The Bison – May 31, 1996

Science teacher Cliff Wold received the DFL endorsement May 2, enabling him to run for representative of District 19A during the elections held in November.

"I got a unanimous endorsement for the District 19A seat," said Wold. "It took about fifteen minutes; I was unopposed. I am running against a man named Mark Olson; he is a two-term incumbent. An incumbent is somebody that's currently serving. It's very hard to beat incumbents."

The DFL endorsement will give Wold the advice and support of other Democrats and they will assist with certain financial situations.

"An endorsement gives me the support of the Democratic party and their organizational expertise. They give me money and support, help writing campaign letters; they'll help me a lot," said Wold.

Once elected, Wold hopes to affect areas such as health care, job security, wages, and education.

"I would like to improve the standards of labor, the growing disparity between the rich and the poor. I would work to increase the minimum wage, and to encourage more livable wage jobs such as $7.50 and up," said Wold.

As a teacher, one of the focal areas of his campaign would be to improve education.

"The state has not been putting money into education; they're reducing the amount of money secondary schools get," said Wold.

Other candidates have concentrated their efforts in areas other than education.

While most students will be holding summer jobs and enjoying recreational activities, Wold will be busy with his campaign.

"I will not have a relaxing summer. I'll be knocking on doors and going to parades. It will be go, go, go," said Wold.

Wold has been involved in politics in the past, but his reasons for running may have been different than his opponent's reasons.

"I'm not running because politics is the most important job in the world," said Wold. "Kids are my motivation to do what I do."

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Here, teacher Cliff Wold explains a scientific experiment to his class. Wold has taught at BHS for many years.

With only four days of school left, seniors are beginning to prepare for life in the "real world."

Commencement will be held on Friday, June 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the old gym. To accommodate all who want to attend, there will be a big screen live telecast in the new gym.

"We do not have the facilities to go outside," said assistant principal Julie Swaggert. "We don't have enough seats in the bleachers."

Each senior was given five tickets to give to family and friends who want to attend. Everyone who wants to be seated in the old gym must have a ticket. Anyone who wants to view the ceremony on the live screen in the new gym can do so regardless of whether or not they have a ticket.

"I would like to be able to have my siblings at graduation, but it doesn't look like it will work out that way," said senior Stephanie Klassen.

Unlike many schools where the student with the highest grade point average is valedictorian, and speaks at the ceremony, all seniors were invited to try out to be student speakers at the ceremony. Any senior, regardless of their GPA, interested in giving a speech could try out.

"The school prided itself on giving all students equal opportunity," said English teacher Karen Swensen.

Try outs for speakers were held Friday, May 24. Seniors Rachel Anderson, Amanda Falkowski-Scott, Laura Fehn, Nathan Graybill, Carrie Kadlec, Rob Roos, Stacy Vander Kooi, and the duo of Tovah Kirkman and Dustin Schultz tried out. Seniors chosen were Falkowski-Scott and Vander Kooi.

"It was hard to pick two because they were all so different; there were a wide variety of people that tried out," said English teacher Denise Wahlin-Fiskum who acted as a judge.

Following the commencement ceremony will be the 15th annual All-Night Graduation Party.

"I think [the All-Night Graduation party] is a good idea because it allows kids to have one last special time together to celebrate 13 years of schooling," said assistant principal Mary Loberg.

The party, which is carried out entirely by volunteers will begin around 9:30-10:30 p.m., after that the doors will be locked, and no one will be allowed to leave or enter.

"It's that last time we'll be able to see a lot of our friends. It'll be awesome, but really sad," said Klassen.

There will be many games and prizes at the party including a $500 grand prize.

Editorials
Too much time and money spent on prom? page 5

Sports
Summer Olympics hosted by America. page 8

Spotlight
New school coming close to being finished. page 11

<To live is not to pass time but to spend time,> was the message passed along by keynote speaker Cris Anderson to the 155 high school seniors honored at the Ninth Annual Students of Excellence Banquet and Recognition Ceremony.

The banquet, hosted by Central MN Service Cooperative, students from 42 high schools on Wednesday, May 1 at the Holiday Inn, St. Cloud. The event was attended by over 600 students, favorite teachers, administrators, and parents.

It was coordinated by Sandra Cordie, Program Development Specialist. Seniors Wade Demmer, Ali Gartner, Robert Roos, and Jenny Fiedler were honored at this banquet as representatives from Buffalo. Students were honored for their leadership skills.

Guests were welcomed by Dr. Rob Cavanna, director for the Central MN Service Cooperative and Sheldon Johnson, Monticello School District Superintendent, who served as presiding superintendent at the banquet.

The keynote speaker for the evening was Cris Anderson, an eighth grade teacher on leave of absence from the Fergus Falls public schools. He currently works as senior communications specialist at Otter Tail Power Company. Anderson was named "Middle Level Educator of the Year" in 1993. Her message to the audience came from the writings of three individuals. She encouraged the students to use their special abilities to nurture others, to wade past the shallow events of life and to swim in the deeper waters of challenge and uncertainty.

Bob Wedl, Deputy Commissioner from the Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning, and Dick Hardyperson of the Central MN Service Cooperative board of directors, presented each student with a plaque and personalized certificate of recognition from Governor Arne Carlson.

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Seniors Robert Roos, Ali Gartner, Jenny Fiedler, and Wade Demmer are pictured here at the awards ceremony with Dr. Rob Cavanna, director of the Central MN Service Cooperative.

Are you looking for a fun, rewarding, unforgettable experience this summer? Do you have a week or more that you want to fill with the experience of a lifetime? If so, Friendship Ventures is looking for you.

Friendship Ventures is a nonprofit organization that provides services to children and adults with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities. The largest program is summer camp, which is offered at sites near Annandale and in Eden Prairie.

All summer long, individuals with developmental disabilities (and often physical limitations) come to camp to fish, swim, relax, meet new friends, and have fun. A large, well-trained, exciting group of volunteers and paid counselors work to ensure that summer camp is a rewarding, memorable experience for each of them. Along the way, volunteers and staff find themselves gaining as many rewards as they're providing.

