The Bison – March 25, 1994

The rumors that were floating around the school that a dress code could be implemented are not true, according to administrators.

"I wish they wouldn't wear potentially offensive clothes, but we can't ban it," said assistant principal Mary Loberg.

The student handbook says students have the responsibility to "dress and groom to meet needs of safety and health that do not draw undue attention to themselves and do not disrupt the learning process."

"I feel the administration has the right to interfere when students wear t-shirts that promote sex or drinking, and if their dress inhibits learning, the administration has the right to step in," said assistant principal Tom Hoffman.

Most students feel that they should be able to wear what they want to, but that there should be some limitations.

"I think people should be able to wear what they want unless it offends someone else's values," said senior Chris Nevins.

Other students felt that dress codes should be valued, but only for very specific reasons.

"I think dress codes should be implemented only if students are wearing shirts with extremely vulgar messages," said foreign exchange student Christian Adderley.

However, there are also students who feel that there should not be a dress code in any case.

"I wear what I want to wear.

If [the administration] says anything, too bad. If they don't like it, they don't have to look at it," said junior Crystal Schur.

Clothing has not been a problem among a majority of the students. According to the administration, there are only about twenty incidents a year that involve offensive t-shirts, and ten involving other types of clothing.

"I will protect students' rights to wear mohawks, earrings, and things like that," said principal Nick Miller.

There are many reasons that the administration does not feel a dress code is necessary. They feel that it is more beneficial to them not to have one.

"By not having a dress code there are a lot of positives. Without it, we have a mutual respect between the administration and the student body," said Hoffman.

This respect is shown through the fact that our school allows the students to wear items that have been banned in other schools, such as bandannas.

"Students here are lucky that they can wear hats in school. We're one of the few schools that can," said Hoffman.

In all, many students are against strict dress codes.

"I don't believe in dress codes because they're just a restraint. It's just catering to society," said junior Chris Wessman.

The first ever senior breakfast was held in the BHS mall on Monday, March 14. Seniors were addressed by Nick Miller, Tom Hoffman and Gloria Rose about all of the issues pertaining to seniors in their last months at BHS, including scholarships, parking privileges and open campus.

"This has been the best senior class in my nine years here," said Miller.

Miller commented that this year's ACT scores were well above the state and national averages.

"It's really been a great year," said Miller. "It's less stressful for me, and hopefully less stressful for the seniors."

Miller then announced that this year they will again try open-campus lunch for all seniors, starting sometime after spring break.

Although most seniors are happy with this, some see downsides to it.

Senior Jason Exley commented that it won't be as beneficial to those seniors who don't have cars.

While seniors are getting open campus lunch, this year's seniors will not be allowed to write their own notes to excuse themselves from school, due to problems and misuse by last year's seniors.

"We're not really treated like adults, and then they tell us that we are, so we have mixed feelings," said senior Kari Nyberg.

Many seniors feel that they should be given the opportunity to try it.

"If the seniors last year got to try it, we should have a try at it too," said senior Sharalee Strand. "The seniors last year ruined it, not us."

One of the arguments for letting students writing their own notes is age related.

"If we're eighteen, which most of us are, we should be able to write our own notes," said senior Regan Smith.

Some are glad that they received some privileges, but wish they had gotten the same ones last year's seniors had, which were writing their own absent notes.

"I'm happy that we got some [privileges]," said senior Nori Heino. "But I think it's too bad that we didn't get to try the same things as last year.

Seniors feel that changes are still needed. One of the things many seniors are in favor of is eliminating hall passes.

"Things shouldn't be so tight and strict," said Nyberg. "But, I can see why it is needed with so many people in the school."

Hoffman spoke about the new parking rules. Approximately seventy seniors were chosen to park in the faculty parking lot. Students have mixed feelings about this.

"I think everyone should be able to park anywhere they want to," said Smith.

Hoffman asked that only those students chosen park in the faculty lot.

"If you park down there [in the faculty lot] you risk being towed," said Hoffman.

Another idea Miller spoke of was having "senior cards" to be issued to seniors to eliminate the number of ninth through eleventh graders who violate the rules.

"For people that do abuse it, it's their own loss," said Nyberg.

