Signed into law by Governor Doyle on May 5, the bill allows Wisconsin residents to object to racist mascots.  If the state superintendent believes that the mascot is, in fact, racially offensive, a hearing will be set up.  If the mascot is found to be in poor taste, the school will have one year to change the mascot and anything pertaining to it throughout their school.  If the school proves this change would bring “financial burden” to their district an extension of one or more years may be provided.

“I think this bill will help make the school a better place,” said junior Boye Ladd. “While I never personally felt attacked or disrespected, I think it will improve the attitudes of a lot of students.”

Former homecoming and pep club adviser Tina Gilbertson agrees.

“The changes this bill will make will really improve the atmosphere of the school,” said Gilbertson. “In the past we have always tried to take precautions to avoid stereotyping, even removing dress-up days to avoid upsetting community members.  With the removal of offensive mascots there will be a much more positive atmosphere at sporting events.”

“This is a great step forward for our community and state,” said Student Senate President Bronson Stein, “The Student Senate endorsed this bill two years ago, and is in full support of it.  This should make our school a better place.”

The school year is coming to a close, and we all know what that means– SUMMER!  If you’re looking to have a great day relaxing in the sand and going for a swim you should be thankful you live in Black River Falls.

 Our area boasts some of the most well-maintatined and busiest beaches in the state.  There are over six beaches within 15 minutes of the city limits.  Highlighted in this article are the three nicest public beaches. 

Lake Wazee 

Lake Wazee is one of Jackson County’s claims to fame.  It is the deepest lake in the state of Wisconsin, dropping to a depth of 355 feet.  It is a popular destination for scuba divers in the area and has even given the area of a reason to have a scuba supply store and training center. 

“Lake Wazee is the best!” says junior Lucas Mathews. 

Mathews is a die-hard beach fan, going out at least two or three times a week.  Mathews rates Wazee a “10 out of 10.” 

“The water is super clean!  The beach’s sand is also really good, unlike Arbutus,” says Mathews, “Plus, it’s really cheap.  You can get a summer pass for, like, $25.00.”

Lake Arbutus

Lake Arbutus has been the lifeblood of Hatfield since the village was established.  Arbutus provides the area with a large, clean lake that gives boaters and swimmers plenty of room to play.  Over the past few years, the dam has been under construction, so water levels have been fluctuating.  Class of 2008 graduate Keaton Green loves Arbutus.

“Arbutus is just so much fun!” says Green, “It’s free to the public, has really nice water and has both ice cream shops and flushable toilets nearby.”

Arbutus also has some downfalls when compared to other beaches in the area, though.

“The beaches are kind of rocky, compared to Wazee,” said Green, “but it doesn’t have a ton of cigarettes laying around like Wazee does, so it’s a fair trade-off!”

 As Green stated, Arbutus is free to the public and is a great public beach.

 Robinson Creek

 Located in Millston, Robinson Creek used to be one of the busiest beaches in the area. Now officially closed, the beach is still in excellent condition.  The water is great – as long as your feet don’t touch the ground!  Due to all the pine trees in the area, the fallen pine needles give the bottom of the creek a “squishy” feeling and turn the water brown.  This has no effect on your skin or hair, so don’t worry!  Dive in and enjoy the beach!  Also remember, when you’re done swimming you can throw a line in and catch some great trout!

“It’s perfect!  It’s got white sand, sunshine, and good memories!” says senior Marit Bakken.

Bakken also loves that Robinson is secluded.

“No one is ever there,” says Bakken, “When our group of friends goes, its just us … and maybe a couple of locals.  We can do whatever we want!  It’s really fun.  If you can find it, get out there and have fun.”

While brainstorming in Writing about what stories we should cover in the upcoming week on the Paw Print Online, we had an awesome idea: what if we went to the Oriental Kitchen and tried EVERYTHING?

But who could attempt such a feat of bravery?  Well, we decided that the absolute deliciousness of Lo Mein and egg rolls was well worth risking possible indigestion. 

