If you are in the midst of spring cleaning and have come across some sensitive documents you no longer need, MidWestOne Bank is offering a way to destroy them in a secure manner.
Starting Monday, April 19, for one week, you may take those documents to the bank, up to three grocery-sized bags per person, for free shredding.
The offer is made for all MidWestOne locations across the state and is an effort to protect the security of the public and prevent identity theft.

Here is the latest installment of Belle Plaine High School’s Plainsman Page:

2010 NFL Draft
By: Lori MacTaggart

When football players graduate from college or get drafted, and they’re good, they look to the National Football League (NFL) draft to play for an NFL team. The players go to the NFL combine to workout for other teams to show them what they can do.
Mel Kiper is most known for creating a mock draft closest to the real one. Mel Kiper’s mock draft is starting with Ndamukong Suh, the number one pick, from Nebraska going to the St. Louis Rams. Number two pick is Gerald McCoy from Oklahoma, who is predicted to go to the Detroit Lions. Number three pick is to go to Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Eric Berry from Tennessee. Sam Bradford is from Oklahoma, the number four pick, assumed to go to the Washington Redskins, and number five is Russell Okung from Oklahoma State predicted to go to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Round one is set to begin on April 22nd at 7:30 p.m., round two is on April 23rd at 6:30, and round three is April 24th at 10 a.m. They normally take a really long time to pick the players. This is a big deal, eventually these athletes will be paid millions of dollars to play for the NFL if the predictions are correct. The draft will be at the Music City Hall in downtown New York City.
The NFL draft is fast approaching; many NFL fans are getting excited and can’t wait for it to come. The fans want to know what players will be playing for their teams already! Even though Mel Kiper’s predictions are usually close, no one knows for sure where they will end up.

DAILY NEWS FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE
MARCH MADNESS!!! Congratulations to the seniors who have been cranking out those scholarship applications! The majority of the race is over, but keep your eyes open for some late breaking opportunities. Hopefully, your diligent efforts will pay off at Senior Awards Night!
SERVICE LEARNING DAY 2010 will be Thursday, April 29th. Each advisor group is planning an afternoon of community service. You’ll see the Plainsmen planting flowers, cleaning the parks, mulching trees, etc, etc, etc. This is a great way to help give back to a community that gives so much to us! More information will be posted soon.
SENIORS: Please contact Miss Daily regarding any scholarships you have received that you’d like to be recognized for at our Senior Awards Night. This includes scholarships awarded directly from your potential college. We want to celebrate your achievements!
KIRKWOOD PSEO ANYTIME ANYWHERE CLASSES. If you’re currently taking a Kirkwood Class, please monitor your deadlines closely. Avoid any temptation to procrastinate! There’s no time to waste when establishing a good grade!
2010-2011 SCHEDULING is underway! By April 15th, all freshmen, sophomores, and juniors should be registered for next year’s classes. Finish this year strong and look forward to next year’s opportunities! See Miss Daily if you have any questions.
SUCCESS IN COLLEGE was the name of the presentation given by Shay from the Iowa College Access Network on Thursday, April 8th. He shared valuable insight with our college-bound seniors. Topics ranged from interpreting your financial aid award letter, to expectations of college classes, and overall money management. We really appreciate all the services ICAN provides for our Plainsmen!
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE JUNIORS who have submitted application materials to attend the National Council on Youth Leadership in the fall. You’ll soon find out if you’ve been selected for this great honor!
CONGRATS TO Kyle Janss, Connor Roth, Abby Lohf, Danielle Coover, and Scott Croft for grabbing a great leadership opportunity! The Belle Plaine Rotary will select one Belle Plaine High School Junior to attend a week long leadership conference in Wisconsin. It’s the 2010 World Affairs Seminar!!! It will be held June 26th through July 2nd. Good luck to all candidates!
SENIORS: Have you submitted your application for the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship? You must have at least a 2.5 GPA and have completed your FAFSA? You access the application through Ihaveaplaniowa.org. The sooner you apply, the more likely you are to receive consideration!!! There’s no time to waste. Be sure to check out this website for other leads on scholarships and sources of financial aid.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: Leo H. Grether Memorial Scholarship of $1000 will be awarded to a student graduating from an Iowa high school. You must be enrolling in college as a vocal music major. Deadline to apply is April 15th. Go to http://www.ihsma.org/document/grether.pdf for application details.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY. The Robert D. Blue Scholarship is available at https://www.rdblue.org/application/. Each applicant is scored upon their high school GPA, financial need, references, and their essay. Recommendations 10%, Academic Performance 20%, Essay 25%, and Financial Need 45%. Only online applications are accepted. Deadline is May 10th.
SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY: The Iowa Association of Building Officials is sponsoring $500 scholarships for students attending or planning to attend one of the colleges on this list to major in the designated program:
DMACC—Architectural Technologies or Building Trades
Iowa State—Architecture or Construction Engineering
Iowa Western Community College—Architectural Engineering Technology
Kirkwood—Architectural/Construction Technology
Simpson College—Pre-Engineering
Southeastern Community College—Construction Technology
University of Northern Iowa—Construction Management
Western Iowa Technical Community College—Design and Drafting Technology
***And they will consider other schools or curricula that have similar 2 to 4 year programs.
See Miss Daily for an application and the mailing address. Deadline to apply is May 24th.
ATTENTION JUNIORS: The Wendy’s High School Heisman Application is now open!! To apply you must have at least a B average (3.0) and be in one of the 27 school-sponsored sports listed on the website. Applications aren’t due until October 3rd, 2010—but there’s no reason to wait! One male and one female will be chosen as 1st round winners from BPHS. Go to www.wendyshighschoolheisman.com/ and get your application started today!
ATTENTION JUNIORS: Leonard Boswell, United States Congressman, is accepting applications for admissions to the United States Military Academies. He can nominate up to 10 students. Interested students should contact Mr. Boswell’s Des Moines office so a file can be initiated. All required items must be received in his office by September 30th, 2010. So JUNIORS—you must start the process now!!!
If you’d like more information, Mr. Boswell will be hosting a Service Academy Meeting on Saturday, April 17th from 9:00-10:30 a.m. at 300 East Locust Street in Des Moines.
If you have questions, contact Ted Tran at 1-888-432-1984. For more information, you can also go to www.boswell.house.gov.
ATTENTION JUNIORS: Are you interested in attending college and then serving our country??? The Air Force ROTC would like you to consider attending the University of Iowa, Coe College, or Iowa State through an ROTC Scholarship. The benefits are endless! Scholarship applications should be filled out in May of your Junior Year—so you have to think ahead!!! See Miss Daily for more information.
INTERESTED IN A CAREER IN BIOLOGY? The Biology Department at the University of Iowa is hosting a National Lab Day event, Biology Research Exploration Day, on April 24th. If you’re interested in scientific research, this is an excellent opportunity for you. See Miss Daily to get registered for this event!
EASTER EGG HUNT HELPERS! A hearty thanks is extended to the high school students who helped at Belle Plaine’s Annual Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 3rd at Franklin Park. Please remember to have Miss Daily verify your silver cord hours before April 15th.
KNOW THE CODE…The Dress Code! Temperatures are rising…which means some of you have begun wearing your spring and summer clothes. PLEASE REMEMBER to adhere to our dress code. Check your shorts to make sure they are not too short and check your tops to make sure they are not too revealing. If in doubt, don’t wear them! Anyone wearing clothes in violation of our appropriate expectations will be asked to change—so keep some extra gym clothes on hand!

