9/30/2015 Cougar's Tale

StaffEditors: Angela Balboa, and

Gabriel ModderWriters: Miriam Nelson, Ni-

cole Krueger, Ava Krueger, Rick Derfus,Johnny Erickson, Leah Martin, Emma Ludwig, Sophia

Marcus, Jack Zaic,Advisor: Miss Branderhorst

Contact: [email protected]

The Cougar’s Tale is a publica-tion of Calvin Christian High

School’s journalism class. Students get the experience of interview-

ing people and writing articles for viewing by others.

Questions, comments, or publica-tions should be directed to Miss

Branderhorst and will be relayed to the journalism class.

Don’t Forget!The Cougar’s Tale is now online. To find more news articles about

events around CCHS, please check out our blog at:

http://thecougarstale.blogspot.com/

1

9/30/15

Vol. 8 Issue 1

Syrian Refugees

As the year gets started, one of the things we are working on is the chalk-board in the third floor hallway. Soon, a weekly question will be posted there, Caribou style, for people to write their answer. This should hopefully create posi-tive conversation across the student body and we highly recommend participating! Another project we are working on is the fall festival. This generally consists of a pumpkin carving contest between adviso-ries as well as other games. This will take place on a Friday night after school. It is a very enjoyable school bonding time! The next thing on our list is preparation for the winter dance. The winter dance, for those unfamiliar, is a school dance that happens in early December. It is open to all stu-dents and takes place at the Calvin Blaine campus. More info will be released later on in the planning process. Another thing that student council takes care of is con-cessions. The concessions stand is led by Mollie Kelderman, and is open at home volleyball and basketball games. If you are interested in working the concession counter please let Mollie know. All pro-ceeds go to student council to help fund the different events we plan. The more money we make from concessions, the less we have to charge for dance tickets, so please check it out!

Student Council Corner

By Levi Vande Kamp

September 11, 2001 8:19 A.M, authori-ties were just being notified that Flight 11 had been hijacked by a group of al-Qaeda men. The hijackers had their eyes on the World Trade Center (WTC); they were slowly approaching the giant striped towers. Unaware of the catastrophe about to unfold, the citizens on the streets went about their daily lives. Moments later, however, the people of New York City had found themselves watching as the WTC went up in flames when flight 11 crashed into the North Tower. Ten minutes later, flight 175 cut through the South Tower like a hot knife through butter. As the two planes crashed, passengers and hundreds inside were killed instantaneously. An estimated three thou-sand people died on 9/11, and now the question is asked: How did this impact the world? Mr. Paul Clemens, math teacher at CCHS, was twenty years old and in college when 9/11 occurred. Mr.Clemens mentioned that “back in his day”, airport security was “more relaxed.” In fact, you could get around the airport without having a pass and there was no major checking to see if people any had weapons. Mr. Clemens adds, “Homeland Security didn’t exist and was devel-

oped after 9/11.” Homeland Security has been a growing corporation for thirteen strong years. Their goal is to protect America from terrorist at-tacks or other hazards. Since 2001, America hasn’t had to weather a terrorist attack as big as 9/11, but if it happens, America has its trust in Homeland

Secu-rity to protect the lives of the Ameri-can people.The US has

never been the same since the tragedy of 9/11. An onlooker of the events, who goes unnamed, remembered people who jumped from the falling buildings to avoid being killed by the flames. She said, “They were choosing not whether to die, but how to die.” The people who saw the events will never forget the horrific images that will haunt them forever. All that was before, will never be the same again. Mr. Clemens concludes: “It felt like everything slowed to an almost surreal state.”