The main reason seniors were given these privileges was both as a reward for excellent behavior, and to help prepare them for "life outside of high school."

"The maturity difference between a mature senior and a ninth grader is about twenty years," said Miller.

Many feel the privileges are well deserved.

"This senior class has set a positive example for the rest of the school," said Hoffman. "I'm very impressed by the class of '94."

The breakfast was funded by an area business owner who wished to remain anonymous.

A few blocks up the street from my house stands the high school. It’s an average brick building with flowers and trees uniformly planted on its grounds. Inside the building lies a gymnasium. There are three full-length basketball courts. It is the beginning of competition. It is the beginning of life.

At a very young age I found I had a love inside of me for basketball.

Every Easter--weather permitting--the whole family would go out and play a game of Horse. These were great times, even though I lost, because I was with my family doing the thing I loved the most: playing basketball.

When I was old enough, I joined an organized team. The first basketball I played on was at my church. It was big enough to hold a small gym and patient enough to hold fourteen squirrely fourth graders. We worked on dribbling, passing, shooting, and the basics of basketball. These weekly practices carried me until the games that were played every Saturday.

When the Gold Team took the court, there was excitement in the air. The game began, and it was quite a scene to watch. It looked something like ten people placed into a small dark room filled with a lot of furniture. We were falling all over each other, shooting five feet short of the hoop, laughing, working hard, and having a great time. Basketball was exciting and fun!

As the years passed, I found that basketball was much more than having fun. I learned that winning was the most important thing to other people and that every game was of vital importance. It wasn’t just a game, anymore. Often I’d go home after practice or a game wondering what was happening with the game I loved.

The years continued to pass and I would hear how important these games were as I dressed before the game. I’d hear stories about fathers paying their sons for every basket scored. Some guys were even being paid to take out the opposing team’s best player. I took all of this in. It seemed overwhelming to a boy who had been playing basketball for enjoyment since he could remember. The object now was to win, and I was sucked under by competition’s pull.

The epitome of this new “tradition” of winning at my school came during an away game my senior year. We were at Eden Prairie High School playing the state-ranked Eagles. They were a Top Ten team in the state, but we had the talent to beat them. We had the ability the entire year, but were failing to show it. The game started to change during the third quarter. Players on my team started to play for themselves. Each player was trying to pad his own stat sheet, making the game no longer a team competition, but an individual contest to achieve self-recognition. I was no exception.

During the second half, the coach took me out. I came out fuming and sat at the end of the bench. Coach yelled at me to shape up; this wasn’t just another game. There was more at stake here than just a simple little contest between schools. This game was a competition for respect. I would get a lashing for my outburst soon enough.

I left ticked off at everyone and everything in the world. I hated basketball and I didn’t care if I never played the game again. I didn’t want to speak to anyone, and as far as I was concerned the entire team, the game itself, could go to hell.

The season soon ended and so did my dreams and love for the game of basketball. Looking back I could see that there had been literally hundreds of games since I had first laced up my sneakers. I wondered what had happened to make me lose my love for the game. It had been my life, and I wondered how that thrill had changed from being fun to activity, to a chore.

I attempted to overcome the disdain I now had, and I went out for the college basketball team. But my heart wasn’t in it. Late winter rolled around, and my roommate convinced me to play on an intramural team with him and a bunch of other guys. It was from these games that I slowly started to come rejuvenated. Deep down inside I still loved basketball. It was in my blood; it was a part of me.

My next step was to get back into the game. I chose to officiate. It started out being kind of fun. I liked being on the court again. Soon, however, that competitiveness reached me again. This time though, I had a different perspective.

Players would take cheap shots and then whine about a foul, whether it was a correct call or not. Coaches would yell and scream that I was calling too much or not enough; and parents would scream that I didn’t know what I was doing. It sometimes made me sick to watch this behavior. All this was in order to win? Was it worth it?

Overcoming those frustrations, I moved on to coaching. My first year I was an assistant to the coach of a private school’s varsity boys’ basketball team. I felt I was a positive influence on the lives of those young men. We worked together as a team, we picked each other up if someone was down, and we played to win, but if we didn’t, we had fun trying. Somehow though, the competitiveness slipped in anyway.