Being Healthy!
By: Jana Miller

Doesn’t everyone want to live a long and healthy life? Well, for some teens that isn’t the situation. There is an increasing rate of obesity among growing teenagers. There is no time like the present to make lifestyle changes.
Some teens are addicted to food, like some people are addicted to drugs. Some obese people see food as a drug. There is a show called “True Life” on the television channel MTV. This show has introduced two obese kids who let cameras follow them around to show people difficulties of being obese. “True Life” shows how obese people have many struggles to live through the day.
Obesity can cause many health problems. There are chances of harming your heart by clogging the arteries with what is eaten daily. If people don’t start to watch what they eat then they will have high chances of heart attacks and other bodily problems. Diabetes is very likely to happen when teens are obese. Some other effects of obesity can be emotional. Some children who are obese might have social problems and could be very unhappy. Strokes, high blood pressure, and some forms of cancer can also be some problems with being obese. These problems could lead to death.
Some people that get extremely obese can’t even walk. Being able to walk is a very important factor of life to stay in shape. There are many ways to prevent obesity. Eating right and exercising is the main part of maintaining a healthy weight. Some people may be big, but that doesn’t mean they are unhealthy, usually it’s because they are muscular of due to genetics. There is a different between being big and healthy and being big and unhealthy.
There is not much time taken away from exercising in the day. Doctors recommend about 20 minutes of exercising a day, even if it is just walking around the block. Exercise needs to be a daily habit. Some people crave snacks after school. Well, have a healthy snack instead of junk food. No one needs to go home and have a dozen ding-dongs. Three meals a day is the usual amount for a person to eat, but it is okay to have a couple snacks as long as they are healthy. Fruit, vegetables, and nuts would be a good choice. There are many other healthy snacks that are out there. So many companies are trying to make food healthy so they have made granola bars, and healthy cereals. There are even some fast food restaurants that offer low calorie meals.
Recent sites on the internet say that obesity has cost our country about $2.1 billion dollars. The obesity rate of the United States is 30.6%.
Being a healthy person is very important. It will benefit the rest of your life. Exercise and eat right and the chances of living a long and prosperous life is likely.

Car Maintenance
By Franky Gallardo

When you get your license when you are 16, your car that you own is the most important thing. Part of owning a car is taking care of it.
There are many maintenance routines that need to be done. Every 3,000 miles you should change your oil. Every month the hoses and belts should be checked. Every year the spark plugs need to be changed.
Every 6,000 miles a driver should:
1. Change Oil
2. Filter change
3. Tires rotated
4. Brakes inspected
5. Inspection on the fuel system
6. All vehicle fluids checked
7. Belts and hoses inspected
8. Tire pressures checked

Every 15,000 miles you should be doing these things: have the air filter, lube oil and filter changed, and a four-wheel alignment performed. At 18,000 miles you should get an engine oil system flush.

At 30,000 miles it’s recommended to have:
1. The air and fuel filter changed
2. Injector cleaning
3. Throttle body service
4. Rotate and balance the tires
5. Power steering flush
6. Automatic transmissions flush
7. Radiator system flush
8. Evaporator systems flush.

Do the proper maintenance on your car regularly and your car will last you for a very long time.

Detentions…Helpful or Worthless?
By Gage Rupp
Detentions have become a serious problem at the high school. The teachers are getting out of control with these detentions. Students feel like the teachers use them too much and for too little of a reason. Detentions are either 30 minutes, or an hour, you also get a 30 minute detention for being five seconds late, and even teachers around the school have said some teachers are too strict. Teachers need to be helpful with the students not making their day worse every time they’re in your class.
Detentions can be helpful in some situations, but it seems like teachers just use them to be mean when it’s not necessary. Maybe it’s different for kids who are new to the school. In bigger schools a student may receive only a five minute detention for being five seconds late, and most of the time the teacher will just tell you to try and get to the class faster. It’s nice to know sometime that they understand that you’re in hurry so they are usually reasonable. Maybe that is the difference in a big school compared to a small school. It seems like there are numerous detentions handed out every day and some teachers will give one every chance they get. Detentions should be used for helpful reasons or if you really did something really bad to deserve one.
Maybe it’s just some students who are new at the school that feel that way because there not used to it. A lot of people would probably agree that the detentions are a little much and unnecessary. Teachers should find a new way to try and punish kids because it does not seem like detentions are very successful.

Freestyle Wrestling
By: Lance Hinschberger
Folk style wrestling season is over and now it’s time for a new style of wrestling called freestyle wrestling. Freestyle is a style of amateur wrestling that is practiced throughout the world. It was originated in Great Britain. Along with Greco-Roman, it is one of the two styles of wrestling contested in the Olympic Games. It is one of the oldest organized sports in history.
Freestyle wrestling, like its American counterpart, collegiate wrestling, has its greatest origins in catch-as-catch-can wrestling and in both styles, the ultimate goal is to pin your opponent to the mat, which results in an immediate win. Freestyle and collegiate wrestling, unlike Greco-Roman, also both allow the use of the wrestler’s or his opponent’s legs in offense and defense.
According to the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles (FILA), freestyle wrestling is one of the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling that is practiced internationally today. Others of the main forms of wrestling are Greco-Roman and Grappling (also called submission wrestling).

Girls’ Track and Field
By Alexis Farr
Belle Plaine Girls’ Track is underway at Belle Plaine High School. Head coach, Julie Mantz states, “It will be an exciting year.” The girls are going for their fourth consecutive conference championship. The girls will have to work hard to beat Montezuma and North Mahaska. These teams will give the Belle Plaine girls a run for their money at conference! This year’s conference meet will be held at Montezuma.
The girls’ track team brings back many veteran runners who are anxious to get running. Three year letter winner, and one of the captains, Taylor Schafbuch, is looking to make it back to state in the 400 hurdles and place in the top 10. Junior, Dani Coover, is looking forward to improving her fifth place finish at state.
The Belle Plaine Girls’ Track Team will be busy this spring preparing for another exciting season that will hopefully end with several events advancing to the State Track Competition in Des Moines.

