Teacher Talk: Leah Farrington

by Chelsey Moore

New teacher Leah Farrington began her first year of teaching at the start of this year. Farrington went to Albia High School in Albia, Iowa. In high school she was involved in volleyball, cheerleading, tennis, band and choir. 

After graduating high school in 2007,  she attended college at Central College in Pella, Iowa and graduated in May of 2011. At Central Farrington studied social studies, secondary education and Spanish. Farrington was involved in two different choirs while in college at Central. Those choirs were A cappella Choir and Chamber Singers.  

From August until December of 2010, she student taught at Lynnville-Sully Community Schools while still attending college.

Farrington chose to become a teacher because her father was a teacher.  She always looked up to him and decided to follow in his footsteps.

She has enjoyed her time at Montezuma so far and feels as though she has a great start for her career.

Farrington said, “I’ve enjoyed getting to know all of my students, and I love all the classes I teach.”

The thing she enjoys most about our school is the close-knit faculty and staff.

In her free time, Farrington likes spending time with her friends and family. She also enjoys singing in a community choir at Central College. Farrington’s favorite movie is “The Proposal.” 

Farrington said, “My favorite scene from the movie is the where she’s dancing in the woods.”

Voting for bond issue to take place February 7

by Vincent Bushong 

After two unpassed attempts, the Montezuma board hopes the third time is a charm as a petition has been passed to get a bond issue for the school on the ballots for the third time in two years. The vote will take place on Feb. 7, 2012. 

The Montezuma board has tried for the past two years to pass a bond issue that would allow for funds to be raised for improvements to the school, first in Sept. 2010, next in April 2011. Now the board has brought it back by obtaining signatures of residents of the Montezuma Community School District to bring the item to a vote. 60% of voters will need to vote yes in order for the bond issue to pass.

This bond issue is to make $6.7 million available for the improvement of our school. This amount is nearly half of the first proposed bond issue, which was $11.5 million. The second bond issue was also lowered, bringing it down to $8.5 million. 

The board has laid out priorities for the different advancements of the school to ensure that the largest projects are completed.

 The first priority is improving the school’s infrastructure, including improved heating and installing air conditioning, upgrading the plumbing system, improving the electrical system and retrofitting the lighting. 

After that, upgrades to the safety and communications systems will be implemented, including a functioning bell system and changes to the school clocks, phones, fire alarms and intercom system. 

Classroom remodeling is third on the agenda, which will bring updates to the floors, ceilings, cabinets and other general building elements. Any remaining resources will be used to update classroom furniture. 

If the bond issue is passed, it will take two years to fully integrate the changes. Year one will include upgrades in the elementary and junior high, and year two will bring change to the high school facility. 

The effects of the bond issue will create a better environment for the students’ education.  

Montezuma high school teacher Allison Pargeon said, “I think the bond issue is all about the students at Montezuma. They deserve the best for their efforts to be successful. This is our way of giving back.”

JH Braves face off with Lynnville-Sully

Carson Losure goes for a basket against Lynnville-Sully during the 8th grade game on Dec. 12.

by Natalie Kirton

The junior high boys basketball teams versed Lynnville-Sully on Monday, Dec. 12. 

The 7^th grade boys made a spectacular win with a score of 55-35. 

Dakota Strong contributed most, bringing 19 points to the scoreboard. Logan Price made ten points, and both Price and Strong made five steals throughout the game. Carson Losure and Kaleb Kriegel scored eight and six points respectively, while Zach Townsend, Dominique Ward and Strong all made four rebounds. 

“We had a lot of steals and ran the floor well. Our press was very effective in creating turnovers that lead to quick scores,” said Coach Clayton Hjelmeland. 

The 8^th grade team suffered a disappointing loss, scoring 27 points to Lynnville-Sully’s 49. 

“This game didn’t go quite the way we drew it up, but we did do some good things,” commented Hjelmeland.

Collectively as a team, seven rebounds were made as well as ten steals. Brody McKeag contributed seven points to the team’s overall score. Tyler Thompson made three rebounds, and Carson Losure had three steals. 

“The boys hustled right up to the very end and that impressed me a lot,” said Hjelmeland.

