Student Council's Winter Carnival

Thanks to Calvin Christian High School's Student Council  for the fun-filled afternoon before Christmas Break. Our time included pinning the nose on the snow man, shooting candycanes at reindeer, working as elves, dressing up as Christmas trees, blindly wrapping Christmas presents, making the "bells ring" on the basketball net, and throwing Santa for points!  Take a look at just a few pictures from our afternoon together!

Christmas Issue attached!

Click the link to view our latest Christmas issue!  
Christmas Issue

Merry Christmas from the Cougar's Tale Journalism team!

Outdoor Education: Rock Climbing

The Calvin Christian High School Outdoor Education class has been literally getting “out of doors” as they have been traveling to Vertical Endeavors as part of their course program. With the time that they have spent the past 4 weeks, students have been training both at the high school and on site at Vertical Endeavors to learn the sport of rock climbing. While there, students have been learning to belay, which is maintaining the safety of their fellow partner as they climb with ropes, enhance their strength, and experience a new type of sport. Bouldering, a subgenre of rock climbing just with no ropes but a very small distance to climb, has also been a great challenge to participate in. The past 4 weeks for students have been challenging, and as they nurse their sore arms, they look forward to Cross Country Skiing in the upcoming months.

- Andrew Thomas

CCHS' First Winter Carnival

On Friday, December 20th, CCHS is having an all-school Christmas Party… our first ever Christmas Carnival! During the last two blocks, students will be gathered in the gym.There will be seven mini games spread around the gym for anyone to play. High scores for each student will be recorded at the mini games. Christmas snacks will be out for people to enjoy during the party. There are more surprises, so we hope to see you at the party! Merry Christmas!

Choir Concert at Northtown!

Saturday mornings are usually enjoyed by students. Now, come and join the Calvin studentsand celebrate the holidays by seeing the CCHS choir perform and give glory to God. On Saturday, December 14th, the members of the CCHS Choir will be performing. The concert will start at 11:30 and last until 12:00 at the Northtown Mall in Blaine. They will set up between Best Buy and and Dairy Queen. The concert consists of four songs about the birth of Jesus, and the story of Luke 2. The students have been working on these songs since the beginning of the school year and would appreciate for you to attend (and as a bonus, it's free!)

- Johnny Erickson

CCHS Basketball: Come Join Us!

Calvin's boy’s and girl’s basketball season has kicked off! Everyone is eager see many more exciting games to happen. Come support the rest of the games of the basketball teams at the following dates.

Dec.13 Shattuck-St. Mary’s Away V Boys at 7:30 JV Boys at 6:00

Dec.17 Learning for Leadership Home Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Dec. 20 Legacy Christian Away V Boy at 7:30 JV Boys at 5:30

Jan. 7 Faith Christian Home Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Jan. 9 Metro Deaf Away V Boys at 5:00

Jan. 11 Christian Life School Home Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30 JV Boys at 4:30

Jan. 13 Great River Away V Boys at 6:00

Jan. 17 International School of Minnesota Home V Boys at 7:30 JV Boys at 6:30

Jan. 21 NOVA Classical Academy Away Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30 JV Boys at 4:30

Jan. 24 Community of Peace Home Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Jan. 31 Lakeview Christian Home at 6:30

Feb. 4 Hmong College Prep Academy Away Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Feb. 7 North Lakes Academy Home Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Feb.11 Spectrum Away Girls at 6:00 V Boys at 7:30

Feb.18 Agricultural and Food Sciences Home V Boys at 6:00

Feb. 21 & 22 EMAC Showcase  Away Time: TBD

Winter Safety: CCHS' Tips On How To Stay Safe This Winter

Winter can be a dangerous time in Minnesota but also a very enjoyable for many people. Winter can hold many dangers such as ice roads and extreme cold.  To stay safe on the road, the Minnesota Safety Council suggests to drive slow and keep an emergency survival kit in your car. There are also many other dangers winter brings such as frostbite and hypothermia which can result in being out in the cold for too long or not wearing the appropriate clothing; always be prepared to dress warmly to help prevent frostbite or hypothermia from occurring.  It is also suggested to follow all the safety tips for the winter activities you participate in, weather it be ice skating or snowboarding everything can have its risks. Stay safe this winter!   