High School Wrestling
By Reece Kimm
Wrestling season is now over, and there are many differences between the junior high level compared to the high school level of wrestling.
Some big differences between them are different coaches, the practice intensity level, length of practice, and more expectations. In junior high, there are no Saturday tournaments. At the high school level there are competitions almost every Saturday for most of the day. At the high school level you have to cut weight and maintain the weight throughout the year. In high school there are different levels of competition; wrestlers are stronger and more committed. In junior high there is a one-year age difference between wrestlers but in, high school if you’re a freshman there can be an age difference of three years.
Junior high tries to prepare a person for the high school level and the people should be glad they had a junior high program. Much success can be built on in the high school level from junior high.

Modern Day Technology for Diabetes
By Philip Farr
Diabetics are using a new technology to make their lives easier while dealing with diabetes. The new technology is the insulin pump.
The insulin pump is a machine that replaces the painful injections from a needle. It’s an easy process to do. Insulin pumps are as small as a pager or cell phone and are ran by a small computer. It delivers a continuous amount of insulin for diabetics. The pump keeps your blood sugar at a steady level (blood sugar should range between 100 -150). There are an estimated 300,000 Americans with diabetes that use the insulin pump. The insulin pump is a helpful way to control your diabetes.
With technology constantly improving and changing especially in medicine, diabetics are seeing more opportunities to live a “normal” life.

Mud Bogging
By Curtis Rethman
Mud bogging is a sport that everyone can have fun and enjoy doing on the weekends.
Before one can go mud bogging they will have to get a truck that isn’t in too bad or too good of shape. The truck needs to have a lift kit, so the frame won’t drag on the ground. The truck also needs some aggressive tires, so that one won’t get stuck in the mud. The best tires to go mud bogging in are the Rock Stompers. They are aggressive and they will look nice on the truck that you are fixing to go mud bogging in. One should always make they have a very powerful motor. The best motor is the 454 big block motor. In my opinion the best truck to go mud bogging in is a Chevy with 4 wheel drive, of course.
After the truck is up and running it is time to go mud bogging. A person can do a lot of other stuff with the truck other than mud bogging such as: rock climbing, mudding, and ditch jumping, and making trails. One can also have fun in the winter by taking the truck through snow drifts. In order to participate in this activity make sure you are able to afford the parts because it will cost a lot. Totals can reach about $10,000 to $15,000, so it would be a good idea to have a job.
Mud bogging is fun. It is a way to get out of the house for a few hours. When it rains in the summer, one can have lots of fun and it is quick fun. All you would have to do is load your truck up and be off. It is a way to get away from everything: like work, your kids, your wife, or your husband.
So get out there and get a truck and start building, so you can go mud bogging. It is great fun. Just remember this; it will cost you a lot of money to build one powerful mud bogging truck, so make sure to have a lot of cash.

ORGANIZATION TIPS
By: Alejandro Francisco Gallardo
Organization is a problem for many students. Lack of organization could lead to failing grades. Two teachers at Belle Plaine High School offered several tips on how to stay organized.
Mrs. Ridout stated the following…
How do you stay organized for school?
“Staying organized for school involves creating a daily routine using your agenda, taking notes and keeping folders and binders for each subject, and keeping a well stocked pencil bag.”
Do you clutter your things?
“To stay organized means once in a while a person needs to clean up, de-clutter and get rid of unnecessary papers or items.”
Have you ever written down where things are or where you put them?
“Writing notes to myself on a post-it helps too, but sometimes I need to write a post-it reminder to write info on a post-it.”
What is your number one organization tip?
“My number one organization tip is to utilize my paraeducator, Jani Drexler! Because of her excellence in organization, she helps make my classroom run smoothly.”
Mrs. Drexler stated the following
How do you stay organized for school?
“At school I use a three ring binder with dividers so I am able to find a certain chapter or unit. The file next to my desk helps me to organize notes and study guides that Mrs. Ridout and I give our students for tests and assignments. Our goal is to hopefully keep things organized for ourselves and the students that we help.”
There you have some ways for organization. These strategies could work for all students. Organization is the first step to better grades!

Teen Pregnancy
By Sasha Embry
The United States has the highest percentage of teenage pregnancies, which proves that there is a lack of sex education and/or the parents aren’t communicating the importance of abstinence or birth control. Teen moms account for 11% of all births in the United States.
On average 750,000 teen between 15 and 19 become pregnant each year of these teenage girls 57% decide to have their baby. 14% of teenage pregnancies end in miscarriage. Nearly 30% of teenage pregnancies choose abortion. One out of three teen moms ends up getting pregnant a second time before they are 20.
When it comes to education 1/3 of teen moms end up following through and getting a high school diploma or GED, but are not as likely to attend college.
Being a pregnant teen is a life changing experience no matter what decision the young lady decides. It is important for her to have support from all areas of her life so her future decisions will be positive and what is best for her situation.

The following is the latest installment of Belle Plaine High School’s Plainsman Page.

April Fool’s Day
By Dustin Drexler

Every year on April 1st people of the Western world enjoy playing pranks, sending people on foolish errands, and trying to get them to believe in foolish things.
The custom of shouting “April fools!” was brought to the United States by the English, Scottish, and the French settlers in the early 1600’s. It is believed that King Charles IX from France had the New Year changed from March 25th to January 1st, which helped influence the start of the April fool jokes.
To be a good April fool’s prankster one must have a cool head along with good timing. A good prankster gets his victim first thing in the morning before that person realizes what day it is. However, it is wise not to play pranks on people who embarrass easily or on someone you do not respect, for this may be seen as anger or resentment.
In closing, it is said that pulling pranks on one another is just another way of showing that you care. So this April fool’s have fun and remember to be respectful and not hurt anyone’s feelings.

Belle Plaine All Weather Track
By Blake Eberhart

Belle Plaine High School is building an all weather track beginning the 2010 summer. The track will start being built immediately after the Belle Plaine Invitational, which is the meet Belle Plaine hosts. This new track will not only make our school district look better and hopefully improve our track team, along with the meets that we can hold, but overall benefit everyone in the community. With the all weather track practices can be held and others can walk on the track. We certainly won’t have flooding issues as we have in the past especially around the football season.
This improvement will also make our football field look better. It will also make our school look more up to date. This new track will help our school in many other ways. The new track will be 6 to 8 lanes and will be better to run on.
The all weather track that Belle Plaine is receiving has been much awaited. Our school will put it to lots of use. This track will be safer and more efficient for the Belle Plaine Athletes. This track will be used by both the physical education department and the athletic department alike.