Competition seems to have its roots in society. Everyone wants to win just as much as the next player, but for some it goes above and beyond the point of a “friendly game.” It seems to come from the home. There were parents coaching from the stands because they seemed to think that the man who had been coaching for decades didn’t know what he was doing. Those parents knew it all and were not afraid to tell the coach. I felt sorry for him. I wondered how people could be so disrespectful. I wondered how I would be treated when I was finally coaching on my own. But most of all, I wondered how the players felt. Did they now loath the game as much as I once did?

A few blocks up the street from my house stands the high school. Inside and through the rear entrance of the building lies the gymnasium with the basketball courts. It holds the school’s emblem which gives each player an identity; it creates unity and cohesiveness with each player and his/her teammates, it creates friendships built on trust, it creates the ability to grow as an individual through team competition, and it holds the key to excitement and fun. This center circle is the breath of life for many athletes. Sometimes though, this center circle is a vacuum. Sometimes it sucks people in and leaves them trapped in a world solely of competition, a world from which they will never get out.

In today’s society, the race to get ahead in life is tending to push us all backwards.

Day after day, people pass in and out like mice in a maze, doing routine things that seem to be more habit than anything else.

With the constant push to be first, the constant reminders to be the best, to be the top, many people lose sight of the main goal in life: to love one another.

The Bison feels that stepping back and taking a look at what’s important to us as individuals can help us actually get ahead, by caring.

Taking one minute a day to help somebody in any way can make the day seem brighter. You know that with your help, somebody’s life is going to be a little bit easier.

By refusing to help people, society is pushing itself backwards, destroying the many years, people, and lives it took for us to get so far in the world.

The Bison feels that today’s youth has it easy compared to many years ago. Schooling is available to many, college is a very tangible dream, and a career in the work force is almost guaranteed.

Today’s youth takes this for granted which causes setbacks in society. Knowing that a job and an education will be there has caused many people to get lazy during their youth.

Because of this, the “rat race” becomes worse with people entering the job market not knowing what to expect and stepping on anyone in their way to get ahead.

Whatever happened to the lessons we were taught as children? The lessons of respecting and loving one another, even if you don’t always love the other person.

The Bison thinks that if we could all just step back in time and apply what we learned as children to our daily lives now, maybe the world would be a much more caring place.

A world where people aren’t ashamed to admit their feelings on any subject, in fear of their ideas getting shot down by others.

A place where common courtesy is the standard rule and hurt and pain can be avoided at all costs.

Maybe by taking a step back, we can find the real, honest love in our hearts. We’ll find the people who make us happy, who cheer us up when we’re feeling down and always make us laugh through the darkest pain. Maybe we can find the true love in our hearts: each other.

It's amazing how things have a habit of turning out wrong, and how believing the wrong thing can be so damaging. It reminds me of the time we played in the band, and someone thought that a person in the band was a boy, when she was actually a girl. We were so excited to see how out of place she would feel in kindergarten, thinking that she would be the one everyone was talking about. But she wasn't. In fact, she was one of the most popular people in the school. It just goes to show that rumors can be very harmful.

Rumors can spread like wildfire, and once they start, it's hard to stop them. They can damage reputations, destroy friendships, and even ruin lives. It's important to be careful about what we say about others, and to always check the facts before we believe or spread a rumor. We should also be kind and compassionate to those who are being targeted by rumors, and to help them through the difficult time.

In the end, rumors are just words, and they don't define who we are. We should focus on being our best selves, and on treating others with respect and kindness. That's the best way to combat rumors and to build a more positive and supportive community.

Rumors can be very harmful. They can spread quickly and cause a lot of damage to people's reputations and feelings. It's important to be careful about what we say about others and to always check the facts before we believe or spread a rumor. We should also be kind and compassionate to those who are being targeted by rumors, and to help them through the difficult time. In the end, rumors are just words, and they don't define who we are. We should focus on being our best selves, and on treating others with respect and kindness. That's the best way to combat rumors and to build a more positive and supportive community.

It's a word heard school used to describe the attitude of the students at the Randolph High School. Maybe some of the students' attitudes were a bit too much, but the school's speech contest was still a success. The students gave funny speeches, and the audience enjoyed them. Even though some of the jokes were a bit inappropriate, the overall atmosphere was positive and fun. The speech contest is a great way for students to express themselves and to practice their public speaking skills. It's also a great way to build confidence and to have fun with friends. We hope that the speech contest will continue to be a tradition at Randolph High School for many years to come.

