Here is the latest installment of news from the staff of The Plainsman at Belle Plaine High School:

A reminder to seniors
This is your friendly reminder that senior photos and baby photos are due now. If you would like to be in the yearbook please get your photo turned into Mrs. Maxwell, Dawn Stull, or the yearbook staff immediately. You must turn in four photos all together. If you have questions about this please contact the office. If you need to make arrangements to have your photo taken by a yearbook staff member let us know, we can arrange this. We would like to have everyone in the yearbook, so please get us your photo as soon as possible. Thanks!!

Belle Plaine High School Graduation Requirements

By Dakota Hamilton

Belle Plaine High School like all other high schools has mandatory requirements in order for a senior to graduate. BPHS requires 47 total credits…35 academic credits and 12 elective credits.
A BPHS student must have the following….

Number of credits Class Number of credits Class

2 English I 1 Government
2 English II 1 Economics
2 English III 6 Math
1 English IV 1 Health
2 Physical Science 1 Speech
2 Biology 1 Word Processing
2 Science Elective 1 Fine Arts
(art, band, choir, music history)
2 American History 2 Technical
(Industrial Tech, Computer, Family and Consumer Science)
2 World History 4 Physical Education/Conditioning
12 Electives

Some students may take upper level classes that also earn college credit and count toward a BPHS diploma credit…such as Advanced Composition.
It is important to take school serious and pass all your classes so you can graduate with your class in four years, and go on to be successful in college, the military, or with a full-time job. Working towards your BPHS diploma will take you in the right direction.

Blood Drive

By Alexis Farr

Many people like to help others. One invaluable way to help others in by donating blood.
Belle Plaine High School will be hosting a Blood Drive on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 from 11:00 A.M. until 5:00 P.M. in the high school gymnasium.
Student Council members will be hosting this event. Their duties will include: greeting people, serving goodies after people have donated, and helping out at the donation table transporting the blood products to the proper place.
If you are sixteen years old, with your parent’s permission, you may donate. Seventeen years old and older do not need their parent’s permission. All students will need a photo ID.
There are many opportunities to serve others. Donating blood saves many lives; please take the time to donate when given the opportunity.

BP Boys’ Golf and Track Begin

By Zach Clement

With wrestling and basketball over, Belle Plaine athletes start golf and track & field.
The boys’ golf team is coming off a good season winning twelve meets last year and losing three and tying one. The BP Boys’ Golf Team also got second at conference and third at sectionals. The team will have a new golf coach this year, Brad Allen. The golf team lost graduating seniors Ben Novak, William Pierce, and Paul Grieder from last years season.
The Belle Plaine Boys’ Track & Field Team also had a strong season last year, winning conference and sending five events to state. Those five events were the shuttle hurdle relay that placed second; distance medley the placed 10th; 4X100 meter relay that placed 13th; the 100 meter dash ran by Brian Crow who placed 15th; the 110 meter high hurdles ran by Tate DeMeulenaere who placed 19th. The BPHS Track & Field Team lost graduating seniors: Tyler Brandt, Colton Miller, Myles Kelly, Wes Spading, Tate DeMeulenaere, Davis Coover, and Rich DeFauw.
With the BP Boys’ Golf and Track seasons beginning, make sure you go out and hopefully enjoy the weather, and support the athletes during the new 2010 season.

Cooking Class
By Timothy Muench

There are several skills students should know before they graduate. One of these skills is cooking.
Belle Plaine High School offers several cooking classes for students to take. Creative Life Skills is the first class a student must pass to be able to experience Foods I and Foods II. Creative Life Skills class taught by Leah Mast explains how to follow a recipe, cook or bake, clean up, do dishes, and how to be safe in the kitchen. Students should know where to keep ingredients and how to use cooking tools, which is also practiced in the class. It is clearly essential to know how to follow the recipe and work an oven correctly.
Creative Life Skills, Foods I, and Foods II are excellent classes to learn and have fun too.

Extended School Days
As we all know the wonderful winter we have had has undoubtedly caused several delays and cancellations at not only Belle Plaine Community Schools but schools all over the state of Iowa.
Due to the many snow day cancellations Belle Plaine students and staff will be going to school an additional 30 minutes every day beginning on March 8th until the end of the school year. Therefore, the school day will now end at 3:40 p.m. With the extended school day students and staff will be making up the missed school days due to the nasty winter weather. BP students and staff have made up two snow days already with the ones that were built into the calendar.
The last day of school for Belle Plaine students is scheduled for May 27, 2010. Let us hope that we don’t have any further snow days. We know that everyone likes a day off, but remember the more snow days the less summer break one has.