BPHS Info
By Breanna Robertson

Miss Daily is the Belle Plaine School guidance counselor, which means she helps all grades preschool through seniors. Daily has a lot of responsibilities. She is always busy at the high school especially when it comes to schedules, transcripts, college visits, testing, and so much more.
What is one of the main things upcoming freshmen would need to know?
“Freshmen should be excited to actually have something printed on a transcript! They now officially have a high school grade point average and class rank. It is really important for all freshmen to examine their numbers and consider how they can improve their performance—there is always room for improvement.”
“This year all freshmen will be revising their 4-year plan on the I Have a Plan Iowa website. This website is a great tool for college and career exploration. I’ll be meeting with the current freshmen in small groups starting in March.”
Why is it important to plan your high school career?
“Planning your high school course of study is important because you need to plan for success. So take the courses that fulfill college admissions requirements, explore all the subjects, so you are exposed to a wide variety, and put yourself in a position to do anything you want to do after graduation. You have at least 16 opportunities for classes each year; that’s a whopping 64 different opportunities by the time you’re a senior!”
“Enjoy all that’s offered at Belle Plaine High School and the things beyond: like PSEO classes, TECH IV, and the Health Science Academy. The new Advanced Placement Courses at BPHS are a great way to challenge yourself and attempt to earn college credit in high school.”
“These four years will go by faster than you think…so that’s why you need to think before these years get away from you!”
What would you do to encourage mores students study?
“Ideally, all students would study because they want to do their very best. However, things can’t always be ideal. My hope is that high school students realize that at the end of four years their high school career is represented on two pieces of paper—a diploma and a transcript. Importantly, that transcript will reveal their grades in every course, their cumulative GPA, and their overall class rank. These are papers that prospective colleges, military branches, and employers will see in the future!”
Why is it a good thing to go out for sports in high school?
“Participating in extra-curricular activities is a great enhancement to one’s high school career. You can explore your talents outside the classroom. Each activity, whether a sport or club, allows students to excel both individually and as a team. Participating is a great way to make friends, develop your character, and build your Plainsman Pride!”
Why is it important to get good grades in your high school career?
“This question really reflects back to the previous answer on #3. High school is a stepping stone to the rest of your life. Build a solid foundation…and it will lead to great things!”
Miss Daily is an important person to know especially if you are a student at Belle Plaine. She is very significant person to our school system who values education and wants each and every student to succeed. Miss Daily makes herself available whenever possible to students, staff, and parents, so take advantage of her whenever possible

Cubs Baseball 2010
By: Kaleb Gorsch

The Chicago Cubs are hoping for a World Series Championship this season. It has been a very long time since they won the World Series.
In 1908, they won the World Series. In 2008, they were very close to winning the World Series almost breaking a 100 year drought. They currently have a 102 year drought meaning that they haven’t won the World Series in that many years.
The Cubs spring-training opener was March 4th against Colorado at Ho Ho Kam Park in Mesa, Arizona. The Ho Ho Kam Park is the Cubs “Home Stadium” for the spring-training season. Their regular season starts in Georgia on April 5th against the Braves. Their first home game in Chicago at Wrigley Field opener is April 12th vs. Milwaukee Brewers.
The Cubs are looking to make it to the World Series and break the long “curse.” The Cubs Coach Lou Piniella is looking forward to the future of the Chicago Cubs.

Gaming Systems
By Chase Bryant

There is a wide selection of gaming systems some students prefer. There are many opinions which differ widely. The systems are PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, Nintendo, and Game Cube. One student has a very bold opinion about his favorite gaming system.
Austin Beck, a freshman, at Belle Plaine High School enjoys playing video games outside of school. I sat down with him and spoke to him about his favorite gaming systems and this is what he had to say.
What is your favorite game system?
“The Xbox 360, because the Xbox 360 has a wider variety of games to choose from, while the PS3 does not have much of a selection.”
What are some of the popular games?
“Halo, it is only for the Xbox systems, Halo is a multiplayer shooting game about saving the world from aliens.”
What are some gaming systems?
“PS3, Wii, Xbox, Game Cube, Nintendo, and Xbox is my favorite because it has more games to choose from.”
What is the cost difference in these systems?
“Xbox systems range from $199.00 to $499.00 depending on which Xbox system you get, and which one you prefer.”
Which system is the most popular?
“Xbox has a low cost of $200.00, and the online cost is $20.00 for three months, where the PS3 has free online, and a PS3 costs $300.00.
Playing video games is probably one of the most popular past-time activities for teenagers. With just the touch of a button you can play online on your phone, at home on your computer, or anytime on your gaming system.

Important Life Skills to Have Before Graduating
By: Christina Brake

By the time you hit high school you should have already learned to do all of the house chores such as; cooking, laundry, sweeping, mopping, vacuuming, dusting, washing the dishes and everything else right? Wrong, some teens don’t know how to do the sweeping, mopping, or dishes and if so they rarely show it when it comes to their bedrooms especially if they aren’t very organized. No one is saying that they can’t clean up after themselves just that sometimes they choose not to.
This isn’t only about house chores though it is also about important life skills to know before graduating. When you become a ninth grader you need to start learning how to budget your money, fill out job applications, write resumes and make your own appointments. This will help you better prepare for the real world.
Independence is a big factor in preparing for graduation, so you should most definitely try to become less lenient on how much you depend on your parents. If neither of your parents feel like making dinner volunteer to make it on your own. If you don’t know how to mop or clean the bathtub or something ask mom or dad to teach you.
On the weekends if the house is looking a little messy tidy it up as well as you can. Learning to live independently may be difficult but you will get used to it.

Obesity
By Jordynn Puckhaber

Obesity has become a “huge” problem in America. Obesity is used to describe weight that is much higher than what is thought of being healthy.
An obese person has a high amount of body fat and is consider unhealthy and at-risk for many life threatening diseases. Some of these life threatening or changing diseases are: diabetes, stroke, hypertension, cancer, sleep apnea, infertility, arthritis, and gallbladder disease. If anyone is more than 100 lbs. overweight he/she is considered morbidly obese. If anyone has a body weight that is 20% more than what is ideal he/she is considered obese. A person can also calculate their body mass index (BMI) to see if they are at-risk of being obese. Body Mass Index (BMI) = (Weight in Pounds) x 700 divided by (Height in Inches)2.
There are healthy ways to get back on track to feel good about yourself. If you want to become healthier your main goal should be to learn new healthy ways of eating and participate in daily exercise. Ask your doctor to set a safe daily calorie intake that will help with weight-loss. If you drop the pounds slowly and at a steady pace, you are more likely to keep them off. Your doctor or a personal trainer can teach you about healthy food choices, proper exercise and fitness, appropriate portion sizes and new ways to prepare food.
A well-balanced lifestyle can help you lose the weight. Most people can learn to lose the weight by changing their attitude, making better choices in their diet, and exercising daily. Avoiding junk food and unhealthy cravings will ensure a much healthier lifestyle. So get motivated and decide to make some positive changes if you need to.

