Track at CCHS

As basketball season comes to a close, spring sports will soon be starting, with track as the headlining sport. After a year off from the sport, the students and new coaches are getting ready to have a successful season in what is the first year of creating a successful track program here at CCHS.

The upcoming track season features head coach Nick Herold and assistant coach Mark Beaver, who were teammates back in high school at North St. Paul High School. Nick Herold has attended Loyola University and Brigham Young University to run track and has been involved in track for a decade. He anchored the 4x100 relay team that won state and was named to the All-State team.

When asked why he wanted to coach track, Nick responded by saying, “The reason I want to coach track and field is to help athletes succeed. Whether it means winning a race or beating a personal record, as a coach, seeing athletes succeed both on the track, and in life, is one of the best things a person could be a part of.”

The coaches are looking forward to reviving the Calvin track program and are hoping to start building a strong program over the next couple of years. Nick’s expectations for this year are these: “My main expectation is that every athlete arrives at practices and track meets with the desire to better themselves and continually seek improvement. God has given us all certain talents, He expects us to develop those talents, and His expectation applies to all areas of life, including track and field.”

The coaches are looking forward to having fun this season and if you enjoy running, you are encouraged to join the team!

-- Nathan Bonnema

Issue 7

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Issue-7

CCS Gala

Coming up in just a couple of weeks is the CCS Gala, an auction fundraiser for the school. The gala is an evening that includes both a silent and live auction, as well as dinner and a show from comedian and speaker Ken Davis. Among the items being auctioned off are a vacation in Mexico and a ride-along with a police officer and his dog during a night shift. As students, we have the opportunity to work at the gala to gain money for our trip accounts, and we will be greeting, helping out during the silent auction, and doing whatever else is needed during the gala. The silent auction will be held before the meal and will be full of various items ranging from sports tickets and memorabilia to gift baskets.
This year, the silent auction is going to involve the use of technology. The bidders will place their bids using some sort of tablet or smartphone, and the hope is that this ease of bidding will encourage items to sell at a higher price. The live auction features an experienced auctioneer who, of course, talks really fast. The gala is sure to be both a great time and a great fundraiser for our school.

-- Nathan Bonnema

Conflict in Mali

Throughout the past few weeks Islamist terrorists and Mali rebels have been pressing their way south through the countryside of Mali, only to be stopped by the French. They got as far as the city of Diabaly, only 300 miles away from the capital itself. Thanks to French intervention though, the city was not held for long. The French were able to send air strikes that struck their ammunition and equipment, thus forcing the rebels to flee the city. Before this all took place, there was the overthrowing of the Mali government by the Tuareg rebels. They wanted the independence of northern Mali in the region called Azawad.  This led to one event after the next, escalating to include terrorists. There have been rumors and evidence that al-Quim, the Afghanistan terrorist group, have been the ones behind all this conflict in Africa, including the recent attack on the Algerian Gas Plant. With Northern Africa being so prosperous in gas and oil, these recent conflicts could greatly damage the world economy, which is one of the reasons why the French have decided to intervene  Only time will tell what will happen next. 



- Gabe Modder

Outdoor Education: Get Outside and Smell the Roses

Here at CCHS, students on a daily basis are inside learning about God's world,and occasionally on a nice sunny day, classes may carry on outside to enjoy the creation. But one of the classes offered here at Calvin is Outdoor Education which is just that - outside learning. This class is focused on the outdoors, combined with physical fitness, allowing students to not be stuck in the same four walls day in, day out. One of the class’s primary goals is to get out and learn about Christ’s creation, and to marvel in what God had made for us. Mr. VandeGlind, the Outdoor Educator creator and teacher, tries to have this class focus around how to look at creation in light of God's plan, and encourages students to relish in what God had set around us. He says, “My hope for this class is to make people comfortable with outdoor recreation and the outdoors, so in the future, they will go out into God’s creation and do those activities.” To drive home this point, students go out of the classroom and experience various outdoor activities – such as skiing and mountain biking at Elms Creek, rock climbing at Vertical Endeavors, as well as learning wilderness first aid training later in the course. In doing this, it helps and encourages them to get out and enjoy the wonders of nature God had designed for us to find and praise Him for. Though it is a small class this year, students have really enjoyed the trips that they have taken as a change of pace from the usual school schedule. Austin Bartz, a senior in this class, has captured footage of the class going out and biking at designated courses.  Check out the video below for a taste of what the class experiences:

Feel free to subscribe and watch the other videos of the class trips as well.

- Andrew Thomas

Cougar's Tale: Print Edition!

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Issue 6

20th Century Literature: Holocaust Survivors

The Few That Are Left: Holocaust Survivors

Where there is smoke there is fire. The crematoriums of the many concentration camps burned the bodies of millions. Few survived the mass killing now known as the Holocaust, but the people who did survive have amazing stories to tell. Some of these extraordinary people have been able to share their stories with the 20th Century Lit class. 

Erwin Farkus survived several different concentration camps including the notorious Auschwitz. He was liberated from the Nazis after being marched to near death. An American tank was their savior and it was the tank that liberated them.

Louise Dillery was from France, and when the Germans invaded, they came and took her father. The only reason she was not taken was because of what she calls human angels who helped her. One example of a human angel was a policeman who told her when the Nazis would come to take people, so she could hide.

Both of these survivors also were incredibly happy which was amazing that they still can see the best in humanity. It was important for the 20th Century lit. class to be able to meet the Holocaust survivors and to hear their stories.

-- Gabe Modder