- Connor Bartz

Computer Programming

Computer Programming

Calvin’s Newest Elective

Here at Calvin Christian High School, a new elective has been introduced this second trimester - computer programming. Mr. Chris Smith is teaching this new class. Students have started by learning the computer language Python and coding through Khan Academy. Jacob Allwine, a junior, says, “My favorite thing about this class is the coding because you can tell the computer what to do and program it to do what you want.” Annika Tedlund, a freshman, also says what she enjoys: “I like making pictures with coding on Khan Academy.” These students have both been enjoying the class so far. Also, the students mentioned how this class might be helpful to them at present and in the future. Jacob states, “I think this class is beneficial to students because they are learning their way around the computer in a more complex way.” Annika says, “A lot of schools and jobs use computers more often now, so if we get enough understanding about computers, we might be able to get better schools and jobs.” So far, this class has been off to a good start, and hopefully it will continue to succeed.

- Ava Krueger

A New Admissions and Digital Media Associate: Welcome Ms. Zlab!

       A new Admissions and Digital Media Associate

           Time for a warm welcome despite the cold weather

Ms. Emily Zlab has come to CCHS as our new Admissions and Digital Media Associate to help the school more socially involved. She will be in charge of online publications and making the better known. She said that she would be “helping to get Calvin’s name out and to the greater world.” This will hopefully help get more students to come here and help our reputation.

Ms. Zlab thinks being here will be a good experience and  said that she is “really excited about the people” and that this is a “comfortable environment.” Hopefully this partnership can be beneficial for her and the school, as we work toward gaining a larger social importance so we can use it for God.

She also plans to connect with the student body and show up to some events like games or theatrical performances. If you find her at an event or at school, it would be nice to be welcoming and accurately portray what we are like as a school. It is not easy to go to a new place, especially when events have already started. We should make the transition as easy as possible for her and welcome her into our community.

- Rick Derfus

CCHS: Operation Christmas Child

“After sharing the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus said “Go and do likewise.” That is the mission of Samaritan's Purse—to follow the example of Christ by helping those in need and proclaiming the hope of the Gospel.”

Many CCHS students and families are involved with helping with Operation Christmas Child. Samaritan's Purse is an organization that was created in 1970 by Bob Pierce with his original goal to “to meet emergency needs in crisis areas through existing evangelical mission agencies and national churches.”Operation Christmas Child was founded in 1993 by Samaritan's Purse.

The process of packing the box normally consists of getting gifts, putting them in shoe boxes, and dropping them off to be sent to needy children around the world. The steps to making a shoebox for operation Christmas child are as follows:

1. Find a shoe box

2. Label it for either a Boy or a Girl.

3. Put gifts inside

a.Suggested items include: School gear, Toys, Hygiene, new clothes, and personal notes

b.Don’t put war related items, vitamins, things that break, and food.

4. Add $7 (For shipping)

5. Put a rubber band around it

6. Then check here: http://staging.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/drop-off-locations/ for locations to drop off at between Nov 18-25.

(information found: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/operation-christmas-child/pack-a-shoe-box/ )

- Josh Moberg

Outdoor Education: Climbing into the next Unit

Starting this Thursday, outdoor education students will no longer be mountain biking. Instead, they will be transitioning into a unit focused around rock climbing and CPR. James Vande Glind intends for the students to head to Vertical endeavors on the 14th, where they will become certified belayers. Students must have filled out a liability waiver in order to participate. After becoming certified belayers, it is planned that students will get to experience climbing built climbing walls, as well as go rock climbing in nature. Students are also becoming CPR certified at a website known as protrainings, where they will be taught the information needed to pass the CPR certification test. This next unit of outdoor should be a blast!

- Ian Krueger

CCHS Experiential Learning: Locked out of the Job Market

This year at CCHS, Seniors Luke Whitcomb and Noah Tedlund are doing on experiential learning project on people who are unemployed because they have a criminal record. “The reason we chose this project,” says Luke, laughing, “[is because] the only place that would let us work without adult supervision was an organization that donates money to another organization that helps people with a criminal record.” Despite this, he says that he still enjoys going to the organization because it is both helps people and is enjoyable. Luke also says that he and Noah plan to interview former prisoners, the staff at the institution they are working for, and anyone else that comes up. 