Silver Cord Hours
By: Christina Brake

Throughout their high school career BP students who want a silver cord start collecting the volunteer hours they have done or are doing. Making sure all of their forms from freshman year through senior year are filled-out to earn the cord and turning them in to the schools main office.
Earning silver cord hours can be as easy as volunteering at an animal shelter, helping set up for a concert in the school gym, volunteering as a counselor at your local churches Sunday school or vacation bible school during the summer.
Even though you must accumulate a total of 160 hours of work before you get the award which averages out to 40 hours per year it won’t take long to get them. Before you know it you will already have all 160 hours done and over with. Depending on what you decide to devote your time to while working towards getting that silver cord award, those hours might just fly by. Then the relief will stay with you while you beamingly smile on stage with the rest of the seniors who donated their time to earn the same awesome award as you.
Even though there are many ways of earning silver cord hours there are things you cannot do to earn them. Silver cord hours cannot be to satisfy a class or requirement/obligation for any agency, program or organization of which you are a member of. They also shall not be accepted for helping relatives nor can you earn them while making any pay or compensation of any kind.
Silver Cord Hours are a good way to meet people in the community, devote your spare time, and get recognized for bettering yourself and your community.

Student Recipes
By Alexandria Brown

Cooking can be a hassle, that’s why Mrs. Mast offers classes on cooking: Creative Life Skills, Foods I, Foods II, and Surviving Single. Let’s hear from some students and teachers that cook. What are the most popular dishes today? What does everyone like to prepare? What does everyone prefer to eat?
“The students usually compile the recipes they want to make, and that gives them incentive to do a great job because we’re a hungry bunch and we want to eat!!” Mrs. Mast, BPHS staff.
“I think what people prefer to eat is pizza cause it’s easy to buy and cook, or get delivered.” Kayla Bergom, freshman
“I think what people should eat and make are no bake cookies, they are quick and easy to make and they taste so delicious.” Christina Brake, freshman
“I love to cook; I make my four ingredients pumpkin pie around the holidays.” Cheyenne Robinson, junior.
“I like to cook on the grill, so it needs to get warmer outside.” Mr. Dahlquist, BPHS staff
“I like to make cheesecake. It is not very hard to make. It’s also enjoyable to eat and to share with friends and family.” Kaley Hamilton, freshman
“I don’t like to cook because I am not the best at it. My favorite food is probably ice cream or funnel cake. But I also like to cook with friends.” Hannah Bean, freshman
“I like to make brownies. They are very yummy to eat and very easy to make.” Cheyenne Markham, freshman
“I like to cook many different things. Breakfast is probly my favorite food to eat though, French toast, Pancakes, Bacon, eggs… YUM!” Zakk Buck, senior
“I’m not much of a cook… but I’m getting better.” Lisa Daily, BP counselor
“I look at food as an aesthetic art. Nothing beats a meal that encompasses all the senses. It also is a great way to bring people together.” Mr. Allen, Teacher
“I’m not allowed to cook when my mom’s not home. But I like my mom’s spaghetti, because it tastes really good.” Chase Bryant, freshman
“I think you cook the way you feel. When you’re happy you make something sweet. When you’re down you make something sour or bitter.” Alexandria Brown, freshman
Different people have different tastes. That’s one way to put it, and another is to say that some people can cook and others, well let’s just not leaves them out, and likes to be put because they can’t cook.

Making the Decision

Many seniors this time of year are realizing that it’s now crunch time and graduation is right around the corner. For many students, college is the next step of the new chapter of their lives. Before selecting the college many factors are typically pondered over before making the big decision.
Many seniors value things differently. Such factors include: price, distance from home, school size, and classes offered. In speaking to a few students we see what factors some are looking at before making the big decision.
Jessica Landuyt said, “The class size is the most important thing to me.”
Emma Northrop said, “The location is what she looks for most in a college.”
Tony Jones said, “The price and location are two big factors in his choice.”
As you can see students really must weigh the pros and cons before selecting the proper college.
So as we round our last corner in high school, we will be taking different roads come next fall. So whatever we value, I’m sure we will be successful in whatever we choose.

Surviving Single in Chicago
By Austin Brown
At its February 17, 2010 board meeting, the Belle Plaine School Board approved the Surviving Single class trip to Chicago.
Surviving Single is a class that is sponsored by Mrs. Mast. The class will be leaving for Chicago early Friday, April 9th and returning late Saturday, April 10th. The class consists of 22 students that will have the opportunity to go to Chicago and learn to survive on their own. Six adult chaperones will accompany the students on this trip. The trip is a wrap-up to an activity the class is currently working on.
The students have been participating in a simulation in which they have relocated to downtown Chicago. They have been given a job with a designated salary and college debt. Using the internet, they have to find an apartment, decide if they want and/or need a roommate, and decide what mode of transportation they will be using to get to and from work. They also have to learn to live within their budget and become familiar with the downtown Chicago area.
If all goes as planned, the students will have an opportunity to experience the Chicago Loop area, ride the El train, and see a comedy show. It will be an educational adventure and an experience to remember.

Technology Today
By Hannah Bean

What’s the new technology of today? What’s most popular? Cell phones, cars, electronics, or IPods, and mp3 players? Some BPHS students were interviewed this is what they said:
“Phones because it lets you talk to people you don’t get to see very often or you can arrange something to do.” Dani Chilcote, freshman
“I would say either Ipods or phones because people love listening to music and Ipods are very popular. Phones are also popular because all everyone does anymore is text, like me.” Kaley Hamilton, freshman
“Either phones or Ipods because you can communicate with phones and with Ipods you can listen to music, and people like to do both.” Breanna Robertson, freshman
Trends and technology are constantly changing. It makes everyone wonder what’s next. With technology come new challenges, but a lot of fun too.

