One More Hurdle

THURSDAYTHURSDAY lonepeaklookout.com AprilJuly 11, 19, 2019 2018 FREEFREE VolumeVolume 2, Issue1, Issue 19 33 BigBig Sky, Sky, LONELONE PEAKPEAK LOOKOUTLOOKOUT MontanaMontana A hot bed for learning University of Montana assists Lone Peak High School juniors with Yellowstone research BY JANA BOUNDS [email protected] ig Sky is set in one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems and live classrooms within which mysteries of the Bnatural world can be studied. As Rick Graetz, University of Montana Geographer, lead for UM’s Crown of the Continent & Greater Yellowstone Initiative and longtime Big Sky homeowner explained – Yellowstone smells of science. It’s a hot bed for action in the natural world– both literally and figuratively. Single cell organisms whose ancestors (L-R) Dr. Jeff Strickler, Maya Johnsen Livvy Milner, LPHS professor Patty Hamblin and Noelle Miller. “An ice dam broke loose and cleared ice and snow in a gave the earth its atmosphere; scorching hot wide swath – the students discussed this process on the land,” Rick Graetz explained. PHOTO BY RICK GRAETZ thermal pools laden with tiny life forms; 10,000 thermal features – more than half of the thermal of Montana, The Yellowstone Club Community path in interpreting the Greater Yellowstone Graetz and professionals from the Forest Service features which exist in the world; bird migration Foundation and Big Sky School District has Ecosystem to become involved for their junior and Park Service. On their own, study and patterns; recreation conflict; the reintroduction paved the way for what Graetz said is a cutting- and senior years,” he said. “And most important, reading coupled with field research will be a part of wolves and the resulting shift in elk and bison edge project for high school student-scholars. they will be sharing the knowledge gained with of the curriculum for the ladies this summer migration. “Not many schools in Montana, if any, are the community – service at its best!” and next year for their CAS (creativity, action, “It’s a living, breathing textbook without a involved with this type of overall natural system LPHS juniors Maya Johnsen, Niamh Gale, service) projects. page missing,” he said. work. Lone Peak High School’s IB degree and Noelle Miller, and Livvy Milner get to research A collaborative effort between the University CAS program allows students who choose this aspects of Yellowstone National Park alongside Hot bed | 2 Suicide Part III continued: Discovering hope Finding meaning by helping others after loss BY JANA BOUNDS state at that time. [email protected] To someone who is more emotionally fragile, it could be a fender bender, a fight with their The previous article discussed the story spouse and not getting their expected raise at An overcast day in Helena, the Legislature has been hashing-out hot button topics like sage grouse of Mary Anne Gotheridge and the staggering work. protection and concealed carry in the House chamber before the second reading of SB 241. PHOTO BY reality of losing her brother, father and mother For the better part of a decade, Gotheridge JANA BOUNDS to suicide. felt fundamentally alone. Her psychiatrist The domino effect created in her family is put her on medication to reboot serotonin not an anomaly. It happens. One can lead to production in her brain and suggested a suicide another and to another. As discussed in the first survivors support group. That is when her life One more hurdle part of this series, the psychological implications really began to shift – when she started to feel of surviving someone who dies by suicide are hope again. great. The guilt weighs heavy. “Of-course I was scared to death [to go to a SB241 makes it past the She explained that humans are usually good support group] everyone else there was shocked, at handling one crisis at a time – a lost job or too. There were over 50 of us there. We thought Montana House of Representatives relationship, for example. It’s when problems we were all alone,” she said. start stacking, by her estimates, it’s when three Some members of the group brought their BY JANA BOUNDS and past the second reading projects. The effort is catastrophic events occur that most people begin children who struggled with the trauma of loss [email protected] at the Montana House of supported by all 10 resort to drown in dark thoughts. in various ways: some acted out; some were Representatives by a vote of area tax districts in Montana For example: Mourning a loss leads to painfully silent. Senate Bill 241 is now 75-24 on April 8. but was spearheaded by West alcoholism which leads to a lost job. Gotheridge asked if she could start an art heading to Gov. Steve SB 241 is a legislative Yellowstone and Big Sky Or for younger people: A failing grade, a project with the children. She brought shoe Bullock's desk after making effort which would allow Resort Area resort tax. Big break-up, a fight with a parent. boxes, magazines, newspapers, scissors and glue it past the third reading communities to vote on Sky and West Yellowstone Defining an event as catastrophic is entirely to introduce the kids to a concept called “Me on the House floor with raising the resort tax by SB 241 | 3 up to the person and relative to their mental Suicide | 3 a vote of 71-29 on April 9 1-percent for infrastructure 287 WINDY PASS TRAIL $1,295,000 LTDRealEstate 4 BED, 6 BATH, 5819 SQ.FT 3.33 ACRES MLS#305777 Open concept living room, kitchen and dining area with spectacular views of the Ramshorn Mountain Range. Call today for a private showing. LTDRealEstate.com | 406.995.2800 LONE PEAK LOOKOUT A2 April 11, 2019 Hot bed from A1 The students delightedly He explained that a core Johnsen, who has been discovered at an after-school belief at the University of interested in wildlife biology meeting on April 3 that their Montana is that universities as a career, is most interested first field research project today can no longer be vertical. in field work; Gale is excited would begin at 7:30 a.m. on “We have to be horizontal. about studying thermal areas; Saturday, April 6: crust skiing 6 We have to be out in the Milner is fascinated by the miles up the Gallatin from the communities supporting us. migratory patterns of animals; Big Horn Pass trailhead to see We are expanding our work out Miller is thrilled to delve into water action and an area where in our communities,” he said. the history of Yellowstone to a bison and moose are nearly “Our address is Missoula but explain “why things are named coexisting. our home is every community what they are.” They all come from different in Montana.” It was a collective decision backgrounds: Johnsen and Gale With so much to research on what they are going to are Big Sky born and raised, with regard to Yellowstone, research. The ladies are excited Miller hails from Billings and Graetz said this will be an to really get to know Big Sky Milner from Houston, Texas. ongoing, sustainable project and this area; to share little- “To me, it’s the epitome – and a great test for getting known information; and to see of service what they’re going high school kids involved in things that not everyone gets to do – sharing information. research. to see. Everyone is excited to learn: it’s The four ladies involved The Lone Peak Lookout complex, it’s exciting,” Graetz this year are excited about is honored to help with the said. different aspects of the project: service aspect of their project. The ladies will be writing stories periodically which will be printed and shared with our Above, below: Lone Peak High School juniors Maya Johnsen, Niamh Gale, Noelle Miller and Livvy Milner readers. look over a map of Yellowstone during an after-school meeting. PHOTOS BY JANA BOUNDS Big Sky, LONELONE PEAK PEAK LOOKOUT LOOKOUT Montana Established in 1982 BIG SKY, MONTANA Publishers: Susanne Hill & Erin Leonard Advertising/Sales Rep.: Cori Koenig, [email protected], 406.579.6877 Editor: Jolene Palmer, [email protected] Reporter: Jana Bounds, [email protected] Designer: Erin Leonard Photographer/Columnist: Mike Coil Editorial Intern: Keely Larson Editorial Policy 500 Words and other guest editorials are intended to acquaint our readers with different viewpoints on matters of public importance. Guest editorials and letters to the editor reflect the opinion of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editor or the staff of Lone Peak Lookout. 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