- Ian Krueger

CCHS Movie Review: Thor

Thor: The Dark World a sequel to the original Thor movie which had a worldwide box office over $447 million. The movies are based on the character Thor who is a Marvel super hero. The new movie is about Thor going toe to toe with a force that that the other gods cannot stop, and it’s up to him to stop. The movie is directed by Alan Taylor and its leading character played by Chris Hemsworth this is a movie that you don’t want to miss. Coming Nov. 8

http://www.businessinsider.com/thor-the-dark-world-poster-copies-iron-man-3-2013-8 - Josh Moberg

CCHS Movie Review: Ender's Game

Ender’s Game is an adaptation of the books Ender's Game (1985) and Ender’s Shadow (1999) written by Orson Scott Card. The first book won both the Hugo Award and the Nebula Award. The second book won a New York Times best seller and a number of other awards. The movie tells the story of a boy named Ender who is sent to Battle School after an repealed alien race attack on earth that could have won a major battle in the human-Formics war. Ender does exceedingly well and the rest of the movie tells about his promotions and his leadership against the second attack on earth. Directed by Gavin Hood and leading actor Asa Butterfield this movie is a must see for fans of Orson’s work and fans of Sci-Fi. We definitely recommend this movie for CCHS students!

http://www.impawards.com/2013/enders_game_ver11.htm

- Josh Moberg

CCHS - Battle of the Gamers: XBox One vs. Playstation 4

There has been much talk and debate around the high school about which console is better: the Xbox One or the Playstation 4. The new gaming systems Xbox One and Playstation 4 are being released and put on the shelves soon. Have you ever wondered which system is better? Which system has better graphics and processors? Comparing the Xbox One to the Playstation 4, reviewers say that the Playstation 4 is 50 percent better than the Xbox One. They state that the Playstation 4 has a 50 percent quicker memory reader, as well as faster Arithmetic Logic Unit (processor).Tested in comparison, the Playstation 4 runs at 30 FPS in 1980x1080, and the Xbox One runs at 20 FPS in 1600x900. IGN reviewers claim that the Playstation 4 is both significant and obviously better in many ways. Both consoles are being released in Mid-November. Which console is going to hit the big bucks, and which company will be eating dust? Some Calvin Christian High School students are eager to find out!

- Bob Allwine

The Elephant in the Room? Experiential Learning Project

Experiential learning projects have been very interesting this year, and this is not excluding Ian, Karl, and Andrew’s project. Ian Krueger, a junior, and Andrew Thomas, a senior, explain what their project is about. They plan to look into politics from a Christian perspective, and to show how Christians should be approaching them. Ian says, “Basically, it is about the difference between the GOP and the DFL, which one is is best for America, and which is more Christian.” They have planned to interview politicians and other authority figures such as pastors, which they hope will help them understand what it means to be in politics and how to to look at it from a Christian perspective. They hope to bring knowledge to themselves by sharing the information with the students. Andrew says, “I hope that students will learn how to approach politics without feeling hindered by religion or having to ditch religion by the door.” Karl says, “Our goal is to provide. . .the parties stances. . .ideological differences. . .and motivate our generation to take an interest and have a concern for how they are governed.” Overall they want to understand more about politics and how we Christians can take a stance involving them.

- Ava Kreuger

Calvin Art: Highlights

 

Many talented students here are showing their skills through art. The freshman class was expected to create a cover or whatever they wanted. The goal was to create a strong composition that attracts the viewer and makes their eyes go all of the piece. Sophomores did something called a process drawing. This means that over threes week they could draw and erase their drawings as many times as needed - till the desired look. Sunnie Zhou did figurative study and Abby Peterson did portraits for an Art Independent Studies. You can find the artwork hanging in the stairway, and hall for display. We have many talented students at CCHS and we are thankful for Mrs. VanGeest for tapping into these strengths.

-Angela Balboa

Matt Johnson Awarded for Efforts in his Civil Air Patrol Unit!