Daily news from the counseling office
THE 2010 CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE COMPETITION was a heated race at BPHS. Overall 81% of all BPHS students were represented either by themselves or a parent/guardian at conferences.
All students and parents in attendance need to be congratulated for actively participating in their education and looking forward to a successful future. Participating members of the class with the highest percentage of attendance (the student and/or parent) were issued 5% coupons to use on an upcoming test/assignment/quiz of their choice. Here are the grade-by-grade results:
4th Place Sophomores 70%
3rd Place Juniors 80%
2nd Place Freshmen 81%
1st Place Seniors 89%
If you were unable to attend your student’s conference, please feel free to contact your student’s advisor or myself to review his/her academic standing and receive valuable information about all opportunities awaiting your student. We look forward to continued communication with students and their parents!
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Benton Mutual Insurance Association is offering a $500 scholarship to seniors whose parents/guardians are policyholders of Benton Mutual Insurance. See Miss Daily for the application. The deadline to apply is April 1st.
CONGRATS TO ANDREA LOHF. She’s a state finalist for Zinch’s $20,000 Sweet Diggity Dawg Scholarship…AND NOW SHE NEEDS YOUR VOTES. Go to http://www.zinch.com/voting/Regionals.aspx and help Andrea advance to the next round. PLEASE VOTE TODAY!!!! Voting ends March 7th.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants is the national professional organization for CPAs in the US. They offer several scholarship programs for undergraduate students interested in careers in business and accounting. Eligibility & criteria are available online at www.aicpa.org/aec. There are a variety of deadlines.

GREAT SOURCE OF COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID & SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION…can be found at www.needalift.org. It’s 132 page publication from the American Legion that’s free to download. It’s filled with great easy-to-understand chapters on the in’s & out’s of financial aid. The national scholarships start on page 29 and the Iowa-specific scholarships start on page 37. Check it out—BUT PLEASE DO NOT PRINT THESE 132 PAGES AT SCHOOL!!!

OPPORTUNITY for ALL BPHS STUDENTS: Iowa State University’s GO! Magazine invites all students and teachers to participate in their online scavenger hunt! The Iowa school with the highest percentage of students, school faculty/staff, and parents participating will win a $100 Amazon gift card for their school. Plus up to 20 Iowa students will win Go! T-shirts for answering correctly. The scavenger hunt is free! You don’t have to subscribe to this online magazine—but it is a free subscription if you want it! Go to http://www.go-explore-trans.org/2010/feb/puzzle_dept.cfm. to participate.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: JANICE M. SCOTT MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP…Mrs. Scott was killed during one of the three attacks by terrorists on the morning of September 11, 2001. She was among the 125 individuals who perished in the Pentagon when terrorists crashed American Airlines Flight 77 into the building of the Pentagon. In honor of Mrs. Scott’s commitment to the children of her community, the family created the Janice M. Scott Memorial Scholarship Fund in October 2001.
The selection process of these scholarships is based primarily on a “need” basis. The process involves four means of evaluation. 1. need; 2. academics; 3. community services; and 4. writing skills.
Application materials must be received or postmarked on or before the deadline date of March 31st, 2010. See Miss Daily for the application.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Iowa School of Beauty (nearest location is Marshalltown) is awarding two $2500 scholarships to 2 graduating seniors at Belle Plaine High School. They offer programs in cosmetology, massage therapy, esthetics, nail technology, and instructor training. Go to www.iowaschoolofbeauty.com for more information.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Salon Professional Academy in Ames, Iowa, is awarding one $3000 to a student from our high school. Current seniors can follow these 4 easy steps before March 31st, 2010 to apply: 1.) Apply to the academy; 2.) Fill out a high school scholarship application, 3.) Visit and complete a tour of the Academy; 4.) Submit your high school transcript. See Miss Daily for the scholarship application.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Grinnell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary is awarding five $1000 scholarships to students pursuing an education in the healthcare field and who live in the GRMC service area. All application materials are due March 5th. You can find the application at www.grmc.us.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Iowa Schools Buildings and Grounds Association (ISBGA) is offering scholarships of $500 to $1500 to children or legal dependents of its members who are college-bound. See Miss Daily if your parent is a member of the ISBGA. Application materials are due May 1st.

The importance of the food pyramid

By Franky Gallardo

Are you health conscious? Can you identify the major food groups? If you can’t, you are not alone. Many students today are not concerned about the major food groups.
In asking ten students at Belle Plaine High School if they were health conscious enough to pay attention to the food pyramid daily, they weren’t. Students tend to choose quick, fast, and convenient foods when they are hungry. In school students like to eat ala-carte instead of the school lunch. Ala-carte does not have a lot of nutritional value, and it costs more too.
Mrs. Obama is pushing for schools to serve healthier meals to kids. She wants to remove all sugar items from school menus. Students, however, will just go home and eat whatever they want. For this reason, it would be a great idea to educate parents on great food choices. Parents can then pass this information on to their children.
In order to change student attitudes about healthy eating, it is going to take a lot of work, not only at school but also at home. Knowing about the food pyramid is just one of the many steps. The food pyramid provides people with the daily servings of each food group. According to the school of public health the servings of food that apply today are as follows:
2-3 = Meat, Poultry, Fish, Dry Beans, Eggs, Nuts
2-3 = Milk, Yogurt, Cheese
2-4 = Fruits
3-5 = Vegetables
6-11 = Grains
Trying to eat a well-balanced meal is healthy and satisfying. Being aware of the daily servings is important for growth and nutrition.

