The Bison Stampede – October 31, 1997

121 BHS students are eligible to vote in the Nov. 4 elections. One election day, one half-million dollars will be at stake for the district. The district encourages all eligible voters to show up on election day. The vote will be a renewal of the 1991 Levy Referendum that was originally set for $197 per student. That amount was decreased by $100 per student by the Minnesota Legislature. The levy renewal will be for the same as it is now, $97 per student. If the voters do not renew their commitment of funding, the district will lose the money.

“I absolutely encourage all eligible high school students to vote. It’s a great way to make a statement about their years in school and pass it on to other students,” said Superintendent Tom Nelson. $97 per student adds up fast for the district. All together the funds add up to $500,000 a year for the district. The residents of #877 pay $135,000, and the state of Minnesota pays the remaining $350,000. The state will give the district the money, as long as the voters give the go ahead to put in their share of the money.

“Looking at [the levy] from a financial standpoint, if the voters pay $135,000, and the state gives us $350,000, it is like getting more money for nothing,” said Tom Nelson.

Something that the voters may not understand the fact that this referendum is a renewal. The funds for the money are already being levied on property taxes so, by voting ‘yes’ on Nov. 4, voters will be saying that they want the $500,000 for the district, as it has been since 1991.

“If our district doesn’t get the money, it will be given to another district in the state,” said Nelson.

Every year the money is used to hire additional teachers to maintain low class sizes in the district and maintain student opportunities in the district.

“The money will be used to maintain respectable class sizes in the district and to hire more teachers to deal with this issue,” said Nelson. “It will help us expand our opportunities for the students and hire additional staffing for those activities. It’s not just the program, it’s the people that do it.”

Something often heard by taxpayers is ‘will my taxes go up?’ There will be a slight change in taxes involving the referendum. Those changes are a result of a legislative decision giving businesses a property tax break and balancing that out with a slight increase in the portion that residential property owners pay.

“Taxes will stay relatively the same,” said Nelson. “There will be a very, very small shift from commercial and industrial taxes to residential.”

It’s all up to District #877 voters and the 121 student voters here at BHS.

For more voter information: (612) 682-5200

After months of work the gym floor that was destroyed in the July 1 storm has been replaced. Construction was complete on Oct. 21 and the floor hosted its first event on Oct. 23.

During the first seven weeks of school, gym teachers faced the challenge of shuffling their classes without a gym in which to hold classes.

“There have been two major problems with the gym classes. There are no outdoor fields here at the new school to hold classes on and we have no gym to hold classes in. To resolve these problems we have been bussing different classes to different places around Buffalo,” said physical education teacher David Prokop.

Some activities for gym included bowling, ping pong, tennis, pickle ball, water polo, softball, sand volleyball, and basketball. Students were taken such places as the Discovery school, Huikko’s Bowling Alley, the BCMS pool, and Mills Bentfield Park. Many students enjoyed this change of schedule to get away from everyday sights and surroundings.

This year for Homecoming many of the activities were moved to other areas. Some activities were not accessible for freshmen and sophomores because they took place in the Performing Arts Center and that space was not large enough for the entire school.

Conferences were moved around this year also. Instead of the teachers all being together in one large area, they were spread throughout the building. Many teachers liked conferences better this way because they had them in their rooms, others were concerned that the lines for parents were too long.

“I think we’ll consider having conferences throughout the school more now to keep the new floor looking nice and try to eliminate longer lines,” said Mr. Miller.

The new floor for the gym cost approximately $225,000 and the total cost for the damage of the July storm was about $350,000. Luckily the schools insurance covered the cost of the damage including the cost of the buses that were used to transport gym students to the various locations around Buffalo.

Staff Writer

Imagine yourself jumping out of a helicopter into the jungle in the middle of the night, not even taking enough time to say, “Ouch.” Then, pulling out your Army issued M-16 assault rifle and hiking 20 miles to lie on a hill far from home with nothing to comfort you but your infrared goggles. Seem hard to imagine? For some BHS students, not only is this vision imaginable, but soon will become a weekly routine.