On October, 20 October 22, Calvin Christian High School junior, Matt Johnson, received two awards in his Civil Air Patrol unit. His first award was the Billy Mitchell Award; this award promoted him to a 2nd lieutenant making him an officer in his unit. He said this award was important to him because “I now take on the added prestige and responsibility that comes with officership.” He also gained the Outstanding Staff Member Award for his outstanding dedication and leadership to the Minnesota Leadership Academy. He said “It is wonderful to know that I am appreciated and it will help him get future events. Overall, these were important awards that will impact his future in C.A.P. and Calvin Christian High School is proud of his efforts.

- Connor Bartz

Monsoon Flooding: Natural Disaster in India

Back in June, Uttarakhand, which is in Northern India, had experienced horrible flooding. This flooding costed 6,000 lives, and some visitors the Hindu pilgrims of the temples. Just recently, on September 27th, in Ahmadabad 13 people were pronounced dead because of the monsoon flooding. Many families were forced out of their homes about 12,000-17,000 people. Some even took refuge in shelters located in Gujarat. Even after all of this destruction, in some parts of India there are being threaten to massive monsoon raining yet to come. Many aid workers who are trying to deliver food, and “other basic goods”, are blocked from getting to people who need it because of landslides. The impact is still felt today as they struggle to regain stability.

- Angela Balboa

Technology: Calvin Style

Calvin has been providing it’s students with a personal laptop since 2003. Why, you may ask? The man who helps maintain the laptops, Bruce DeVries, says that “The idea is to get students comfortable with technology most of you will use in your future careers.” Calvin does it’s best to supply students with “business class” laptops. The current operating system Calvin uses is Windows 7, but an upgrade to Windows 8 is planned in the future. The word processor of choice is Microsoft Office Pro, and Calvin typically uses Dells, HPs, Lenovos and Acers. Two pieces of hardware that are always included are the Intel processor and an integrated webcam. Calvin is constantly trying to provide its students with the best technology has to offer.

- Ian Krueger

MEA Weekend

Why we have it and what do students actually do

What do we do during MEA break? Do we find something productive and fun to do or are we couch potatoes? Do we even consider why we get this free time? Some of the students have mentioned some things they did over the weekend. Anna Silker, a freshman, says,“I was on my computer and I made glycerin slime. I also cleaned out my aquarium and cleaned out the guinea pig cage.” Gabe Modder, a sophomore, says “I went to the range, and went small game hunting. I celebrated my father’s birthday, and my cousin’s birthday, and I went to a movie.” Josh Moberg, a junior, says, “What did you do over MEA weekend? I watched TV, I played some video games, and went to a sleepover with one of my friends.” But do we ever really considered why we really have MEA break? Anna Silker guessed that they did our grades, and Josh Moberg said it was to recharge our brains. Miss B., one of CCHS’s teachers, tells us what MEA really is. “It stands for Minnesota Educators Association, so it is a time for teachers to come together to have some professional development time, and to collaborate to become better teachers for our students. It is beneficial for teachers to have a chance to step back from the classroom and evaluate better teaching practices.” She also says, “Teachers have time to be more creative in how they present information to students, and it provides space for teachers to share ideas amongst each other so that students can benefit.”


- Ava Krueger

First issue of the year!

Our first issue for the year!

Issue 1

Check it out! Our second issue!

Take time to read our second issue!

Issue 2

Mayhem in the Mall: The Tragedy That Took it’s Toll

On September 21st 2013 a group of terrorists known as the Al-Shabaab attack the Westgate mall in Nairobi, Kenya. The shooting began downstairs followed by explosions of grenades, as a group of attackers moved in on the first floor. During that time there was also a children’s bake contest going on in the car park next to the mall. A second group of terrorists entered in that area and killed them, some of them having been shot up to five times.  From then on it was panic as mall goers fled for their lives into whatever they thought would be safe, back of stores, service hallways and bank vaults. Two squads of attackers roamed through the mall, as an atmosphere of fear reigned in the hearts of the hidden. Of the hostages that were taken, the Muslims were allowed to leave in peace. In the following hours pockets of people trickled out as the undercover police moved in. Then as night fell the Kenyan military moved in and was able to secure the mall. 61 people were accounted for as dead, with many wounded and some still missing. As grief and suffering continue to tear apart the world that we know, we must continue to draw strength from above as more is soon to follow.

