“This was the best yearbook that we’ve had in out four years.”  stated senior Jaycie Allison.  “They focused the book around the seniors and the things that we would want to remember.  I as a senior felt special.”

With special senior highlights through out the book, seniors were recognized for the things that have been accomplished through out school.  It was the first book that has put that much focus on the outgoing senior class.

“It was cool this year because I was a senior, and when i got up there they had my yearbook ready.”  Stated Senior Jenny Gabrelcik .  “I didn’t have to wait in line or anything.”

The tatanka yearbook staff this year made sure that seniors were catered too during the yearbook distribution day.  With no line for receiving a yearbook, the seniors felt like they were truly appreciated. 

“It was cool because I got my yearbook really fast.”  Stated senior Rian Anderson.  “I wasn’t even down the PAC steps and they were like ‘Rian Anderson’ and I had my yearbook.  It was sweet.”

With senior year coming to an end, the class of 2009 prepare themselves to say goodbye to the things that they have come familar with.  The 2009 school year ended with a sucessful yearbook, aswell as a yearbook distribution day, and satisfied seniors.

With the constant use of cell phones among the students, teachers often feel disrespected.  If a student got their cell phone taken away this year, it wasn’t a big deal.  Teachers either placed the captured device safely in their desk till the end of the day, or sometimes even just until the end of class.  And other teachers would simply ask students to put their phones away, or even just ignore the fact that their students where texting in the first place.    Nobody had the right to look through the phones, because of the rights of the student that it belonged to.

 However, next year will not be the same.  If a student gets their phone taken away during school, it will be given to an administrator, who has the right to search the phone completely due to the high levels of text bullying and what is now being called “sexting”, where students send disturbing pictures, and text messages to each other.  The student will no longer be able to wait till the end of the day to go and receive their phone, or get it at the end of class.  The students parents will actually have to come into school and get their child’s phone for them.

“I think that they administrators shouldn’t be able to search through our phones,”  Stated Junior Paul Rankin.  “If its my phone that my parents got for me, then they shouldn’t be able to invade my privacy with out my permission.  Texting is not a crime, i should have to go through all of the.  Give me a warning and I’ll put it away, its as simple as that.”

It’s a new school year, with new rules.  Some students are thankful for the change, and others are outraged.  What will be next for change in the 2009-2010 school year…

    “My entire senior year has been the best part of high school,” stated senior Chantel Purrier “I’ve got to spend time with people that I’ve know for years.  And feeling connected though things like the last football game, the last homecoming, all of the last things that we would do in high school, would be done together.”

  The girls will be learning 4 BHS cheers, and some basic cheerleading skills that will be needed for the tryout.   The will be three different squads that they girls can try out for.  They can also tryout for more then one squad.  There is Varsity fall cheerleading, Winter cheerleading, and competition squad.  The fall cheerleaders can have up to 16 girls on the squad, and will travel to all football games home, and away, including all post-season games.  The winter cheerleaders can have up to 12 girls on the squad, and will cheer at all home boys basketball games, and all post-season basketball games.  The competition squad can have up to 20 members, grades 7th through 12th.  The competition squad will compete  in 5-8 local competions and a national cheeleading compeition is eligable.  This squad is designed for cheerleaders who are ready to test their skills, and push themselves as far as they can go. 

Along with the demand of tryouts, the girls that are fortunate to make the teams will be apearing at local events through out the summer.  They will be handing out programs at the buffalo parade, and they will be proforming at the Hanover and Montrose parade later in the summer. 

Look for your new 2009-2010 cheerleading squad around Buffalo, and other Wright County events this summer, and next fall.  Help them cheer on the Buffalo High School teams.  Show your support, hope to see you at the games!

If you have any dresses laying around, feel free to drop them off at the Community ED office located at Discovery Elementary school.  You will decide how much your dress is going to be sold for, and you will also recieve the money for the dresses that you sell.   You can also find out more information at the district web site, and click on Community Ed to find the “Promtique” link.

“I believe that you are an amazing class, and that you all truly deserve your senior privileges,” Principal Mark Mischke stated at the senior breakfast last Friday.  “I’ve met with some of you in my office this year, or during the summer. We’ve talked about integrity, and honor, and I think that this class holds both of those close to them.”

When the underclassmen are taking their MCA tests this April, seniors will be at home in the morning for the two hours of the day.  Seniors also get the opportunity to have senior appreciation day, on May 2nd to help them prepare for senior prom.  However, these are privileges not rights of the senior class, and with privileges come rules.

“We don’t have many rules when it comes to senior privileges, but the few that we have, we expect you all to follow.”  Assistant Principal Matthew Lubben also stated at the senior breakfast last Friday.  “Don’t try and sneak underclassmen out on school with you, don’t loiter in the parking lot, if you lose your pass bring $1.00 to the office and you will receive a new pass the next day, and always go to the north entrance when leaving school because that’s where we will be checking passes, and that’s the only place that you will be allowed to leave.”

Today marks the start of senior privileges.  If seniors don’t present their parent permission slips to principals today at lunch, they won’t be receiving their passes till they do so.  With spring coming up fast, prom nearing and graduation on the way, the Principals hope that the senior class will handle their privileges responsibly without any issues.

As valentines day approaches most students focus on significant others, and finding that perfect valentines gift.  However, the Students Stepping Up group focuses on something else.  With the thoughts of former student Sam Munoz, still close to students hearts, the group decided to sell Hershey’s Hugs and Kisses to raise money to perches a memorial bench in honor of his passing.

“Losing a student is always hard, but the loss of Sam was harder then anyone could have ever prepared for,” said sophomore Devon Navarra. “Sam was somebody that everybody knew.  And if you didn’t know him personally, you knew his sister, or knew of his big hair or rosy cheeks.  I can’t think of putting my money towards anything other then this bench.”

The SSU students plan on placing the bench at the Bentfield Mills in Buffalo in honor of Sam.

“It will be nice to be able to go out to the fields, the place where Sam loved to be and see that bench in his honor,” said Senior Jaycie Allison “Everyone, forever will be able to see the impact that Sam had on so many people in the short, but well lived life that he had.”

The students will be selling Hugs and Kisses at lunch Monday through Thursday this week.  The Hugs and Kisses will be distributed on Friday.  Check back on Monday of next week to see just how much money the Students Stepping up program raised.

“I’m the coach for the speech team at Mankato” said Mike Wilson “and we had our levy fail last year and speech was on the chopping block to get cut.  But the school gave us the opportunity to raise money to save our program.  Let the parents and the kids try and raise money before anything drastic is done.”

More than 40 Students at Buffalo High School, and Buffalo Middle school attended the board meeting last week on January 26 to show there support for the school sports being considered to get cut.

“I was apart of the boys swimming team from the day that it started” said Buffalo High School graduate of 08′ Brandon Brophy “This sport means a lot to me, my family, and the kids and parents of the program.  And i can honestly tell you that i went into the sport as a boy, but i can out of it as a young man.”

The school board will be continuing to discuss the fate for the Drumline, speech, Alpine Ski, Nordic Ski, Danceline and Boys’ Swimming and Diving teams for the 2009-2010 school year at their next meeting on February 23.