What to Expect in 2010
By Tyler Schafbuch

What should society be expecting in 2010? What will happen with the recession and the stock market? What will happen in schools?
In the year 2010, companies are prospering again and people are going out and spending more money because their jobs are secure, their wages may be increasing, and more jobs are being created. The stock market is slowly going up, with a few downs here and there, but people are still regaining their money that may have been lost when it plummeted in the years past. People will not fully recover from this recession for quite a while, but at least the nation is beginning to come out of it.
What should schools be looking at in the year of 2010? Schools still don’t have very good funding through the state and federal government. In Iowa there has been a 10% budget cut that has taken its toll on the entire state, which is greatly affecting the school districts in Iowa. There won’t be as many school improvements, pay increases, job hiring, adding programs, or school trips. Many schools have become reliant on fund-raising and the community to help support the school and there programs.
Hopefully this economic slump will end soon and our country and schools will improve to create a more secure future.

The following is this week’s edition of the Plainsman Page, prepared by students at Belle Plaine High School.

A Day No Pigs Would Die & No Promises In the Wind
By: Jordynn Puckhaber

Recently at Belle Plaine High School, Mrs. Maxwell’s 9th and 10th grade classes were expected to read a novel. English 9 read A Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Newton Peck and English 10 read No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt.
A Day No Pigs Would Die is about a twelve-year-old Shaker boy, from the early 1900’s, named Rob, who has a pet pig named, Pinky. Pinky is the only thing that Rob has ever owned and throughout the story he learns how to be responsible and matures into a young man.
No Promises in the Wind occurs during the Great Depression. Fifteen-year-old, Josh Grondowski lives in Chicago, Illinois. His father had lost his job and couldn’t bring money in to support his family. So he decides he’s going to travel west to play music. His little brother, Joey, who is only ten and his best friend, Howie, join him on this journey. They meet a lot of challenges and many caring people.
Every student should realize the importance of reading. When learning most teachers try to choose books/novels that have literary importance, and that students will enjoy reading. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt and A Day No Pigs Will Die by Robert Newton Peck are two great examples of American literature.

Students Improving 0.3 or greater, 3.00-3.249
3.25-3.499, 3.50-3.749, 3.75-4.00 Fall Semester 2009-2010

Grade Point Students
Freshmen: 3.00-3.249 2
3.25-3.499 3
3.50-3.749 8
3.75-4.00 6
Total: 3.00-4.00 19-52 37%

Sophomores: 0.3 + 6
3.00-3.249 5
3.25-3.49 1
3.50-3.749 3
3.75-4.0 2
Total: 3.00-4.00 11-45 24%
All scores 17-45 38%

Grade Point Students
Juniors 0.3 + 14
3.00-3.249 4
3.25-3.499 3
3.50-3.749 7
3.75-4.0 5
Total: 3.00-4.00 19-50 38%
All Scores 26-50 52%

Seniors 0.3 + 25
3.00-3.249 8
3.25-3.499 6
3.50-3.749 9
3.75-4.0 7
Total: 3.00-4.00 30-57 53%
All scores 45-57 74%

9-12 Student Body 3.00-4.00 79-200 40%
9-12 Student Body 0.3 +, 3.00-4.00 107-200 54%

GPA. .3-  The following students had a GPA increase of .3:  Back Row: Ashley Klever, Brianna Lucas, Sam Hamilton, Rokco Rhoades, Megan Toney, Claudia Wille, Brandon Viall, and Josh VanHamme. 3^rd Row: Bree Nerison, Tony Jones, Nick Baker, Braydon Morrow, Carl Meck, Austin Chekal,  Jeremy Ellis, Mitch Schmuecker, Brian Carlson, Jessica Landuyt, Megan Abernathy, and Jack O’Brien. 2^nd Row:  Holly Brown, Alissa Frimml, Reed Petersen, Jalen Schmuecker, Keegan DeMeulenaere, Ben Ehlen, Joy Cronbaugh, Kellie Freeman, Zakk Buch, and Marlee Schminke. Front Row: Ariel Hawkins, Danielle Coover, Joe Cantu, Sam Brennecke, Tyler Stull, Tyler Williams, Connor Roth, Macy DeMeulenaere, Cody Chekal, Nikki Miller, and Brenna Ford.  Not Pictured: Chris Roth, Emma Northrop, Shelby Markham, Emily Hohn, and AJ Behncke.

3.00-3.249- The following students had a GPA 3.00-3.249: Back Row: Logan Baburek, Devon Parr, Zach Snyder. 3^rd Row: Sam Brennecke, Darrian Conway, Dustin Drexler, and Allie Upah. 2^nd Row: Scott Wheeler, Holly Brown, Sterling Formanek, Tony Jones, Brian Carlson. Front Row: Ashley Klever, Macy DeMeulenaere, Marlee Schminke, Megan Abernathy, Tyler Schafbuch, and Brenna Ford. Not Pictured Emma Northrop.

3.25-3.499- The following students had a GPA 3.25-3.499: Back Row: Bryant Cronbaugh, Katie Chilcote, Behre Bartlett, Lauren Kurovski, Zakk Buch, and Seivon Steward.  Front Row: Phillip Farr, Tim Muench, Meghan Miller, Cheyann Markham, Bridgette Schminke, and Curry Drahos.  Not Pictured: Lindsey Foels.

3.50-3.749- The following students had a GPA 3.50-3.749: Ariel Hawkins, Laura Breja, and Bree Nerison. 3^rd Row: Scott Thenhaus, Nick Bachelder, Laura Johnson, Blake Chekal, Braydon Morrow, and Jessica Landuyt. 2^nd Row: Sarah Hafner, Connor Roth, Dani Coover, Christina Brake, Megan Formanek, Richelle Stauffer, and Ben Sayers. Front Row: Mitch Schmuecker, Jacob Miller, Kellie Freeman, Savannah Buch, Nikki Lown, Nicole Thys, Matt O’Brien, Dillon McGrane and Ryan DeRycke.  Not Pictured:  Andrew O’Brien

3.75-4.00- The following students had a GPA 3.75-4.00: Back Row: Brian Crow and Chris Janss. 3^rd Row: Chris Breja, Abby Lohf, Andrea Lohf, Bryce Buckley, Mallory Brandt, and Katie Pierce.  2^nd Row: Taylor Schafbuch, Mason Stull, Emily Mast, Melissa Janss, Joy Cronbaugh, Kyle Janss and Zach Griffith. Front Row: Ryan Zumbach, Julie Long, Molly O’Brien, Emily Coover, Taylor Janss, Jamie Rich, John Long, and Tad Ma

DAILY NEWS FROM THE COUNSELING OFFICE:

CONGRATULATIONS TO ANDREA LOHF!!  Thanks to your votes, she has now advanced to the Regional Round of the Sweet Diggity Dawg Scholarship Contest.  Now she needs your votes again.  Please go to  http://www.zinch.com/Voting/Regionals2.aspx?GroupId=87#Andrea-Lohf and vote for Andrea by March 16^th.

