Carter Martin - Senior Spotlight
Q: Where were you born?
A: Lexington, South Carolina, on October 22.
Q: Favorite memory of high school?
A: Driving to the SPAM Museum with friends during spring break.
Q: Fun fact about you?
A: They made a mistake on my birth certificate, so I was legally a girl until my freshman year.
Q: Where do you see yourself in ten years?
A: Pastor or homeless, probably.
Lex: I like the homeless version of you, Carter.
Q: Favorite class of all time?
A: Probably English 12 or History.
Q: Favorite friend?
A: Friends with everybody, but not Micah Maas because he likes Coke better than Pepsi.
Q: What hobbies do you have?
A: Drink Pepsi.
Q: If you were alone on an island, what three items would you take?
A: Pan, firestarter, axe.
Fav Prof: Doesn’t know
Fav Freshmen: Little Lee
Fav Animal: Seagull
Fav Food: Cheesecake
Fav Drink: Pepsi
Mykah Mueller’s Senior Spotlight
When and where were you born?
August 1, 2007, In Waukesha, WI
What is your favorite childhood memory?
When my siblings and I would climb onto our roof and we’d bring camping chairs up there too. Sometimes we’d also tan up there. I was about eight when we did this.
What is your favorite memory from every year?
Freshman - When I found out I was on Varsity volleyball.
Sophomore - When Gabi and I would always get Chick-fil-a for lunch.
Junior - Winning State in volleyball.
Senior - Doing senior sunrises.
What are your plans for after high school?
I plan to go to UWEC and get my bachelor’s degree in Special Education.
If you were in the Hunger Games with our class, who would be your allies? Who would you target first? What would be your weapon?
I would choose Joanna as my first ally because I could trust her, and she’d be too weak to hurt me. I would also choose Madi as my ally because she’s loyal and she’s pretty smart, so she’d know what to do. Ian would be my first target because he makes me mad. I would choose a sword as my weapon because it would be easy to chop people up.
What is one thing that you would change if you could go back in time?
I’d go back to freshman year volleyball and be more confident/not listen to what people said.
What superpower would you want to have?
Either ultimate knowledge or to be invisible.
Favorites:
Class - Art
Prof - Prof Lau or Prof Weis
Bible Passage - Jeremiah 29:11
Coffee Drink - The Sweet and Salty from 7Brew
Food - Ranch
Where do you see Mykah Mueller in 10 years?
Joanna - Still addicted to Dr Pepper and coffee. She will be a teacher, probably living down South where she spends her free time at the beach.
Niyah - I see Mykah working in a small CLC school as a teacher. She will also probably have 1 or 2 cute little dogs, and her most amazing sister ever will come over and take care of them sometimes.
How to Get Involved
Ever feel bored around campus? Ever wondering where all your friends went when you are sitting around doing nothing? The answer to both these problems is extracurricular activities. If you figure out your schedule correctly, you should be able to never be bored, while still having plenty of free time and time to do homework.
There is a huge variety of stuff to do on campus outside of school. Obviously, you can get involved in sports if you’re feeling athletic, but you don’t necessarily have to play to be involved. You could also be a manager for one of the teams, get involved with the scoreboard or book, or you could get up into the broadcasting booth and join the club up there. There’s also the option to join up with the pep band to perform at home games if you know how to play an instrument, or you can just show up to join the student section and support the team.
There’s more to do than just sports, though. If you are feeling an interest in flexing your creative muscles, you could write an article for the Flash, help work on Crossroads or the Lance, or join the theater crew. The Flash, Crossroads, and Lance are all digital publications that you can use to find out more about what happened over the year, and who all you went to school with. Meanwhile, the theater group is always welcoming to new additions. You could audition for a spot in the play or musical when they are open. But even if you don’t get a spot, it’s never too late to join the sound crew, lights crew, backstage team, or do some set work as needed. They can always use more people. But even if your schedule is too full to get involved, it still doesn’t hurt to come by and at least watch their performances to show some support.