This year's Oscars were very exciting. Many people were surprised by the winners, but it was a great night for film. The Academy Awards are a prestigious event, and it's always exciting to see who will win. This year, some of the winners were unexpected, but they all deserved their awards. The films that won were all excellent, and they all contributed to the greatness of cinema. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for the film industry and the talented actors and filmmakers who make it all possible.

One day, I realized that I wanted to do more than just go to school. I wanted to make a difference in the world. I wanted to help people and to make the world a better place. That's when I decided to pursue a career in education. I've always loved working with children, and I believe that education is the key to a better future. Studying to be a teacher is hard work, but it's also very rewarding. I know that I'm making a difference in the lives of my students, and that's the best feeling in the world. I'm excited to see where this journey takes me, and I'm looking forward to making a positive impact on the lives of many children in the future.

Of course, break ups are a part of relationships, a big part of high school. “Emotionally, [a break up] sets you off, so you can’t really function for a while,” said sophomore Bob Fix. Depression and crying seem to be break up symptoms for most people. “Some of my friends get really depressed. They act different. It seems like they’re always crying,” said junior Devonne Hermosillo. Break ups seem to affect nearly everybody one way or another. “It depends on the person, [how they take it], because people are different,” said sophomore Chris Willette. There are those who feel, however, that what sex you are affects how you handle a break-up. “Girls tend to take it a little more personally. Guys are hurt, too, but act too manly to show feelings,” said Hermosillo. There are girls, too, that don’t show their feelings. “Most girls cry, but after a while, they get over it. Then they’re like, I’m happy, I’m free. Other girls really don’t care,” said freshman Kathy Jones. It seems to be the same way with guys. They can be really hurt, or not care. “[For] some guys, it affects their ego. With other guys, it hurts more; deeper,” said sophomore Steve Runyon. So, no matter what sex you are, you can have a hard time with break ups. “Some girls take it really personally, but some guys take it really personally, too, if a girl breaks up with them,” said junior Holly Perisian.

People break up in a variety of ways, but many people feel that the best way to break up is face-to-face. “The best way [to break up] is in person. Then they can ask why, and there’s still a bit of communication going on,” said Runyon. Some people take the way a person breaks up with them as a sign of respect. “I think that if you have any respect for the person, you can tell them face-to-face, not impersonally, like on the phone or in a letter,” said Perisian. People must remember, though, that it’s easier said than done. “The easiest way [to break up] is to write a note, but the best way is one on one,” said Fix. Many people wonder if they can maintain a friendship with an ex. “Emotionally, because you can’t see the person anymore, having to be friends with them is hard for some people,” said senior Rebecca Lorentz. Other people agree that being friends can work. “[Having a friendship] is the best alternative,” said Perisian. Some people seem to think remaining friends makes a break up a lot easier. “The best way to end a relationship is in friendship,” said senior Mark Ludwig.

Does anyone sometimes wonder how on earth men and women are supposed to live and work together in peace when it seems that their opinions and actions differ in nearly every situation? Well, The Bison decided to take action to see how differently men and women really do think and react. A list of four situations was put together and handed out to an equal number of male and female students. These students answered how they would react in the given situation. The Bison will print the situation and the responses of students from both genders below.

Situation 1- Your significant other admits to you that they have been seeing your best friend behind your back for the last month.

“First, I’d go to my best friend and ask her what she thinks she’s doing. I’d break up with the guy without a doubt. If my friend felt bad enough and apologized I’d forgive her,” said junior Heather Hanson.

“I would never trust or talk to either of them for the rest of their lives,” said junior Blake Jacobson.

Situation 2- You find out that your significant other is moving out of state at the end of the month.

“Confront her about it, and enjoy the time we had together,” said junior Andy LeGro.

“That would be really tough to deal with. Especially if you’ve been with him for a long time. I’d talk to him and explain that it would be easier if we broke it off, but would stay in touch,” said Hanson.

Situation 3- Your Ex wants to get back together and you think that you may be interested, now you have to break the news to your present boy-girl friend.