JV Braves win with ease

Bryan Gregson prepares to shoot against Cedar Valley Christian at the JV basketball game on Dec. 9.

by Elizabeth Ostrem

The JV boys’ basketball team had an impressive victory against Cedar Valley Christian during a home game on Dec. 9. They finished with a respectable score of 54-28.

Dillon Wilhelm led the team with 10 points, along with Bryant Sutfin and Siraj Thomasen with nine points each. Bryan Gregson also contributed with six assists. Wilhelm managed four steals during the game. Gregson and Braden Schlesselman had three and two respectively.

Joseph Peck, Thomasen and Sutfin led the team with five, six and four rebounds apiece.

Coach Dale DeJong said, “I thought our guys played extremely hard and it was great to see everyone get in. We had some sophomores who did a great job of getting others open shots and our guys continued to get better at boxing out. I look forward to seeing even more improvement in our rebounding as we move forward in our season."

JV Bravettes fight a close game

by Colton Talbert

All high school basketball teams traveled to Keota on Dec. 10. The JV teams played first followed by the varsity teams. It was Saturday full of games and cheering.

The JV Bravettes lost their battle 29-34. They started out slow while Keota was ready to play. Keota showed it by their tempo and pressing to force a time out to stop the 9-0 run by the Eagles. The Bravettes showed signs of improvement to end the half, bringing the score to 13-19. 

They came back out to start the third quarter and started slow again, as they did at the beginning of the game. The Bravettes tried to fight their way back but gave Keota too big of a gap earlier in the game. 

Coach Timm said, “I was proud of the way the girls responded to being down. In the past I don’t think they would have done that. They gave a tremendous effort for 22 of the 28 minutes played. Unfortunately we need the 28 minutes of that effort to come out with a victory.” 

Scorers were Katelyn Gregory with ten, Mackenzie James, Abbi Nelson and Paige Snook all with four, Courtney Petersen, Clara Johnson and Dakota Norris all with two, and Cheyenne Peters with one. 

Rebounding leaders were Cheyenne Peters with three, Katelyn Gregory, Abbi Nelson, Paige Snook, Courtney Petersen and Clara Johnson all with two, Dakota Norris, Mackenzie James and Shayla Townsend all had one. The Bravettes also made 15 out of 25 free throws. 

Timm said, “The girls are starting to show great strides both individually and as a team. I am excited for the upcoming games.” 

The Bravettes will next be in action after break on Jan. 3 at HLV.

A win and a loss for young Bravettes

by Natalie Kirton

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the Junior High girls’ basketball team played hard against Tri-County. The 7^th grade girls just barely lost against the opposing team, with a final score of 21-25.

 During the first half of this home game, Hannah Beenken completed two free throws, as well as one two-point goal. Saphire Gatton performed a two-point goal while Aly Fahlenkamp made two.

“The girls played really hard and made a terrific come back. Unfortunately it was not enough. I was proud of their effort,” commented Coach David Brondyke.

On the other hand, the 8^th grade team celebrated a win against the Tri-County girls, ending their game 22-21. 

Aliya Pargeon shot three two-point goals in the first half. Katie Maschman completed a free throw in both the first and second halves of the game as well as three two-point baskets during the entire game. 

Brondyke was very happy with how the 8^th grade girls performed throughout this game.

“The girls were resilient and played great defense and managed the clock well. Every girl hustled and gave their all on the court,” said Brondyke.

Winter guard takes second with flying colors

The winter guard performs their competition routine during the halftime of the varsity boys’ basketball game on Nov. 30, from l to r: sophmore Colleen Johnston, senior Shena Bryan, sophmore Julie Audas, and sophmore Katelyn Gregory.

by Morgan Sanders 

On Friday, Dec. 2, Montezuma winter guard, also known as Zuma Blaze, set a school record by placing second at the state competition at the Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. Prior to this year the highest they had placed was third in Dec. 2005. 

This year’s team consists of seniors Brynna Steele, Aly James, Natalie Wheeler and Shena Bryan; junior Carly Steele; sophomores Katelyn Gregory, Colleen Johnston, Julie Audas and Tiffany Heishman; and freshmen Mackenzie James and Alex Brenner. 