For Dylan Wiek, a junior at Minnetonka High School, a volunteer position led to a paying job that he enjoys. For two summers, he volunteered at Eden Wood Center in Eden Prairie. With that experience, he was asked to help out when a counselor position came open. Paid junior counselor and counselor positions are available to students 16 and over who enjoy working with children and adults, are mentally alert and emotionally stable, are willing to learn and enjoy new challenges, have physical stamina, desire to work as a team member and are able to communicate effectively. Positions are available at both camps for the whole summer (June 2 - September 2, 1996) or any part of the summer.

All staff receive thorough orientation and ongoing support. In addition to the salary, counselors receive room and board, excellent experience, leadership skills, understanding of people with developmental disabilities -- and lots of fun! Volunteers are also valuable members of the Friendship Ventures team, providing hands-on assistance to participants. Volunteer positions require only the desire to help, and the commitment of a week or more. Volunteers receive room and board, training, excellent experience and great memories!

For an application, brochure or more information, contact Friendship Ventures at 800/450-8376.

The award-winning BHS yearbook staff is putting the finishing touches on the 895-996 Tatanka.

The publisher of the Tatanka, Taylor Publishing Company, has used it in the past as a model of a good yearbook. For this issue, the staff has something brand new to deal with.

"The biggest change this year is becoming entirely computer-based," said editor-in-chief senior Stacey Vander Kooi. Page layout is now done on personal computers. This makes designing the pages easier and faster for the editors.

Senior Steve Runyon, computer editor, and junior Clint Graunke, assistant computer editor, have been kept very busy running the new software. They have also been helping the rest of the staff with their many computer problems.

Although they and other staff members have had their share of problems with this new system, most feel that it certainly won't hurt the quality of the yearbook.

"You'd be amazed at how fast people pull together," said Runyon. That kind of cooperation is more important then ever this year, because the Tatanka is going to be the largest ever published at 212 pages.

Vander Kooi gives credit to adviser Vicki Cary for much of the success of the program. "She's really good at it. She knows what she's doing," said Vander Kooi. However, she wants the whole staff to receive fair recognition for all of their hard work. "It's a huge group effort," said Vander Kooi.

The yearbooks were delivered to students on Student Appreciation Day, May 29. Many students feel that the yearbook does not have enough pages for their friends and acquaintances to sign.

"Extra space costs money. It's more expensive to fit in other pages, that's why we sell extra pages," said senior Adam Kauffmann. However, the yearbook has tried to keep the students happy by offering extra autograph pages to be purchased.

"Yearbooks are used to keep memories, if there's not enough room for people to write, you're limiting your memories. Everybody should be able to put all they want in your yearbook," said Kauffmann.

Many students feel that the yearbook should come out later so that it can include the spring activities. Because of this the yearbook staff has made a spring supplement that includes the spring activities.

Brandy Creech is just one of several teenagers suffering from leukemia in America. She is also a freshman here at BHS. Creech was diagnosed with the illness July 12, 1994. She has undergone several operations as well as many hospital visits. She has had six surgeries on her foot over the past two years, and a bone marrow transplant on March 23, 1995. She also has two plastic tubes on the front of both her shoulders. They are used for drawing blood, administering medicine and for feeding. She had some trouble gaining weight with normal eating.

Memories of the hospital have not been pleasant for Creech. The sickness caused by the radiation and chemotherapy directed to her spine and her head were overwhelming at times.

Creech is just one of five children in her home. She is very close to her mother who spent every waking moment at the hospital by her side when she was sick. Now that she is home again, Creech focuses on the future.

"I want to go to college to become a doctor or a teacher," said Creech.

Although Creech has made several good friends with nurses and peers at Minneapolis Children's Hospital, she is happy to be at home and in school at BHS. On May 6, Creech celebrated her first birthday at home in two years.

"The great nurses I had were an important part of my hospital stays," said Creech.

Last year, Creech spent only three days in school at St. Louis Park. Her health has improved dramatically this year, and she has estimated spending almost four weeks in school off and on.

"Kids recover quicker than adults," says Creech.

Creech would like to direct a thank you to all the students at BHS for their kindness and friendships.

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How old are you? 15

Do you enjoy watching sports? Yes, basketball and baseball.

If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Back to Disney World in Florida where I went with Make-A-Wish.

What are your pet peeves? I don't like it when people stare.

What would you do if you had a million dollars? I would have a house built, buy a new car, put some in the bank, and give some to the cancer fund.

What is your most irrational fear? I don't have any because I have too many real fears.

Biggest hope: I hope I never have to spend as much time in the hospital as I did.

With the school year ending, everything is coming to a close. But not with student council. Our student council at BHS is a year-long activity. We hold our elections in the spring so that the 1996-1997 council is formed and able to meet throughout the summer to plan the year's activities. During the summer, student council works on activities like Homecoming, freshmen orientation and the "Welcome Back, Staff" breakfast.

Junior Nicole Zweig was elected by the student council to be Student Council president next year. Sophomore Ellie Breyer was elected to the position of vice-president. Sophomore Jerrod Nordberg was chosen to be treasurer, sophomore Kiara Esterbrooks will serve as secretary, junior Jenny Rylance was elected to corresponding secretary, and freshman Jamison Zweig will be parliamentarian.

Before the school year ends, student council continues preparing and working on a number of different activities and committees. One of these activities was Student Appreciation Day on Wednesday, May 29. This was held in conjunction with Tatanka Yearbook signing. Students had all of their regular classes but they were shortened. There was an outside barbecue for lunch, and a surprise snack for everyone while they signed their yearbooks. During lunch and yearbook signing there was music outside.

Another committee that is in full swing is the New School Transition Committee to help prepare for next year's move. This group is preparing a time capsule and activities to end our time at the old school and to begin our time at the new school.

