The Bison – June 1, 1990

More high school students than ever before may be looking for summer jobs this summer, including BHS students. "Summer jobs are cool, and provide a good source of money," said sophomore Don Klick. One in five students have started making plans and filling out applications early. "I sent in three applications for a job," said sophomore Eric Trigg. While many young workers head for places like McDonald's to apply for seasonal work, other students go into car washing and lawn care, sometimes going into business for themselves. "I enjoy my work, because I get to be outside," said senior Michelle Meyer. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the youth labor market has been expanding at a rate of 3.5 million workers a year for the past decade. This growth occurs despite the dwindling numbers of teenagers. Last year, 69.2 million Americans between the ages of 16 and 24 worked during the summer. Fast food outlets, grocery stores, boutiques, pharmacies, department stores, and movie theaters employed the most minors.

The equipment is at the site and work has begun on the new Wal-Mart. A mainly southern discount department store, 1,420 Wal-Marts speckle the nation, including ten in Minnesota, are being built. A new Wal-Mart is scheduled to open in Buffalo next November. Twenty-eight acres have been purchased for the site across from BHS on the west side of Highway 25. Fourteen hundred square feet of that will be used for smaller shops centered around it. Having a big shopping center across from BHS could cause some changes. "We will have a huge traffic problem," said principal Nick Miller. "We might even have to close down the private road out front." With restaurants across the street, the possibility of skipping during lunch is greater. "Kids leave now and go to McDonald's. Wal-Mart is just a little closer," said Miller. Some students disagree. "I don't think any more kids will skip, just the ones that always have," said junior Lyle Knudson. Open campus could be another possible change. "I'm not for open campus, and I'm not against it," said Miller. "I'll have to see what happens when it's here."

The battle for an all-weather track is over. By unanimous vote, on May 14, the District #877 School Board resolved to allow construction of an all-weather track at BHS, ending a struggle that has lasted for six or seven years. "We felt we should get it over with," said Chair Judie Rose. "We've spent so much time on it, it is time to move on." Board member Dave Lee summed up the feelings of most track members. He said, "It's about time we put in a competitive facility for those in track." Buffalo Bituminous will begin construction on the $257,000 track as soon as possible. It must be completed by September 1 to accommodate the football season. "If only the track team uses it, it won't be a wise investment," said Superintendent Darrell Miller, "but if it's used by the community like the tennis courts, which I'm told it will, it will be good." The site around the football field has been a concern. "Due to frost heaving and boggy ground, it may crack. Maintenance cost may be excessive," said Rose. "I'm still not convinced it's going on the right site." The track will have underground tiling to prevent cracking, but it is not guaranteed. "The architect says it's fine, so I guess I have to trust him," said Miller. Other features include a thin maze fence so bikes cannot get through, a drinking fountain near the concession stand, and a red surface. "A red track won't heat up, expand and crack like a black track would," said Director of Buildings and Grounds Tom Pfleghar, "people respect it more, they'll see it as a track, not just another piece of asphalt." The company also claimed faster lap times on a red surface. "We joked that we should make every other lane red, and put the Buffalo runners in the red lanes," said Rose. The track team expects improved performances. "[The track] will help the hurdlers," said senior Craig Kjorlien, a sprinter on the team. "You can only put about five hurdles on the football field, so after five at a meet, a lot of our hurdlers lose it. They're not used to it." Additional technical advantages towards the new track were explained by coach Ed Saxton. "It will allow us to work on technical things like relay exchanges and starts," said Saxton. "Doing it on grass or concrete isn't the same."

Graduation rehearsal, commencement, all night grad party near

Approximately 280 seniors will be graduating on Friday, June th at 7:30 p.m. in the gymnasium The ceremony will include: recognition of honor graduates and for-eign exchange students, music by the concert band and choir, and the award of local scholarships worth a total of $27,000.

All graduating seniors should report for rehearsal on Friday, June th, at 7:00 a.m.

The annual all night graduation party will be taking place at BHS after the commencement ceremony.

Final 1989-90 school day request granted

Recently the District #877 School Board approved the BHS's request for the last day of the 1989-90 school year to be on Wednesday, June 6th, instead of the scheduled Thursday, June 7th.

School lunch program prices to increase next autumn

The price of school lunches will be increasing next year, due to a recent survey taken in BHS. The results of the survey showed that students would be willing to pay more money for larger portions of food. Elementary lunches will be $0.90, and Secondary lunches will be $1.00.

School Board meeting scheduled

The last District #877 School Board Meeting for the 1989-90 school year, will be on Monday, June 4th at 7:00p.m., in the Buffalo Junior High School Library.

Intending to encourage students to voice their opinions about the school and the staff, a survey was circulated and the results showed a positive attitude towards BHS.

The Teacher Sensitivity Committee, a special committee formed by the teachers to find out how students feel about certain issues, developed a survey which they circulated throughout the student body. The survey intended to expose what students like and dislike about BHS and what kinds of groups, or speakers, students would be willing to participate in or listen to. Questions covered topics ranging from drugs to peer pressure to teen pregnancy.

