Traditions: the usual and the unusual

by Kayla Werner and Elizabeth Ostrem

When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of the traditions that go along with it. Whether it be from what you eat to watching football, every family has its traditions. 

Some of the more famous traditions would be watching the Macy’s Day Parade on TV, making a wish with the turkey’s wishbone and, of course, giving thanks for the people and blessings of the past year. But, there are a few traditions that are out of the ordinary. One of these weird traditions is the Turkey Pardon. The pardon  occurs when the President receives a live turkey on Thanksgiving, but “pardons” it to live, instead of being made into Thanksgiving dinner. Another would be that some people prefer to deep fry their turkey instead of cooking it in the oven. It is said it is one of the moistest and most flavorful ways to serve the bird. 

There are a lot of interesting, little -known facts about Thanksgiving. For instance, there is no official reason or declaration for the use of turkey; they just happened to be the most plentiful meat available at the time of the first Thanksgiving. Another interesting fact is that part of the reason that Swanson© started creating TV dinners was because they needed to find something to do with 260 tons of frozen turkeys that were left over from Thanksgiving.

Regardless of all the traditions out there, Thanksgiving as a whole is about being with the ones you love and appreciating all you have in life.

Cheerleaders' hard work brings sense of pride

Back row, l to r: Coach Debbie Iverson, Tiffany Heishman, Macy Taylor, Vanessa Minner and Assisstant Coach Kelsie Sheets, front row, l to r: Madison Dawley, Kaylin Hansen and Destiny Romberg pose after competing on Nov. 5.

by Vincent Bushong

For the first time, the Montezuma football cheerleading squad competed in the Iowa Cheerleading Championships, placing fifth  out of seven. The competition, sponsored by the Iowa Cheerleading Coaches’ Association, took place at the Iowa State Fair Ground’s Varied Industries Building on Saturday, Nov. 5.

The competition helped the girls improve their skills by focusing on  sharpening their movements and meeting the criteria for the judging.

Junior Macy Taylor said, “It helped us work together a lot more. It brought us together as friends and as a team.”

Senior Kaylin Hansen said, “Doing the competition gave us experience. We had fun putting a routine together; I feel we did pretty well for our first year doing competition.”

The schools competing were grouped into different divisions; first, they were broken down into the type of cheer they would perform, including non-stunt mounts, cheer dances, group stunts and sideline performances. Montezuma’s squad performed under the sideline category. Secondly, the teams were divided into school size, either by class (1A through 4A) or simply by “Large School” or “Small School,” if there were few participants in the category of stunt. Montezuma fell under “Small School” size.

The judging criteria for the sideline performances were split into three categories: cheering fundamentals, appeal and projection and perfection of routine. A total amount of 100 points was possible. 

Assistant Coach Kelsie Sheets said, “It created a spark in the girls to work harder and excel more than they already have.” 

The competition was the last football cheerleading competition the girls will attend this year, marking the senior girls’ last football cheer activity of their high school career. 

“I hope next year’s squad will be able to do competition as well,” Hansen said.

Teacher Talk: David Brondyke

by Chelsey Moore

New science teacher David Brondyke appeared full of energy and very humorous at the beginning of the year. 

Brondyke attended Clinton High School in Clinton, Iowa. He was involved in football, basketball, golf and choir. Brondyke was also in the science club, Students Against Destructive Decisions and the National Honor Society. 

After he graduated high school in 2002, he started going to Central College in Pella, Iowa.   There, Brondyke earned a Bachelors Degree in natural science. 

After graduating in 2006 from Central, he started going to Rockford College in Rockford, Illinois, to receive his Masters Degree in arts education. Brondyke graduated from Rockford in 2010. He student taught at Freeport High School, in Freeport, Illinois. He became a teacher because he enjoys working with young people.

The community and the school brought him to Montezuma Community Schools. 

When asked about changes for next year, Brondyke said, “Every year’s different; I’ll still be here.” Also Brondyke’s favorite part about teaching is seeing students learn something for the first time.

What he’s most enjoyed about Montezuma schools is his classes’ intense games of mumball.

Outside of school he likes to spend time with family and friends, workout, watch movies, read, sleep and play video games.

Winter sports have begun

by Colton Talbert

The weather not only brought snow but also marked the beginning of basketball and wrestling practices. Students got their break from fall sports, but now it is time to prepare for another Monte winter season. 

When asked about the upcoming season for basketball, senior Brynna Steele said her goal is to try her hardest in practice and games and try to overcome any obstacle thrown at her and the Bravette teams. Her quote for her teammates to always remember is, “Work will win when wishing won’t.” 

Her advice for her underclass teammates is, “This year might be tough, but push through it because Bravette basketball will be worth it! Plus all upperclassmen will try to make practice and games fun!” The Varsity Bravettes will open their season with a game at BGM on November 18. 

Senior Nathan Wheeler said his goal is to have the team finish in the top three of their conference. His quote for his teammates to remember is, “One man can be a crucial ingredient on a team, but one man cannot make a team.”

His advice for his underclass teammates is, “Work hard, not just during basketball season, but throughout the summer months as well. That’s what makes a great basketball player.”

The Varsity Braves will start their season off with a game at home against Iowa Valley on November 29. The Braves will host a jamboree on November 25 at 6:00 p.m.