Senior Ryan Murray has found what he believes to be the perfect solution to life after graduation. He has enlisted in the Army, with a contract guaranteeing him acceptance into the highly elite Army Rangers program. He looks forward to the opportunity to make money and become one of the most disciplined and highly trained members of the Army.

“I feel it would be a good experience to go out and do things you wouldn’t normally do on an everyday basis,” said Murray.

Seniors Mike Swenson, Rob Breuer, and Nathan Erlandson have also joined the Army. Swenson, with a contract now guaranteeing him acceptance into the Army Airborne Infantry program, later plans on applying to the Ranger program. Breuer, however, has already taken the next step by going split option. He enrolled as a junior and went to basic training in the summer before his senior year and will finish training in the summer after.

Breuer commented that a major influence on his enrollment was due to his brother, who is in the Airborne Assault program.

Seniors Jim Halverson and Bart Durand have found their own solutions. They have enlisted in the Navy and Durand is currently seeking acceptance into the Navy’s Reserve Officers Training [Corps] (NROTC) along with his acceptance into regular enlistment.

“I joined the Navy because I wanted to earn money for veterinarian school,” said Halverson.

As many high school students will contest, there is no such thing as the perfect solution to what to do after high school. However, if everyone remembers there are many options open to them, the Armed Forces being one of them.

For more information about any branches of the United States Armed Forces:
Army - Contact the St. Cloud recruiting office at (320) 252-2212
Navy - Contact the St. Cloud recruiting office at (320) 252-1850
Air Force - Contact the St. Cloud recruiting office at (320) 251-5735
Marines - Contact the Buffalo recruiting office at (612) 682-5711

Advertising Editor

Recycling responsibilities this year have been cut back significantly from past years when it was handled by the science department. Due to a lack of explanation for the change many students and staff are left wondering why.

Because of the limitations, the custodians have been forced to cut the recycling to only paper and cardboard. That leaves out aluminum cans and plastic, which are currently being thrown out with the rest of the garbage.

“We don’t have enough time in our schedule unless we put in overtime,” said custodian Ric Lindboe.

All high schools, including BHS, are under a state mandate to recycle at least three different items. Principal Nick Miller responded, “Yes but with the start of the school year and the reconstruction of the gym floor, there hasn’t been much time to get recycling going.” Miller also said, “Recycling is very important and any school organization who wishes to take up the task can do is.” He also said that recycling will get going as soon as possible.

In the past, science teacher Dave Fielder had his biology students pick up the recycling during class, which usually consumed ten minutes of class time a week. He declined to comment about why his classes have given up the recycling responsibilities, but did say, “If it were up to me, we would still have recycling.”

In past years most of the funds generated by student recycling were used for educational purposes such as the animal mounts used in the biology and wildlife biology classes.

“It is important that we set a good example for students to recycle. Recycling is an excellent hands-on way for students to learn how to protect the environment,” said Fiedler.

Students agree that the school needs to accept more responsibility for protecting the environment by recycling.

“The school in general should start beefin’ up the recycling action,” said junior Allen Sandell.

Cans and bottles put in the recycling bins in the lunch room are thrown in with the garbage to save time.

On November 11 the BHS music department will be having their fall concert. The concert will include the Freshmen, Varsity, and Concert bands. The marching band will also be performing their halftime show, including “Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Heart Club Band/I Get Buy With a Little Help From My Friends” and the percussion feature “Larry Goes to Baja.” Cost is $1.00 for students and $2.00 for adults.

Congratulations to the students who made the St. Thomas Honor Band:
Kyleen Gregorson Mariel Gartner Melanie Kjesbo
Erin Thompson Beth West Amber Schmitz

Congratulations also to the students who made the St. Thomas Honor Jazz Ensemble:
Jamie Jensen Molly Fiedler
Mike Hanson Andy Way

Mr. Dave Alto and Mrs. Tracy Schuster ran in the Twin City Marathon on October 5th. Mr. Alto finished 1,821 overall at 3:56:39. Over 7,200 people entered the race, 2,000 dropped out due to high heat and humidity.