“Tell her how you feel about the other and ask if you can still be good friends, and do stuff together,” said Legro.

“Tell him the truth, don’t string them [the ex and your present guy] along,” said junior Ann Barth.

Situation 4- You accidently overhear two people talking in the hall about how “hot” your significant other is.

“Agree with them, he probably is pretty ‘hot’, and he’s mine!” said junior Melissa Helgeson.

“Strut down the hall with my arm around my significant other,” said Jacobson.

Although no definite conclusions were reached, we hope that this column will shed some light on the mystery of male, female communications.

1. Thou art free to speak your mind, unless it is to your significant other in which case be ready to hear, “Honey, we need to talk.”

2. It is unlawful to inflict cruel and unusual punishment. This includes those big wet sloppy kisses.

3. Dating is not a certificate of ownership. No chains, or whips involved, hopefully.

4. You have the right to plead the “fifth” and hate yourself, although it probably won’t help.

5. Although you have suffered for your mate like parents and elephants your mate will still get.

Who should be asked out on the date, the guy, the girl? This question on the mind dates.

Manners and believe these form a determine the man pays.

“The guy should” said junior E Others tend guidelines of dating upon who ask.

“It depends the guy asks the girl if she asks. G Wedelick.

Women’s li everything in some all still believe in old.

“The guy should man should do th said Junior Joel C Mom alway and stressed neve

Many students feel that displays of affection in the hallways at BHS are distracting and become loss of concentration. "Don't see anyone really going at it in the hallways," sophomore Emily Anderson, said.

To teachers, being able to handle it requires a personal approach. It takes a great deal of patience to handle the lack of discipline that occurs when students should go to class. "It's a constant battle," Eagle, said. "If they take it too far, they're only making themselves look bad."

Not only does PDA potentially cause, but sometimes it simply brings unwanted feeling to the school. "Sometimes it makes me uncomfortable," admitted one sophomore. "They take the risk of the school's attention on them."

Although most argue it can be distracting, allowing "excessive" PDA is often difficult. "If people stare, it's too much," said one sophomore.

Many argue with principal Nick Miller's definition of PDA that he expects an adolescent to behave. "Let the students deal with it themselves," said senior Patty. "They don't always need principals' help. They can handle it themselves."

"The couples I see are being too hands-on," said junior Ben. "And just being disrespectful to the teachers," said junior Ben.

The reasons why some students feel it is necessary to physically touch are many. It is a regular thing to have a dating partner and just want to be near them.

"People tell me that they are being too long and not being physical enough," said sophomore Tiffany. "People are being too hands-on, but they don't know how to act. They're being too hands-on, which is self-correct them."

"I'm not comfortable with how much they show affection," said junior Willow. "It's just a lot of PDA, the consensus was that the administration's place was not to interfere."

"Just keep offending of this problem, keep other students after them and they'll get the message," one sophomore concluded.

The Buffalo wrestling team is making strides to prove they know how to win. The team presented a high level of competition at the state tournament in Mankato this weekend. The Bison wrestlers showed great skill on the mat, but ultimately fell short of the championship title.

Many things can be credited to Buffalo's amazing performances and winnings this season. The team worked hard, and their dedication paid off. 'We have had a lot of great moments this season,' said coach [unclear]. 'I think we were expected to win in region, but just senior year, we had to prove ourselves.'

The team didn't go as well as they had anticipated, but the experience was valuable. 'The performance at the state competition was just bad,' said senior wrestler [unclear]. 'Five individuals made it to the state competition for Buffalo this year. Your scores were high, but we just couldn't quite get there.'

Fans were able to go and cheer on the team. On Thursday, 10,834 people attended the state tournament. The Bison wrestlers are the champions of the state, but they fell short in the final rounds.

The debate over whether schools should be more diverse is a growing one. Some argue that a mixture of athletes, values, and backgrounds can enrich the school community. Others argue that it can lead to conflict and division.

There is no easy answer to this question. It is a complex issue with many different perspectives. However, one thing is certain: the conversation about diversity in schools is important and needs to continue.

The bison girls basketball team had a good season. They finished fifth in the conference, which is a significant achievement for the team. The team played hard and showed great teamwork throughout the season.