The seniors chose the song “Nothing Else Matters” by Metallica. After the seniors chose the song, Coach Brian Nolton and assistants Tracy Gregory and Kelsie Sheets spent many morning practices throughout the last week of Oct. up to the competition perfecting a routine.  

The only doubt Nolton had was that the routine was different from anything they had done in the past. 

“The routine was slow paced and was pretty much constant motion. Very seldomly did the flag stop moving. Other routines contain a series of short, sharp moves and our routine had a series of slow flowing movements,” said Sheets. 

Many of the girls were nervous before the performance that they would drop the flag or get off on timing. 

Katelyn Gregory said, “I get more nervous getting dressed and ready than waiting to go on. I just kept trying to run through the beginning of the song in my head because I knew if I got the first part down perfectly, I shouldn’t have to worry about the rest because it would all come together.”  

Although some of the girls had to leave after the competition due to other committments, some of the members stayed behind to find out the results. Later that night, after hours of anticipation Johnston, Heishman, Gregory, Audas, Wheeler and Nolton learned they placed second and strode across the stage to receive their trophy. 

Nolton’s final comments on the season were, “I am so proud of the ladies and how they did! All those early mornings paid off! Thanks so much for all you do to make Zuma Blaze fun and successful. A special thanks to the seniors for all the years you have given to the guard. I also want to give a big thanks to my assistants Mrs. Tracy Gregory and Kelsie Sheets for all you do.”

Students struggle to complete FlexNet courses

by Rachel Ranfeld

As the first semester nears a close, high school students hurry to wrap up their online college classes through Iowa Central Community College. 

These classes are FlexNet courses, which means the students are free to complete fifteen topics at their own pace from the beginning the semester until Friday, Dec. 16. They are also dual credit classes, which means the students gain one high school credit for the course as well as the same two to four credit hours a college student would receive at Iowa Central Community College.

Natalie Kirton, who is taking a psychology course this semester, says, “These classes are a lot of work, and while they pay off in the long run, procrastination is the worst thing to have. If you slack off, you’ll end up in over your head. You really have to be honest with yourself in thinking you can get it done on time.” 

Due to the flexibility in the courses, most students took advantage of the opportunity to procrastinate at the beginning of the semester, and are now scurrying to finish all fifteen topics in a shorter amount of time. 

Andrea Farrington, who is also taking a psychology course, says, “Taking an online class is a good experience, but it made my stress level skyrocket. If you don’t do it on a weekly basis, it’s a hassle to get it finished on time. If you’re a procrastinator, I wouldn’t recommend it.”

A few students planned accordingly to complete one topic each week to avoid this last minute stressed-out struggle. 

Mariah Hirsh, who is taking a composition course this semester, says, “My class has been very helpful, not only because I don’t have to take it in college, but it makes essays easier in high school.” 

According to John Gallagher, who enrolls the students in these courses, the majority of students take humanities classes and other general education classes that transfer into most liberal arts colleges. The humanities include classes for composition, history, psychology, sociology and religions. 

Students take these courses at no expense to them, courtesy of the Montezuma High School. If a student happens to fail a course or feels the need to withdrawal from a course after the full refund period, the student is responsible for reimbursing the school for the wasted funding.

Three seniors get an early start

by Natalie Kirton

While most seniors are thinking about Christmas break, three seniors are busy preparing themselves for graduation. Taylor Gregson, Cheyenne Klos and Jamie Van Dee have accumulated all of the required 52 credits to complete high school early at the end of first semester. 

Graduating a full semester early opens up a lot of opportunities for these students, including moving away and starting a new chapter in their lives before anyone else. 

Gregson will be moving to Iowa City to attend Kirkwood Community College. She is planning to get her business administration degree there.

 Klos will be moving back to New London in order to take care of her grandmother, work as a CNA and become an obedience trainer for police and search & rescue dogs.

Van Dee was planning on attending Kirkwood for the spring accounting program, but then decided to get a full-time job and work until the fall semester starts. 

All three girls are excited to move on with their lives. While each had a different piece of advice for the Class of 2012, the general message was the same. “Don’t procrastinate, plan ahead because the future is just one step ahead of us!”

These seniors will come back in May to walk with the rest of their class for the official graduation ceremony. Until then, they will be working, continuing their education and living life to the fullest.