The ambitions and dreams of a new life were set off by the rumbling of an airplane bound for the United States. Bringing whatever precious possessions they could fit into their suitcases, Peter, Plamen, and their mother Velina Petrov left their home in Kazanlak, Bulgaria, which is located in the center of the country. The purpose of their journey was to meet up with their father in St. Michael, MN for a better life. Peter, 18, and his brother Plamen, 16, began attending BHS last year and are here to stay. They carry a radiantly optimistic look about them.

Five years earlier their father, Damion, came to the United States exploring his options and landing a job. He now works for Paulson and Associates in a field similar to his former profession, mechanical engineering.

"His idea was to come over here for a better life. He was quite happy he could find work here, he didn’t want just any job. That was the purpose of his success," said Peter. "It was actually our idea to come over. Well, we agreed to it. Just an idea is nothing if you have nothing to back it up."

The family knew they had possibilities for a brighter life waiting for them in America. With their success in starting over, their expectations have been fulfilled. They are happy to live under a more organized government than in Bulgaria.

"A bad economy means for some bazaar things," said Plamen. The crude economy in Bulgaria allows no one to progress.

"Everything there is more expensive, it is unbelievable how much you can work there and not go anywhere. Even in school to buy the basic textbooks which are free here, you must pay for them with a months salary," said Peter.

Coming from a very meager economy, the poorest of America’s poor live well compared to the conditions in Bulgaria.

"For some people here, the lowest salary paid is five dollars [per hour]. For many back in our homeland, if I was to be paid five dollars an hour, I would live like a king! And now, if I were to calculate my earnings here, compared to all of my teachers put together, I’m sure I would have more money than them!"

The sky’s the limit for these two boys and their family pursuing a new life in a new community. Their excitement and amazement for opportunities available to them here is easily expressed in the way they speak.

"You can pick one day and say, ‘I’m going to do something,’ and do it. I still can’t believe it!" said Peter. Like most teenagers, Peter is saving up to buy his first new car. Something that would be totally out of the question in Bulgaria.

"In Bulgaria, it’s almost impossible to just get up, and go to the store. You have to work for months just to buy a tape deck, let alone a car," said Plamen.

Even now, doing well with their family, home, and school, the boys feel that their perspective on life in America is hard for others to understand.

"To some extent, you always feel like a foreigner. Even though you are welcome. My father says, ‘We are all like a tree without roots,’" said Peter.

Their journey has definitely lead them to the renewing light at the end of the tunnel to opportunities they can now reach.

"I feel that I’m now living with the future, not the present," said Peter.

The Buffalo chapter of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) climbed onto a bus on Thursday, October 9, at 6:30 a.m. It was an early start that morning, but preparations for that day started several weeks before.

During AAA at least once a week, FFA advisor Todd Lubben instructed members who were participating in the University of Minnesota Agriculture Activities Day on how to judge horses, livestock, and dairy cows. Todd Lubben used slides as examples of good and bad traits in these animals. He also taught them how to give oral reasons which explain your preference of one animal over the other to the judge. The FFA students practiced judging the animals in each of their categories.

The day of the contest, members wondered about how they would do on their oral reasons and if they were in the right place at the right time. "It wasn’t very organized and it was confusing at first and you couldn’t be with your friends," said sophomore Dan Westphal (livestock evaluation team.) It was cold that day and most of the contestants stood outside to judge the animals, although some were in the barns.

"It was very cold out and most of us didn’t dress warm enough for the weather. We all had fun, even though it was a hard contest," said sophomore Dave Dongoski (livestock evaluation team).

Todd Lubben was pleasantly surprised that the horse team placed first. Out of 68 teams from all over Minnesota, Buffalo entered two teams. Individually senior Jim Halverson placed 6, sophomore Lindsay Falde placed 8, senior Abby Neu placed 13, and freshmen Erin Noreen placed 27. There were 239 contestants total. The second team placed 20.

When Halverson (horse evaluation team) was asked what he thought about placing first in the contest he replied, "I was surprised we did so good." When asking Abby Neu (horse evaluation team) the same question she replied, "I was surprised but I am really happy."