Turn of the Page: 'The Great Gatsby'

by Elizabeth Ostrem and Kayla Werner

“The Great Gatsby,” published in 1925, is arguably one of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s best works. Set in the early 1920s, the story is told by Nick Carraway, a young man who travels to New York to learn the bond business. He moves in next door to Jay Gatsby, a peculiar millionaire known for throwing spectacular parties on the weekend, and the two neighbors strike up a friendship after Nick receives an invitation to attend one of Gatsby’s famed parties.

One day, when the two men are taking tea, Gatsby confesses that he’s in love with Nick’s cousin, Daisy, although she’s now married and hasn’t seen Gatsby in several years. At Gatsby’s request, Nick arranges a meeting between the two at Gatsby’s mansion. From that point on, Gatsby is convinced Daisy never did love her husband and seems set on rekindling their love.

A movie adaptation of “The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire  and Carey Mulligan is scheduled to open in theaters on Dec. 25^th, 2012.

Liz:

“Gatsby” is definitely a book you need to give your full, undivided attention to, else risk misinterpreting or entirely missing the whole point of a paragraph. There were a couple of pages near the end that I had to reread a few times to fully understand what happened, but that was more the fault of a wandering mind than the novel itself.

One thing I appreciated was how Fitzgerald made the characters realistic. Too many times I’ve been turned off a book from reading just the first few chapters because of characters that were seemingly flawless, but that certainly wasn’t the case with “Gatsby.” None of them were perfect; they all had their share of faults and shortcomings, though I still found them to be interesting. 

Although the wording threw me a few times in places, it’s a solid book that I would recommend to any book enthusiast. Just be sure to take your time when reading, so you can really enjoy the classic tale about money, love and high society life Fiztgerald created.

Kayla:

I found this book to be pretty interesting. It kept my attention fairly well, but I found some parts were confusing if you didn’t fully read over them. I found myself having to go back and read over parts because I missed something. It had many interesting parts, though. One of them that stood out to me was when Tom, Daisy’s husband, had taken Nick to meet his mistress. I thought it was kind of weird (seeing how Nick is Tom’s wife’s cousin) but, in the end, it was an enjoyable book that can really engage a reader.

“The Great Gatsby” is a book filled with riveting language, a great story line and some wonderful characters. It’s a great story to read in the classroom, or on your own just for fun. Overall, this book really does deserve to be called a classic.

Fine Arts Spotlight

by Cami Shaver 

I took this picture for my photography class. The picture is of the seniors’ 2012 necklace. It’s showing that our senior year is almost half over and everything is already starting to change, and that it’s changing in the snap of our fingers.  

A quote that I think represents this picture is by Garth Catterall-Heart. He says, “There is no beginning or end to your dreams or plans. Life is a journey from moment to moment. Live each moment to it’s fullest.”

'State Fair' performances on Friday

Makayka Slings and Joe Peck dance the jitterbug during practice for “State Fair.”

by Vincent Bushong

Don’t miss Montezuma High School’s performance of Roger and Hammerstein’s “State Fair,” directed by Derek Bates and Carol Behounek. The two performances will take place on the nights of Nov. 11 and 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the junior high gym. Tickets will cost $6 for adults and $3 for students. 

The musical takes place at the Iowa State Fair and follows the Frake family on their adventures. The musical features dancing, singing, heartbreak, falling in love and humor.  

Prior to the play from 4:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the Spanish Club will be serving a dinner in the cafeteria of a baked potato bar and chili, as well as funnel cakes and desserts on a stick. Adult meal tickets cost $5, and children’s cost $3. Children under three eat free. The proceeds will go to support the Spanish trips to Spain and Costa Rica. If you are interested in purchasing a ticket for the dinner, contact a student in the Spanish Club.

Don’t miss it, don’t even be late!

Teacher Talk: Anya Johnson

by Natalie Kirton

New teacher Anya Johnson first appeared shy and reserved at the beginning of the school year. As the days passed, she was quick to show students that she was a quirky, but serious, teacher. 

Johnson attended North Iowa High School in Buffalo Center, Iowa. She participated in yearbook, fall play, spring musical, speech, band, choir, cheerleading, FFA, student council, and National Honor Society outside of school hours.

Johnson discovered her dream to become a teacher while in high school. “I was greatly influenced by the teachers that really cared about students and took time to help in their free time,” said Johnson. She hopes that she is able to help her students in the same way. 

In the beginning of her education, Johnson considered becoming a band teacher, having played flute, piccolo and valve trombone during high school. She soon realized her love of literature and performance would be a good reason to pursue a career as an English teacher instead. 

After graduating high school, Johnson attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While she was there, she not only studied English and secondary education, but also participated in choir and Council for Exceptional Children, an organization where Luther students spend time doing activities with special needs children.

After graduating from Luther, Montezuma schools contacted Johnson about applying for the open position in the English department . “I loved the environment around the school and was excited by the opportunity to teach here. I come from a small town, so I was looking forward to teaching in a small school,” said Johnson. She has enjoyed her time at Montezuma, because the community and staff are incredibly helpful and welcoming. Her first year as a teacher has been a great learning experience and an adjustment to the new environment.

In her free time, Johnson’s favorite things are going for walks, reading and spending time with her family; especially nephews and niece. Her favorite book series is the “Hunger Games” trilogy by Suzanne Collins, and her favorite movie is “Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers.”