So, at about 6:30 p.m. one Thursday evening, we set out on our sojourn to Black River’s lone Chinese restaurant, the Oriental Kitchen located near the old Wal-Mart.   Before we went on our journey through the Oriental Kitchen’s glorious buffet, we choose to look for a guide. One stuck out clearly in our minds; the one and only freshman Sandy Lin. Daughter of the OK Buffet owners, Lin was the obvious choice for such a task.

We took a detour to the fabulous Lin residence, where we put our great powers of persuasion to work. Yes, we attempted the kidnapping of Sandy No-Middle-Name Lin.  It was almost a success, but at the last second Lin backed out so she wouldn’t be put to work by her parents.  

As we entered the buffet, a kind woman greeted us and sat us on the far left of the restaurant in comfy booth.  Then, the adventure truly began!  

FOOD:   APPETIZER BUFFET TABLE
Appetizers are a must when you eat a buffet, and to be perfectly honest, the OK Buffet has a plethora of delicious treats waiting to be scooped up and enjoyed.  Just a few of the delicious treats are mayo oysters, sugared rolls, crab wontons and spring rolls.  

Levi Miles (LM):  I really liked the crab wontons and the mayo oysters.  I don’t care what you think Rikka, they are delicious!  

Rikka Bakken (RB): Okay, well no duh about the wontons; they’re classic! AND I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU MADE ME EAT THE OYSTER!  That was just plain sick.  

LM: Liar.  

RB: Wow. Real mature.  

ENTRÉE BUFFET TABLE
The most important part of course, is the entrée.  The Oriental Kitchen has over 10 different entrees to choose from.  Examples are cheesy crab and seafood surprise, General Tsao’s chicken, vegetable lo mein, and Asian beef stir fry.  

RB: I can’t believe you don’t like General Tsao’s.  

LM:  It’s gross, okay?  It’s like slimy, crunchy chicken balls.  But I really like the lo mein, and of course the seafood surprise was great!  

RB: I think fried rice is way better.  

LM: Rice is always good.  I really liked everything except the chicken, I guess.  Seafood was my favorite by far, you just can’t pass it up!   RB: General Tsao’s is still amazing.  

DESSERT BUFFET TABLE
Finally, at the end of our grand adventure, we had one table left. The dessert table is a mixture of Chinese and American desserts, such as Jell-O cake, cream puffs, pudding and strange seafood… such as the shrimp with the legs, still attached.  

LM: I love cream puffs; they are obviously the best, even if they aren’t really Chinese.  And neither are Jell-O cakes I suppose… hmm…  

RB: Yeah, they’re not. But I liked how the Jell-O top actually came off the cake. I wonder if in China, shrimp with legs is really considered a dessert.  

LM: I don’t think so, they were kind of on the back half, towards the salads.  They were so strange!  But after the legs were off they were fine.  It’s just that they look so scary!     

WRAPPING IT UP
In review, the trip was awesome.  The buffet is clean, fun and offers a huge variety of Chinese and American cuisine.  Totally worth it!

History teacher Paul Rykken has a definite view of bias in American politics and has been educating high school students on the bias in American media for over 30 years.

“All media is biased, technically, because any storytelling involves a point of view based on what is chosen, how it is framed, what sources are used, etc.  It can be very difficult to tell if a new source is biased,” said Rykken, “Educating yourself on the various media outlets is the best thing you can do for yourself.  A person has to arm themselves with knowledge — otherwise it is easy to get duped.”

As Mr. Rykken said, bias is everywhere, and the American public is particularly apt to be caught up in it. 

“Most American’s watch the two main outlets of news media in America, Fox and MSNBC, both of which have their own tendencies,” said Rykken, “Because of this, Americans can fall into false sense of security and do not fully expose themselves to all point of views.  The term used to describe this occurrence is selective exposure.”