School Lunch
By Gage Rupp

Lots and lots of the students around the school feel that the school lunches provided here at Belle Plaine High School are not very satisfying. A few people have said it reminds them of detention lunch. Several of the lunch tables complain about the food. There is not enough time to eat your lunch and relax and it also doesn’t taste good.
School lunches need to be satisfying if you expect us to sit through eight classes all day long and not complain about it. Also students learn more when they are fed healthy and satisfying meals, so far we have not met those standards and that needs to change.
If you were a new kid at the school coming from a lot bigger school you would feel as though there are no choices. In the high schools in Cedar Rapids there is more than one lunch line and they serve, Chinese food, Subway, Pizza Hut, main line, and alternate line, so it’s a lot different coming from that point of view. It would be nice if the school would make the lunches a little bit better then there is a good chance the students here at Belle Plaine High School would have a better learning environment.
Hopefully the students and staff will see an improvement in school lunches at Belle Plaine in the future with the new school and improvements…it wouldn’t hurt. If you are a parent or community member eat the school lunches for about week, and also try the ranch and you may see why there needs to be a change.

Spring is Near
By Matt O’Brien

The first day of spring is March 20th. The entire United States will be anxious for this day. It has been a long and stressful winter for all.
Spring will be very welcomed this year! Between the snow melting and the spring rains, all the activities and special events will start. Seniors will be looking forward to helping with the service learning projects, their senior trip, the last day of school, preparing for graduation, and being a 2010 graduate. Fishermen are excited for spring to be able to put a fishing pole into the water. Mushroom lovers will be out in the woods looking for the mushrooms.
Spring is right around the corner…March 20th.

Dealing with a New School
By Jessie Peterson

There are a lot of challenges when a student has to move to a new school especially moving from another state or from a large school to a small school and vice versa. You have to worry about finding friends, fitting in, new teachers, getting used to a new school system, and starting over.
The classes that a student may have taken at a previous school may be a lot different from the ones that they have to take at a new school. A class may be more difficult. A class taken as a freshman at one school may be taken as a junior at the new school. There may be more students in a classroom. For example the class size may be different too. At a larger school, a student could have had a class of 30 to 40 students and in a smaller school a class size may be anywhere from five to 30. At a large school the student to staff ration is larger so students don’t get as much one-on-one or small group help.
Other changes may involve class length, periods per day, a block schedule, or trimester vs. semester. Eight period days have many classes which mean more homework and less time to do it in the class where the teacher has assigned work. Block scheduling means a class like PE, Foods, Science, Technical, or even math classes would have time to do what they need to do without having to worry about running out of time. Block scheduling also allowed for more critical thinking, discussions, lab time, and more time to get help on homework or even finish the work.
At a large school the lunches are a big difference because a student has more choices and/or open campus, which for kids is a really good thing. At a small school the choices are minimal and there is no open campus.
At a small school a student has a chance to get to know the entire class and maybe even a majority of the high school population. Whereas at a large school a student may only get to know a circle of friends and acquaintances; there are people you see everyday but never get a chance to know them. In a large school, there are people that you may graduate with and not even recognize.
There are a lot of things to compare and contrast when dealing with moving and/or between large and small schools. The most important thing to remember is to be social, meet new people, and don’t get discouraged.

New Students
By Mia Beck

BPHS would like to welcome two new student to Belle Plaine High School…Gage Rupp, a sophomore, and Teddi Workman, a freshman.
When asked how they like Belle Plaine High School each answered as follows.
Gage Rupp, “I am still getting used to it. My cousins go to school here, so that’s a plus. I’ve always been a pretty good student, hopefully that won’t change.”
Teddi Workman, “The staff and some of the rules are different, but I am adjusting.”
It’s always nice to see new faces in the halls of BPHS. Make sure you make the new student feel welcome and get to know them better.

Students of the Month for January and February
By Jessica Landuyt

Every month the faculty selects one student who has excelled in his/her classroom. This award is given in recognition for the student’s hard work in the classroom. The students of the month for January are as follows:

Math-Christina Brake; English-Brett Hampton; Science-Emily Coover; Social Studies-Dani Chilcote; Business-Dawn Phelps; Family & Consumer Science-Tim Muench; Spanish-Mitch Jacobi; German-Andrew Raue; Physical Education-James Johnson; Art-Kyle Janss; Music-Dani Coover; and AG-Chris Breja.

