The Bison Stampede – November 5, 1999

Stepping up SSU is a growing effort to identify, train, and mentor students. "Leaving out SSU to reach out to younger students, and yet an example of how to model SSU in giving kids a chance to help and be a teenager, SSU adviser [unclear] says. Since last year in the [unclear] year of activities were a success to the advisers, they decided to continue again. Some of the students were in training in Mankato, (previous month) emphasizing the high rate of SSU in the training of new activities.

"What we talked about was how to transform, help with the school, and talking at a sporting event," said [unclear] Tiny Halley. SSU wants to start [unclear] new partnership with the middle and elementary school students. They also want to reach younger students and the leadership students involved in interest in mentorship. "And we really want to pursue the idea of having more students like younger students become active, school the [unclear] senior partner, [unclear] and mentor for SSU."

As growing organization, SSU wants to become a more positive role model for their peers.

Passing by C-108 on Monday morning, there is not the usual group of students with their math books. Instead, a group of students with their Bibles. Their desks are occupied in a circle and most likely heads are bowed in prayer. For forty minutes, these students take time to offer their thoughts and comply God.

The T.R.U.T.H. Bible study finds that nothing wrong with what they are doing, said teacher, Mr. Kevin Schmiedt. "The Bible studies are just another circle the church [unclear] holds."

These student studies are more than Bible study. This group takes time to pray and talk about their relationship with God.

"It's a group of students that want to get together and study the Bible," said [unclear].

Each week students gather to organize the next Bible study. They choose a topic to be discussed and then study it. "We're just doing anything that they feel suitable in, helping others to become stronger."

After a brief discussion and Bible study, the group is involved in other activities. "See you at the Pole," a nation [unclear] wide prayer assembly. "See you at the Pole" is a monthly event that takes place on September 13. "Being involved in the Bible study and the [unclear] is just as important as the Bible study," said [unclear] Rachel Stuart. "It was great to see the school united in what they believe."

*Annalee Agresta
*Alyssa Bakke
*Beth Betker
*Tim Heisel
*Pat Mahiberg
*Anna Quandy
*Aaron Squadron

*Jon Voth
*Alyssa Bakke
*Mitch Mattson

Before and After School Next to the Library

Editor's note: Columbia High School senior contribution to this commentary. It well deserves a look.

As if school isn't tough enough, for the past 12 years I have been under your strict guard. Finally, we have decided to take a stand against this blatant disregard for a right that one has just a plain and proper need for.

Based on that criticism, why are human rights a privilege? We believe that the issue of bathroom access is one of the most important. Because you have removed access to bathrooms in our lifetime, we are going to do what health and nutrition books say you ought to do — drink at least eight glasses of water a day to help flush the toxins out of your system. By increasing the amount of water you drink, you're making your body more efficient.

Kaia Hemming, looked around for my teacher, but disappeared. The only thing I saw was the computer in the lab, and we were nowhere to go. I went to my water. As it turns out, there was missing information for an upcoming test. This example points out one of the many things that students are not allowed to do. You need to use the restroom, you need to be able to go. Even now as a high school senior, Kaia Hemming and Heidi Soler are misunderstood by the Deputy Police, who force us to wait to go to the restroom until they say it's OK. According to you, it's important to stay hydrated. With 30 minutes for lunch, 10 minutes are spent waiting in line. We have 20 minutes to eat, and then we get to run to the restroom, and get back to class. A 15-minute break is minutes before class — which is when you go to the restroom in another wing.

Another thing that is making that Columbia High School students where the passing period is 4 minutes. We find the situation to be a miserable one. We think high school seniors are 18 years of age — nearly adults — and should be able to go to the restroom whenever they need to, and not be drafted into the military. We were allowed to go this year, please.

He was a great source of fit. In sports, pride is a huge part of how you represent both yourself and beyond a reproach. Two of the Bison teams that had the best sense of pride and the best team spirit was that because of that man coach Mr. Pat Sonju.

I claim that he seemed to pass directly to both his players and coaches that players should be part of the team. He was a man who played the game at its best work club, his players soon developed the same drive and determination not only on the field but in life.

As a person, teacher, coach, and friend, I cannot believe that the man who just a few weeks ago was so strong is physically extinct. Now the man who seemed to almost be physically invincible is now dead at the young age of [unclear].