JV Bravettes claim a win

by Kayla Werner

On Dec. 1, the JV Bravettes played Sigourney at Montezuma. Montezuma won with an ending score of 31-29.

Coach Stew Timm said, “Our defense and intensity led to easy looks early. The girls did a great job in the press.”  

The Bravettes were in the lead at the end of the first quarter with 7-0, but in the second quarter Sigourney found some success on offense. The Bravettes led at half with 14-11. 

“Offensively and defensively there were good things to learn from and build on,” said  Timm.

The Savages were able to tie up the score in the second half, but never took the lead. Late in the game it came down to which team could make free throws, and Dakota Norris was up to the challenge for the Bravettes. Norris had made two out of four of her points. With 15 seconds left, she knocked down two free throws and gave the Bravettes  the lead with 31-29.

Timm said, “This game and win is a huge step in the right direction.”

Young Bravette games both close calls

by Elizabeth Ostrem

The JH Bravettes basketball teams had a hard night Dec. 5, with both 7^th and 8^th grade losing to BGM. The teams played well, though ultimately lost to BGM by small margins.

“Our ladies put their heart and soul on the court. They successfully ran the offense and dominated the full court press. I was very proud of the way they played,” said Coach David Brondyke.

For 8^th grade, the Bravettes had a rough time starting out, making just one basket in the first half to BGM’s nine. They came back in the second half with six additional points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth. Katie Maschman led the team with five two-point shots, followed by Cassidy Ely and Megan Baker with four points each. The final score for the 8^th grade match was 29-22, in BGM’s favor.

The 7^th grade started out strong in the first quarter with nine points. The team controlled the game until the end of the third quarter, with BGM taking the lead 22-20. Saphire Gatton, Hannah Beenken and Lauren Slings led the team with scores of 12, six and four, respectively. The final score for the night came out to 31-25, with BGM the victor.

“Our girls worked really hard and successfully ran our offense,” said Brondyke. “We just barely lost but we fought hard. I was very happy with their effort.”

Senior wrestler looks back on his career at MHS

by Natalie Kirton

Wrestling is a sport of physical strength and endurance, designed to overpower and pin an opponent. Being the only senior in wrestling this season, Connor Johnson must say goodbye to the sport alone. 

Johnson has been wrestling since he was six years old. He was inspired to join after watching his older cousin at various meets. 

He and his teammates have ranked third as a team in sectionals, while  individually, he has placed eighth in state competitions.

“It’s cool to know that you are one out of 16 kids in your weight class that are still wrestling at the state level,” says Johnson. 

No wrestler can make it to state level meets without a lot of training and dedication. Johnson has put in countless hours of practice, trying new maneuvers and making sure he stays within his weight class. 

He says, “Practices can be very challenging, but you just have to push through it. They are fun if you make them fun.” 

Johnson’s favorite part of wrestling is the Saturday meets.  He enjoys them because it’s an opportunity to spend the whole day wrestling and hanging out as a team. 

“I like how it’s a one-on-one sport; you can’t blame anyone but yourself for losing,” says Johnson. 

The thing he will most miss is meeting new people  at meets.

Teacher Talk: Clayton Hjelmeland

by Chelsey Moore

New teacher Clayton Hjelmeland began teaching at Montezuma Schools at the beginning of the year. Before he started living in Montezuma, he was living in Harmony, Minnesota, where he attended Filmore Central High School. Hjemeland was involved in football, basketball, golf and choir. After graduating in 2007, he started going to college at Northwestern in Orange City, Iowa. 

In college, Hjelmeland was involved in all types of intramural sports. He was a resident assistant so he was very active in his dorm. He also served as a student school ambassador. 

When he was there he studied elementary education and also got endorsements in reading, coaching, and middle school.Hjelmeland student taught last winter at MOC-FV Middle School in Alton, Iowa. 

Hjemeland said, “I’ve experienced first hand the impact a teacher can have on a student, both positively and negatively. I’ve just always wanted to be the type of teacher that has a positive, lasting impact on my students. That’s what made me decide to become a teacher.”

When looking for a junior high math teacher position,  Montezuma seemed to be a perfect fit. It was just the type of small town in Iowa he was looking for.