The students of the month for February are as follows:
Math-Blake Eberhart; English-Cody Trealoff; Science-Curry Drahos; Social Studies-Kellie Freemen; Business-Bailey Gorsch; Family & Consumer Science-Zakk Buch; Spanish-Breanna Robertson; German-Alyssa Frimml; Physical Education-Franky Gallardo; Art-Mikayla Mason; Music-Stephan Muench; and AG- Austin Beck.
Those were the students of the month for January and February. Congratulations and keep up the hard work. Make sure you keep reading. Be sure to watch for the students of the month for March.

Here is the latest installment of the Plainsman Page, from Belle Plaine High School:

21st Century Jobs
By Trey Gerard

The economy is constantly changing, and it is more difficult to get a job now-a-days. Employers look for a variety of skills, but they notice your level of education the most.
Some of the skills employers look for are: basic, technical, organizational, and company specific skills. Some basic skills include reading, writing, and computation. Technical skills involve working with computers, telecommunications, and manufacturing technologies. Organizational skills involve customer interactions, communication, and problem-solving, being creative and self management. Company specific skills are skills and knowledge that are constantly changing especially abilities in technology, products, and services.
The most needed jobs for the 21st century are in healthcare, technology, business and professional services, and public services. Healthcare jobs include administration, nursing, physical health, dentistry, and mental health. Technology jobs that are available include biotechnology, engineering, and information technology. Business and professional service jobs are financial services, human resources, law, communications, public relations, sales and marketing, and food services. Public service jobs include social services, education, state and local government jobs.

The top ten highest paid professions…
1. Surgeon ($181,250)
2. Anesthesiologist ($174,810)
3. Obstetrician & Gynecologist ($171,810)
4. Orthodontists ($163,410)
5. Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon ($160,000)
6. General Internist ($156,550)
7. Psychiatrist ($146,150)
8. Prosthodontist ($146,150)
9. Family Physician ($140,370)
10. Chief Executive Officer ($140,210)

All of these occupations require a high school diploma as well as a higher level of education beyond a four year college or university. That is why it is so important to take education seriously, especially if you want to earn a lot of money.

Aquatic Center
By Justin Coshow

As you all know Belle Plaine is getting a new aquatic center. Some people have wondered about what is going on with this whole situation. Joel Formanek is the Belle Plaine Recreational Director and he is going to answer the questions for the people that want to know.
Will the new Belle Plaine Aquatic Center be open on time?
“The plan is to have it open May 28th as long as the weather and construction cooperates with the plans we have this spring.”

HOURS:
1-7 regular swimming
Wednesday Family Nights 7-9 P.M.
Adult Lap Swimming 12-1 P.M.
Swimming Lessons 10-12 A.M.

What features will it have?
“There will be the Large Flume Slide. A one meter and three meter diving boards, a zero depth entry with a kids slide and floor geysers. Five twenty-five meter lap lanes. It will also have a renovated bath house with a larger concessions area.”
How much will it cost?
“The daily pass would be $3.50 for ages 4-adult and $2 for toddlers (3-0).”
“Family season passes would cost $90 if purchased before June 1st or $100 after that date. This is for the in town residents. Out of town residents will cost $100 if purchased before June 1st or $110 after.”
“Single season passes for Belle Plaine residents cost $65 if purchased before June 1st or $75 after. The cost for out of town residents would be $75 before June 1st or $85 after.”
Many people from the community and surrounding communities are looking forward to the new and improved Belle Plaine Aquatic Center. It will be a refreshing addition to the city of Belle Plaine.

Attention Seniors

This is your friendly reminder that senior photos and baby photos are due now. If you would like to be in the yearbook please get your photo turned into Mrs. Maxwell, Dawn Stull, or the yearbook staff immediately. You must turn in four photos all together. If you have questions about this please contact the office. If you need to make arrangements to have your photo taken by a yearbook staff member let us know, we can arrange this. We would like to have everyone in the yearbook, so please get us your photo as soon as possible. Thanks!!

Boys Basketball Update
By Kaleb Gorsch

The Belle Plaine Boy’s Varsity Basketball Team has had a rollercoaster season thus far. With an 8-10 record to this point, they are looking for wins in two of the next three games at home bringing them into the SICL Conference Tournament.
The upcoming game against Sigourney on Friday, February 12, at home looks to be promising as the Plainsmen were able to pull out a win at their house earlier in the season. Due to weather the team will be playing two rescheduled games against Iowa Valley and HLV, those dates are yet to be announced.
The Plainsmen senior John Long is having a tough year. Long was out with a sprained ankle while the Plainsmen struggled against Keota and resulting in a loss. Senior Chris Janss has had a promising season. This season Janss has scored 222 points averaging 12.3 points per game. Starting point guard, Ben Ehlen, a junior, leads the team in total points per game, 14.1, and overall points, 254.
With this season winding down the boys are gaining momentum going into this year’s tournament play. With all their starters healthy and ready to go, these games promise to be an exciting end to the season.