For many BHS marching band members, there is more to summer than just relaxing. Summer marching band is made up of a variety of band members and others not previously involved in band. It consists of the colorguard (silks, rifles), the honorguard (American flag, Minnesota flag) and the BHS banner. Seniors Adam Kauffmann, Emily Way and junior Steve Minkler will be the drum majors.

"As a drum major, I want to be able to pursue leadership skills, and have a good experience," said junior Steve Minkler.

The marching band performs in parades in many towns across Minnesota including the Buffalo parade on June 15, Montrose in August, Alexandria, a day at Valleyfair and many others. Band director Lee Kjesbo has been marching students across the state for many years.

"This has been the ninth season coming up and I'm very glad that I started it," said Kjesbo. "It's fun; I get to spend some of my summer with the students. It's a nice change of pace because it's so different than being in school."

The theme music for this summer is Star Wars. It is completely new music, and band members look forward to being able to spend one last summer with all my friends before I go to college. "I love [the music]!" said senior Mandy Dahl.

Adam [Kauffmann] arranged it for French horns because we have ten of them," said senior Mandy Dahl.

The colorguard also has a new routine which takes organization and planning to work with the music. "I just hope that all the music, cadences and flag and rifle routines all works together," said Kjesbo.

There are many things and events that participating students and adults look forward to involving the new music and summer marching band. "I'm looking forward to"

Some people may think they're doing society a favor by being politically correct. The fad has been taken too far in many cases. In others, it seems that some people haven't taken it far enough. In both cases, offending terms are still commonplace.

P.C. involves using terms like Native American, not Indian, so no one is offended. The purpose was to bring discrimination to light with the hopes of eliminating offensive language. It began with good intentions, but has now become a joke. The fad has even resulted in a TV show, Politically Incorrect, and sarcastic terms such as "vertically challenged" instead of short or "living impaired" rather than dead.

It's not politically correct to mock something by calling it Jewish, yet we have heard offenses such as this repeatedly at BHS. Even more often, remarks can be heard about someone being "retarded" or "gay." This is where P.C. has backfired because of oversensitivity. It seems that politically incorrect phrases are viewed as acceptable more and more often. We feel that discrimination continues to be a problem, despite the use of politically correct phrases. P.C. was meant to create an awareness of minority groups, but it has been taken so far that it's lost its effectiveness. It's up to individuals to bring it back to society to be used to eliminate discrimination.

Political correctness is going out of style. It's been a while since the term vertically challenged has been used commonly by most people. People are no longer ridiculed for being politically incorrect, but the idea behind P.C., as it was originally intended, should stay with society. People should stop calling unfortunate circumstances and people they dislike gay, Jewish or retarded before they say it to the wrong person.

Music is one of the most important parts of my life. It is an important part of many students' and teachers' lives in BHS.

To me, being involved in music doesn't only mean playing in band class or being in an hour of school choir or in any hour-long class like math. Something that I think is important is to compete. To me, competing gives me much self-confidence and pride in my band. And I also am sure that people in sports feel the same way about competition.

The music department in our school is very successful, as many people know, and so is our athletics program. Both departments travel to other places for competition and come back with plaques and trophies, and sometimes even money.

In my experience, I've found that music department students have to struggle a bit to miss a day or so of school, just like athletes. The amount of time sports players miss fifth or sixth hour, at least equals the total amount of time we miss school for our contests. Usually, we do get to go to the contest and come back feeling good about ourselves and giving BHS the rep that their music department is superior.

Yet, why is it the directors have to try real hard to give students the opportunity to do this? Some people it kind of makes the music people feel less important than the people in athletics. I can understand that sports competitions have been more popular and they've been very successful, but so has the music department.

I just hope that in the future the music department won't have as much difficulty getting permission to go to contests, because sports and music are equally important. Right?

Dear Editor,

I would like to write a response to the article School prayer sparks controversy, inferior feelings, April 19, 1996, from a Christian perspective. I think that confusion and misconception are the problems when you say in this article "... connected by hands held so firmly that knuckles have turned ice white." What do you mean by that? You make the "prayer table" sound so unaccepting and cold.

At the beginning of the school year, many people tried to stop us from praying. But the "annoyance and agitation" that is "read on the faces of many who are not participating in the group activity" is only confusion because they (and obviously you) do not understand why we pray. You say that, and make it sound like, we are a little clique or something then turn right around and say that students are "spoon fed or forced to partake" in prayer. I feel bad for you because you evidently have no idea what Christianity is about, or you wouldn't be bashing it like you are. I just don't understand what is bothering you so much!

Prayer during lunch is for those who want to. Sometimes praying during lunch is the only thing that gets me through the day and without that and the friends I've made as a result of the prayer table, I don't know where I'd be today. There are many people who haven't had the opportunity or the desire to understand what "we" are all about.

In closing, I suggest that anyone who has a problem or a question about why we pray; come and ask one of us. We can give you a reason or explanation. You have every right to voice your opinion, but you're very misunderstood regarding Christianity. We do no harm, and should be able to practice our "religion over a burger, fries and malt" in peace.

Love in Christ,
Megan Snyder
Sophomore

Prom ... the biggest social event of the entire year. The night you've been waiting for your whole life. The night you'll remember forever. Or is it?

When many people think of high school, they think of prom. Whether fantasizing about what it will be like, or remembering that night that was, prom is something that nearly everyone can relate to. What exactly is prom anyway? It should be a night for friends to get together and just have fun. But that's not always the case.

People spend months planning the ultimate prom. They seek out the perfect date months ahead of time, camp out in front of the mall so they can be the first one in to find the dress, make hair appointments before the stylist even has a date book for that month. After all the countless hours of careful planning, everything should go smoothly as planned, right? Not necessarily.

People plan so far ahead that sometimes by the time prom rolls around, they don't even like their date anymore. Or the hair style that looked so great the week before suddenly makes you look like you're 10 years old an hour before you're scheduled to leave.