Hjelmeland said, “With it being my first year, it’s been pretty busy. Overall, I’ve liked it pretty well and think I’ll like it even better once things slow down a bit.”

He enjoys many aspects of our school, but has been most impressed with the administration.

Hjelmeland said, “I feel very fortunate to be working in a place that has quality people in these leadership roles.”

He said, “In my first year I’m doing as much learning, if not more, than my students. I’ll be making a lot of adjustments in my instructional strategies and classroom management policies.”

In his free time, Hjemeland enjoys just spending time with his wife and following his favorite teams and playing sports when possible.

Final hurrah for senior cheerleaders

by Morgan Sanders

With basketball and wrestling now back, so are the cheerleaders. This year there are four senior basketball and wrestling cheerleaders who are not quite ready to give their final chant at the end of the season.

Kaylin Hansen has been a part of wrestling cheerleading for two years and cheerleading all together for six years. Her favorite part of cheerleading is the Saturday tournaments and spending time with her fellow cheerleaders. She is most excited to go to state this season. After graduating, she will miss all of her cheerleaders the most. 

Andrea Farrington has been a part of cheerleading for three years. Her favorite part is being able to be loud without punishment and doing what she loves. She is most excited to do stunting, they were unable to other seasons. She is going to miss the friendships she’s made with the girls over the years. 

Cheyenne Vogt has been a part of cheerleading for about five years. This is her first year cheering at Montezuma for basketball. Her favorite part of cheerleading is seeing the fans and doing the cheers. She is most excited to make memories with her other cheerleaders this season. She will miss hanging out before games and getting the fans and teams pumped up.  

Morgan Sanders has been a part of cheerleading for three years. Her favorite part of cheerleading is the having fun with the squad and getting the crowd fired up. She is most excited for the possibility of going to state competition. She will miss the friends that she made during cheerleading the most.

JV girls taste second defeat

by Colton Talbert

The JV Bravettes basketball team  traveled to Tri-County on November 22. The varsitvy played first then it was game on for the JV.   

The Bravettes played for half a game, then agreed to play an extra three minutes of overtime.

It was a low scoring half game at 8 for each team. When the buzzer sounded, the final score was Montezuma 9, Tri-County 11.

Freshman Mackenzie James, sophomore Abbi Nelson, freshman Clara Johnson and freshman Alex Brenner all scored. Sophomore Courtney Peterson also made a free throw. The Bravettes made four of the attempted 19 shots.  They also made one of five free throws attempted. 

Coach Stew Timm said, “I was pleased with the effort and thought we showed improvement from the BGM game. My hope is that we bring the same effort and attitude daily to practice, and if we do, then the improvement will continue to grow and the wins will start to come.”  

The JV Bravettes will have a game on Monday, December 19 at home against Eddyville-Blakesburg.

Sing the Christmas cheers

by Cami Shaver

Celebrate with the choir and band as they bring the Christmas spirit through their music. Both performances are on December 8 in the Junior High gym. 

The band will be playing “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Renaissance Version),” arrangement by Chip Davis; “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen (Rock Version),” arrangement by Chip Davis; and “Deck the Halls,” arrangement by Chip Davis. 

The choir will be performing three songs from “Handel’s Christmas Messiah”: “And the Glory of the Lord,” “For Unto us a Child is Born,” “Hallelujah Chorus.” The arrangement is by James A. Dasher. The next songs are from the movie “Polar Express.” The arrangement is by Teena Chinn. Within this medley there are eight short songs: “Believe,” “The Polar Express,” “When Christmas Comes to Town,” “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town,” “Hot Chocolate,” “Rockin’ on Top of the World,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Spirit of the Season.”  The final song performed for the concert is “We’re the Choir,” arranged by Kjell Lönnå.

Department of Education to visit December 13 and 14

by Elizabeth Ostrem

An Iowa Department of Education team will be making an on-site visit to school Tuesday, December 13 and Wednesday, December 14 for school accreditation.

The team will review the school’s board policies and other documents. An overview presentation on the seven areas of Montezuma’s Iowa Core Curriculum Implementation Plan will begin the visit. The areas included are: Vision, Mission and Goals, Leadership, Collaborative Relationships, Learning Environment, Curriculum and Instruction, Professional Development and Monitoring and Accountability.