We aren’t done yet, though. If you have any sort of interest in keeping events at the school running and keeping others involved, there are a few groups for that as well. Activities Committee is always a good opportunity if you are interested in parties, formal, or any other student-organized events that may come up throughout the year. It really gives you a good feel for just how much happens around the school, and it’s an easy way to make student life more positive for everybody. Other options include the Miniclass Committee for seniors and Banquet Committee for juniors. While these groups are a bit more exclusive, limited to just a single class, they are both groups that get hard at work making sure specific occasions go well. It takes a lot of work to do what these groups do, and they are deserving of a certain amount of respect. Another thing that comes around for the upperclassmen is Visitors Day organization. This is a good way to do outreach for incoming students who may be interested in what all can happen around campus.
If you are interested in something else, there are options such as robotics, student council, and tour choir to get involved in. These are all decent options to at least try to get involved in if you don’t really see yourself doing anything else. As you can see, there are plenty of opportunities to do different things around campus, and it never hurts to try something new. Get involved, and you will feel so much more accomplished on campus, knowing that you are a part of something bigger than yourself.
Meet the Directors
L: Lizzie
E: Ellie (Director #1)
G: Grant (Director #2)
L: Why did you choose The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe for this year's play?
E: We were thinking about all the different plays, and I was listing all the ones that didn’t have music, and we both really liked that one. We went to Prof Gullerud and asked to do it. He told us a story about The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
L: What themes do you think are most important in this play?
G: It’s about Jesus!
E: JESUS! *Raises arms to the Lord*
G: It tells the story of Jesus in a way that children can understand.
L: So far, what has been the biggest challenge in directing?
E: Him
G: ME!?? NO, choosing the cast!
G: And the speech.
E: Yeah, the speech was difficult; I worked so hard on that speech.
L: What speech?
E: He had to talk in front of a bunch of people.
G: Yeah, at chapel. That's nearly 200 people!
L: You said about 10 words.
G: So? It was still 200 people; and it was videoed!
E: Yeah, it was scary.
L: What has working together taught you?
E: Grant doesn’t do much.
G: Heyyy, I was gonna say something really nice!
E: He has really good ideas, but he just tells them to me instead of the cast.
G: I don’t like talking to the cast. I feel like I’m gonna say something wrong.
G: Suckers are good.
E: Yeah, suckers are good.
L: What inspired you to be a director?
G: Plays were a big part of our high school life, and now we are getting to teach new high schoolers what we learned.
E: Grant teaches me everything!
L: If you could be any character in the play, who would you be?
E: Actually, the elf is my favorite character. I love him so much! Just the way he acts is so sarcastic and just hilarious; he’s actually my favorite.
G: Aslan. IDK. Just because he’s the main character.
L: Grant’s main character moment.
E: Grant just wants to be Jesus, I guess.
L: How do you handle disagreements?
G: I just do whatever she says, and enforce the rules she says.
E: No, you don’t, you don’t talk to the cast.
L: How do you divide responsibilities between the two of you?
G: I do all the public stuff; she does all the stuff with the cast.
E: And you find all the music!
L: Was there a specific scene that was difficult to stage?
E: I hate the crucifixion scene. It’s supposed to be so emotional, but in the scene it’s just like, “MUZZLE HIM,” and I know that all the girls are gonna die, because no one can keep a straight face.
L: How are you balancing play work and school work?
E: I do all my homework during school, and my play stuff during school.
G: I just go to practice and have no free time for the rest of my life.
E: Oh yeah. No free time. That’s the balance there.
L: Which character do you relate to the most?
G: Mr. Beaver; he appreciates the lesser things.
L: He’s just a weird guy. *Cue crazy beaver noises*
E: PETER, PETER IS MY FAVORITE CHARACTER PETER. PETER PEVENSIE IS THE BEST CHARACTER ON THE PLANET.
L: What advice would you give underclassmen who want to get involved in theater?
E: Try out!
G: Yeah, pretty much.
E: Come to tryouts; don’t be scared.
G: YOU GET SUCKERS!!!
L: What is something you didn’t expect from directing?
E: I didn’t think casting was going to be as hard as it was. I thought it was going to be very clear who the people should be. It was not.
G: That’s what I was gonna say.
L: *INTENSE FIVE MINUTE YAP SESH*
G: Ok, we’re getting off topic.
What to Do on Valentine’s Day If You’re Single
February 14 rolls around and you don’t have a Valentine!?! What are you going to do? Well, good for you, because you don’t need a Valentine to do Valentine’s Day activities. You can be as single as a Pringle and still have fun!