Contestants evaluated classes of horses. Each class contained four horses. The classes were quarter horse geldings, paint mares, and Appaloosa geldings. The contestants judged the horses on reining, hunter under saddle and oral reasons.

The dairy and livestock teams have never done the same contest twice and this was my fourth year and it’s gotten easier every year," said senior Megan Duerr (dairy evaluation team).

"It was fun and interesting."

You can put your valuable skills and experience to use in your community. The Minnesota National Guard is full of home-town heroes who are there when called upon. Their presence is essential to the safety and peace of mind of their neighbors. They may sandbag to protect homes and lives from flood waters, or help stranded motorists in a blizzard.

By serving just one weekend a month and two weeks a year, you can be a hero when your neighbors need one most. Call today: Reed 612-295-4999 MINNESOTA YOU CAN

The largest number of fans at a soccer game never fill the stands, while later in the week, the stands are filled at a home football game. Soccer is intriguing—the team often has to deal with balls flying towards their heads at immense speeds, and then expected to bump the balls off their foreheads, faces, noses, and ears to go somewhat near the goal. There’s tackling, running, clocks ticking and sweat dripping. Despite all this excitement, there is still a huge shortage of fans during these games.

Meanwhile, football fans are waiting anxiously for the next big football game, and contemplating if this week the Bison are going to put away the opposition. The girlfriends of the Varsity/IV teams wear their boyfriend jerseys, come to the game, and cheer enthusiastically and hysterically for their guys, screaming out cheers and last names. There are almost 30 of these girls, plus the players’ parents, plus all of the football player’s buddies, and the girls who wanna be the girlfriend of a Varsity player. To top it all off, they also have a band playing at intervals. In other words, the stands are packed.

Tennis is having a great year, but rarely is there anyone at their matches voluntarily. Once the team started to publicize the matches, attendance improved. Parents are there for their kids, busy being proud of them after years of hard work and getting to play on one of the Varsity teams. Fans should know that they are needed at games, not reminded by the captains to attend. Volleyball, cross-country, special education bowling and diving are the same.

There are slight problems in trying to root for your teams. You could be just too busy, or maybe you don’t understand or have an interest of these or any sports included here. Also, some sports are hard to watch, such as cross country, where you have to basically be part of the runners to watch them throughout the entire race. But there are many things that students can do to show spirit—and they aren’t hard to do, even if you don’t understand the game of tennis, for example. If price is the issue, season passes are cheaper than buying individual game tickets. Encourage family and friends to go with you, if you are scared of swimmers. If you are in band, sign up for a pep band game at least once in each season; the teams love music. And something that should all do with ease—show school spirit please! Go to games voluntarily, and even show your school colors. Kudos to the fans who have been. We don’t really care how you do it, just as long as the spirit is there.

Everyone has heard the Golden Rule, whether they are Christian or not, and many have followed it unconsciously not too. However, it is important to consciously follow it. As Jesus Christ said, "Treat others as you would have them treat you."

If we want to see an end to the violence and hatred in our world, we must start by following the Golden Rule in our own lives. It is not enough to just talk about it; we must live it.

Pre-judging and categorizing only leads to discrimination and violence. We all need to take heed and follow the Golden Rule in everything we do.

Many times we have been prevented from doing what is right because of our prejudices. We have judged others based on their appearance, their religion, or their background. This kind of thinking is what leads to conflict and hatred.

Instead, we should strive to see the humanity in everyone. We should treat everyone with respect and kindness, regardless of their differences. This is the essence of the Golden Rule.

By following the Golden Rule, we can help to create a more peaceful and loving world. It starts with each of us, in our own lives and in our own communities.

Halloween night once again. Another year of trick-or-treating. Many teens do tricks or treats, but what do they do? Halloween night begins at home. We'll be at the local community center from 6 to 9 p.m. for our annual Halloween party. There will be games, music, and plenty of food. We'll also have a costume contest with prizes for the best costumes. So come join us for a night of Halloween fun!