Recently, a Navy Seal team( the same that killed Osama Bin Laden) attempted an attack to capture one who is suspected of being high in Al- Shabaab.

- Gabe Modder

Independent Project: Dance

There are many interesting independent projects that develop at CCHS, including sophomore Angela Balboa’s project on dance. She researched how dance can communicate to people. She explains why she chose the project: “It is something I am passionate about, and it’s something I want to share with people and inform them that it is more than just moving your body.” Angela explains, “I hope to teach others that it’s more than just a hobby and it’s a career and a lifestyle to some people.” She did a dance at the beginning of her presentation and talked about dance at the end. What do you think about dance?

-Connor Bartz

Inge Auerbacher Joins CCHS

On Sunday October 6th, here at CCHS, Inge Auerbacher came and shared her story. Inge, a Holocaust survivor, told of the events in her life that she went through involving Nazis, concentration camps, and dealing with death. The trials and hardships that she went through among millions of other people were hard to hear. Even so, she showed us the star that was sewn onto her clothes as a child, and it was very striking to see. We should feel so lucky to hear first hand of someone who has experienced such an event like this. If you missed the event and would like to find out more about Inge she has written multiple books. Such as I Am a Star, Beyond the Yellow Star to America, Running Against the Wind, and Highway to New York: A Lady Truckdriver Adventure.

- Angela Balboa

History Through Arts

As part of the freshman World History class, the 9th graders went to the Minneapolis Institute of Art to look at the art, and also to find out how Greek and Roman history connects to it. They took notes about what they saw on the different paintings and how they relate to what they learn in history. After getting the chance to see the art up close, they noticed more things than they could just sitting in class. Freshman Mollie Kelderman, says, “I noticed that there was a lot of art that was falling apart, and I noticed a lot of sculptures of their gods and goddesses, because they valued them.” Mollie also noticed that their art was what Greeks and Romans valued in their culture. John Erickson, a freshman, says, “We appreciated this field trip both for learning and for the values.” Freshman Connor Bartz says, “It helped me get a broad overview of the art that we learned in class." To conclude, Mollie stated, “We got to see the art and not just imagine what it looked like, and we got to go places and experience things, and not just hear things.”

- Ava Krueger

Environmental Studies Trip: Learning and Connecting By Spending Time With Nature

Can a class trip really help students learn more about their subject, or is it just an excuse to spend time out of class? The senior’s Environmental Studies trip shows us that, while a field trip can be fun, it's more than just hanging out with friends and skipping class. 

Lydia Marcus, a senior, says, “We began by collecting seeds at Baker Park Reserve, which will be used to recede a prairie area after a burn. We also took a survey of the forest at Baker, went on a night hike, watched the sunset, and sorted through invertebrates we found.” She also says, “We spent time admiring creation in a way we couldn’t during an hour class period in a school building.”

Andrew Thomas, a senior, says, “Getting out of the classroom is the best part of any trip because having things hands on is better for a person, working within the world actually helps a student learn more progressively than being in a classroom 7-8 hours a day.”

When asked if they like the class better because of the trip, Lydia said, “Yes, the trip was very enjoyable, and we were able to have a lot of hands-on experience.” Andrew said, “It’s not so much liking the class better because we got a couple hours out of school, it’s how we can like the class more from studying the things in it.”

Participating in this class involves being able to connect God, nature and hands-on science. Most schools don’t get the chance to experience God in science, so this is an excellent opportunity for students and everyone should get the chance to take this class.



- Ava Krueger

American Government Shutdown: What do we do now?

As of yesterday, October 1st,  after 17 years, the American federal government has shut down. The reason for the shutdown is that lawmakers and Senate could not make a decision on a spending bill to fund the government. The government has shut down all services not considered “essential”. A few services that continue to remain open are fire fighters, police, and armed forces. National zoos, parks, and museums have all been shut down with no visitors allowed. Small business owners have to wait if they're in need of a loan from the government. All N2.1 million federal employees don’t have a job at the moment. Not only does the government being shut down right now affect us, but when it re-opens it will cost a lot of money. Something we can do right now is pray that God gives wisdom to our political leaders and that He will watch over the American government.

