Gaughan tried out to play for the Alexandria Blizzards on May 3 and got drafted by them. Getting drafted means they are interested in you, and they take your rights, and that means no other team can have you.  If you are one of the first picks you are most likely going to make the team. To officially make the team Gaughan has to go to the teams main camp on August 2nd-4th to show the coaches he can play well and his the way he plays is consistent. The people that attend this camp are all the draft picks and all of the players from the previous year who are still eligible.

Tryggeseth was the first draft pick for the Alaska Avalanche team. To make the team for sure his main camp will be in Andover on July 23rd- 25th.  When asked why he wants to do this instead of go to college Tryggeseth said, “to be successful in hockey you kind of have to play Juniors if you are not already good enough to play Division l hockey right after high school.”

The Blizzards and the Avalanche are both Tier ll Junior A teams. The highest level is USHL , which would be Tier I and then one step down from that is Tier II Junior A, which is what the boys are playing in. The boys are working out and preparing for the journey they are about to begin.

Macalena was the 9th grade volleyball coach for 3 years, and was the assistant varsity coach for 2 years. She was also the JV softball coach for 3 years and is now the assistant varsity coach for the softball team.

Although she has never been a head coach for any team she has a really confident and positive attitude about it.

“I am excited for the opportunity and really excited to work with the nice kids,” she said.

A head coaching job can be more stressful and nerve racking at times but Macalena is up for the challenge. One of her strategies for next year is to make sure the girls have fun and are not worried about making mistakes.

“Sports are not fun when you play scared,” said Macalena.

The 2009 volleyball team had a record of 12-15 and they also lost 4 Seniors- Shelby Quady, Nicole Spier, Sasha Valenchenko and Veronica Archibeque.

For those who don’t know what becoming an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts means, it is actually a very big accomplishment. You have to have a total of 21 merit badges. To earn a merit badge you have to do certain tasks like cooking or starting a fire. Boy scouts has a lot to do with skills.

“Because of Boy Scouts I have learned a lot of things, and I have met some of my best friends. I like how there are all different kinds of people in it,” said McMillan.

After earning all of the merit badges to become an Eagle Scout the boys have to do one last service project. For McMillan’s service project he decided to make a jump at Powder Ridge.

When McMillan turns 18 on August 5 he is not allowed to participate in any more activities.

“Some people who are Eagle Scouts have ceremonies, but I think I will just leave and not really make a big deal,” said McMillan.

“We really wanted to get them back for making that lucky shot last year, but they played a good game and ended up winning. There is nothing we can do about it now,” said Senior Captain Aaron Duske.

After this season the boys will lose 6 Seniors. Three of the seniors, Aaron Duske, Brent Kettenacker, and Erik Starr have been apart of 3 Conference Championships, and have played in 2 section finals games. This season they ended up having another good record, 20-7. Although they never made it to State they still accomplished a lot over the years.

community is welcome to participate.

The chosen book for this year is The Latehomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir by Minnesota author Kao Kalia Yang. It is a Hmong family memoir involving families searching for a place to call their home. Hmong families moved from Laos to refugee camps in Thailand and then made their way to the United States. Few of the stories of their journey have been told, and Yang’s novel is one of the first to tell about the Hmong experience.

This is the fifth year the Community Book Read has taken place. Each book is chosen by a committee of teachers, and the discussion itself is led by students in CIS: Introduction to Literature.

“It’s a good opportunity for the class because so much of what they learn is in discussion,” said English teacher Denise Wahlin-Fiskum.

There will also be a presentation by Yang and by Cultures United in the Performing Arts Center.

“You get a new perspective on a book when you hear the author speak, especially since this is a memoir,” said Wahlin-Fiskum. “It’s not fiction, it’s her life – her family’s life – and it’s so moving. I’ve ended up in tears both times hearing of her experiences, good and bad. It’s really something to hear it in her own words. Rarely do you have that opportunity.”

Copies of The Lathomecomer: A Hmong Family Memoir are available in the library for anyone who wishes to participate in the discussion.

By Kristin Jeske and Caroline Persons

Rumors circluated throughout the halls. Yes, it was true – school would be dismissed early! At 12:30 on Monday students were having a hard time getting out of the parking lot.

With the excitement of an early dismissal came some adjustments. All evening activities were canceled, and a band concert was rescheduled for next Monday, February 15. For some activities, lost practice time was a cause of stress. For the girls and boys basketball teams, the lack of practice did not negatively affect their games.

The decision to close, delay or dismiss early is made by Director of Teaching & Learning Pam Miller, Director of Finance & Operations Chuck Klaassen, and Superintendent James Bauck. Klaassen consults with the county snow plow supervisor, city staff, and bus company management to determine road conditions and often inspects roads firsthand. County and city law enforcement are also contacted about road conditions, and Miller checks the weather forecasts.

This process began at 4:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning and the decision to delay school was made at 5:30 a.m.