Following the presentation, the Department of Education (DE) team will tour the school.  They will then meet with interview teams representing stakeholders in the school, which includes parents, sudents, teachers, the school board, and other groups.  They will finish the visit by having a preliminary exit report for the district leadership team on Wednsday, December 14.

Superintendent Dave Versteeg will receive a complete report within 45 workdays, and the district will then have 45 days to prepare and submit a plan to address any non-compliance issues found in the report.

20% of Iowa’s schools have an on-site visit each year, and schools should be visited in the course of five years. The last visit to Montezuma was during the 2006-2007 school year. Eric Heitz from the DE will lead the visit, and the other eight team members will be from the DE, Area Education Agencies and other school districts.

Senior color guard members prepare for one last twirl

by Natalie Kirton

Years spent finding the perfect music, practicing tosses and participating in competitions are slowly coming to a close for Shena Bryan, Natalie Wheeler and captains Aly James and Brynna Steele. These seniors, along with the underclassmen, commit to arriving at the school early in the mornings for seven o’clock practices. They practice every morning they can get, trying to perfect their routines in time for competition. With the seniors’ last competition around the corner on Dec. 2, the girls reminisce about their experiences.

When asked what the most challenging thing about color guard was, Bryan, James, and Steel responded with getting up early for practices. 

Wheeler disagreed, responding, “The thing I find most challenging would have to be trying to count out the music while doing a flag movement and watching your steps all at the same time.”  

Collectively, the girls’ favorite part about color guard is the competitions. Team members travel by bus to the Wells Fargo arena early in the morning on competition day. They enjoy circling up to do each other’s hair and make up. After performing their routine in front of the judges at state level, the girls watch other schools’ color guard and cheer squads perform.

As the girls look toward their last season, they feel that they will most miss being with friends when performing and getting ready for competitions.  

Teacher Talk: Kelsie Sheets

by Chelsey Moore

Four short years after attending Montezuma Community Schools, new teacher Kelsie Sheets returned for a new position as junior high special education teacher. 

She participated in football cheerleading, basketball, golf, FFA, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, color guard, yearbook, speech and drama, school plays, and choir while in high school. 

After she graduated from Montezuma Schools, she started attending college at Central College in Pella, Iowa. While there, Sheets studied elementary education, Spanish, reading and special education. In college she was involved with community choir, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, volunteer committee and football cheerleading.

Sheets realized she wanted to become a teacher in third grade.

She admits, “ I had the most amazing teacher, Ms. Danks. She made learning fun, and it sparked my interest. I wanted to make learning fun for other kids, and I had the perfect role model.”

Sheets student taught in a sixth grade special education setting in Pella and a fifth grade classroom in Oskaloosa, Iowa. 

“I came back to Montezuma to be close to my family. Monte had an open position that was my dream job, and I could get really involved here,” she said.

As basketball cheerleading coach, junior high basketball coach, and assistant color guard coach, Sheets keeps herself busy and involved in the school as she was in high school. 

Sheets said, “I was nervous coming back to my hometown, but I have enjoyed every bit of it! I couldn’t be happier where I am.” 

While there are many great things about her dream job, she enjoys the staff and students at Montezuma most.

Sheets said, “Knowing that I can come to work everyday and work with amazing people makes my job that much better.”

Next year she hopes to simply be more organized but is aware that organization will just come with time. 

Sheets said, “I have a lot of new ideas, but it will get take some development and planning to get to where I want to be.” 

In her free time, Sheets likes to spend time with family and friends. She also enjoys drawing and anything to do with music. Also, she is currently trying to learn how to play the guitar.

Turn of the Page: 'Lord of the Flies'

by Elizabeth Ostrem and Kayla Werner

Published in the early 1950s, William Golding’s “Lord of the Flies” is about an assortment of adolescent boys who are left stranded on an unknown island after their plane is gunned down. The main protagonist of the book, Ralph, calls the rest of the boys to him by blowing into a conch found by another boy, whom everyone calls “Piggy.” The meeting is the first of many assemblies to decide what they’re to do in this unpleasant situation. Ralph teams up with Jack, another leader-type with great ambitions, although Jack makes it clear from the start that he would rather lead the group instead of Ralph. Other notable characters in the novel include vivacious twins Sam and Eric, referred to as the single presence “Samneric” by the other boys; Roger, an emerging sadist and Jack’s lieutenant; and Simon, the only one whose kind nature isn’t affected by the absence of true authority.