-- Angela Balboa

Experiential Learning: The Experience of Veterans

Experiential learning covers a broad range of topics. Josh Scherrer, a senior, and junior Josh Moberg decided to do their experiential learning focusing on war veterans and what happens to them returning from war. They want to inform people about the hardships these soldiers faced coming back home through creating a documentary. “Josh and I really like the army and what they are doing for us. We wanted to do this so we can show the hardships of being overseas, because a lot of people take the life of a soldier for granted.” said Josh Moberg. One thing these students are looking forward to is learning about what happens to soldiers over there and how it affects their lives after they return home and how they can educate others about these issues.

-- Angela Balboa

Calvin Christian Challenge

The Calvin Christian Challenge, also known as the CCHS marathon, is a fundraiser for all three of the Calvin campuses. Students are asked to go out into their community and ask friends, family and neighbors to support them in biking, walking or running a 5K. This event has been one of the school’s largest fundraiser and it is going to be the 35th year Calvin has participated in this event. The event will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2013. The goal for this year is to raise 72,000 dollars. The marathon will be held at Lake Harriet Regional Park 4135 West Lake Harriet Pkwy Minneapolis, MN 55419. The 5K starts at 9am and the walk and bike starts at 10am. Different games and food will be provided after the events. Come and join us!

-- Connor Bartz

Holocaust Survivor at CCHS

Holocaust Survivor in the Twin Cities

The “1%” comes to tell us her story

We may be the last generation to have the opportunity to hear a Holocaust survivor’s story first hand. You could take advantage of this occasion this weekend! Come join us on Sunday, October 6th at 4:00pm at Grace Evangelical Free Church. Holocaust survivor Inge Auerbacher is speaking and telling the story of her time as a child in a Nazi concentration camp. Inge was assigned to Camp Terezin for 3 years and is part of the 1% that survived the camp. She travels the world telling her story and speaking out against racism. Inge won several awards including the Doctor of Humane Letters Honoris Causa and the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. Please come listen to her speak this Sunday!

- Bob Allwine

Torrents of Water in the Rockies

  A Calamity Strikes Colorado

cnn.com

Recently a calamitous event has ravaged the area near Denver in Colorado. The likelihood of such an event happening was one to one thousand. An event like this is supposed to occur one time in every thousand years to pass. In three days alone the amount of precipitation that was supposed to fall in half a year fell. This led to flooding on a huge scale. Already existing bodies of water increased in size and mud moving at a rapid pace became an issue in steep locations. The results of this torrent of water have been bad. Ten people have lost their lives to this wave of chaos. The whereabouts of one hundred and forty people are still a mystery and one thousand and eight hundred people lost their property. This resulted in near two billion dollars worth of wreckage. 

This was quite the travesty that took place in Colorado, and we should remember them when we pray.

sources:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/14/colorado-flooding-climate-change_n_3926284.html

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/09/20/us-usa-colorado-flooding-idUSBRE98I0YX20130920

-- Rick Derfus

Outdoor Education

Outdoor Education

Bringing Students closer to God and Nature

Every year at CCHS, juniors and seniors who are not in Spanish have the option of taking Outdoor Education. The goal of Outdoor Education is to help students become more in touch with nature, more in touch with other people, and more in touch with themselves. As an additional goal, Outdoor Education also plans to help nurture a growing relationship with God. Students in Outdoor Education spend about half their time in the classroom and the other half outside in nature. Bob Allwine, a junior, stated that “It is very hands-on, and I like it.”

- Ian Kreuger

PSEO: College in the Schools

PSEO has always been a vital part of Calvin, especially for Juniors and Seniors. However, this year, Calvin is making it even easier to take PSEO. Two college courses are being offered right here at Calvin, advanced Biology and advanced Language arts for the Juniors, and advanced Environmental studies for the Seniors. Biology and Language arts are being offered for free, while Seniors must pay to take advanced Environmental Studies. The classes are being offered by Northwestern and will count as credits if a student decides to go to Northwestern or any other college that Northwestern is partnered with.