So, how can one tell if their main news outlet is bias?  Well, here are five things to watch out for:

1. The news source has the word “liberal” or “conservative” right in the source’s name or web address.  For those of you using conservapedia and liberal-pedia … I suggest finding another source of knowledge that doesn’t tell you that Fox News is the only new network you can trust, or that the opposite of the TEA Party is the Coffee Party.
2. The news source you are viewing “brings down” other news sources.  An (sarcastic) example would be “PBS is a socialist organization meant on brainwashing American youth though Sesame Street and Barnie, among other programming.”
3. Bias by perspective is one of the most common forms of bias.  Don’t fall for it!  There are hundreds of ways to word a headline, and thousands of angles to take pictures from!  If an article headlines reads “Thousands of deer slaughtered in November hunt” you’re going to get a different impression than “Successful hunting season leads to large deer harvest.”
4. If you see statistics, double check them.  Often times the media “bends” these statistics to favor their “side.”  There are two sides to every coin.
5. Where does the information come from?  The words of a thief are different than those of the victim.  Media has a tendency to skew towards the extremes. 

So what can you do to avoid falling into the trap of bias?  Rykken has few suggestions.

“Vary your sources.  If you get caught up with selective exposure you will most certainly have only a partial view of stories,” said Rykken. “For example, if a person only watches FOX, they’re not going to get a full picture, and the same would go for MSNBC.  Also, reading news is probably better than always only watching it.”

“Watch news shows that offer both perspectives, and focus on less issues.  This will allow the stories to have more depth as they develop.  And read – reading gives you the ability to analyze the information you’re taking in, and therefore is an excellent way to detect bias.”

For many students, getting their senior portraits taken is a huge part of the high school experience.  Not only is the session normally fun and memorable, but you also get to walk away with something tangible and normally really cool.

“Many seniors look forward to their senior pictures for many years.  Senior portraits mean a lot of different things to people. Senior portraits mark the ending of a long journey (high school); it’s a way to celebrate the long journey and sometimes, is the only time a person is professionally photographed,” said Something Special Photography owner Majesta Heller. “I think each senior would have a different answer to this question, but more or less, it’s the senior’s time to shine!”

The Studio

Junior Cassie Olson is one of the senior reps for The Studio this year.

“Getting my portraits done at The Studio was a really fun and memorable experience,” said Olson. “I had my pictures done on April Fool’s Day, so the photographer and I got to pull a prank on his wife.  He’s a really fun guy.  Oh, and my pictures turned out fabulous!”

The Studio is located in downtown La Crosse and has been serving the area for over 15 years.  Its current photographer is the Tad Meddaugh, who has been in the industry for over 21 years.  The Studio specializes in natural light photography, giving all of their photos a unique and crisp look.  Their photos for athletes are particularly popular.  The Studio is also known as one of the most expensive studios in the area, but many believe the cost is worth it.

The Studio is probably the most popular choice for juniors getting their senior portrait taken, but it by no means the only studio in the area.  In fact there are more than five professional studios within an hour drive of town.

Something Special Photography

Majesta Heller is the owner and operator Something Special Photography based in Alma Center.  Something Special Photography does the classic senior portraits with a unique and clever artistic twist.  Something Special Photography opened up last year, and its first representative was senior Chelsea Matalas.

“Majesta did a super job, and the session was really fun,” said Matalas. “My photos turned out unique, yet still classic and timeless.”

Dammen Photography

Speaking of classic, timeless photos, Dammen Photography, based out of Sparta, Wisconsin, has been capturing seniors at their best for over 20 years.  Based in Sparta, Phillip Dammen is a master photographer known in the area for his timeless photos.  He is best known for taking family photos, but does quite a few senior photos as well.

“Mr. Dammen will get you to say weird phrases so he can capture you smiling,” said senior Ryan Whaley. “It works really well, and all my photos from him turned out great!”

Design Photography

Yet another great studio in the area is Design Photography.  Design is operated by Robert Zettler. It is most widely known for it’s really unique, fun shots and bright vibrant color schemes in the photos. Zettler has operated Design since 1987.

“I had my senior portraits done at Design Photography in Onalaska,” said senior Leyah Bailey. “I liked their set up and color schemes.  It was a lot of fun, I really enjoyed the shoot, and the quality was very good, just a bit pricey. I would definitely recommend going to Design!”