One of the biggest things people worry about when it comes to prom is finding the perfect date -- or any date at all. What is the big deal about finding a date? People would have more fun if they didn't concentrate so much on going to prom with one person. Most people go to dinner in a group. At the dance few, if any, dance with their date exclusively. After prom, the majority of people go to after prom parties. Other than grand march, there is no time a date is really necessary.

There are many people each year who had been looking forward to prom, but don't go simply because they don't have a date. Others go with someone they can't stand just to say they have a date. They miss out on a night of fun with their friends, all because of not having a date. People are afraid to go to prom without a date for fear they will be labeled as social outcasts for all eternity. People, regardless of whether or not they have a date, should feel free to go to their prom.

Finally after all the minutes and hours spent planning, the big night is finally here. And then as soon as it came, it's over. All the money and time spent on prom, is part of history now. The silly charade is over. Or is it over? We still have memories of the night.

Is it worth it? You bet.

<You can't say that on TV!>

How many times have you heard that? I would venture to say that you have. Many of the things that can't be said on TV are swear words. This is because young people could be watching and we wouldn't want them to hear a word on TV that they hear everyday at school. We have to keep a protective bubble around our children so that they aren't exposed to any of the evils and little nasty things that are on TV.

Like the old saying, "Just close your eyes and it will go away." That is the attitude many have taken toward television. If you don't hear the swear word, then it will go away.

Well, sorry, foul language isn't going to just go away. Kids hear worse language at school than they do on TV. So what's the point behind not allowing swear words on TV?

Some people have come to think that the only good way to raise a child is to isolate them from offensive language and violence, especially that on TV. Parents control the selection of programs their children watch, and do not allow them to hear or see evil because it will "corrupt" them. Well, when I was growing up, I heard swear words on TV and I'm not in any trouble. Violence on TV is not the reason for increased violence in our society. I would bet that for every study that says TV violence leads to a violent life, there is another that says the opposite.

So, with all this talk about how TV is ruining America's youth, of course, the government had to interfere with TV. Out of the bureaucratic cloud comes the V-Chip, touted as a device that will allow parents to lock-out programs that they feel are bad for their children. Most televisions sold today are equipped with parental lock-out capabilities; however, to date, they have not began put into effect.

So, if we want to raise our children in their little bubble that is a perfect world by cutting them off from very real issues presented on television, what happens when they meet reality? Well, they might not be able to handle the real world. After all of the protection they are given, they won't have a clue as to how to handle themselves.

Maybe we should stop blaming television and the movies for "corrupting" our kids. The real problem is in the family. The American family is pathetic. Just the fact that the V-chip has been created is a sad statement about families. Why aren't parents watching TV with their children to help them understand what is on TV and choose appropriate programs?

The V-Chip can't do a thing if there isn't a parent there to use it. Even so, the kid is going to hear worse language at school and on the streets than on TV. Do we really need to keep our children in a shell that will get broken when they get into the real world? Let's stop expecting TV to teach our children values, and return to teaching them ourselves.

Well, here it is: the annual end-of-the-year senior column. You know, the one where a senior says how much fun they've had, how many friends they've made, and how much they'll miss everyone and everything -- and how they'll never forget good ol' BHS. We read these sentiments every year, but how much do we pay attention to them?

High school. What is the point? Of course, there's learning, but we can do that at home. Why the interaction with other people? The hall passes and rules? Is it really necessary not to be allowed to chew gum for an hour?

There must be a deeper meaning. There are friends. We learn to meet people and get along with them. We also learn how to make others really mad. And we learn to love.

Being in school -- especially for a senior -- is difficult. We have most of our credits. We go through the same drill every day. School seems monotonous and pointless. The same people pass us in the hall at the same times each day. The entire day is one long deja vu experience. (And I don't mean the club -- sorry, guys.)

We crave excitement. Restless teens with nothing to do want an adventure. This can seem like a frightening thought. Looking for some kind of action leads some people into dangerous territory. Since nobody can really think of a better alternative, we go to a post-secondary institution for at least two more years.

So here we sit, between adolescence and adulthood. It's frustrating to be stuck in such a go-nowhere situation. Why can't we just move on with life -- gain the prestige of a full-fledged adult? This brings me back to the initial question: why are we here?

The answer, I'm afraid, is what you've been hearing from so many people for the past few years. We're here to learn that we can get along. It's simply a matter of putting petty circumstances aside and getting to know who people really are, aside from their friends, grades and clothes. After all this time, we finally learn what these people we've spent the last five years with are all about. And you'll find out that they're not so bad.

There are many people in my class that I've never spoken to, or even heard of. This is bound to happen in a school of medium size. However, there are the people whom I've known since at least seventh grade, but never had a conversation with. These people are the easiest to get to know. That person whose locker is always about eight down from yours, or the one who shares half of your schedule. Just start talking to them. You'll be glad (usually) that you did.

But don't wait until your senior year. There are too many people who dislike each other and don't know why. It's a waste of time on something that will be forgotten two or three years down the road.

As each year passes on, the population expands. Many students have been showing signs of frustration because there was an obvious need for a new building that the community's eyes could not see. After a two year struggle, District 877 was finally granted permission to build a new high school. The old building will become a middle school for younger generations to build a lifetime of memories.

At the start of a typical school year, students come to BHS with both positive and negative feelings. New teachers search for more experienced teachers while freshmen try to hunt down older siblings to help them out. For upperclassmen, a couple of days is all it takes to set a pace for the rest of the year.

"The first day here as a senior, when I saw the freshmen, I realized how old I really was," said senior Sheri Liebhard.

A lot of people compare on how different senior high is from junior high.

"In the senior high you are treated like an adult, and the school is a lot bigger," said freshman Sarah Korbel.

With a new school soon to be finished, feelings for the current building -- whether it be happy or sad memories of a new job or the first high school years.

"I am going to miss being able to walk to work," said business teacher Jerry Melby.

Not only will people be sad, but some are hoping for better classes at the new school.