WHEN THE WORLD WENT UP IN SMOKERemembering the Events That Occurred During

the Tragedy of 9/11

By Ava Krueger

By Johnny Erickson and Emma Ludwig

The Extent of the Problem and What is Being Done About it? Recently in the news, the Syrian Refugee Crisis has gotten a lot of publicity. Many might not be aware that this is an ongoing crisis, and has been active since March of 2011. This crisis is causing tragedy in all forms. Adults and children alike have been found washed up on shore after drowning when trying to reach a safe place. Countries taking in refugees are dealing with innumer-able people flooding in, and conditions there are worsening because of the sheer amount of people there are. The crisis has been caused by both the civil war in Syria and ISIS. The civil war itself has killed 220,000 people. Half of those are thought to be civilian casualties. The amount of people displaced is 10.6 million, which is half of the pre-war population. Also, half of these are under the age of 18. Many of the refugees are living in Jor-dan and Lebanon, where Mercy Corps has been help-

ing since 2012. Others have fled to Iraq and Turkey. All of these countries are struggling to meet the needs of the refugees and deal with cultural tensions as well. Many other refugees are going across the Mediter-ranean Sea to get to Europe. This is a very dangerous

trip, and many do not make it across alive. Many countries are helping with this crisis, some more than others. The United Na-tions issued the largest appeal that they’ve ever provided for one crisis, and are estimat-ing that $8.4 billion is needed to help every-

one affected by the crisis. Humanitarian organizations like Mercy Corps are helping the U.N. with contribu-tion and funding internationally to help the refugees. The U.S. is taking in 10,000 refugees next year. Right now in the world, this is the largest amount of dis-placed people since World War II. This issue is still unresolved.

Why Vote? E d i t o r i a l s

By Rick Derfus and Sophia Marcus

Do you plan on taking advantage of your rights?

Finding Your Voca-tion Everyday

What is God calling you to do right now?

By Angela Balboa

The Study of Revelation at CCHSA new Elective Taught by Mr. Arlan Koppendrayer

By Nicole Krueger

2

The fate of this country hangs in the balance once again. The fate of the land rests in the hands of the people, one of the things that truly makes America unique. The right to vote has expanded in the U.S. and has now been given to all citizens. As elections come about, many neglect this significant and rare right. Why vote? It often seems as though one vote from one individual will accomplish nothing. It is impor-tant to remember that if everyone thought this way, no one would vote. The whole is the sum of the individuals, therefore the opinion of the individuals comprises the whole. Almost everyone is willing to criti-cize a president once he is elected, though not nearly as many people are willing to take responsibility for their election. A survey was sent out to the student body to gauge what they knew about and thought about the election. The questions were: do you plan on voting, if so, who for, what do you know about the political parties, and do you know any of the candidates? Most of the responses

listed that they would vote if they were of age. Ben Carson and Marco Rubio are the two most popular can-didates. Most of the students knew that there are two main political parties and many listed basic dif-ferences that they had. The average number of candidates that someone could list is four, and the best known candidate is Donald Trump. Many people think that their opinion lacks value. Some people have become indifferent to voting. They might hold the opinion that ‘my opinion, in the midst of 318 mil-

lion people doesn’t really mat-ter.’ On the contrary, it does. We have be-come people who are used to voic-

ing our opinion on all sorts of sub-jects. We tend to eventually get what we want, by voicing our opinion. (Even if it has to be voiced over and over again.) Some people, though, think that it is somehow different in voting. Your vote matters. People are free to express their presidential opinion through voting, so why not take advantage of it?

Sometimes it can be hard to listen to our parents when they want us to clean our room or do the dishes. We would rather keep watching TV or just lay in bed and continue to do nothing. And then when it comes to homework I would rather clean every inch of the house than to start construct-ing a case study about some organism that I know noth-ing about. But have you ever thought that maybe that is what God is calling you to do in that moment? I never thought doing the dishes was part of my vocation, but it very much is a part of my calling as a daughter of my parents. The majority of people who think of the word “voca-tion” probably don’t think of something like being a janitor. But the fact of the matter is that, that could very well be your part of vocation. God has made you and is calling you, right now, to your vocation.This summer I read a book called, “God At Work.” There were two main themes/phrases that the author continuously brought up: ‘Who is my neigh-

bor?’ and ‘How can I love/serve them?” This book had very inspiring theology and made it applicable for every-day life. The Bible talks about how God wants us to do our very best in everything we do and by doing that we are hon-oring him. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” Your current vocation can be honoring your teach-ers by being present in class and devoting your thoughts to discussion. At every stage of your life, God is calling you to build his kingdom in small and big ways. Sometimes it can be difficult to realize that what you’re doing is actually bringing people to Christ. You may feel insignificant, like you aren’t doing anything, but if you are serving and loving in the places God has called you, you are entirely necessary.