If you want to contact any of the studios named in this article check out their numbers below.

608-383-2324 Design

715-964-1300 Something Special

608-629-2726 Dammen

608-782-1018 The Studio

715-333-5059 Starry Photography

NHS welcomes you: Junior Zachary Markhardt was one of the 23 students to be inducted to the National Honor Society. Criteria for to be an NHS member is a GPA of 3.5 or better, have leadership qualities, and have to have three letters of recomendation.

Character, service, leadership and scholarship are the pillars of the Nation Honor Society, and on March 30, 23 students were recognized for these extraordinary qualities.

“Being smart isn’t the only important quality members of Nation Honor Society must possess,” said NHS President Austin Marg. “Members must also be leaders, service-oriented and display exemplarity character.”

These qualities are rare to find in high school students and that is why only 23 students were inducted into NHS this year.  There are only 64 students involved in NHS this year.

“By becoming a member of National Honor Society students are showing that they have a bright future and much to look forward to,” said Marg.

Most of this year’s inductees were sophomores, with a smattering of juniors in the mix as well. 

“We have a great mix this year, and many of the inductees are going to be awesome leaders next year,” said Marg.

“I’m really happy I was inducted into NHS this year,” said sophomore Savannah Markee. “I think it will create some great opportunities for me to be a leader and it should be a lot of fun!  Plus, it made my parents really proud!”

Fellow sophomore Joshua Hanson couldn’t agree more.

“I’m really proud that I made it into NHS,” said Hanson. “Hopefully it will help me become a more well-rounded student and have some opportunities to do things I would normally not get to do.”

This year, as in past years, Black River’s National Honor Society has not been particularly active, but that may change this year as members are planning to adopt a highway as they have in the past.  The inductions were the first major event for the organization this year.  Junior Caitlin Nelson repeatedly use the words kind, smart, active, passionate, faithful, reliable and organized while describing a group of the inductees.

“NHS is an excellent organization that has some of the greatest students in our school involved,” said Nelson, “But it’s really about living the NHS oath.  Working towards having a great character, being service oriented, practicing motivational leadership and being an exceptional student.”

Everyone who was inducted this year is a prime example of what NHS is.  They have carried a grade-point average of 3.5 or higher throughout their high school career as well as been involved in various activities and served as leaders in the community.

Inductees for the class of 2011 were:

Zachary Markhardt and Elizabeth Cook

Inductees for the Class of 2012 were Breanna Amborn, Samantha Bahr, Tyler Bue, Kaitlyn Dvorak, Lindsey Fox, Brady Gartner, Joshua Hanson, Hollan Hogden, Aaron Miles, Timothy Nortman, Chad Bahnub, Jessica Bere, Emma Erlandson, Brittany Gacek, Evan Gawron, Jordyn Hilts. Savannah Markee, Alexandra Meek, Lillian Murphy, Erica Olson and Alexandria Turner.

“Last year I was laid off from my job as a union carpenter.  When the economy tanked the industry really tightened up,” said Allen. “People just weren’t looking to build buildings anymore.  There was no end to the poor job industry that I saw, so I took matters into my own hands.” 

You could even say he took matters into his own hands and drove off with it.  Allen decided that he was going to open his own driver education school, to fill the void left by the discontinuation of Western Technical College’s driver’s education program.

“I bought a car for the class and started driving to Green Bay every week to take classes to become a certified instructor,” said Allen. “It was very difficult because I had to work at the Country Café to get enough money to take the class, drive to Green Bay, take the class until I had enough money and then drive back and work until I had enough to continue.  After I finished the class it was a paper work nightmare to get everything filed with the State.” 

After becoming an officially licensed driving instructor, Allen went about to setting up his business.  His wife Geri was a huge help here. 

“Geri is really good at paperwork, and she really helped me here. She was great about this whole thing,” said Allen.

After the final paperwork to start up his business, Allen had a passenger brake installed and then opened up his school.  So far it’s been a huge success. 