"I am hoping for an all-around better shop class," said junior Dale Otten.

For many seniors, the new building isn't really important, but the memories left behind from prom, new friendships and graduation to keep.

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"I think too many people are afraid of change, but as for me I think it's about time." -sophomore Chris Lindahl

"In marching band camp, a colorblade around the hallways, we were just tearing around. It was really fun." -senior Evica Hance

"I have the last few years with guys wearing jerseys. I would like to see more of that in the new school." -social studies teacher Gerry Bobka

"Everything will be so much better in the new school. I don't think I'll miss anything in this one, it won't be nearly as crowded." -social studies teacher Cortton Zayede

"I remember watching the wrestlers lap the hallways." -senior Evica Hance

"I will miss my room. It had it for 10 years. The walls are narrow, and there are a lot of memories." -social studies teacher Gerry Bobka

"I've always wanted to stand in the middle of the cafeteria. And I did it!" -senior Evica Hance

"Sweating all through the concerts in the mall. Those lights make you VERY warm." -1995 graduate David Malerich

New classrooms, wider hallways, a bigger library, an auditorium, and a beautiful courtyard. These are only a few of the changes that students of BHS will see when they walk into the new high school in the winter of the 1996-1997 school year. The new high school is designed to be better than the current one, but students and teachers have other details in mind to put in the blueprints of the ideal school.

“In the blueprint of my ideal school I would want a room where kids could go just to relax and maybe take a nap,” said sophomore Andrea Stinrat.

Many people always think of fantasy things to put in the ideal school, but some people take this more seriously and think of the benefit of the students.

“I would make sure there was as much hands-on and real experience types of education as possible,” said band director Billy Soden.

Most teachers would add their own little twist so their department could have an advantage and more students would take their classes.

“On the music aspect of the building it would be nice to have every student have the opportunity to be involved in music in one way or another,” said Soden.

The layout of the school may be one of the first things students think of when asked about the ideal school.

“I would make the school one level and no stairs so it is easier to get around,” said sophomore Eric Zimmerman. “Also, all the lockers would be in the center of the building so that it is easier to get to all of your classes and so it takes less time.”

Even though few schools have these luxuries in them, students can always dream that one day, some kids will get to attend the ideal school.

1. WIDE HALLS
2. SMALLER CLASS SIZES
3. BETTER FACILITIES
4. CONSISTENT TEMPERATURES
5. SCHOOL AUDITORIUM
6. NEW LUNCH ROOM, LUNCH SYSTEM
7. NEW SCHEDULE MORE ELECTIVES
8. MORE BATHROOMS
9. MORE WINDOWS

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WHAT STUDENTS WILL MISS ABOUT OLD BUILDING
- WIDE HALL
- THE PIT FLOORS
- SMELL IN THE B HALLWAY
- THE LOCKERS BY THE BARS
- DEPARTMENT LAYOUT
- THE TEACHERS
- THE FRONT COVER

Editors' note: During school hours, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., the Internet on the computers in the school computer lab must only be used for school-related projects. Chatting is prohibited at all times. Failure to observe these rules will result in removal from the computer lab or other consequences.

So many sites, so little time. It can be extremely difficult at times to weed through the thousands of web sites looking for information on the subject wanted. There are many great sites involving sports on the World Wide Web; the problem is finding them. After exhausting the obvious choices (big names like ESPN and or CNN sports), the search becomes much more difficult.

First, one must decide if one wants to be subjected to a barrage of opinions from the creator of the site. Personal homepages usually contain only the facts which are important to the creator. On the other hand, many personal pages contain the information that proves to be most valuable -- the little unknown facts and incidences that make you sit back and go <hmmm ...>.

The big name sports web sites are more than adequate for most sports fans. Probably the most advertised sports site on the Internet is NBA.com [http://www.nba.com]. A basketball fan can find the address on rotating signs on the side of the court when they watch a game on television.

Major League Baseball [http://www.mlb.com], the National Hockey League [http://www.nhl.com] and the National Football League [http://www.nflhome.com] all have official home pages as well. ESPN [http://www.espnet.com], and CNN Sports [http://www.cnn.com] are good sources of news and miscellaneous information for any sport. These sites have late breaking news, scores, and interactive activities available with a few clicks of the mouse. Most personal pages can not offer a <surfer> as much, but can be just as enjoyable.

One such site is Ryan's Homepage [address unknown] which focuses on the Detroit Redwings. For a fan of the Wings or hockey in general, this is a great site to visit. Updates are sometimes few and far between, but the information is interesting enough to keep someone occupied for hours. The quality of a page is often gauged by the graphics, accessibility, and how often the site is updated. Red and white winged wheels make up the background of this page, which has several links to other sites that range from player profiles to the latest game updates.

Most chat rooms on the Internet are designed for a certain purpose, for people to gather in a room and discuss a certain topic; in this case it would be sports. However, the topics of discussion in most chat rooms have nothing to do with the purpose of the site. Finding a sports chatroom is easy, however, finding a room where the users actually talk about sports can prove to be a difficult task.

Hockey Chat on nhl.com is one of the few sites we found that sticks to the subject pretty well. The people who turn up in these groups range from the hockey illiterate to seasoned fans. Internet surfers should beware of the name they use when entering a sports chat room though -- an obvious female might be greeted with a barrage of questions by others in the room. Even on the internet, the Information Superhighway, females are assumed to know less about sports than males.

The America Online server has a variety of sports that one may choose from and, most of the time, the conversations are actually focused on that particular sport. Chat rooms that are monitored are the best bet if a user wants to stay focused on a topic. Without a monitor in the room, someone could find themselves in an uncomfortable situation that could have otherwise been avoided.

Once in a chat room, a camaraderie may be found with others in the room, maybe through a common love for a team or origins in the same state (or country), but it is important not to give out any personal information, especially addresses or phone numbers to these people, no matter how trustworthy they may seem. Almost everyone has heard the rules many times, but think about it -- these people are only as real as anyone lets them be.