You can get some ice cream and eat it… alone. You could watch a movie… alone. You can go on a picnic… alone. You could get a whole cake and eat it… alone.
Just kidding, go celebrate Valentine's Day with friends (who aren’t already busy), it's more fun anyways. And if you don’t have friends or they're all busy, try something new! Go get a massage, bake some cookies, or just go to the movies. In conclusion, Valentine's Day isn’t just meant for couples. Even if you’re super single, you can still have fun. Happy Valentine's Dayyyyy!!!!!!
-Magdalene Seibel
Weird Things Heard Around Campus
“Ice, ice, Nolan. Ice is nice, except to Nolan.”
“Have you seen my knees? They’re adorable.”
“I think you have my hair… I think you have my soul.”
“We’re going to the boy aquarium!”
"Spiders don't bother me because I'm Spiderman."
"So if we threw you at the wall you would stick."
"Stop segregating my lunch tray!"
"Being tall is not a talent; being tall is a genetic mutation."
"The pope is not the leader of the CLC."
"Beatings are called child abuse; spankings on the other hand are called ‘dad wins.’"
“Sometimes piracy is just the answer.”
And some from the profs… And maybe Henry…
“I’d never shoot you. I’d strangle you instead.”
“They didn’t send me my dead frogs?”
“If you were dormed you wouldn’t even get water!”
“I will strike you!”
“Your mom has a… really strange voice.”
"Slaves, slaves, more slaves!"
"You should be gazing into my eyes, Mr. Zimmerman."
"The worm is turning."
"Open up, Buttercup."
"I'd like to just drive it right off a cliff."
"I'm gonna reach in there and rip your ribs out of your body!"
"I will rip your arms off and beat you to death with them!"
"It was my New Year's resolution to have a filter."
"I want to meet the person who lifts those 125 lbs. dumbbells. With my luck it would be this little guy who would pick them up and just walk away with them." (continues to rant about the most amazing thing at the Sonnetag facility - the 125 lbs. dumbbells)
"Jerry, are you lifting 125 lbs. dumbbells? Simeon? You lifting those 5 lbs. dumbbells?"(keeps ranting for 20 minutes)
"I just prayed, ‘Lord, please let me someday to lift those 125 lbs. dumbbells.’"
"I would need to take every supplement known to man! Creatine, Protein, I would work out every single day."
Teacher’s Pet . . . Peeves
In the last issue I shared my angst with drivers who are either too fast or too slow. In this issue I want to discuss a peeve closer to home. In fact, it is right in front of our noses - mucous. What about mucous could possibly peeve me?
To be blunt, I do not like the sound of snot being forced back into the passages from whence it came. I must confess that I had a child that struggled with the concept of blowing his/her nose when the child was in pre-school. Try as we might as parents, our child would only suck in rather than blow out when a tissue was placed on his/her nose. By the time this child entered kindergarten, it was no longer an issue, and now as an adult, this person doesn’t appear to show any evidence of permanent damage.
Although this sound bothers me on an individual level, it is compounded in a classroom of 30 during cold season. I even considered making an audio recording of what I hear while the class is taking a test. Sucking, snorting, sneezing, slurping - that is what I hear! This vacuumous sound begins to give me the willies. I begin to taste their mucous in my mouth and have a hard time -gulp- swallowing myself. A part of me wants to shout from the rooftops: BLOW YOUR NOSE, ALREADY!!! How did you miss out on learning this common courtesy in your childhood?
In my classroom I respect a good noseblow. You come up to the front of the room in front of your peers, grab a few tissues, assume an athletic position, engage your core strength, and let ‘er rip. Mucous being freed from the body is so much more fulfilling than that going in the opposite direction. I almost get a vicarious sense of satisfaction from this event. Are you with me on this?
There are a few other peeves associated with mucous that I should address in this article. They include:
1. Those who put minimal ab work into their blow. They are too dainty and accomplish very little. They are quiet, but highly unproductive. Because of this, they need to be repeated often.
2. Those who blow for show. These people enjoy the spotlight, like getting up and walking around during class, but really do not deserve the attention they receive. They blow their noses even when they don’t need to. Noseblower wanna-bes.