Calvin Christian High School has recently started an elective never done before; Mr. Koppendrayer is teaching a class on the book of Revelation. “It [Revelation] is a part of the Bible. . .a lot of people have never learned about,” says sophomore AJ Foster. This is true; Revelation is one of the least-understood books of the Bible. However, many people are intrigued by it, as says Mr. Koppendrayer, “Over the last 13 years of teaching. . .every year some stu-dent or more than one student has wanted to study the book of Revelation. . .There seems to be just a high level of interest in the book.” This is why an elective devoted to its study was started. Although it may be that the class is off to a slow start, with simply read-ing through the book, AJ Foster says it is “still pretty interesting.” Mr. Koppendrayer has many things he wants to accomplish through the class, including helping students know how to better study a book of the Bible, giving

them a better understanding of Revelation, and de-mystifying this often extremely symbolic book. He also wants students to better understand God’s “deep desire to address injustice and suffering.” “Another thing I

want students to get out of this class,” says Mr. Koppendrayer, “Is a sense of how Revelation is deeply relevant to their lives right now.” When asked whether or not the class should be taught again next year, Mr. Koppendrayer said, “It’s too early to tell.” It seems as though the future of this elective is as obscure as the meaning of Revelation! However, interest level is high and it is starting off well; students are beginning to understand more about this important book of the Bible. This will greatly benefit them, because, as Mr. Kop-

pendrayer says, “It [Revelation] really is not. . .just primarily about the future.”

Student HighlightsBirthdate: January 2, 2000

Biggest fear? Being killed because it is a scary thought.

Favorite quote? N/A

What’s on your bucket list? Going to Europe because I am interested in it.

What’s your favorite TV show? Jessie

If you had a time machine where would you go? Back to the day when my mom dropped me off at the orphanage be-cause then I would maybe be able to see her.

Describe yourself in five words: Caring, weird, happy, respectful, and kind.

If you could vacation in one place where would it be? California, because it’s close to the ocean and I have never really been there.

If a genie appeared and offered you one wish beside more wishes what would you wish for?To have a happy life.

Alice BushhouseBirthdate: September 4, 2000

Biggest fear? Dying and death.

Favorite quote? “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts be-come your words, be careful what you say because your words become your actions, be careful of your actions because your actions become your habits, be careful of your habits because your habits become your character, be careful about your character because character decides your destiny.” -Anonymous

What’s on your bucket list? Play in Major League Baseball.

What’s your favorite TV show? MythBusters

If you had a time machine where would you go? I would go to 2008, because Owl City rose to fame in 2008, and I want to be there when that happens.

Describe yourself in five words: Athletic, outgoing, open-minded, patient, and kind. If you could vacation in one country where would it be? New Zealand, because it’s a beautiful country and it’s where the Lord of the Rings was shot.

If a genie appeared and offered you one wish beside more wishes what would you wish for? I would live in Hawthorne, Wisconsin, because my best friend lives there.

Gabe Distad

SportS From a new perSpective What do the Freshmen Think?

By Miriam Nelson and Jack Zaic

3

It’s that time again! The beginning of the school year brings about fall sports. This is the start of soccer and volleyball. Many students in our school are involved in these sports, but what is their opinion on them? How do the freshmen see sports at a new school? Gabe Distad, a fresh-man, is a part of the CCHS soccer team. When asked about whether or not he felt he had a different role on the team, as a freshman, versus when he was on the soccer team in middle school, Gabe responded immediately. He said, “. . .I was able to get a feel for it before the season started in summer practices.” This shows how easy it is for new players to feel like a part of the team. But what Gabe likes most about soccer is that “. . . You have to work hard, stay in shape, and make sure you have the power and ac-curacy to get the ball where it needs to go. Reaction time is important, [and] knowing what to do in every situation, and the chal-