The 1996 Centennial Olympic Games will be held in Atlanta, Georgia this summer. This is the seventh time the United States has hosted the games (fourth time the summer Olympics have been held in the United States). Coming from 197 countries, 10,768 athletes (6,562 men and 3,779 women) will compete in everything from archery to yachting. Opening ceremonies will be held July 20 in the new Centennial Olympic Stadium. Over the next 16 days, 271 events will take place, ending with the closing ceremony in the Centennial Olympic Stadium on August 4.

The official character for the 1996 Olympic Games is <Izzy>. Izzy was the one of the citizens of Torch. He yearned to leave Torch and join the Olympic celebration. He was told by a mystical elder that he could leave if he found the five rings hidden in the Torch, but they must be found during the 100th and magical year of the Olympic Games. With the five rings, Izzy found the true Olympic spirit, <If you have a dream, do everything you can to follow it, and you can make it come true>.

There are 26 sports and 37 disciplines in the 1996 Olympic Games Program, with 1,811 medals to be awarded. Most of the sporting events will take place in Georgia, but Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, and Washington, D.C. will also host some events.

A torch relay is now taking place to bring the Olympic flame from Los Angeles to Atlanta. The torch started moving April 27 and entered Minnesota today. Two of the torchbearers come from local areas: one from Delano and another from Monticello. Patty Wetterling, Jacob Wetterling's mother, will carry the torch at 7:23 p.m. tomorrow. The torch will come to a stop on July 19 at the Centennial Olympic Stadium.

The Olympic Games Motto is <Citius, Altius, Fortius>. This means <Faster, Higher, Braver> in Latin. It expresses the aspirations of the athletes involved with the Olympic Movement and that there are no limitations on people's ability and the quest to improve the human condition. NBC will be the American network covering the games.

The boys and girls track and field teams at BHS have had a reputation for being successful. So far this season the girls have taken home two first place trophies. One from the Hutchinson Invitational and the other from the Litchfield Invitational, both of which took place the same week. The Hutchinson Invitational was held on Monday, April 22, and the Litchfield meet was held Friday, April 26.

The boys' team has also done very well. They took home the second place trophy at the Hutchinson Invitational and have placed high at all their meets.

There are many tough teams to beat this year. Both boys' and girls' teams have proved to themselves that they can beat these teams.

Due to cold weather this spring, it has been hard for the athletes to have good practices. Now that the snow has melted, the teams are able to train outside.

"We've had a few injuries, and the weather hasn't been cooperative, but we've placed high in all of our meets and plan to do the same at the conference," said senior captain Wade Demmer. "It seems everyone gets hurt all at once and the hall outside the weight room turns into the 'icing area.'"

Regardless of injuries, the athletes on the team can't say they're having a bad season.

"It's going very well. The girls' team has a good chance to win the conference and that's really great," said senior Heather Douglas. The team's main goal right now is to have both the boys' and girls' teams take first place in the conference. This is not an out-of-reach goal for either team.

Many people are pushing themselves to do well for the rest of the season.

"I haven't been doing as well as I had hoped to do," said Douglas. "But I want to win conference, make it to state, and break the school record in high jump."

Even if personal goals are not met by all, most athletes still have a good time.

"I like being on the team, and I like competition. Without track, I would be bored a lot more often," said Demmer.

The track and field teams are doing very well this season is winding down quickly. The division tournament is coming up this year and are looking to end the season in very good standings, maybe at the top. Shakopee and the State Tournament will be held on June 7 and 8 at Blaine.

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Beth Jackson and Jenny Fiedler run a relay in practice. Both the boys' and girls' track and field teams have performed well this season.

The crowd continues their silence waiting for number forty-one to rise and begin playing exactly how she had been. As their eyes scan the court for any movement she remains down.

Most people don't realize until it happens to them how quickly their life can change. Junior Brittany Meyer felt the same way until one day she was struck with bad luck. When Meyer was hit on the outside of her knee in a varsity basketball game, a flood of thoughts rushed through her mind.

"I was wondering what the heck happened because I was never hurt so bad that a coach had to come out on the court and help me," said Meyer.

She tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). Resulting in missing the remainder of this basketball season. In the spring, Meyer usually plays softball. She is sitting this season out because she is still recovering. Meyer plays volleyball in the fall, whether or not she will be able to play next season is still uncertain.

"I don't want to play volleyball just because of the thought of injuring myself for my senior year of basketball," said Meyer.

Meyer is going to rehabilitation three times a week and later she will be doing some self-conditioning to get ready for next basketball season.

"As of right now, I am sure I will be playing basketball next year (with a brace) unless something traumatic occurs," said Meyer. "I miss playing in the games and being an active part of the team."

Even with her injury this season, she stayed with the team and helped out with the younger players.

Meyer plays a big role on the team and she only has one year left.

"If you could understand how much basketball means to me you would know how I feel," said Meyer.

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Name: Brittany Meyer
Grade: 11
Nickname: Britt
Age: 17
Sports: Basketball, Softball, and Volleyball
Other Activities: NHS, class cabinet, yearbook.
Lucky number: 41 was lucky until I got hurt wearing it.
The place I would most like to visit: Germany, to see my relatives who live there.
Best Advise I've received: "You're never given more than you can handle, so don't ever give up what you're doing."
Biggest fear: Finding a college and figuring out a career major.
Pet Peeve: People who take life and the opportunities they have for granted.
If I had $1,000,000 I would: Travel all over the world.
Childhood heroes: Janet Karvonen and Carol Ann Shudlick.
I hope I never have to: Be on crutches again or actually need to use my handicapped parking sticker.

The auditorium in the new high school will be a relief to many at BHS. It will relieve crowding and access problems associated with the Junior High auditorium. Its main use will be for music and drama performances.

The auditorium will have 850 seats, 600 in front and 125 in each of the rear partitions. The Junior High only has 630, said choir director Mike Walsh.

The stage itself is also larger. It will be more accommodating to performing groups and elaborate sets.