3. Those who re-use a tissue. They refold it in such a way as to maximize clean pockets of fabric, similar to an origami artist. Normally, I’m all about cost-saving, but this goes too far, even for me.
4. Those who use handkerchiefs to blow their nose, often using the same one for days without it being laundered. I think this ancient tradition is right up there with washable cloth diapers. Both I’m guessing were part of my childhood.
5. Parents (especially mothers) who grab whatever is in their purse to have a child blow into. This might be a used Kleenex, a baby wipe, a tissue with lipstick stains, a grocery receipt . . . you get the idea.
Fun fact: Mucous can be spelled either with or without the “o.” (mucous or mucus) Who knew?
There you have it - mucho-mucous. Snot my best work, but nothing to sneeze at either.
Senior Spotlight: Evalin Hammett
Z: Zara Wales
E: Evalin Hammett
Z: Where and when were you born?
E: Watertown, South Dakota, on November 8, 2007.
Z: How would you describe yourself in three words?
E: Ummm, I wouldn’t!
(Dulton says: That’s three words!)
Z: What activities or groups have you been involved in during high school?
E: Leave It Better, Miniclass Committee, Band, Basketball, Track, and Soccer.
Z: What has been your favorite high school memory so far?
E: Maybe the Ice Skating Miniclass last year; that was fun.
Z: What class or teacher made the biggest impact on you?
E: Prof. Weis is really nice, and Chemistry class was probably the most fun.
(Dulton says: There’s no way you just said that. I would’ve said English 10 because we did nothing.)
Z: What is one thing you definitely won’t miss about high school?
E: Probably just the really strict schedule, and the phone rule, and the water bottle rule.
(Dulton says: Keep going, let it all out. *lots of laughing*)
Z: What advice would you give freshmen?
E: DO TRACK!!
Z: What has been your biggest challenge during high school?
E: Basketball, just kidding!!!!!
Z: If you could relive one moment from high school, what would it be?
E: Ohh, the Senior Sunrise.
Z: What are your plans after graduation?
E: I’m going to study biochemistry and maybe go to pharmacy school after, and I don’t know what school I’m going to go to. Oh! And I’m going to study abroad in Spain.
Z: What are you most excited about after high school?
E: College, I guess.
Z: What’s the best compliment you’ve ever received?
E: I’m trying to think of, like, weird compliments. *Turns to Dulton* Can you think of anything? *They both laugh really hard* Oh! It was “I like your bracelet!”
Z: What’s your best pick-up line?
E: (Dulton says: I wanna hear this. I’ve never heard you say a pickup line.) Oh! Do you believe in love at first sight, or should I walk through again?
Z: If you were stranded on an island, which three people would you bring and why?
E: Ohhh, this is so hard. I would bring Grace, Madi, and Becky, because they’re my friends!!! :))))) (Becky says she would catch all the starfish and build a raft out of a palm tree.)
Z: How do you want people to remember you when you graduate?
E: I don’t really care if they remember me. Wait, uhhh, that I love Jesus!
Favorites:
Bible Verse: Isaiah 43:2
Professor: Prof. Weis or Dr. Dan
Color: Pink
Food: Blueberry pancakes
Sport: Track and Field
Hobby: Paddleboarding with my sister
Season: Summer
Freshman: Zara Wales
Sophomore: I guess my brother… Landon Hammett
Junior: Savannah, Anna, Aurora, and Alex
Senior: All of my friends!!!
Crazy Cold Records
In honor of the cold snap that happened in January and just winter in general, here’s a list of fun facts about low temperatures.
Trees can “explode” in rapidly dropping temperatures. When the sap freezes, it expands and splits the bark, creating a sudden noise that sounds like a gunshot.
The coldest recorded temperature in Wisconsin is -55 degrees Fahrenheit. This occurred in a village called Couderay and this temp was reached on both February 2 and 4 of 1996.
Wood Frogs, found in the Northern U.S. and Canada, have the unique ability to be frozen solid in the winter and thaw in the spring with no harm done. You should try this out for yourself. Lemme know how it goes! :)
The movie “Frozen” does not take place in the winter.
The largest snowflake ever recorded was a whopping 15 inches in diameter. While this was a result of smaller crystals clumping together and not fully considered a singular snowflake by skeptics, it’s still pretty impressive.
