadside by an oncoming car traveling 55 mph. The passenger died two days later. Not so funny.

The other incident happened only weeks ago. Several high school students were at a party. The parents were out of town. Alcohol was present and judgment was impaired. Someone found a gun and started goofing around with it, pointing it at various targets and shooting. Nothing happened, so it was assumed that the gun had no ammunition. The party-goers realized otherwise when the 10th grader pointed the gun at himself and pulled the trigger. Too late. The gun was, in fact, loaded. Another waste of a promising life.

Results from incidents such as these extend far beyond the loss of life. The driver in the car accident escaped without physical injury. However, he will live the rest of his life knowing a passenger was killed in the car he was driving. The parents of the party host returned home to discover that their child hosted a party where a death occurred. Party-goers in the shooting incident are likely to experience emotional trauma not only as a result of losing a friend, but also from witnessing a violent death.

The families of these teenagers have embarked on a long, unexpected grieving process. Generally speaking, parents expect their children to outlive them, making sudden deaths such as these so extremely tragic. The grieving siblings need to adjust their answers to the question, how many brothers and sisters do you have? An innocent enough question that will serve as a constant reminder of the sibling they once had. For the family of the shooting victim, debates over gun control will take on new meaning.

As I write, I am reminded of the time I was a substitute teacher in health a few weeks after the accident. The plan for the day included gruesome films of car accidents. The brother of the car accident victim had to excuse himself from class. The film was just too painful for him to watch.

Careless accidents are just that. Careless. They are also avoidable. People shouldn't have to live a lifetime of pain and suffering as a result of careless, thoughtless actions. Remember that cars are weapons when not driven with care. Guns do result in violent deaths when not stored and handled properly. Do not let these teenagers die in vain. Learn from these accidents, and think before doing something careless.

-- Leanne Turnquist taught at Minnetonka High School last year. She currently teaches English and Journalism at BHS. She is also the adviser for the Bison.

Every year, at about this time, seniors start complaining about having "senioritis." Everything they do -- every time they get crabby or stressed out -- is blamed on senioritis.

As soon as we enter high school we dream of becoming seniors. Many freshmen look up to seniors, longing for the day when they, too, will be looked up to and admired.

Many of freshmen are even afraid of seniors. Why? For as long as I've been at BHS, I've never actually seen a freshman stuck in a garbage can, stuffed in a locker and slammed into the wall just because they are a freshman.

I, personally, loved being a freshman. If you think about it, it's really not all that bad. Everything is new -- you get to meet new people in different grades, you get more freedom and, in a lot of cases, get off easier than upperclassmen because you're inexperienced and the baby.

But still, they long to be seniors.

Sophomore is a fancy word for "in the middle." Sophomores aren't the babies, but they aren't upperclassmen either. They don't get babied the way freshmen do, but they still don't get the freedom of being upperclassmen. As a sophomore you begin to feel the pressure to get good grades and know that looking at colleges is in the future. But the sophomore year is still pretty unstressful compared to the years of being an upperclassman.

Juniors have it a little better than sophomores. Juniors are officially upperclassmen. The stress of getting good grades and beginning to look at colleges is on. As a junior, one begins to gain a sense of responsibility and reality. Our senior year is just around the corner. Are we prepared?

I haven't experienced being a senior yet. But from watching my friends who are seniors I can understand that it is really stressful. The pressure of deciding on a college and earning enough money to go to the college of your choice is more urgent. And the reality that this is their last year with the same people they may have known for thirteen years makes people so crazy that they just want to scream.

So why do underclassmen spend three years looking forward to being seniors? Once they get there they may want to go back to being freshmen.

In church a while ago I was listening to my pastor preach about how people who are content with life take the simplest things for granted. I absolutely agree with him.

In some cases, including my own, parents don't seem to appreciate, or at least acknowledge, the little things we do for them. Yes, some things are considered "chores," but how often do our parents actually thank us for the simplest tasks we perform for them?

Just a few weeks ago my friend and I were having a conversation on boyfriends and the sweet, thoughtful things they do for their "women." She remembered a time when one of the office assistants came in to her classroom with a bunch of roses. One of the girls in the class received the roses, and my friend remembered seeing a disgusted look on her face. She heard the girl mumble to herself something about, "He always sends me flowers." We just couldn't understand this. It might be a little embarrassing, but it's the thought that counts, right? Some people might not receive a single rose from even a friend, how could anyone take something like that for granted? Some advice that could help: if you really do have the same thoughts or feelings as the girl in this example, accept the gift graciously with the thought of who it's from, rather than what the gift is.