The hockey team finished their season with a 9-0 loss against [unclear] River. The team had a great season, but they were just a few goals short of a winning record.

The gymnastics team finished their season with a record of 5-5. Their workouts were intense, and they showed great dedication to their sport.

The ski team ended their season with a 5-5 record, including wins in two races. The team was led by [unclear] and [unclear], who placed first and second in their events. The team's wins are a testament to their hard work and dedication.

Sports Department

The girls' basketball team showed great improvement this year. Much more defense, a good teamwork, and their record of 9-11 is a great improvement.

"We really worked better on the court this season and we also played much better defense," junior Karsin Wieczorek said.

Despite a difficult off-season due to injuries, this season, players played a large number of games. "We played hard in the games," said junior [unclear].

After a tough season, the team year the end in their season. The team lost 75-45 against [unclear]. As team members left their season, the scorer of the season was [unclear].

"The best thing about basketball is that everyone gets to play together and a team," sophomore Dani Vogt said.

The basketball team ended the year with a record of 9-11.

"The recent season was much better than last year. Our defense is much better and we played more games. For 12 months the North South Conference held basketball tournaments," senior Nell Fletcher said.

Senior Justin Kassinle broke a school record, becoming the first player in history to score 100 points in a single season. Senior Danon [unclear] helped the school record the most points in a season, 45. Recording, the Conference Honorable Mention was awarded to Danon, sophomore All-State.

"We started out rough, adjusting to new teammates, and what basketball is really about," said senior Jessie [unclear].

Receiving awards were tied for MVP, Kassy [unclear], and [unclear]. Mr. Danon [unclear], junior. Ben Jorg, a player of the year, Ryan [unclear], and Team Player, [unclear].

Kelsey [unclear].

Staff Writer

This year Knowledge Bowl has added new junior varsity teams and this is an advantage to the team. "It's a great thing for us, too," said senior Ryan Torres. The junior varsity teams consist of students from sophomores. The juniors and seniors are joined by the freshmen. A team before, are on different teams. This way the new members can learn from the older players. The JV teams give new members the chance to build experience before varsity, said adviser Peggy [unclear]. The JV teams practice on Mondays and Thursdays. Teams one and four practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

It's a very glad to see that there finally, because all the teams constantly win at JV teams, said junior [unclear]. At practice, there are drills and for the new members, they and in drills they sink in. They learn the basics and they can think they know the material. In computer this requires a lot of practice. "I think Knowledge Bowl is great, because it gives you physical preparation, and also mental skills," said junior [unclear].

It helps you recognize and connect with things that you have learned and thought about before, said [unclear].

Many times the teams come in winning awards, but have to face great ones. "As meets it's frustrating because we come so close to playing, but we can't quite win it," said Kaia. The junior varsity teams have only attended one meet, the Buffalo Invitational. They came in 4th this year. "It was a fun thing to do, as it is for our group, we've done really well," said freshman Tiffany [unclear].

Most people think Knowledge Bowl helps them in the game.

News-Editor

Carter County officials are in the process of investigating several deaths that have occurred in the county. The investigation is being conducted by the coroner's office and the sheriff's department. The deaths, which occurred in the last few months, have raised concerns about the quality of health care in the area. "We are looking into every detail to ensure that we have all the facts," said Coroner Arie [unclear]. "We want to make sure that these deaths were not preventable and that we can learn from them to prevent future occurrences."

The investigation is looking into several factors, including medical errors, improper care, and the use of medications. "We are examining the medical records, interviewing the families, and talking to the healthcare providers involved," said [unclear]. "We are also looking into the circumstances surrounding each death to see if there were any contributing factors."

The deaths have caused concern among local residents. "It's very scary to think that someone could die because of a mistake in their care," said one resident. "We need to know what happened and what is being done to make sure it doesn't happen again."

The coroner's office and the sheriff's department are working together to conduct a thorough investigation. "We are committed to finding the truth and providing answers to the families," said [unclear]. "We will continue to investigate these deaths and will share our findings with the public as soon as they are available."

Carter County officials have assured the public that they are taking these investigations seriously. "We are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our citizens," said [unclear]. "We will do everything in our power to find out what happened and to prevent future tragedies."