“Grant sometimes takes the students out to lunch at McDonalds or other places,” said sophomore Samantha Bahr. “It’s really fun because you drive around and end up in weird places.  Grant also sings a lot too, which is really humorous.” 

Sophomore Alex Turner couldn’t agree more. 

“Grant’s just a really cool guy.  You won’t get in trouble with him.  He’s really patient, and tells you exactly what you did wrong,” said sophomore Turner, “If you go early in the morning he buys you coffee and he has a great sense of humor, kind of like a fun dad. 

It’s really obvious that both the students and Allen love Steer Right Driving Academy. 

“I love my job,” said Allen, “99% of the kids are just great, I get to stay in town with my family, there are no work belts, no travel, and it’s just a blast.” 

Need to sign up for Driver’s Education?  Call Allen at 715.896.0507 or e-mail Steer Right Driving Academy at steerright@centurytel.net.

Alumni Emily Jordan sings her solo in the song "Say a Little Prayer." The way the solos are chosen is that each person learns their part and then whoever wants to tryout for the solo learns a part of it. They then sing it, and the remaining members vote for the top two.

Graduation is a mere 53 schools days away and many seniors are planning for college and the experiences they will have there.

One thing that is important to know about college is that it hosts an abundance of co-curricular and extracurricular activities to get involved in.  There are the typical activities that many high schools support, as well as some clubs and groups that only a college could sponsor, including Men Enjoying Nursing, Quidditch Club, Avian Club, and War Gamers Society.

“Getting involved in college is so easy,” said Universtiy of Wisconsin Madison sophomore Danica Rockey, ’08, “I have become involved in a number of different organizations related to my major.”

Rockney isn’t the only former student from Black River Falls that has become involved in a variety of activities in college.  University of Minnesota Duluth sophomore Lori Christie, ’08, has also become involved in extra-curricular activities in college, one of which is really unique.

“My freshmen year I joined the university’s pep band and women’s lacrosse team.  I found a flier for the lacrosse team in my dorm hall and decided to check it out,” said Christie, “It’s intramural, so it’s organized for and by the students, and we have coach comes up from the Twin Cities once a month.”

Intramural sports play an important part for many students in college who aren’t quite cut out for playing at a college level, but still want to stay in shape and enjoy an activity they have always loved.  Most colleges have at least a few intramural teams, and offer many unique sports too, including table-tennis leagues, wiffle-club leagues, and water-polo clubs.

Sports aren’t the only activity that students can become involved in, and many colleges also have a large music and arts department to nurture their student’s growth and creativity.  Christie also became involved in Duluth’s pep band.

“I didn’t know what to expect when I walked into the first rehearsal, but my section leader grabbed me right away, introduced me to everyone, and showed me the ropes,” said Christie, “Rehearsals are always interesting, and the performances are a blast!”

Becoming involved is a great way to meet new people and form lasting friendships in college, just ask University of Lacrosse senior Katie Norton, ‘07.

“Through the activities I became involved in (especially band though), I have met the greatest people and formed lasting friendships,” said Norton, “[Going to college] is a little overwhelming at first, and having a group of instant friends by becoming involved is a great way to adjust more quickly.  Being involved makes you feel more at home.”

“Being involved is my saving grace, without pep band and lacrosse I would be so much more stressed, plus it just makes college more fun,” said Christie.

If you want to get involved in your future school, check out the links below!

UW-Eau Claire http://www.uwec.edu/studentorgs

UW-Green Bay http://uwgborgs.orgsync.com/

UW-La Crosse http://uwlmyorgs.collegiatelink.net/Community?action=getMyHome

UW-Madison http://www.cfli.wisc.edu/

UW-Milwaukee http://www.activities.uwm.edu/

U of M-Duluth http://www.d.umn.edu/campus/

U of M-Twin Cities http://www1.umn.edu/twincities/campus.php

U of M-Rochester http://www.r.umn.edu/campus-life/student-activities/index.htm

Members of the Black River Falls High School Big A Handbell Choir smile for a group picture at the 2009 Christmas Concert, after performing a joint piece with the Little A Handbell Choir titled "African Noel".