Not many realize how out of control people can on this crazy holiday. Halloween pranks and tricks are often done for treats. Wholet, gheats, and goblins link in any part of town, and some are looking to get in on the fun.

"The past three years have been rather quiet," said Officer George Han.

Some vandals prefer the old-style smashing pumpkins and decorating houses with toilet paper. In actually, these are called "pranks," and can constitute a misdemeanor that can result in criminal damage to property. A fine that is less than $200 is a misdemeanor, $200 is a gross misdemeanor and anything above $200 is considered a felony. This also includes stealing someone's personal property. Last year, some kids thought the egging houses and cars. They were juveniles and were left with warnings and small fines, but it wasn't really a big deal. Of course we don't approve doing it (pranks), but there are worse crimes," Officer Han said.

Two guys were arrested with torches thrown at houses this year. They were captured after shooting with people a gun, in Buffalo, Maple Lake, and Annandale areas.

"That was probably the worst [unclear] case I remember," said an officer.

People tend to treat a vandalism as a crime, even though it is meant to be fun and games. Why does someone else's night of fun just be your night of fun?

Eastbrook High School's drama department will present the classic comedy "Arsenic and Old Lace" from November 7 through 9. The play, which follows the story of a young man who discovers his aunts are serial poisoners, has been a favorite for decades. The production features a talented cast of students, many of whom have been preparing for months. Tickets are available at the high school office or at the door. For more information, contact the drama department.

The radio station labeled 93.7 ‘The Edge’ has jumped back to ‘The X’ after a few years of man hunting. The X has always played a heavy rock format, but ‘The X’ will be missing a great portion of the listeners who used to hear on many other stations like Roger's and the Music. “I think fans, because we already have ‘The X’, will soon adopt 93.7 ‘The Edge’,” said announcer Abe Miller. 93.7 ‘The Edge’ changed because it was thought that listeners would want a different sound. “It is unusual,” said announcer Bob Quadly. “So if everyone was to say, why did that happen? It happened due to ‘The Edge’ changed, and their ratings, although not the same stations changing and channel,” and summer John [unclear] said, “I think that ‘The Edge’ came up by looping most of the same management.”

Known to the Unknown

Compassion
a word easily lost and

Misjudgment
brings loss to the majority

Rules
often broken, smashed

Immaturity
arrests adults grown up

To Believe
what they are taught

Hypocrisy
in the worst form, prejudices

Why Jon's
it forever banned

Human Conscience
was long ago lost

Like a child
knowing the silent killer

We are perfect. They are not.

We have the cannot

Memories of someone Forgot... an

Where it's Known to the Unknown

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It's 1947. August is exact. Everyone is excited and consuming about going back to school. They're talking about how great their summer was. School is beginning at Homecoming games and 각종. It's going to be a great time at the football game. The beginning of the school year has a huge significance.

Now staying alert is a must. August is always a time of suspense because a long, hot summer is just ending. As the days become shorter, a new energy begins to build. It's a time of transition, a time of change. It's a time of excitement and anticipation. It's a time of new beginnings.

According to the City Council Minutes, "in order to prevent the spread of polio, public health officials will be closed until further notice. Hand sanitizers will be distributed as prescribed for all." This was the reality for many students in 1946. The polio epidemic was a terrifying time, and the fear of infection was constant. Students were cautious, and social gatherings were limited. The fear of the disease was a constant presence in their lives.

As the epidemic began to subside, life slowly returned to normal. Students were able to return to school, and social activities resumed. But the memory of the polio epidemic remained, a reminder of the fragility of health and the importance of public health measures.

Today, as we look back on the fall of 1946, we see a time of both fear and hope. A time when students faced a significant challenge, but also a time when they showed resilience and strength. The lessons learned from the polio epidemic continue to shape our approach to public health today.

“Nothing beats the feeling of a big buck walking under my stand, or a flock of geese flying over my blind,” said one hunter.

There are many different types of hunting. Duck, goose, pheasant, and of course deer. With deer there is not just one way to hunt them, there are many different weapons to choose from.