Helping Haiti
By: Paige Wiese

After the tragic earthquake that brought Haiti to pieces, there are many people trying to do what they can to help. We have people in Belle Plaine making a difference too. The extra change in your pocket can help.
Hannah McLennan, 10, in 4th grade made posters and hung them around the schools and around the community. She also made boxes that are set up around Belle Plaine in places like Grieders, Country Foods, the banks, Dollar General, the bowling alley, New 2 You, the pharmacy, and many more places.
Hannah will be collecting until the end of February. So far she has collected about $1000.00. She will make sure to get everything to the Red Cross, so it can get to Haiti. Here is what Hanna said, “Thank you all for helping, every dollar counts.”
It would be greatly appreciated if you would stop by one of the places listed above and drop off some spare change. Remember all the donations are going to be picked up at the end of February. Please Help Hannah Help Haiti!

Belle Plaine Basketball
By Logan Baburek

Belle Plaine Boys’ Basketball is having a decent year so far. They have won six games and are hoping for another win Friday night. Their six wins are to Montezuma, Victor, Marengo, Tri-County, Sigourney, and North Mahaska. Friday night they play Tri- County for the second time and are looking for another win.
They are coming off of two hard losses against Lynnville-Sully and Keota. Both of those teams are tied for first in the S.I.C.L. Conference. A game against a team they have already have beaten is what they need to get back up on the feet, so they are prepared for the rest of the season and for districts.
There is a week and a half left of regular season of boys’ high school basketball before teams have to start worrying about districts. The first round of districts will be played on Monday, February 15. Belle Plaine will be playing Mid-Prairie in their first round of districts. Go out and cheer them on for the first round of districts because the fans help get the players pumped up, so they can win the first round and advance to the next.

Musical Impact
By: Melissa Stull

The way that music impacts teens around the world is spectacular. Music is a way for teens to connect with similar stories of other people. Also, music is a way of getting out feelings and stories, whether they are sad or happy. Different genres of music attract different personalities of people. The question is what would the world be like without music?
Have you ever thought about a life without music? It would be different. Some of the most famous people are famous because of music. Music describes everything; even our country has a song! I believe that many teens resort to music as an escape because it is a calming way to forget stress of school, sports, and other academics. We are surrounded by music, yet most people don’t realize the great impact it has on our everyday mental, physical, and spiritual health. “Music should strike fire from the heart of man, and bring tears from the eyes of woman.” –Ludwig van Beethoven
“Where words fail, music speaks” –Unknown
Listen to a little more music in your day; it could lift so much off of your shoulders! Music is not only a way of expressing yourself; it has become a part of history.

New Class Offered at BPHS
By Philip Farr

A new one credit elective class during 2nd semester at Belle Plaine High School is Novels taught by Mrs. Maxwell. It is available to all students especially those who enjoy reading.
The novels and authors that will be introduced are…
• The Red Pony by John Steinbeck
• One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest by Ken Kesey
• In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
• A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer
• Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
• Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
• The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

The students will be reading these classic and well-known novels. The class consists of a small group of students, who will need to read frequently and make it a daily habit. The students will learn about the novels and authors, while participating in class discussions, assignments, projects, and papers.
Novels is a class for students who enjoy reading, but also for the student who wants to read more as well as learn about the authors. Novels will be a great addition to BPHS, and a great way to earn one elective credit out of the 12 total elective credits needed to graduate.

St. Patrick’s Day
By Dustin Drexler

St. Patrick’s Day takes place each year on March 17th, which is the traditional feast day and anniversary of Saint Patrick’s death. The Irish from all over the world have observed this day as a religious holiday for over a thousand years.
The first St. Patrick’s Day Parade actually took place in New York City back on March 17th, 1762. Today, this parade is the world’s oldest civilian parade and the largest in the United States with over 150,000 participants. This parade takes over five hours to watch with nearly three million people who line the one-and-a-half mile parade route.
In the United States there are 36.5 million Americans who register as Irish. Irish is the nation’s second most frequently reported ancestry trailing only behind those with German ancestry. Two of the more popular Irish customs are the wearing green and eating Irish food. The wearing of green is actually a United States custom, as the color green is actually considered unlucky in Ireland. The color green is connected to the old green flag and a time when Ireland was not free.
With March 17th just over a month away remember to show your Irish ancestry and wear green.