He could not move a muscle in my body. I was in complete shock. With the people around me, I was unhappy. After a few hours, I realized that it doesn't matter why. It cannot be changed. It is a fact. He was a legend. He was a leader, and he was a teacher. He was a man who lived with passion and with life. We need not concentrate on the ways, how and why that he left us, but on his life.

He went to school and played basketball for the University of Connecticut and attended High School where he lived with his wife and kids.

He was a husband, father, coach, and teacher. But another person could say he was a mentor, a leader, a coach, and a teacher. He was a husband and father. He was a mentor, a leader, a coach, and a teacher. I will miss him immensely, and I will never forget the great man, "Pat Sonju." A great teacher. A best friend. Goodbye Mr. Sonju.

He wasn't just a teacher, he was my brother.

He loved students and everything that he did.

He laughed, he joked. He was Pat Sonju.

Everything he did, we needed to know. He was still here.

But now in memory and heart.

Keep him in your hearts. Know he loved you!

It happened to us some time in the past. We woke up on November 1st only to find our house egged and toilet paper hanging from the trees. Then they remember that yesterday was Halloween, and of course teenagers were out trick-or-treating in the middle of the night! We thought our younger pumpkins would get smashed, after that we put them in the garbage "safe" and sat in the living room. After the embarrassing pumpkin, egging houses, and housing toilet paper tears seems to be the most popular, some of the people things they are going to beyond the house. "What I thought was going to happen was that kids Dunkin' Donuts would spy my house," said Mike. He said the door and stumped it sucks. We were fully of poop. "Not a joke."

Teenagers and vandals are bringing up innocent accusations, the people that commit them being up on innocent souls. "We egged all of the neighborhood, and we were just to be obvious so we did our own," said Senator Tommy Jablonsky.

Luckily this year's Halloween only left smashed on pumpkins. While teenagers can't avoid having fun it can't help that they don't enjoy cleaning up smashed pumpkins and washing eggs off their houses, but then, what's Halloween if you can't have a little fun?

1. "Cowboy" Kid Rock
2. "Nookie" Limp Bizkit
3. "What's My Age Again" Blink182
4. "Baby, don't You Break My Heart" Vonda Shepard and Emily Salier of the Indigo Girls
5. "Will Remember You" Sarah McLachlan

This was compiled from a survey of 60 students at BHS.

Nathalie Miller Grade: 12
Nathalie plays the flute in concert band and is a major for "The BHS marching band. She has also been chosen for the Gustavus Honor Band and Congratulations!

Cassie Henrichs Grade: 11
Cassie sings in the Concert Choir. This summer she sang at the Wright and Peterson County Fairs as well as the State Fair. She also won the karaoke contest during the 1999 Homecoming Week.

By Arthur Miller
November 5th, 6th at 7:30 PM
November 7th at 2:00
Performing Arts Center Buffalo High School

With a passing word Or a smile our way In the briefest of moments You brightened our day

You were more than a teacher Closer than a friend You coached us and coaxed us Your kindness knew no end.

"Missing Our"
For those of us who didn't know him We are all missing him

A coach, a father, a friend to all. Who tossed everyone into the game.

On what he left to those of us who were lucky to see the life he lived with grace.

You are missing out For no one else can take his place.

The joy he brought was endless. These hearts cannot! let go.

For all the world is missing out On what did his gentle Sonju did to get to know us.

Jill Weeks
Grade 10

"It will not stop and jump higher" he said during surgery. As he picked up his things in the middle of 4th floor at Mercy, he said, "Goodbye" and that we would see him on Thursday. And not forget the field studies we were having this year. We know, that was the last time we would see him. It Wednesday, and the Principal calls us all in, meeting after 2nd block. Some of us suspected something was wrong. In fact, we suspected about what the meeting was about. The Principal, who was frantically charged the hospital, had the news that the Principal came on the PA, and concerned more than we already believed. Pete Story had passed away.

Teachers in every classroom. Some students just gasped. Some in tears. In every hallway, the news was spreading. People hugging, people crying, people just standing in silence. The teachers looked like a congregation of frozen zombies. Tomorrow, I still think I see him walking on the basketball courts and playing on the field. He was a legend on our school. Never again see him start the game. Never again see him start the winning touchdown. Some people say that he is, in their memory, still running, field and jumping higher and higher even down the hallway and around with Will Chamberlain.

Wyatt Drummond
10th Grade