Sometimes, my sister complains about her food. She doesn't like it, she doesn't feel like eating it, or anything else you can think of. Then I think to myself, some people don't even get to have food. Some just take what they can get and appreciate it. I tell my sister this and, of course, she gets stubborn and argues. But can't you see what I mean?

There must be some way to get ourselves to appreciate the things that we are able to do, the things we accept blindly and anything else we have that we shouldn't take for granted. The way I try and attack this is by the famous "think before you act" cliche. I think about everything I do, and then I think about how other people would react to what I might do.

Living in this world, we really do complain too much about things. How much easier life could be if people wouldn't take it for granted.

Dress codes -- something to think about. Do we really need them in school? Some say yes, because shirts are profane and offensive to them. Others will say no, let people wear what they want to express their style. But this year, the District 877 School Board made new rules for dress codes. No longer will Co-ed Naked shirts be allowed. No longer will pot, alcohol or cigarette shirts be allowed. Even T-shirts containing such words as "suck" and "gay" will not be tolerated. But really, shouldn't we all have the freedom and right to wear what we want stating our dignity, style and personality?

I mean after all, we are between the ages of 14 and 18. We can pretty much make decisions for ourselves. Besides, weren't we told what to wear in fourth grade? This school has so many rules and regulations constraining us that it's almost like it's grade school all over again. We are young men and women and we are about to enter the real world soon.

I think that it's about time that we get to choose what we wear to school.

A poll was passed out to thirty students in grades 9-12. The majority of students said that "dress codes are a waste of time and there is no reason that we should have one." Senior Natosha Jarrette put it best when she wrote that dress is "an expression ... you can't change by others."

Whatever happened to freedom of speech? The way we dress is a form of self-expression, and that should not be taken away from anyone.

But on the other hand, some students thought that it was only fair that we did have dress codes. They didn't want to be offended by things on people's shirts. And some students can see that point of view too. You don't need to come to school and see things that offend you.

All in all, I think that everyone is going to have their own personal opinion about dress codes, so we may never reach a final decision.

Should Minnesota students attend school year-round? Some states have chosen to go to a year-round school schedule, and Minnesota schools are considering it as a choice. But here are a few reasons Minnesota does not go to a year-round school schedule.

One factor is the schedule we are presently using has been used for many years with few problems.

Some schools are forced to go to a year-round schedule because of over-crowding. This may be the best solution for some over-crowded schools, but there are other solutions to over-crowding, like building a new, larger school.

Another reason could be that after school activities are going to be mixed up with other schools that are not on the same schedule. You might not be able to play against other schools that are in their conference.

Also, with year-round school, there would be no summer break. That means that summer activities, like marching band, might be canceled. Many kids need time to make extra money with a summer job and others just want to get away from school for a few months. Some kids that live on farms need the summer break to help do farm work.

Scheduling would be hard because families would like the same days off from school for all their children.

It would take a lot of time to work a year-round schedule free of problems.

Winter sports are a big part of student life at BHS. With the cold Minnesota winters, many students take advantage of sports held in the gym. Others involved in activities like skiing brave the cold weather to enjoy the sport they love.

Wrestlers spend many hours practicing new strategies to pin their opponents. Junior Chad Remer and partner are among the many wrestlers who spend many hours after school practicing.

Recovering from a hard practice, freshman Jessica Sanford relaxes in the snow. The Nordic ski team spent many hours running and rollerblading to get in shape before there was enough snow to start skiing.

After-school practices are a part of daily life for athletes. The B-squad girls' basketball team practices getting the ball in the hoop. Due to limited gym space, sports teams requiring usage of the gym must rotate schedules to find time to accommodate everyone.

Downhill skiers are among those who look forward to the first heavy snowfall of the season. Freshman Sean Siffert tries to get down the hill in the fastest time possible.

As the clock slowly ticks toward the turn of a new day, firecrackers explode, bells ring, sirens sound, and everyone shouts "Happy New Year!" New Year's Day is a very well-known holiday all around the world and people in almost every country celebrate it.