- Ian Krueger

Sports Update

How are the Calvin Christian High School soccer and volleyball teams doing this year? The soccer team is doing good with 3 wins,1 tie, and 1 loss. Trevor Bartz, a senior and one of the captains, said, “I am loving it, I love the character of the team and the way they play together and play their hardest but still having fun, it is one of the best if not the best soccer team I has been on in regard to character.” Alex Meybaum, a freshman, is also really liking soccer and is having lots of fun playing in the games. The volleyball team is also doing very well. Their games have been successful with 3 wins and 1 loss. Emily Nelson, a sophomore, is new to Calvin this year. She is really enjoying volleyball. It is one of her favorite sports, and she loves how her team is very close and supportive. Overall Calvin has very excellent teams, with lots of potential. 

-- Connor Bartz

The One Act Play

The One Act Play: An Attempt at a New Way to Express Oneself

 

siouxcityjournal.com 

The students at Calvin Christian High School are attempting to put on a new type of theatre production. The school in the past has stuck to the conventional multiple act style play. Now however, the one act style is what is being done. This will be a student led production that will be part of a festival done by Dordt college. So far only one student has answered the call. That student would be junior Sarah Shields. As one might expect she was a bit trepidatious. She told me she was “ so used to getting direction.” She seemed to be ready to take on the challenge even without direction. She stated, “I think it will be interesting.” She continued by saying she thought it would be “good” as well. 

A few students were interviewed to see what their opinions of the play were. Annika Tedlund, a freshman, when asked about her opinion on the play, said “plays are useful”, and when asked why she said to give people the opportunity to demonstrate “authentic culture.” 

Tony Sauro has played an important role in in recent plays. When I asked him his opinion, he said “ I think that the plays have given me the opportunity to perform in some of my strengths.” He also said about the play “It’s always a good experience, rarely do you find a play that doesn’t work.” The only negative was “ It can be hard to balance school work and the play.”

It would seem that the play is an enjoyable experience to people and there is now an exciting new style of theatre to attempt this year.

- Rick Derfus

Culinary Experiential Learning: Traveling the Restaurants of Minnesota

This year for experiential learning, Bob Allwine, Nick Bonnema, and Jeremiah Wicklund are working together on a project that will traverse the restaurants of Minnesota. They are attempting to figure out what happens to the food at restaurants that is thrown away at the end of the day, and if there is anything better that can be done with it. “What is unique and special about the project we are doing,” says Bob, “Is that not many people think about it (restaurants throwing away extra food), but it happens so much.” Says Jeremiah Wicklund “Knowing the fact that us three together usually means trouble, it’s interesting that we can focus on something that will benefit everyone, and to do a project that the teachers will accept.”

- Ian Krueger

Nathan Kanis: Experiential Learning

This year, Nathan Kanis decided to explore his passion for cars in connection with his experiential learning project. Every week, he has had the chance to leave the school building and join a local mechanic to learn more about this field of work. Below you will find the conversation the Cougar's Tale had with Nathan about his time there:


What are you doing for your project?I just completed my project on how the automobile has changed over the past 50 years.


Who do you work with?
I did an internship at Rensfeldt's Automotive and I worked with a guy named Dave.


What is the most enjoyable thing about this project?I got to fix my car, but I really just loved being able to work with my hands


What things have you been learning?
I learned how to balance tires, replace wiring. Being a mechanic forces you to learn how things work together so really everyday is a learning experience because every car is different


What are some of your goals in the future?I just want to keep learning so that I don't have to pay a mechanic to do it. However if I would decide that I should become a mechanic it would be a great starting point


What is the most difficult thing about this project?
Probably just setting everything up. It took me 3 weeks to get the internship going


Why are you doing this project/what made you do this?
I have an intense passion for cars.I have just been brought up with cars. My dad is a mechanic and my grandpa owned a ford dealership for a time and then started selling heavy duty trucks. So it's in my blood.


- Angela Balboa

Pig Dissection: Human Anatomy and Physiology

On Thursday, the Human Anatomy and Physiology class went with Mr. VandeGlind to Bethel University to dissect baby pigs. Pigs are the animal of choice because they have a similar organ structure to humans, so the class went digging through their little piglet bodies to find all of the vital organs of the body from the intestines to the heart to the pancreas. Some were not so sure about the experience after seeing the then-intact pigs, but once the process was underway, the dissection went smoothly. This experience gave the Human Anatomy class another glimpse of just how intricately God has constructed the body.

- Nathan Bonnema