CONGRATULATIONS TO DANI COOVER!  She has been selected to attend the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State at Iowa State University this summer!

REMINDER:  March 15^th is the PRIORITY DEADLINE for the All Iowa Opportunity Scholarship.  Remember, seniors—you access the application through www.ihaveaplaniowa.gov.  Miss Daily demonstrated this site with all available seniors.  Those who missed the training were to see her immediately upon their return.  This is such an important site!

ATTENTION KIRKWOOD BOUND SENIORS:  Kirkwood awards over $1 million dollars in scholarships each year.  Check out http://www.kirkwood.edu/foundation/scholarship for the full details.  Two scholarships of great importance are the Presidential and Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarships.

To qualify for the Presidential Scholarship, you must have an ACT score of 25 or higher and a GPA of 3.5 or higher.  Up to 30 of these $4000 scholarships will be awarded to graduating seniors!

To qualify for the Leaders for Tomorrow Scholarship, you must have at least a 3.0 GPA and be in the top half of your class.  You must also have had one community and two high school leadership experiences during your junior/senior year in high school. Up to 60 scholarships for $2000 will be awarded to graduating seniors.

The deadline for both of these scholarships is March 26^th!

Many additional scholarships are available!  Be sure to check out this website!

ATTENTION JUNIORS:  The liaison for the Air Force Academy and the University of Iowa’s ROTC program was at BPHS on Wednesday, March 10^th.  He shared excellent opportunities for education and service at the University of Iowa, Coe College, and Iowa State University.  See Miss Daily for more information on these exceptional opportunities!  Juniors can apply in early May!  Start thinking about your future now!

GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR JUNIORS:  The United States Naval Academy is recruiting juniors for their Summer Seminar Program.  It’s a fast-paced, six-day experience for high-achievers who may be interested in pursuing an appointment to one of the nation’s service academies and serving as a military officer after graduation.  NASS is held in three different sessions this summer.  For more information contact Miss Daily or Chief Petty Officer Overstake at 410-293-1858 or visit www.usna.edu/admissions. The deadline for applications is March 31, 2010.

PLAN TEST:  All sophomores took the PLAN Test on Wednesday at the 1st Lutheran Church.  We’d like to thank them for use of their beautiful facilities!  This test is a great gauge of your college readiness.  We’ll hold an informational meeting about score interpretation as soon as we get the results.

ATTENTION ALL JUNIOR BOYS:  The local American Legion would like to send 2 of our junior boys to Boys State this summer on June 13th through the 18th.  Please sign up with Miss Daily today if you’re interested in this all-expense-paid LEADERSHIP opportunity.  It’s a GREAT experience and looks GREAT on your resume!  There will be an informational meeting on Friday, March 12th at 10:30 a.m.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY:  Leo H. Grether Memorial Scholarship of $1000 will be awarded to a student graduating from an Iowa high school.  You must be enrolling in college as a vocal music major.  Deadline to apply is April 15th.  Go to http://www.ihsma.org/document/grether.pdf for application details.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY:  The Benton County American Legion Scholarship application is available in Miss Daily’s office.  IMPORTANT NOTE:  They have changed the application requirements—PLEASE PAY CLOSE ATTENTION TO THE PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS.  You must be a resident of Benton County—-you do not have to be a dependent of an American Legion member.  If you reside outside Benton County, you can apply IF your father/mother is a member in good standing of an American Legion Post in Benton County.  The recipient will be selected based on need, scholastic ability, leadership, and citizenship.  Applications must be returned to Miss Daily by March 12^th at 9:00 a.m.

REMINDER:  Capri College Scholarships are due March 31st.  If you plan on attending Capri next year, make sure you adhere to this deadline!!!!

JUNIOR DAY at INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE will be on Thursday, April 1st.  If you’d like to register to for this college visit, please see Miss Daily.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNTIY FOR JUNIORS:  Are you interested in winning a $5000 scholarship or $1000 award?  Consider apply for the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award.  This is a project-driven program that is not based on grades, test scores, essays, or financial need!  In the spring of your junior year, you must submit a project proposal and two letters of recommendation.  Approximately 15 finalists are selected based on the ambitious nature of the state project goal and detailed plans to reach that goal.  Download and print the application and recommendation forms at www.hoverassociation.org .  You application must be postmarked March 31st, 2010. Check out the website for all the details!

COLLEGE REP VISITING OUR AREA:  A representative from the Savannah College of Art & Design will be in Des Moines on Wednesday, March 10th at the Embassy Suites to help students in our area learn more about the programs available at their school.  Check out www.scad.edu/yourarea for registration information.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY:  The Elberon American Legion Auxiliary is offering a $100 Merit Award to a senior student with a parent, grandparent, or great grandparent who is or was, a member of the Elberon American Legion or Auxiliary.  Applications are due April 1st .  Pick up the application requirements from Miss Daily.

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY:  The Mary J. Boland Scholarship will be awarded is awarding 25 $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors in Linn and Benton County.  You must have at least a 2.0 GPA to apply.  The main criteria to receive the award is not based upon your GPA—it’s if you can demonstrate you have the characteristics needed to become successful.  Application materials are available from Miss Daily and are due to Fairfax State Bank by April 7th .

HEY, DO YOU LIKE TO BOWL?  Guess what?  William Penn University just started a bowling team!  That’s right; they travel the nation competing against colleges throughout the US.  You could even win a bowling scholarship!

Movies to Watch on a Snow Day

By: Tyler Stull

One thing to do on a cold day is to go to a movie. Many people from Belle Plaine High School have chosen to do just that. There are many new movies out now that the students have seen and by hearing their opinions you may like them as well.

Emma Northrop, senior, “I liked Dear John because I like Nicholas Sparks books.”

Tad Mast, senior, “I like Boondock Saints 2: All Saint’s Day because it’s a sequel to my favorite movie Boondock 1.

Zack Snyder, junior, “I liked Pineapple Express because the comedy aspect was good.

Andrea Lohf, junior, “I liked Avatar because of the special effects and action. Mrs. Rupp, teacher, “I liked It’s Complicated because the whole theatre was laughing, and she likes to hear laughter.”

Mrs. Coffman, teacher, “I like to watch Gone With the Wind, which the English 11 students have recently studied.”

Depending on what you like to watch a movie is a great way to spend when you’re stuck inside because it’s too cold outside.

Belle Plaine/HLV Musical

By: Connor Roth

Everyone has heard those classic tales of Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty, and Jack and the Beanstalk when they were little. Well the kids at Belle Plaine and HLV are putting a little twist on all of those in the spring musical Into the Woods.