The survey was randomly given to approximately 300 total students from all of the grades, but due to uneven distribution, the 11th grade was not represented as accurately by the survey as hoped, according to Gerald Bakke. However, the limited response received by the juniors tended to echo many of the seniors' views.

Out of 70 ninth graders who completed the survey, 26 felt BHS is a superior school, and only four freshmen students rated BHS as below average. Freshmen concerns were: getting pushed around during lunch and in the halls, being 'put down', losing friends, physical education, and lack of study time. The freshmen approved of the BHS teachers, the variety of class selection, the adult treatment, the variety of both school and extracurricular activities, and the school atmosphere in general.

"If we would have given the survey in October, the th grade might not have had the same view," said Jane Keefe.

One hundred, thirty 10th graders were also given the survey. Only eight sophomores surveyed, rated BHS as below average compared to other schools, and most rated the school high compared to other schools.

Many sophomores felt that the teachers treat them as anyone else. Sophomores were very interested in discussion groups and guest speakers on the subjects of chemical abuse, relationships, suicide, depression, teen pregnancy, and athletic issues. They also felt open campus was a good idea.

Sixty-five seniors gave BHS high marks. Many seniors were concerned with social policies and rules, and many felt that once they were 18, they should be able to sign their own permission notes. Seniors also expressed interest in the exploration of open campus, more parking space, the changing of cliques. Seniors also expressed interest in small discussion groups and/or guest speakers on relationships, suicide, and depression.

"Most students had at least one person they felt they could talk to," said Bakke.

The results gave insight on how students felt about the school and the teachers. The results will determine whether discussion groups and guest speakers will be used more often in the future.

As a whole the results were positive about the school and teachers.

"Most kids think this is a pretty nice place to be," said Julie Swaggert, a Sensitivity Committee member.

Attempt for activities increase as two hour block system is set up for the ninth grade.

Freshmen, usually looked down upon in schools such as BHS, are the future of the school in a couple years. Ignored in the past, the new two hour block system for the English and Social Studies classes will give them a little attention.

"Strictly on as experiment basis, these new two hour block classes will enable us to add in more class activities, and have extended class projects, which normally wouldn't get finished in an hour class. It should also give us more library and computer time, and still make it easy for us to introduce change if necessary," said English teacher Jean Pehl.

Set up so that students will have English for two hours a day for a semester, and then switch to have Social Studies for two hours a day the following semester, the program gives more class time for homework and projects. The classes are modeled after the current two-hour block, World Studies Odyssey, for juniors.

Teaching the new classes will be Jean Pehl and Sharon Barsness for English; Dave Robinson and Laurie Raymond for Social Studies. The new system will enroll 120 ninth grade students, about one-third of the entire class. Students will be taken on a first come, first serve, basis.

Some parents have opposed the new classes, and will be prohibiting their son or daughter from enrolling in these classes.

The Special Olympics offer the mentally handicapped students the opportunity to express themselves through physical competition, but giving students this opportunity costs money.

This year, "Run for the Gold" was the promotional activity to defray the costs. The Physical Education department encouraged the promotion, which began on April 30. About twenty BHS mainstream students donated their time to acquire sponsors and run, jog, or walk as many 85 yard laps as possible in the allotted 20 minute period.

"[Lori Seenstra] gave us a video to watch, our whole Phy. Ed. class, and told us about it. She said we didn't have to participate, but she said it was a good cause. I thought about it and decided that it was only 20 minutes out of my life, so I did it," said senior Shelly Jondahl.

"I ran 2 miles, equivalent to 40 Special Olympic laps, and 8 of our laps," she said.

The group raised approximately $900 for the cause, by having sponsors that donated an average $0.25 per lap and by completing an average of 30 laps each.

Other students who didn't run in the program helped the cause through various other methods.

"I kind of forgot about the sponsorships until the day before and then I went into my Physics class and explained it, and I got about six sponsors from class. Then I also went home and got some from my neighbors, but the majority was from students," said Jondahl.

Participants who had over 5 sponsoring parties received a token award, such as a pin, a T-shirt, or a duffle bag.

The money raised helped fund state and local Special Olympic competitions, according to Lori Seenstra, Special Olympic Coach.

The international organization allows retarded students to participate in athletic training and competition, and provides programs for thousands in over 22 sports. The organization stresses effort, and that everyone is a winner.

Buffalo alone has 20 athletes in the program and offers six sports, including bowling, cross-country skiing, basketball, swimming, track and field, and gymnastics.

The future is in Your Hands Good Luck Graduates

To a gem of a class CONGRATULATIONS 1990 GRADUATES Towne Jewelers 4 1st Avenue NE, Buffalo 682-2284

Graduates: You Have A Head Start On Life Good Luck!

Congratulations to the Graduating Class of 1990 Celebrate your graduation party with balloons and bouquets from Buffalo Floral. Thank you to all students who support Buffalo Floral throughout the year. Show us your tassle for a free flower. Buffalo Floral "On the Hill" 682-2010

Best Wishes to the Class of '90 "Moving on to BIGGER and better things" mr. movies The Choice is Clear 8 South 1st Avenue, Buffalo 682-4917