One weapon option for deer hunting is a gun. Either a rifle or a shotgun can be used depending on the area. Gun hunting has a very short season. Locally the first season for gun is Nov. 8-9, and the second season is open Nov. 15-18.

Many believe a more challenging weapon for hunting deer is a bow and arrow.

Bow hunters may hunt during the slug (gun) season. It is a very big accomplishment for a bow hunter to shoot a deer while hunting during gun season.

“I shot an eight point buck during slug season, but I shot it with a bow,” said business teacher Steve Drill.

Bow hunting for deer has become very popular over the past few years. The tradition of long bows and recurve bows has been replaced for the most part with compound bows. Wooden arrows have been replaced by aluminum or carbon arrows, and finger shooters are now switching to releases to aid them in pulling back a bow.

One of the biggest reasons for people to get started with bow hunting is that there is a much longer season than rifle hunting. The season extends from early Sept. to Dec. 31.

Another advantage of bow hunting is that you can shoot more deer. One buck may be taken, and if within the intensive harvest area four does may be shot.

With this longer season it is necessary for people to spend more time hunting in order to fill their tags.

“I spend on average, four nights a week hunting,” said Drill.

Hunters describe a certain peace that goes along with bow season, the way that the wind blows through the leaves, being by yourself without distractions, absent is the sound of gun shots going of on the other side of the woods. These are just some of the reasons for hunting, but there are many more.

“I like to see game,” said sophomore Drew Jessen. That is reason enough for him to go hunting.

Safety of course is one of the largest concerns with hunting. Wearing blaze orange is a requirement for gun hunters. The only time bow hunters have to wear blaze orange is during gun season, otherwise they can wear camouflage.

Hunting can be very fun and exciting and with a little bit of practice, hunting can become very successful.

Cheeseheads, the dreaded enemy of any Vikings fan. They are everywhere amid a pack of foam hats and a sea of forest-green and gold, forever loyal to their favorite team, the Packers.

Right here in Vikings territory, we have at least two huge fans, our very own resident cheeseheads: social studies teacher and head football coach Gerard Rohl, along with English teacher Vicki Cary. These two, along with several other BHS teachers and students, make up the local Packers pep club.

“The fans are so loyal partly because of lack of other things to do in western Wisconsin,” said Rohl.

With all of the strong feelings of loyalty most fans have to their teams, there is some insult-slinging going around between the two different sides. It’s an ongoing battle between the Vikings and the Packers fans, with jokes from both sides.

“I can take it [the jokes], and I can give it right back,” said Cary.

Cary, who was born and raised in Wisconsin, admits that home town loyalty is a big part of her support. Cary also admits that while she is a big Packers fan, she does not watch the games.

“I don’t watch the games; I’m too nervous and I’ll jinx them,” said Cary. “Also, my family won’t let me—they think I’ll make them lose.”

Green Bay has long been known for it’s outstanding fan support of the team. The small population that more than makes up for its size in its enthusiasm. There are many different reasons for the attitudes in Green Bay.

“They’ve been around for so long, and they were crappy for, like, thirty years,” said Rohl.

Location may also have to do with the attitude.

“The team is really their identity because it’s such a small town,” said Cary.

It all boils down to support, it can really make the team, and the Packers definitely have the support of many people, local or not.

Seen daily by hundreders of BHS students, this Packers shrine shows Packers spirit in the middle of Viking country.

One of the four team captains for the BHS swimming team is senior Kristen McCarty. She hopes her 12 years of competitive swimming will pay off in the upcoming season.

Senior Kirsten Bergquist ended her BHS tennis career by playing her way to individual sections October 14.

Offensive for Bison soccer is junior Pete Onstad. The team won the first playoff game against Cooper High in double overtime.

Junior Stacy Stern has been sharpening her diving skills for five years, three for the BHS diving team. Stern's goal for this year is to perform well in sections, which is on Nov. 7-8.

Earlier this month, senior Kiera Ryter broke a winning match against Chunka. The match lasted three hours and 45 minutes, which is the longest match in BHS history.