"I'm glad they have New Year's," said sophomore Kathy Carlson. "It gives everyone an excuse to get together and party!"

Although many people celebrate the coming of the new year, many don't have any idea how, where or why this holiday originated.

Ancient people started the year at harvest time and performed rituals to do away with the past and purify themselves for the new year. As a ceremony, many people put out fires that they were using and started new ones from a large community fire, in the center of the city or village.

"For New Year's I stay up and party, watch the ball drop on TV and then go to bed," said sophomore Jim Halverson.

During the Middle Ages, most European countries used March 25, a Christian holiday called Annunciation Day, to start the new year. The early Roman calendar observed New Year's Day on March 1. By the 1600s many Western nations adopted a revised calendar called the Gregorian calendar. This calendar, still used today, made January 1 New Year's Day. British colonies in America adopted the calendar in 1752, making January 1 New Year's Day in the New World as well.

"I think they should have made New Year's in July," said Carlson. "That way it would be warm and you could have a huge beach party, and there would be more things to do because the weather would be warmer."

A traditional song sung by almost all English speaking people at the stroke of midnight is Auld Lang Syne. It means "old long since" or "days gone by" in the Scottish language. Robert Burns is given credit for writing it, although he only took the words down as he heard an old man singing them one night.

"Auld Lang Syne is a great song," said band director Lee Kjesbo. "It brings back memories of someone or something for every person."

So, whether a person makes a resolution or parties the night away, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day are holidays enjoyed by people all over the world, in both a serious and a festive manner.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne!

chorus:
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

And surely we'll be pourin' pintstoup!
And surely we'll be mine!
And we'll take a cup o' kindness yet,
For auld lang syne.

We twa hae run about the braes,
And pou'd the gowans fine;
But we've wandered mony a weary feet,
Sin' auld lang syne.

And there's a hand, my trusty fere!
And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak' a right quade-willie waught,
For auld lang syne.

The new year is supposed to be better than the last, at a price. It's the only day we'll always in the name of good. Easier said than done. But have faith, here are some dos and don'ts to bear in mind before deciding what is sacrifice in name of the new year.

"I just really have to want this change ... if I'm going to stick with it," said foreign language teacher Connie Crocker. "It also has to be reasonable and realistic."

So not lying to oneself or being disillusioned may be part of keeping resolutions. It is also important to have commitment (Gulp!) and persistence.

"I think you have to write them down, and it's something that you can stick with," said life science teacher Vicki Marten. "I think we're more likely to reach that goal if they're not self-defeating so they don't lower our self esteem if we fail."

"I think that they have to be really important to you."

Learning from resolutions made in the past may play a part, too. Though the year is a long time, it could be that resolutions broken again in a week or two.

"Focusing on failures in the past, I think is important," said senior Melissa Wenzel. "You have to be dedicated to yourself and who you are. You have to know what is right for yourself and not what is right for others because it only benefits you. But usually I don't make resolutions because I break them, then I feel bad, but I try to be good within my own standards and regulations."

Some more advice is to try not to go overboard about a resolution. For instance, resolving to skydive through one of the skylights in the mall is bound to be a disappointment.

The advice on sticking to New Year's resolutions does seem similar in all its plaintfulness, yet perhaps the most useful advice comes from the mouths of those who avoid the problem, like social studies teacher LeRoy Erikson.

"I don't make New Years resolutions so embarrassing if a resolution is broken in a week or two. I don't [have to] stick to them," said Erickson.

The gymnastics team looks like it is going to have a great season this year. Practice started on November 13, and the team is performing well already.

"I'm impressed with the team this year. The first practices have gone great. Time will tell how we do, but I'm expecting great things," said head coach Martha Driscoll-Nelson, who is in her twelfth season as head coach of the team.

There are seven seniors on the team. The team captains are seniors Gerice Olson, Jamie Kettenacker, and Megan Harms. The captains play an important role on the team.

"Captains provide leadership for their younger teammates. They motivate the other girls, and help to get things organized," said Driscoll-Nelson.

Besides coaching the gymnastics team, Driscoll-Nelson has another challenge to deal with, coaching with a new baby.

"It's been interesting," said Driscoll-Nelson. "The baby has to come to the gym with me while I coach."

The task of coaching has been made easier by assistant coaches Nan Aldon, art teacher John Holtz, and student assistant coach, sophomore Jim Halverson.