State Wrestling Nears
By: Tony Jones

The 2010 Traditional State wrestling tournament is nearing once again! Belle Plaine fans are encouraged to support the team in Des Moines in the upcoming days.
Belle Plaine will be wrestling on Thursday, February 18th, at 9:00 in the morning. This will be first round matches and first round consolation matches. On Friday 1A will wrestle at 9:00 o’clock again for quarterfinals and second round consolation matches. Class 1A will also Friday night beginning at 6:30 for semifinals, third round consolations, and consolation semifinals. Saturday, the final day, will include two sessions.
Consolation finals will be held at 12:00, and finals will be held at 6:00. Final festivities begin at 5:45 at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. We hope the continued success of Belle Plaine wrestling and our strong fan support can carry over once again!

Super Bowl XLIV
By Tyler Striegel

On Sunday, February, 7th at 5:30 p.m. in Miami, Florida the opening kick-off started Super Bowl XLIV. The match-up was between the AFC Conference Champions the Indianapolis Colts and NFC Conference Champions the New Orleans Saints.
This Super Bowl was one of the greatest quarterback match-ups in Super Bowl history. The game started off and the Saints won the coin toss and elected to receive. In their first possession, they went three-and-out and had to punt. The Colts’ offense took the field for the first time, and they marched down the field and kicked a 38-yard field goal. Later in the first quarter, the Saints punted and got the Colts to the four-yard line, but the Colts wouldn’t let that stop them, and they scored a 96 yard touchdown. That tied a NFL Super Bowl drive for the longest play. In the second quarter, the Saints’ kicker would kick a 46 and 44 yard field goal; at the half the score would be 10-6 Colts. In the third quarter, Drew Brees would throw a 16-yard pass to Pierre Thomas, and the Saints would take the lead 13-10. Later in that quarter, the Colts would answer with a Joseph Addai four-yard touchdown run. At the end of the quarter, the Saints’ kicker would make a 47-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, is when the Saints would really turn it on and scored touchdowns twice; one by a 74-yard interception by Tracy Porter and a two-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Shockey. The New Orleans Saints would win the super bowl by a score of 31-17.
It was the first Super Bowl win by the Saints. The win is memorable and a new start for the town of New Orleans.

Surviving Single
By: Jessica Landuyt

As we grow up and graduate high school, we all have experiences that we hadn’t been taught about. Now for seniors at Belle Plaine High School, there is a class to help teach important lessons students will use throughout their lives. This class is surviving single. Surviving single is taught by Leah Mast, home economics teacher.
Many of you may be wondering what could be taught in this class that students will use. Ms. Mast’s goals for this class are to teach the students how to live off a budget, use a checkbook, and cook. The biggest project in the class is where the students simulate living and working in Chicago. Ms. Mast gives each student a different job with a salary or hourly wage and college debt. Then the students have to live on the salary or hourly wage given to them. They have to find an apartment and figure out their monthly budget. On April 9th and 10th, Ms. Mast and a few chaperones will take her surviving singles class to Chicago to experience the big city.
For Belle Plaine High School seniors, surviving single is a great class for them to take. Going through the class, they learn many things that will help them through college and life after college.

By Marlee Schminke

Every month the faculty selects one student who has excelled in his/her classroom. This award is given in recognition for the student’s hard work in the classroom. The students of the month for November are as follows:
Math-Jamie Johnson; English-Jessica Landuyt; Science- Rokco Rhoades; Social Studies-Julie Long; Business-Dillon McGrane; Family & Consumer Science-Abby Lohf; Spanish-Brayden Morrow; German- Emily Mast; Physical Education- Dakota Hamilton; Art-Cheyenne Robison; Music-Behre Bartlett; and AG-Kaleb Gorsch.
The students of the month for December are as follows:
Math-Chris Janss; English-Brianna Lucas; Science- Mason Stull; Social Studies-Jack O’Brien; Business- Ryan DeRycke; Family & Consumer Science-Brittany Uhl; Spanish-Joy Cronbaugh; German- Bryce Buckley; Physical Education- Jon Juett; Art-Katie Croft; Music-Andrea Lohf; and AG-Josh VanHamme.
Those were the students of the month for November and December. Congratulations and keep up the hard work. Make sure you keep reading. Be sure to watch for the students of the month for January.

November students of the month.

December students of the month.

By Christina Brake

All high school students need to do their best if they are pushing to get into a good college.
Even though maintaining good grades, ACT scores, and extracurricular activities are important during a student’s four years of high school, seniors need to push themselves to get the best grades possible and participate in activities they enjoy if they want to graduate gloriously.
In order to graduate, a student needs more than a good grade point average (GPA) and the acknowledgement of participating in activities, at Belle Plaine High School a student also needs 35 academic credits and 12 elective credits, adding up to 47 total credits. Doing all of your homework, studying for tests and quizzes, having good attendance and a positive attitude will help achieve those 47 credits.
At Belle Plaine High School a student must pass the following academic credits to graduate: seven credits of English, six credits in math, four PE or Physical Conditioning; two credits of the following: physical science, biology, science elective, world history, American history and technical (industrial tech, family & consumer science, computer); one credit in…government, economics, fine arts (band, choir, art), health, word processing and 12 elective credits. Elective credits should be focused around the area at which the student is considering as a future occupation or trade.
Miss Daily does an excellent job meeting with all Belle Plaine High School students at the end of the year or beginning to iron out schedules and check on credit status and four-year plans. Make sure each Belle Plaine High School student is aware of the importance of transcripts, so each individual can stay on the right track and have a successful future.