"The stage is considerably larger. The interior is primarily navy blue," said drama department head Tracy Hagstrom-Dahl.

To alleviate technical problems, the auditorium will have built-in recording facilities and high-tech lighting controls.

"It has a full set-construction area, costume and prop storage, bathrooms with showers, and an orchestra pit with a covering so we can use it as a thrust stage. It also has a 'fly space' for hanging scenery," said Hagstrom-Dahl.

The auditorium also has two portions which can be partitioned off and used as extra classrooms, if necessary. The partitions will be sound-resistant to block sound from the band and choir practices.

"We will avoid using the auditorium as a classroom. That's a lot of wear and tear," said band director Billy Soden.

Having the auditorium connected to the high school will be more convenient for the drama and music departments, who currently have to move their equipment to and from their performance areas.

"The location in relation to the rehearsal areas is excellent," said Soden.

With more time to rehearse, the quality of performances should improve.

"We won't have so many scheduling problems," said Hagstrom-Dahl.

To complete the package, side balconies will be built for decorative uses, and there will be spotlights on the roof of the lighting control booth. The wiring will be direct, bypassing the hassle of extra controls like those in the junior high.

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The new auditorium, now under construction, will have a total of 850 seats, a larger stage and a new high-tech lighting system.

Those of us who occasionally can't make it to the theater know what it's like to miss a good movie and have to wait until it comes out on video. Well, some theaters are making money on these frustrations.

The Terrace is one such theater. It is one of two theaters owned by Carmike Cinemas. The Terrace is located in Robbinsdale on France Avenue and 36th Avenue North. The Terrace has four screens located on two levels. The theater plays movies that are out of the "normal theaters" and on their way to coming out on home video. The movies currently playing are Toy Story, Hellraiser 4, Sgt. Bilko, and Executive Decision. Because the movies are older and will soon be coming out on video they only charge $1.50 per seat every day. The theater is handicapped accessible and has a system for the hearing impaired. There is adequate parking around the theater as well.

When I entered the theater it seemed like all other theaters -- the same high price on food. But the price of the movies is very low, less than the average price of renting a new release. After we bought our tickets, we were met by an usher. He told us the level the movie was on and which room it would be in. The theater was very clean and nicely kept. The action from the outside followed into the theater, as people feel free to comment on aspects of the movie. The talking is kept to a minimum and this made it a more enjoyable and laid back experience.

I would recommend visiting this theater on your next movie outing. The number for dates and times of the movies currently showing at The Terrace is 1-612-588-6377.

When was the last time you saw a movie that was actually like a visual puzzle?

"Pulp," according to the dictionary, is a soft, moist, shapeless piece of matter or a magazine or book printed on a rough, low-quality paper made of wood pulp, usually containing sensational and lurid stories or articles. The movie title Pulp Fiction may be confusing, but after watching it, you will come to a better understanding. This is the kind of movie that is directed so differently than any other, that you can never lose interest.

Pulp Fiction was directed by Quentin Tarantino. His way of making movies is so awkward, one has to imagine making a movie and then cutting it up into sections and mixing them together. So, in short, the beginning of the movie is actually the end.

The plot, on the other hand, is a little harder to explain. It can only be narrowed down to what two hit-men, Vincent (John Travolta), and Jewels (Samuel Jackson), one girlfriend (Uma Thurman), a boxer (Bruce Willis), and a secret suitcase have in common. Travolta, Jackson and Willis couldn't have played their roles better.

The only comparison to Pulp Fiction would be a similar movie, made again by Tarantino, called Four Rooms. In this film, a bellboy is put in charge of a large hotel, and many things go wrong. However, Four Rooms will not be available on video until fall, whereas Pulp Fiction is now in local video stores.

In short, Pulp Fiction was a great movie for adults. It is not a show for children because of the realism of life in L.A. There are drugs, violence, and plenty of foul language. If you want to see a film that is different from the same old boring action or love scenes that everyone is used to, Pulp Fiction is a great choice.

Twister is that kind of movie that makes you wonder about whether these things could ever happen to you. It is a movie about tornado chasers Bill Harding (Bill Paxton, Apollo 13), and his wife Jo Harding (Helen Hunt, TV's Mad About You). They narrowly escape death six times because they are trying to place a new high-tech weather satellite, in the path of a tornado. Along for the ride is Bill's soon-to-be wife Melissa (Jami Gertz, Crossroads), providing most of the comic relief in the movie since she is the only character that is afraid to die in a tornado.

Directed by Jan De Bont (Speed), Twister does a great job making you feel right there. Although Speed had a more interesting plot, which Twister really lacked, I think you can relate more to Twister. (When was the last time you were on a runaway bus carrying a bomb?)

Twister is rated PG-13 and I would not recommend taking young children to this movie. They may be frightened by the realism of some of the scenes. It was a good movie for adults but lacked a plot and it seemed that all the characters were there for, was for a transition from tornado to tornado.

The present day junior high served as the high school from 1936-1971. Said to be big enough to last a lifetime when it was built, there have been many additions to the school to make it what it is today. Originally built for grades K-12, it was home to grades 7-12, for many years. After completion of the present day high school, it became solely 7 and 8 grade. The junior high will soon be used by community education.

To meet the demands of a growing community, the present day high school was built in 1971. After additions the school can now house 1100 students, but currently there are over 1375 students enrolled.

At left: In hopes of easing overcrowding at the present day high school, the new high school located on County Road 35 was built. Doors will open for students and faculty in January of 1997. Open space around the school will allow for future additions when the community of Buffalo outgrows yet another school. At right: the legendary BHS rock will be moved to the new school.

At left: Skylights will allow natural light onto the staircases and almost all classrooms. Two large staircases are located directly inside the main doors and on each end of the lockers. Large windows are located at the top of each staircase. On the right is the library, and on the left is the computer lab.

The cafeteria in the new school is yet to be completed. The cafeteria may also be used for a reception hall after performances in the auditorium.