There are 16 meets for the season this year. The team started out winning against Rockford on December 8. Hopefully the attendance at the meets will continue to be like last year. Attendance is hoped to be especially high at the home meet against the team's archrival, Monticello.

"Attendance was good last year. A lot of people came to watch our home meets," said Driscoll-Nelson.

The goals for the season have been set. The goals are similar to last seasons, but as the season progresses that goal may be compromised. If the goals for the season are met, the gymnastics team is in for a great season in a tough conference.

"We would like to finish second in the conference. The point goal is still 130. We would really like to have a good showing at the region tournament. There are a lot of tough teams in the conference," said Driscoll-Nelson.

The athletes have also set individual goals personalized for themselves.

"The girls write their personal goals down on a sheet of paper, and they work towards meeting those goals," said Driscoll-Nelson. "Gymnastics is a team sport, the final score is based on the whole team. The most important thing is that they work together."

"Have an ice day" is a phrase that has not been heard for a while, but will be heard again very soon. Bison hockey is once again going to be putting on a show for the crowd.

This year, there are many changes on and off the ice. There is a new coaching staff and there will not be as many players on junior varsity or varsity teams. There is also a new league called Midgets. The new team is coached by Devin Davidson, a social studies teacher at BHS. They have received ice-time, equipment, jerseys, and will be scheduling tournaments.

Three years ago, seniors could not participate in midget hockey, but the rules were changed, making seniors eligible.

The team is not just for people that do not make it on the junior varsity and varsity team, but for people that want to play hockey mostly for enjoyment.

The midget hockey season started soon after tryouts for the high school team, which were held in November. The practices are usually held on evenings or weekends so working athletes can participate in hockey and are still able keep their jobs. Practices are held two or three times a week.

"I think it is a great idea that they came up with this new league because it gives a chance to people that don't want the intensity of the high school but can still get out there and play," said senior Paul Schaefer.

High goals for this year have been set. The high school team would like to finish this year as the top team in the conference. With only a few seniors returning from last season, underclassmen will have to pick up the playing time.

"Even with the lack of seniors this year we should still have an exciting and winning year," said senior Jon Donovan.

Many of the seniors on the team are hoping that this year, being their last high school hockey season, will be a winning one.

"I've played hockey since I was six years old, and sure hope we can end it with a good record this year," said senior Tom Ebert.

The new varsity head coach this year is Mike MacMillan. He is hoping the Bison can pull together. MacMillan took over the head coaching position, which was held by Carl Davis, when Davis left for a position at another school.

"I think with all the new changes this year, especially with the new coaching that we could have a really good year, or then again maybe not," said Ebert.

Many of the players touched on the crowd and how important it is for them to know that the school is behind the team and cheering loudly.

All of the home games for both teams are held at the Buffalo Civic Center, one of the few indoor rinks in the area. So, bundle up and come out to see these guys on the ice.

As the basketball season begins, players and coaches have high hopes for a great season.

"We look to strengthen our full court game and our defensive pressure," said boys coach Dave Alto. "We are just trying to make this season as fun as possible."

This is Alto's first year as head coach. He hopes to have a good season with lots of great athletes. Alto was the girls junior varsity coach for two years and B-squad boys coach for three years. Last year, the boys team had many close games and faced many tough opponents, which resulted in a disappointing season.

Also hoping to improve this year is the girls varsity basketball team.

"We hope to finish in the upper-middle half of the conference," said girls coach Kristen DeClerk-Thompson.

Last year, the team also had a sub-par record (4-19), but had many high points. Dani Vogt was named an All-Conference athlete and Tammy Wermager was named All-Conference Honorable Mention. Ten team records and eight individual records were also broken. Nine athletes have returned from last season, which adds experience. DeClerk-Thompson hopes the team will improve with every game.

Overall, both teams hope to improve both their records and their athletes. They also want to finish well, but have fun doing it.

Who are the students that manage? Often they are the forgotten ones, the tapers, the go-fors, the bookkeepers, the timers. They do the dirty work for the duration of practices, meets and games, sometimes going unnoticed, un-thanked. This is often the case for many athletes who are not the stars. But each day they go through the same grueling practices and meets as the stars do, with just a little bit less recognition.