Second lunch students during the past fours years have shared lunch with a group of 11 to 22 who spend lunch either excited or incredibly glum discussing the finer points of the perfect martellato or possibly the technicalities of weaving.   

These groups of students are the Class A handbell choirs, a selected group of 22 musicians who perform one of the most visually impressive forms of instrumental music.   There are two choirs this year, Big A which is composed of selected juniors and seniors, and Little A which is composed of other students with an interest in handbells. 

 “Handbells are very difficult to master and take a lot of practice to play well.  Ensemble members must work as both a team and individuals to play the pieces correctly, and the ringers must be absolutely dedicated to their music.  The result is visually stunning,” said Barb Olson, director of the high school’s handbell choirs. 

A handbell is just what the name implies, a tuned bell designed to be rung by hand. To ring the bell, the ringer (the musician playing the bell) holds the bell by its handle and snaps her wrist – providing the momentum for the clapper inside the bell to ring.  Handbells typically come in tuned sets of twelve bells (one complete octave). 

“We currently have three octaves of handbells.  They were purchased in 1978 by community member Betty Epstien.  We’ve added some accessories over the years including mallets, stands, new tables and table covers.  To replace our current set of handbells would cost upwards of $11,000.00,” said Olson. 

Handbells have long been associated with religious music, and rightly so, as handbells are often played in many Christian churches on special occasions, but there is also a multitude of contemporary music for the modern handbell choir ranging from jazz pieces to Broadway favorites. 

“My favorite song is definitely our arrangement of Phantom of the Opera,” said senior handbells Big A choir member Emily Lahmayer. 

“If Ms. Olson would ever let us play it, Joel Lahmayer’s [Class of 2008] arrangement of the Super Mario Brother’s theme would be my favorite,” said senior handbells Big A member Sidney Mahan. 

The high school currently has two handbell choirs, although in past years the high school has had three.  This number is smaller this year because both choirs have been selected to play Class A handbell literature (the most difficult level) for this year’s Solo and Ensemble competition on March 27. 

 “It’s really cool to have two Class A ensembles,” said junior handbells Little A member Caitlin Nelson. “It’s really awesome to know that after this year’s seniors are gone we’ll still be continuing the tradition of a Class A handbell ensemble.” 

“I really love being involved in handbells,” said freshmen handbells Little A member Camille Gunning. “It’s making me a stronger musician and has really helped improve my counting ability.” 

Students aren’t the only ones who are passionate about handbells–so is Olson. 

“I have such a passion for handbells. It’s hard to describe.  It makes me so happy to watch the ringers grow as musicians and develop into better people through the music.  It fills me with joy,” said Olson.

A: The 2010 – 2011 School District Budget. 

Monday night’s school board meeting ran the gambit of emotions from anger to sadness, from peaceful to energetic. 

“This is a difficult place to be,” said District Superintendent Ron Saari, “We’re being forced to choose between bad and worse. We are taking the best worst choice.” 

As the budget was proposed for approval at the meeting, concerned community members, teachers, and interest groups voiced their opinions.  Some voices were strong, some quavered as personal feelings got in the way, and others were just plain argumentative.  One of the strong voices at the meeting was that of Amy Yaeger, BRFHS business teacher. 

“I was angry and nervous; I mean, you don’t want to hurt anybody,” said Yaeger regarding her comments at the meeting, “It’s just really hard to not get emotional, I really feel that they [the administration] don’t understand how much we give of ourselves on a daily basis.” 

Many community members agree, including many music boosters. 

“I feel as though the administration doesn’t always have the best interests of the students at heart,” said one music booster member, whose voice broke during the meeting, “Cutting positions is never good for the students.  At the same time they are laying off teachers they are looking to make more positions for administrators.  I also feel as though the administration isn’t truly listening to the community.” 

Other community members also spoke their minds, many specifically about cutting the full time position of an arts/music teacher at the high school level, as well as the elimination of a full time fifth grade teacher.  The school board passed the cuts with six members voting in favor in of the resolution, with one abstaining.