Goodbye 2009, and hello 2010!! Second quarter midterms were recently published; they’re a good indication of your student’s current status. The second semester will end on Friday, January 15th. This much-needed Christmas vacation will be a great opportunity to celebrate the season, spend time with friends and family, and start preparing for those semester tests!
The Class of 2010 has nearly finished seven out of the eight semesters of their entire high school experience! Flipping the calendar to January should bring much more intensity to finalizing those college decisions and applying for a wide variety of scholarships. Remember—it’s your future. Plan it wisely!
2nd SEMESTER SCHEDULES…are now 99% finalized. The only changes made now will reflect class numbers that are recommended for best instruction. Thanks for getting to Miss Daily’s office and making the necessary changes.
CULTURAL LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE…Buena Vista is hosting its 10th annual Cultural Leadership Conference from April 8th-11th. If you are from a diverse ethnic background and would like to consider attending this exciting and inspiring conference, please see Miss Daily for an application. You must have a 2.5 GPA and write a 300 word essay to be considered. All expenses will be paid for you. Application deadline is Friday, February 19th.
ATTENTION THOSE JUNIORS who took the PSAT…don’t forget to access My College Quickstart. It’s a great online tool that’s free for you to use!
JUNIORS WHO ARE CONSIDERING PLAYING COLLEGE ATHLETICS…Now is the time to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Follow these steps: 1) Log into the Eligibility Center’s new website at www.eligibilitycenter.org. 2) Select the “Fall 2010 or After” icon. 3) Select the “New Account” tab at the top of the screen; and 4) Begin the registration process. See Miss Daily for more information.
ATTENTION 2nd SEMESTER ACADEMIC MENTORS: Please pick up your permission slips from the blue folder on Miss Daily’s door. These must be returned by Tuesday, December 22nd.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The First Friday Breakfast Club is awarding six $2500 scholarships to high school seniors who have significantly participated in efforts to increase awareness and tolerance of gay and lesbian issues and reduce homophobia in his or her school and/or community. See Miss Daily for an application. Application materials must be postmarked no later than March 31, 2010.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Benton County American Legion Auxiliary Merit Award will be given to a resident of Benton County or child of an American Legion member, or Auxiliary, or Veteran. Anyone wishing to apply will be considered, but Legion, Auxiliary, or Veteran’s children will have priority. Candidates must write a letter of application, enclose 2 written personal references, a recommendation from the school administration, and complete the application from Miss Daily’s office. Applications must be submitted to the local unit by March 15th. See Miss Daily for more information.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Dr. Seuss’ Oh, the Places You’ll Go Scholarship recognizes high school seniors who understand and value the limitless possibilities that education can offer with a scholarship award. One $5000 scholarship will be awarded based upon your essay submission. Deadline is February 15th, 2010.

By Kaleb Gorsch

Belle Plaine High School Speech competition is instructed and led by Paula Mengler. Mrs. Mengler has been the Speech coach for many years. When interviewed this is what she had to say…
Why have you chosen to be the speech coach?
“I was involved in speech in high school, and I like to be interactive with kids outside of the classroom.”
What kind of speech groups were you involved in during high school?
“Large group, individual, acting, and radio announcing”
Have you ever placed in competitions?
“Yes, a couple of the students were chosen to go to all-state in acting and story telling.”
How do you choose a piece for speech?
“By the personalities of the students”
How many member do you have involved in speech and what types of competition are they involved in?
“Coral Reading: Mallory Brandt, Laura Breja, Katie Pierce, Laura Johnson, Bailey Gorsch, Emily Mast, Meghan Miller, Hope Kriegel, Mikayla Mason, Nikki Miller, Dani Coover, and Stephen Muench. Reader’s Theatre: Meghan Miller, Laura Breja, Katie Pierce, Ariel Hawkins, and Emily Mast. Improv: Brandon Viall, Ryan Rupp, Ben Sayers, Dillon McGrane, and Kaleb Gorsch. Radio Broadcasting: undecided.”
When and where will they perform?
“January 23, 2010 at Grinnell High School”
Speech is a great thing to get involved in because you get to use your imagination and be creative. Coach Mengler is an energetic instructor that encourages the students and has a great time while coaching. She constructs fun activities and everyone gets along well. Wish the speech competitors good luck before the big day in January.