Throughout the year, the earth is closest to the sun in early January.
If you boil water and throw it into the air when the temperature is around -20 degrees Fahrenheit or lower, the water will evaporate into steam followed by a rapid condensation of the droplets into ice crystals. The water is essentially becoming a cloud and it looks really cool if you ever wanna try it sometime (I’m being serious this time, lol).
Thundersnow is a phenomenon during which a thunderstorm is accompanied by snowfall and sometimes even hail. While it is a rare occurrence, the most common places to find it include the Great Lakes region and the midwestern United States.
-By Aurora Willitz
Where Did the Heart Symbol Come From?
Have you ever wondered how the heart icon came around? It’s not even anatomically accurate, so why does it represent one of our most important organs, and why is its use connected with love? I have thought about this before, so now you're gonna hear about what I found!
It was in the Middle Ages that artists began to depict love as a heart. But because they didn't really know anatomy, they had to come up with a simple shape. So they took inspiration from the shape of ivy leaves and the seedpods of Silphium plants (now extinct) to come up with the shape we see and use today.
Originally, because the medieval anatomists described the heart as an inverted cone, the shape was upside down from the version we have today, kinda like a pinecone.
The first book to use the heart symbol was, Roman de la poire, (Romance of the Pear). Also, medieval playing cards had the heart replace the chalice suit, which helped to make it more popular.
-Magdalene Seibel
MEET THE FRESHMAN DOUBLE
D - D HH Kelly
Z - Zara Wales
L - Liam Morrison
D - Where are you from?
Z - Maple Grove, Minnesota
L - Eau Claire, Wisconsin
D - What are some of your favorite things to do?
Z - Buying Fugglers and playing Crossy Road
Z - He likes to sit around and eat
L - (Be a chud)
D - How did you two meet?
Z - We were at basketball tournaments, and one of his threes hit the ceiling, and I laughed at him and he got really mad.
L - I do not remember this…
D - What are your thoughts about dating as a freshman?
Z - Uhhhhh
L - Uhhhhh
D - What is something interesting about the other person?
Z - He writes with his left hand, but he does everything else with his right hand.
L - She can move her elbow really weird.
D - What is a fuggler?
Z - It’s a magical being that brings goodwill and happiness to all.
L - It’s a voodoo doll.
D - If you were stranded on a desert island, and you could bring one person, who would you bring?
Z - My dad
L - Mark Zuckerberg
D - Who is your favorite prof?
Z - I like Prof. Rodebaugh
L - Prof. Lau
D - W Liam
D - What would you rate your ILC experience so far on a scale from 1 - 10?
Z - 9 Because the sports are fun, and the classes are nice.
L - 9.5For certain reasons.
Soccer: The Superior Sport
Dedicated to Prof Sippert - the best coach a player could ask for
I’m currently writing this because I can’t sleep. This topic has been on my mind for quite some time. I’ve often been teased about why I like soccer so much. I don’t think anybody has any bad intentions in doing this, but it does get on my nerves sometimes. Usually when people ask me why soccer is the best sport, I usually say something stupid like “it just is,” and I’m tired of giving that zero brain response. So in this article, I’m going to defend my case once and for all.
First of all, soccer is my favorite sport because of nostalgia. I was raised on a soccer field. From the week I was born, my parents took me to my sisters’ games, and by the time I was two, I was already kicking a ball around on the sidelines while they played. Most of my favorite childhood memories have to do with soccer. This argument is fine, but not perfect. Anybody can say a sport is their favorite because it’s the one they grew up playing. I’ll have to go deeper.
Soccer is a beautiful sport because it is incredibly simple. It’s the easiest sport to explain to a 3 year old. You kick the ball into the other team’s goal, most goals wins. In contrast, explaining baseball would sound something like this: you hit a ball with a bat and then you try to make it all the way around the bases without getting out, most runs wins. Soccer is more accessible than any other sport. So many objects can serve as a soccer ball. What objects can you think of that can serve as a hockey stick, baseball glove, or tennis racket? probably not as many.