Liz:

I’ve read Lord of the Flies once before, but this time it affected me more. The contrast between the light interactions in the beginning (e.g. when Ralph and Piggy first meet) and the later, more serious ones (e.g. the hunting of the pig) is especially striking given the short time frame. 

Golding’s scenario is, for me at least, quite believable.  It might be hard for some people to imagine the events in this book becoming a reality, but away from law and order, the regressing into savagery in such a short time isn’t the most improbable idea in literature.

To cap it off, I thoroughly enjoyed this book, despite having read the majority of it in one stretch. It’s a great book like that, though, if you have the time to sit down for a few hours and amble through; it keeps your attention and makes you want more. It wasn’t until I had finished it that I realized I wanted to continue reading about Ralph, Piggy, Simon and Jack, but I think the adventure, brief as it may be, is perfect as is.

Kayla: 

The conflict in this book made it really fun to read, and I could really picture what was going on, from the boys starting the signal fire with Piggy’s glasses to when Simon confronts the Lord of the Flies and it seems to be speaking to him. 

The boys kind of represent the battle between being civil and becoming savage. Jack and Roger are showcasing the savage side of it all. They want to gain power and use it to satisfy their own wants and needs. On the other hand, Ralph and Simon want to be leader because they feel the need to protect the younger boys. They aren’t thinking about themselves in this act; they are putting everyone else before themselves. 

‘Lord of the Flies’ shows how easy it really is to turn in a bad situation.

Practices begin for large group speech

by Vincent Bushong

The time of year has come again for students to share their acting abilities in countless ways through speech and drama. 

Speech and drama includes many different opportunities for everyone, including choral reading, ensemble acting, musical theater, group improvisation, reader’s theater, one-act play, radio broadcasting and short film. 

People must use communication. Speech and drama gives students a great chance to improve those skills.

Senior Alexis Ferguson said, “Speech and drama gave me the ability to perform in front of an audience and many different people.”

Ferguson is involved in ensemble acting. Her group is looking to focus on a comedy theme this year. 

Senior Natalie Wheeler said, “I’ve enjoyed speech and drama all four years of my high school career because it’s allowed me to become more expressive.”

Both Ferguson and Wheeler are participating in choral reading this year. The choral reading’s performance will center on a collection of inspirational song lyrics. 

Teamwork is also an area speech and drama helps students improve. “We’ve learned to work together as a team,” Wheeler said. 

Junior Niall Lyons will return to group improvisation this year. Lyons said, “We have a lot of fun; this year we have a great group with lots of potential.” 

Speech and drama coach Derek Bates said, “We want students to walk away with at least one thing this year to be a more effective and confident communicator.”

Practices will continue as groups prepare for the January large group contests. This is expected to be a great season for the speech and drama students.

JV Bravettes open season

by Kayla Werner

The JV Bravettes started their basketball season off against BGM on Nov. 18^th in Brooklyn. Despite a strong start, the Bravettes lost to BGM with a score of 23-10. 

They had an early lead, but fell behind at half, 13-8. In the second half, they struggled to pick things back up offensively. 

Coach Stew Timm said, “Before the game, I reminded the girls that it was the first game out and offensively we were still working on timing and just playing together. Our freshman and sophomores haven’t played a game together, so some of the offensive struggles will happen.”

Katelyn Gregory, Abbi Nelson and Alex Brenner had three steals a piece. Gregory also led the team with four points and Paige Snook had three rebounds. 

Freshman Clara Johnson said, “It was our first game and we were mainly working on defense. We will improve.”

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.”

MHS honors Veterans Day with assembly

by Elizabeth Ostrem and Kayla Werner

As the American flag ripples in the wind this Veterans Day, our school will be hosting an assembly to give thanks to the men and women who have served to protect our country.  

The high school band will be performing “Veterans of Valor,” a piece comprised of the official songs of the military branches: “Marines’ Hymn,” “Caisson Song,” “Anchors Aweigh,” “Semper Paratus”  and “Into the Wild Blue Yonder.”  