By Dakota Hamilton

The Student Body President of Belle Plaine High School is Tony Jones. Upon interviewing Mr. Jones, this is what he had to say…
What changes have you made for the BP student body?
“We have been in the working stages of organizing a dance and fundraising for the high school, in which that would be used for a new item. I also have tried changing lunches and field trips both in which will not be capable to being changed.”
Do you have any other plans for the year?
“We are searching for fundraising ideas to broaden our funds. I would also like a guest speaker and a surprise for the student body.”
Have you fulfilled any of your promises?
“I would say I have done a good job in trying to do my tasks. There are a lot of things that must be changed for lunch, which will not work. The school budget cuts also shut down any hope of field trips.”
What are your responsibilities as BPHS Student Body President?
“Fundraise, lead student voices, and be a role model to the student body.”
What is the purpose of student council?
“To make our school a better place as well as teaching students involved in student council leadership skills for the future.”
What is it like being the BPHS Student Body President?
“It’s a role of leadership I have to acknowledge. Being a role model for our school is a big deal. It’s also a learning time for me as well.”
Do you like being the Student Body President of BPHS? Why?
“I enjoy it…it’s a lot of work. I enjoy working for the school by representing the student body.”
Hopefully Tony Jones can keep up the good work here at Belle Plaine High School. As Belle Plaine’s Student Body President the goal should always be to improve the school and the student morale as well as represent the Plainsmen proudly.

By Jessie Peterson

Belle Plaine is a small community with limited types of food to eat. Belle Plaine students have a variety of tastes and have voiced their opinions on what they prefer.
The most popular choice among high school students is pizza. The second choice was steak. Other foods mentioned were hamburgers, spaghetti, seafood, Chinese, ribs, fruit, chicken, chocolate, ice cream, and bacon. Popular restaurants or fast food joints include: Ryan’s Steakhouse, Olive Garden, Applebee’s, Texas Road House, Red Lobster, Subway, Pizza Hut, Buffalo Wild Wings, and McDonald’s.
When a select few were asked, “What new eatery do you think we should get in Belle Plaine?” They responded…Chinese, Mexican, McDonald’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, or a place that serves more healthy meals.
For now the people of Belle Plaine have to travel 15 to 30 miles if they have a craving for something different. It would be nice to have more of a choice when eating out, but until there is a population boom, Belle Plaine students will have to be satisfied with what they already have.

By Breanna Robertson

Facebook is probably the most popular websites where a person can chat with just about anyone. Not only can you chat, but also download pictures, videos, and basically keep a day to day journal of your life so the people on your “friends” list can be updated. Facebook has become so popular that there are currently over 250 million Facebook users as of July 2009. Around a half of a million join each day.
Mark Zuckerberg is the creator and owner of Facebook as well as the youngest billionaire currently alive. The global social network has been up and running since 2004.
30 million “Facebookers” update their profile daily. The average Facebook user is online about 21 minutes per day and visits the site at least four times per day. One billion pictures are uploaded monthly. Out of the over 250 million Facebook accounts, 6 million are high school students from the United States. 85% of college students have a Facebook account.
If Facebook hasn’t made it onto your computer or into your home, find out more at www.facebook.com/about.php or join at www.facebook.com/facebook.

By: Jessica Landuyt

What is one thing everyone always runs out of? Time. There may be 24 hours in a day, but it always seems like we never have enough time. People get busy and lose track of time and forget about the people close to them. But one thing we are looking for is a way to keep in touch with loved ones without losing too much time. Facebook and Myspace have become ways for people to keep in touch and even reunite with old friends and family members.
Facebook has become one of the most used sites ever. Over 200 million people use Facebook. Facebook was created for people to stay in touch, meet new people, and find old friends and family. To use Facebook you have to go to www.facebook.com and create an account. After creating an account, you can search for friends and family and add them as your friend. To new users, Facebook may be confusing, but it is easy to figure out. If you have troubles, there are helpful hints and you can even find answers using the FAQ’s. Now, if you are interested in getting a Facebook account you must go to www.facebook.com and in the center of the page is where it all begins. You type in your information and follow the rest of the directions. Just like every site, there are positives and negatives. Some of the positives would be being able to meet new people, finding old friends and family, and keeping in touch. But there is one big negative to the Facebook world. It becomes another way for sex predators and cyber bullying to occur. This may be some reasons parents don’t allow their children to get a Facebook account, but you also have to remember there are a lot of other sites out there that allow these things to occur. As a parent, you just have to make sure your children know what can occur on the Internet and to be careful.
For many people, Facebook is a way to keep in touch and for others it’s to meet new people. Facebook is there for anyone and everyone’s enjoyment. Just make sure your children know the dangers of the Internet and keep everyone safe from the negatives.