Managers are often students who are, were or will be athletes in the future. Managing a team is their chance to learn the ropes and help work out any kinks that may arise during a season. Some days can be painstakingly slow and others can fly by like the wind. A person never knows what might happen during a sporting event; the manager might witness a bunch of swimmers jumping into the pool clad in brand new parkas, or a record time at a finish line achieved by a runner on the Bison.

One of the most rewarding parts of the managing is watching the team after a win, knowing that maybe you (the manager) helped to lift them a little, gave them a little spirit. Even if the manager cannot directly be attributed for the win, it's exciting to be able to experience the feeling.

Teams are not made up of athletes alone. A lot goes into a successful team. Coaches can't be expected to do all the work of setting up before meets and practices, most of them are teachers, a lot of them have kids in school and have busy schedules too.

Something pulls athletes back each season. Maybe it's the camaraderie, the feeling of being a part of a team, or the passion for the sport, or the thrill of competition. During high school, playing sports takes a big chunk of time, and as the years go by, other things like jobs and college get in the way. Whatever it is, once a member of a team, it's hard to let go.

For people not athletically-inclined or just want to get involved in sports, managing may be just the thing to satisfy the love for being a part of a team.

Lack of snow didn't keep the Nordic skiers spirits from falling. As usual, Mother Nature made the calls in the beginning.

"We need more snow," said senior Elicia Drake. When there is not any snow the team participates in dry land training. Dry land training involves stretching and an extensive cardiovascular workout including running and inline skating. Dry land training also includes lifting weights for strength training. The team practices from 3:00pm until about 5:30pm Monday through Friday, with optional practices held on Saturdays.

"We run three to six miles a day," said junior Christina Anderson. Monticello, Spring Lake Park and Columbia Heights are in the conference along with the Bison this year. "Monticello will probably give us the most competition in the conference. Elk River will probably be tough if we make it to regions this year," said coach Tim Heisel.

Twenty-three new faces have joined the team of nine remaining members from last year, to make a total of thirty-two members.

"Some of our goals for this year are to practice our skills and teamwork. We have a good chance to win the conference this year," said coach Heisel.

There are two types of races at the ski meets. The first style is called skate that resembles inline skating. The second style is called classical, or diagonal, and it comprised more of the original motions of walking and gliding on skis.

"I'm hoping that as the season goes on that the students will decide on which style they like better and focus their practicing on it," said Heisel. With the growing involvement in this sport, this sport should be here to stay.

Ellie Johnson skis her heart out. Thanks to the recent snow the team has been successful.

Bison team don't take no jive. That is what the Bison cheerleaders are doing this year, they aren't taking any jive. With the addition of cheerleading adviser Jennifer Johnson, the cheerleaders are hoping for a better year.

"We have recently made some improvements, and plan to continue with our work so others may see that we take this sport very seriously," said Johnson. With a whole bunch of new cheerleaders this year, most of them are out to prove that they are not the stupid, airheaded, whiny cheerleaders that some students think that they are.

"We [Johnson and co-cheerleading adviser Nancy Eiynck] would like to develop the program into one which exemplifies professionalism, good sportsmanship and high moral character," said Johnson. There are four winter sports to cheer for: varsity hockey, wrestling, girls basketball, and boys basketball. Varsity hockey cheerleaders are seniors Kathy Rude and Allison Lindahl, junior Lori Ahrens, and sophomore Abby Neu. Varsity wrestling cheerleaders are seniors Brenda Falde, Sara Miller, Cathy Dongoski, and sophomore Terry Shinabarger. Varsity boys basketball cheerleaders consist of junior Stephanie Enter, sophomore Megan Duerr, and freshmen Katie Krueger and Jamie Anderson. Varsity girls basketball cheerleaders are senior Lisa Drebenstedt, sophomore Jenny Neumann, and freshmen Holly Koch and Lisa Solonek.

"I feel we have a very good squad filled with talented, hard-working young women," said senior Allison Lindahl. "The image that the cheerleaders are trying to get across is that cheerleading is not an activity, but a sport. People are stuck on old stereotypes, and if they see one bad cheerleader, they think they are all bad."

"Many sports teams have problems agreeing all the time; many feel that cheerleading is not an exception. Just like in any sport, there are disagreements, and as the cheerleaders are such a visual representation of the school, their disagreements tend to be perceived greater than they really are," said Eiynck.