Directed by Belle Plaine High School choir and band teacher Brad Allen and Jack Schlesselman, and from HLV, James McMurrin and Dennis Cabalka, Into the Woods puts a funny spin on all the fairytales we thought we knew before, until they clash together in the woods. Main characters are Mallory Brandt as the Witch, Bandon Viall as the Baker, Sarah Hafner as Cinderella, Reed Petersen as Rapunzel’s Prince, Dani Coover as the Bakers Wife, Preston Warnik as the Narrator, Jordan Allen as Jack, Erynn Deryke as Little Red Riding Hood, and Andrew Foster as Cinderella’s Prince. The group is very talented and if they continue to work hard the show shall be a huge success.

Dani Coover, a junior at Belle Plaine, commented, “It looks to be an interesting and fun show. It’ll take a lot of hard work, but if we can pull it off it should be awesome.”

Director Brad Allen, quotes this from the musical, ”‘Careful the things you say, children will listen.’”

So, come to Victor on March 26th and 27th to see a great show, and hear some amazing voices!

Pops Concert 2010

By Tyler Schafbuch

Every year the Belle Plaine High School has a Pops Concert in the Belle Plaine High School gym. This year the Pops Concert was held on March 2^nd.

This year the Pops Concert was really good. The choir sang well and sounded amazing. The band was wonderful to hear as well.

This year the school had a fundraiser at the Pops Concert in which they sold homemade cakes, pies, and they also served juice as a beverage. The choir sang the songs Defying Gravity from the musical Wicked and Finale B from the musical Rent. For Defying Gravity there was five soloists: Mallory Brandt, Sarah Hafner, Dani Coover, Ariel Hawkins, and Bree Nerison.  The band played songs from movies such as Pirate of the Caribbean and The Night Before Christmas (themes). People have said they really liked the this years Pops Concert and can’t wait till next years. One kid’s parents said they “thought the show was wonderful” and one band student had said that he thought that he had played very well and that the band sounded good.

The BPHS Pops Concert was a success. Thank you to all who support the students and the music program!

Spring!!!

By Jana Miller

Get your sandals and lighter jackets ready. Spring is coming on Sunday; March 21^st. Be ready for some warm weather and for the snow to melt because hotter days are coming our way and everyone is excited for it.

So many people are digging out there shorts and t-shirts because they know spring is just around the corner. This has been a very long and cold winter and people are already saying I can’t wait until all the snow melts so they can play outside without getting frostbite. Little boys and girls are ecstatic for this new season to come around.

Spring is a very loving season. All the trees come back to life, the grass starts to get its color back and the world looks beautiful again. Snow might be pretty on the ground, but it is too cold. Many people say spring is their favorite season because it is like life is being reborn. Many things remind people of spring like flowers, and many young kids think about spring break from school. Many high school students are looking forward to that. Everyone needs a break once in a while, even if you are young.

There are so many things to do in spring that some people just can’t decide which, thing they want to do. One can play in the yard, throw the ball around with your kids, or go to the park and play a little basketball. There are so many things to do, but don’t worry this is just the beginning of the warm weather. The bad thing is, is that when people finally want to get out it is summer and it is to hot, so they stay inside again.

Get out and do something while the weather is perfect. It is good for your health and it will keep you from being a couch potato. Maybe you can meet new people or invent something. If your mind is wide open you can think of anything. Have a great spring!!

Spring Is Near

By Darian Griffith

Spring will be coming up soon thankfully. That means the starting of spring sports like: track and golf. Spring is also a time for new babies to be born. Many people like spring the most because it’s not too hot or too cold. Spring is the perfect season of in- between temperatures. Spring is an amazing feeling after all the cold from winter.

The first day of spring is on Sunday, March 21st. Many people long for the warm weather, being able to wear shorts, and the sunshine. Other people may look forward to the sports which their kids get involved in. Spring is a great season for walks and picnics. Many people take jogs and enjoy being outdoors. Spring is filled with warmth.

Spring is a time of many newborns. Grass starts to grow big and green. The trees get theirs leaves back. Mowed grass reminds me the most about spring. Birds come back making new nest and lay their eggs. The sound of a bird to me means spring is here!

Spring is Near

By Kayla Bergom

The first day of spring is Sunday, March 21^st.  There are many reasons why people can’t wait for spring to come.  The number one reason being they are tired of all the snow.

It seems like the sun never shines and the snow is always causing problems.  It has snowed at least once a week all winter long.  It is hard to get places and to get out and do things with the bad weather.  The only exciting thing about winter is the holidays and those are over, so spring can’t come soon enough.

Not only do people look forward to spring, summer is right there too.  As it gets closer to spring many people especially students can’t wait for summer.  In the summer there is swimming, outdoor activities, sports, camping, or just being able to enjoy the weather.

Most everyone can’t wait for spring and the countdown to summer break.

Spring Sports

By: Darian Griffith

Springs is coming and as days go by spring inches its way closer. The first day of spring is Sunday, March 21. With spring approaching new sports seasons begin.

Spring is a perfect season for sports such as: track, golf, baseball, and softball. Many kids participate in these spring sports. Spring is a favorite season to most because it’s not to hot or not to cold.

Darian Griffith, freshman sprinter, “Track is my life and that’s what I look forward to most during spring.”

Savannah Buch, sophomore middle distance runner, “Practice is my least favorite part of track, but the meets are the best because of the competition and I actually get the chance to choose what I get to run instead of being told.”

Macy DeMeulenare, sophomore distance runner, “I like spring because it means track season.  I like track because of the competition at the meets.”

“Jalen Schmuecker, junior 2^nd baseman, “I look forward to summer baseball games.”

Many people take it likely, but spring sports are fun to participate in to stay active and get involved in your school. Go out for a spring sport and see what you could get out of it!

St. Patrick’s Day

By: Mikayla Mason

St. Patrick’s Day is a day of fun! It’s always great to dress up in green and gold. It’s so fun because one can learn so much about their Irish heritage.

St. Patrick’s Day is about supporting and being active in the Irish heritage. One event that is held yearly is the parade in Cedar Rapids on ST. Patrick’s Day. It’s full of dogs in green Irish outfits and clowns… which is a weird twist. Everyone has a great time. There are floats with leprechauns and gold.  Lots and lots of gold!

They usually give out these chocolate candies wrapped in gold tin foil, which makes it look like a coin. There’s a contest which is held after the parade for dogs. This is for who has the best Irish costume. It’s so much fun. So hopefully you will get a chance to go to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 17th in Cedar Rapids.

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.