The high school choir will be singing “Heal The World” by Michael Jackson. There will also be special guest speakers during the program.

Students, parents, community members, teachers, veterans and active members of the military are invited to the assembly. The assembly will be from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. in the high school gym.

Turn of the Page: 'Witch & Wizard'

by Kayla Werner and Elizabeth Ostrem

Witches and wizards have been present in the culture for many years, shown in both bad light and good. I’m sure if you asked someone they would be able to name at least a couple of famous magicians: the Wicked Witch of the West, the White Witch, Harry Potter and Merlin are a few that spring to mind.

In the book “Witch & Wizard,” written by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet, brother and sister Whit and Wisty are accused of possessing magical powers, but they are unaware of having such powers. Any person associated with magic is arrested and eventually executed under the recently implanted New Order government. In addition to dealing with their newfound abilities, they have to escape from prison, rescue their parents, who have been forced into hiding, and help a rebel alliance battle against this new unjust government.

Kayla:

I love reading, but it’s hard for me to find books that actually keep my attention. With this book, I was instantly hooked. Throughout the whole thing you could feel the intensity and the hardships that Whit and Wisty had to endure. Patterson uses strong descriptive language that sucks the reader right into the book. 

There was a point in the beginning of the book that really  caught my attention. The point was when Wisty was denying the fact that there was even a possibility of being a witch. The New Order guards took them to a psychiatric hospital that was turned into a penitentiary for dangerous criminals. She got excited because she thought that she was crazy, and it was all just in her head. The guards then pulled her out and reassured her that this was, in fact, reality. Wisty said, “You know life sucks when you’re desperately wishing to be institutionalized, drugged or shocked back to reality.”

I think that quote showed the reality of the situation that they were going through. Being separated from their parents and being sentenced to death when they turn 18 is a lot for any 15-year old or 17-year old to go through.

Liz:

Although I’m not a fan of Patterson’s work, I have to say that this was an interesting read. It’s a bit reminiscent of “Harry Potter” in areas (e.g. The One Who Is The One vs. He Who Must Not Be Named), though the difference in writing style is obvious from the get-go; where “Harry Potter” is rich in character development and fun details, “Witch & Wizard” shines in plot advancement and witty retorts. I would recommend this book if you want a shorter, uncomplicated read and love rebellious teens squaring off against controlling adults.

FFA Ag. Communications wins first in nation

L to r: Natalie Wheeler, Aly James, Kendra Cranston and Halley Ogan proudly display their award for first place in Ag. Comm. Not pictured is Tyler Swenson. 

(Kendra Cranston photo)

by Rachel Ranfeld

After competing in the FFA state competition in April earlier this year, two teams from Montezuma advanced to the national competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wednesday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 21, the two FFA teams of Ag. Communications and Business Management were hard at work, earning the positions in the top five. 

“We really showed what a little town in Iowa can do by placing first and third in the nation,” said Kendra Cranston.

Aly James, Natalie Wheeler, Tyler Swenson, Halley Ogan and Cranston make up the Ag. Communications team. They received first in the nation. 

The team attended a mock press conference and took notes to later aid them in completing their individual practicum. The practicum was different for each member. James wrote and recorded a two-minute radio broadcast.  Wheeler wrote a 300 to 400 word press release while Cranston wrote a story to be published in the newspaper. Ogan designed a three-page magazine layout whereas Swenson designed a website for the company that put on the conference. 

Individually, Ogan placed first in the nation and Swenson got tenth.

Meanwhile, the Business Management team got third in the nation, which consisted of Kendra Doty, Carrie Graham, Nathan Wheeler and Stephen Vavroch. 

This team was given the financial records of the past five years to an actual business in the United States. Then, they took a three-hour written examination where they interpreted and applied financial concepts to those records.

They also had to calculate the tax records and the financial records for the business as well as evaluate the budgets and determine the proper marketing strategies. 

Many FFA members have said this was the hardest test they had ever taken. However, Graham walked away with second in this competition.

This was the eighteenth time that the Business Management team and the seventh time that the Ag. Communtications team made it to nationals. 

This year marks the second time that the Ag. Communications placed first in the nation. The only other time Montezuma FFA achieved this was in 2004.