This year, the Bison cheerleaders hope to pull together like a team because some of them have been cheering together for three years. They have a grueling schedule, but they enjoy cheering on the Bison.

The average student at BHS finds one room more intimidating than others to enter: the computer lab. Computer-phobic people often find themselves glancing down at the computer, and looking up for only one person, Mr. Wilcox.

BHS was saddened by the announcement that Jim Wilcox is retiring after 34 years of teaching. He has decided to leave at the end of the first semester for personal reasons to find a new job.

Wilcox began his teaching career in Carmi, Illinois. He taught there for five years, from 1959-1964. He came to Buffalo 29 years ago, and was an award-winning English teacher.

"He has got to have the most awards for teaching that I have ever seen, ranging from student appreciation to twenty-five years of teaching," said senior Josh Schiro.

Over the years, Wilcox began dabbling with computers. On occasion, he was found climbing in the ceiling, wiring the school for the computer network. Wilcox is an expert when it comes to knowing and fixing computers, and explaining them to other teachers and students.

"When I came to this school I was completely computer illiterate. It took a great amount of patience for him [Wilcox] to come all the way down from his level to mine. But what made it not so bad was he is one of the nicest guys in the world," said English teacher Tracy Hagstrom-Dahl.

Wilcox is a legend at BHS for several reasons. He is loved by staff and students alike, and communication is his strong suit. Wilcox has gained a reputation as someone who will do anything for anyone.

"Mr. Wilcox has done so much for The Bison; I will miss his computer expertise," said junior Theresa Button. "[During] last issue on the last day of Hell Week, he drove all around looking for a printer that would work."

Beginning January 23, the person in charge of the computer lab will be Pam Correll.

"It will be hard to fill his position, but I sure will try. I came here pretty cold but he taught me a lot," said Correll. "There's one thing I came to realize working with him: that he loves computers and to show people how they work. The other thing is that he spent many hours before and after school helping people; this is one dedicated man."

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Jim Wilcox sits at a computer in the computer lab. Wilcox will be retiring in January. Pam Correll will be taking over as supervisor in the computer lab.

BHS is ever increasing its links with the world. Access to the Internet and World Wide Web has been growing rapidly.

BHS has its own ideas for a home page. The WWW page meetings yield many ideas. The most prominent idea is to have a page for the entire city of Buffalo, not just the school. It would include statistics, geography, facts on tourism, demographics, and links to other pages. Other pages would include other parts of District 877, possibly the individual schools or activities.

"We're looking at making a community web page," said WWW-team adviser Jennifer Johnson.

BHS's page is already being written.

"The hardest thing about writing a web page is finding time," said junior Bob Schlick. Students have unlimited access to the WWW. The DOS-compatible Macintoshes have Netscape, a WWW browser. The Windows-capable Compags in the academic computer lab have Netscape for Windows.

"As soon as people become aware of [the web access, they stop in]," said computer room adviser Jim Wilcox.

BHS's WWW-browsing computers are already hits. When the computer lab is open to the public, many citizens of Buffalo take advantage of the WWW access.

Some students have been using the Internet improperly, but they are learning to use it correctly.

"Our students are still exploring. They have not learned to search carefully," said Wilcox.

To write a page, students can use any text-editing software to write a file with the extension. The Netscape Extensions enhance graphic positioning, background effects and more.

The BHS Student Council has had a busy month. Many goals have been set and committees started. The Student Council held a Senior Citizen's Holiday Buffet on December 14 in the library. Senior citizens who eat in the mall during lunches were invited to the half-day event. BHS Singers performed, and Nick Miller gave a welcome speech.

"I never knew all of the preparation work that has to go into a Senior Citizen's Holiday Buffet. It was hard and challenging but it was worth it," said junior Alicia Heisel, chair of the Senior Citizen's Holiday Buffet Committee.

Student Council has been working on goals for the year. The first is to hold an open forum meeting that any student can attend to learn more about what goes on in school. Another goal is to get open campus for seniors. As a personal goal, Student Council hopes to become one of five Outstanding State Student Councils. Informing students about the new-school and block schedule is an ongoing process. Better communication between Student Council and the student body is a goal that will serve the entire school.

This past month there was also a contest to re-name the road in front of the new school. A $50 cash prize was offered.