lenge is fun.” Cassandra Jarmuzek, who is a freshman volleyball player here, was asked what she thought about her team. She, too, said that the

teammates “all have the same role.” She mentioned that she gets a lot of support from the other players, and that they have to work together and stay positive in order to get the ball over the net, score points, and win games. Even though the team has to put in a lot of hard work, Cassandra continued to say that no matter what, the team has fun. From this, one can see just how welcomed and con-tent the freshmen feel playing on a high school team. They are clearly getting a great amount of support from the upperclassmen. The teams are having a good season, putting in plenty of effort. It can be concluded that freshmen and upperclassmen alike are hav-ing a good time with the teams

and looking forward to the rest of the season.

TV Show SurvayBy Nicole

4

The journalism team recently produced a survey designed to find out what shows were being watched by the student body. There were not many shows that were watched by more than one person, so general trends were hard to find. However, the top shows were Supernatural, Friends, and Psych. They were tied in terms of the number of people who watched them, but students spent the most amount of time watching Psych (averaged at 5 hours each week), with Friends at a close second (4.5 hours each week), and Supernatural at 1.5 hours each week.

Advice From His MajestyLogic not Love

By The Ricktator Finally, one of my subjects had the sense to come to me about their problems (it’s about time!). Since I am not a complete mon-ster, I will not share the name of the individual who asked it, but they signed off as a “fractured and confused human being.” If you are con-fused, sit down and think about it: reason-ing always helps! But I get ahead of myself: I should first mention the nature of the prob-lem. Apparently there is a man out there who is so stunningly attrac-tive that he is irresistible, and the writer desperately wants him. Next I will outline the solution. First of all, it is easy to identify the attractive man. Only I am so stunning with my features, and so magnificent in form. I am sorry to tell you that I have no interest in love. I am a lone wolf, married to my job. Women and I don’t go well together. Don’t worry though, there are plenty of sub-par men out there that you could choose from, you just

need to find the best of the worst. First he needs to be smart: who cares about how he looks, if he is no good in the business world he is useless. If you can get an attractive and smart one (not as attractive or smart as me) that is even better. So step one is to find a new guy. Step

two is to realize that no man can fix your prob-lem of being “frac-tured and

confused”(not even me). You need to realize that your life is whole lot more than love. “Logic not love,” that is what brings someone to suc-cess. So remember subjects, first, I am not available. Second of all logic reigns above all, and reason-ing will fix your problems much better than love will. If he or she seems out of reach, don’t embar-rass yourself going after them and getting rejected. So remember, love is of secondary importance and all hail the Ricktator.

A Survey of what the Student Body is Watching

Last year, I was inspired to do an independent project that focused on trying to get students to open up with each other. In school, we study about how to be a Christian, which is good, but a number of friends wanted to put what we were learning into practice. It started with a small group of students meeting during lunch to share how they were do-ing and to pray for each other and for the school. We called our group SALT. We felt that, if we were really going to grow in our walk with God, we had to learn to be honest both about our struggles and our de-sire for God to move at Calvin. We also made it a goal of ours to reach out to students in the rest of school. The members of the groups put together the follow-ing purpose and ground rules.Our Purpose:-To share challenges and victo-ries in our personal lives-To pray and contemplate truth that addresses these things

-To strengthen each other in faith and obedience Our Ground Rules for Sharing:-Confess your own attitudes and temptations—no one else’s.-Accept one another; people have enough guilt already—don’t add to it!-No unsolicited advice—worse than useless. When people want advice, they will ask.This is personal sharing to

advance spiritual growth: theo-logical, philo-sophi-cal, and political debates may take place else-

where!Because some will share very vulnerably, what is shared in group stays inside the group—no gossip! So far, SALT has been a wonderful experience, and we have learned to have more grace with each other as we learn what’s going on in each other’s lives. Many of us also feel that we have grown closer to God. If you are interested in learning more about SALT, ask Ava Krueger or Anna Silker.

SaltThe Small Group, not the Food

By Anna Silker