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All Photos by Molly Warner

In his 11 years at BHS, principal Nick Miller has had many honors bestowed upon him. To this date, none come close to being named Principal of the Year by his colleagues in the schools that represent central Minnesota. After winning this award, Miller has advanced to the Minnesota Principal of the Year Competition. The winner will be chosen this summer. The award is a direct reflection on the school and the cooperation between the teachers and the students.

"I think the tone, the climate, the mood carry out this [running the school] successfully," said Miller.

In a time when many students feared the principal and may even have placed him on their most wanted list, Miller came in and turned the school around, breaking down barriers between students and staff.

"If students and teachers are in a community where they can feel good and where they can be happy, they will work well together," said Miller.

Power is not an issue with Miller. He compared BHS to the spokes of a wheel instead of the typical pyramid -- power in the middle, not on the top.

"I kind of connect to everyone, I deal with teachers, food service, student issues, I deal with custodial issues, I deal with parents, school board, superintendent," Miller said. "The most important thing that goes on is the interaction in the classroom, that is what it is all about."

Because teachers have the most interaction with the students, it is important for them to have relationships that set them on equal footing.

"If I walk into the gym during an assembly, I have about as much power as the students decide to give me," said Miller.

To many, the principal represents all things bad about a school -- his office is a place to go if you have done something wrong. Many students believe that principals thrive off of power, but the opposite can be said for Miller.

"The most important power is the power that you give away to others," said Miller.

Sometimes the teachers spend more time with the kids than the kids do with their families because of sports and other extra-curricular activities. For the students and faculty to have stronger relationships than just teacher and student is a plus to any school.

"The key to having a good school is to hire well," Miller said. "You have to find the right people who are the right fit."

One of Miller's goals is to maintain an atmosphere where teachers will teach to their best abilities and take risks.

"If our teachers have a lot of academic freedom and a lot of support, they'll work hard when I am not looking," said Miller.

As the end of the semester approaches, many people are reminded of the finals fiasco of first semester when finals were postponed not once, but twice. The first time was due to snow and cold weather when school was cancelled. The final blow came when some finals were reduced to 15 minutes because of a bomb threat that was called in by a student. Since then, junior Charles Steinmetz pleaded guilty to making the threat and was sentenced.

Prior to sentencing, Steinmetz implemented a meeting with BHS principals. "He apologized and wanted to apologize to the staff and students," principal Mary Loberg said. "He stressed that he realized the trouble he caused was really 'dumb' and he wished he hadn't done it."

According to Loberg, it was Steinmetz's goal to apologize to the entire community. The result was a letter, which in the end, became part of his sentence. For his crime, Steinmetz is expected to serve 90 days in Jail and reimburse District 877 $5,000 for damages as a result of the bomb threat or serve 1,000 hours of community service, among other penalties.

Steinmetz presented his letter of apology to BHS staff at a meeting on Wednesday, May 22. Steinmetz requested that the letter be addressed to the student body as well:

To the District 877 Community:

I am writing in hopes that you will all try to understand how very sorry and full of regret I am for my actions when I called in a bomb threat to our high school this past January.

I truly did not realize the impact my actions would have. I did something so stupid on a dare that has changed my life forever. For my actions I am going to lose my freedom for some time and be paying the rest of my debt for many more years to come. This is what I caused because of my actions, not even to mention the pain I have caused my family.

I really hope no one ever thinks they can get away with doing something of this extreme and not pay a high consequence for it. You always get caught.

So please believe me when I say how sorry I am and please do not try anything like this unless you are willing to give up everything. It is definitely not worth the pain and fear you put your victims or yourself through.

I realize "sorry" does not make anything up to all of you, but I am truly very sorry.

With my deepest regrets,
Charles Steinmetz

The 11th annual Academic Excellence Awards Presentation was held Monday, May 20. The program recognizes students through departmental awards and achievement awards such as the Hall of Fame. Departmental awards are given by teachers to honor students in specific subject areas. The criteria for these awards varies among departments or even individual teachers.

"I wouldn't want a checklist. [The current system] gives you leeway to honor students who maybe don't have the best grades but have improved or are creative or contribute to the class," said science teacher Dan Schneider.

Students and teachers alike seem to feel that recognition needs to be distributed widely among the student body.

"It seems like all the academic awards go to the same people. They've spread them out more this year," Demmer said. "They might give more awards to underclassmen."

The distribution of awards is uneven between classes, but most students aren't discouraged by that.

"I think it's pretty fair because we'll all have our chance to be seniors, and then the same person wouldn't get an award twice," said sophomore Tasha Topel.

Some people feel that awards should be given throughout the year, and not only for academics, activities and athletics.

"I would like to expand appreciation to include a wider range of students. If we're going to honor students, we should have a means of finding out what all the students are doing," Schneider said. "We should be more aggressive in finding students doing non-school-related things."

Nearly everyone agrees that choosing such a minority of students to receive awards can be difficult.

"I think it's great to honor students, but it's hard to see the other four Hall of Fame candidates go away, maybe feeling like they weren't good enough," said Schneider.

Honoring only certain students can create competition, but awarding everyone can take away from the excitement.

"Part of me says I wish there were more awards, but the other part of me says where would we draw the line," said Spanish teacher Pam Ramstad.

Over-all, the awards presentation was enjoyed by parents, students and faculty as a close to the year.

"It was a really nice evening to show appreciation for people who work really hard, a nice close to our senior year," said senior Paul Schaefer.

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Honored for excellence
Keynote Speaker: Craig Kjorlien
American Legion Citizenship Awards: Ali Gartner, Phil Miller
Triple A Awards: Ali Gartner, Jeff Zimmerman
National Merit Scholarship Awards: Henry Adams, Wade Demmer, Robert Roos
Friends of Education Awards: Roger Davis, Bus Driver; Gail Holmquist, Accompanist; Jackie Mead, Substitute Teacher
Hall of Fame Awards: Kia Swaggert, Wade Demmer