You may have noticed that the NFL likes to change rules every year. One year they change kickoffs, the next year they change extra points. Did you know that the goal post actually used to be at the front of the endzone? My point is that rules are changing in football all the time. This is because football has many flaws. If you watch an NFL game from the 1950’s, it will likely look a lot different from today’s game. On the other hand, if you watch a soccer game from the 1950’s, it will look very similar to if you watched a soccer game today. This is because soccer makes sense just the way it is. There’s no need for it to improve.
Despite soccer being incredibly simple, it is so complex tactically. In my eyes, what makes a good sport is one that is so easy to play, but yet so hard to master. As expressed earlier, a very young child can easily understand soccer, but it takes decades to see the game like a professional. Soccer has way more variety in positions and playing styles than other sports. In sports like baseball and football, there are restrictions to how many players can play each position. In soccer, managers are free to play people wherever they want to. This allows for more tactically intriguing matchups.
Soccer is the best sport because it requires no natural physical advantages. Lionel Messi is 5 foot 7 and weighs 148 pounds, and he can still be the greatest player of all time. No matter how hard you work or how skilled you are, some people just can’t be an NBA center. Some people just can’t be an NFL linebacker. God just doesn’t give everybody a body that’s capable of that. On the other hand, I believe that any able bodied individual is capable of becoming the greatest soccer player of all time, at any position. Soccer is open to everybody!
Soccer is great because it is a complete team sport. I think you would all agree that the quarterback is the most important position in football. You’d also probably agree that the point guard is the most important position in basketball. When it comes to soccer, the question is a lot more debated. Some would say the strikers, because they get the big bucks for putting the ball in the goal. Some would say the goalkeepers, because of their unique role and vocal leadership. Some would say the central midfielders, because they’re the closest to the action. My point is that the roles of soccer players are more balanced than in other sports.
Soccer is the best because there are no timeouts. If a team has a second half breakdown, they have to find a way to figure it out on their own. They can’t just call a timeout and have the coach yell in their faces. Players have to be at an insane level of fitness to play a full 90 minutes at their best. Another great benefit of no timeouts is that there are very few TV commercials. An argument I often hear is that soccer players flop like crazy. Most of the time when soccer players delay getting up, it is because they are catching their breath. I have an experiment for you. Go outside and run around like crazy for 30 minutes. Then have your friend trip you over. Do you really think you’re going to get up right away? I didn’t think so.
This is going to sound crazy so brace yourself. I like soccer because it has ties. I know. I said it. Sue me! Think about it this way. If neither team is able to win during the allotted time that they’re supposed to, does either team really deserve to win? Ties are not stupid. They show character. I have seen many times where teams have fought back from many goals down, and when they tie the game they celebrate like they won. Would you really want that team to lose because of a stupid overtime?
Another common argument against soccer is that there is not enough scoring. Did you know that an MLB game averages less home runs than a soccer game does goals? An NFL game only averages slightly more touchdowns. Soccer games last shorter than football and baseball games, so goals in soccer actually happen a lot more per minute. Some people assume that nothing happens in soccer when goals aren’t being scored. Actually, something’s happening for a whole 90 minutes. Did you know that the total amount of time the football is in play during a game is only about 12-15 minutes? People spend hours every Sunday staring in front of their TV for 12-15 minutes of action! Absolutely stupid!
I think I’ve just hit a breaking point. My face is starting to become red with rage. I will try to remain calm. Soccer is the greatest sport because it unites the planet. Its entertainment never gets old. New tactics are always being developed. World class goals are scored week after week. Just do me a favor and look up on Youtube some of the greatest goals ever scored. You will be more amazed than you ever would be watching a walk off homerun, hail Mary throw, or even a half court buzzer beater. The beauty of soccer still amazes me even after playing my whole life. When I step on the pitch, I feel closer to God. I truly believe that soccer is a special gift from God. All of the world plays soccer, and all of the world needs to hear the gospel of Jesus Christ. Are you seeing the connection yet? Soccer is the evangelist’s dream.
I have a quote to share with you from a former professional soccer coach. It goes like this: “Some people believe football (soccer) is a matter of life and death, I am very disappointed with that attitude. I can assure you it is much, much more important than that.” My dream for this school is that it appreciates what has meant so much to me and billions of people around the world. The World Cup is coming to our country this summer! Soccer is going to be here, and you won’t be able to avoid it any longer. The beautiful game is calling. Are you willing to answer?