This Opinions, Monthly Prom & post- Sports, & That, Page 2 Features, prom 2016, Page 9 & 10 Pages 3-6 Page 6 Pages 11 April 28, 2016 A Valley City High School Publication - Valley City, North Dakota, 58072 Volume 80, Issue 8 The Bridges Hi-Liner Speech nearly clean sweep for year Above the VC Speech Team proudly displays award received at the ND State Tournament. Front (L-R): Eliza Johnson, Mikey Meester, Jacob Berntson, Libby Borg, Talia Germann, Abby Slyter, Rose Marcellus, Sarah Montecuollo, Luke Plagens. Center (L-R): Tabatha Branam, Rebecca Montecuollo, David Opdahl, Hannah Peterson, Sharon Michael, Rachel Borg, Rebekah Jordan. Back (L-R): Tanaya Leifson, Coach Nick Lee, Erik Johnson, Maggie Oberlander, Joseph Munowenyu, Jack Jordan, Amanda Bjork, Abby Ingstad, Cacie Lloyd, Coach Kecia Ellison, Coach Misty Olds. (Photo submitted by Sarah Montecuollo) by Rebecca Montecuollo The Hi-Liner speech team has been talking their way out to the North Dakota Roughrider National Forensic Additionally, among 46 nominations, Mikey Meester through another successful season as it comes to a close. League tournament. This is perhaps the most difficult was selected to be the 1st member of the 2016 World The undefeated team worked toward being back to back tournament all year from both class A and class B. There Schools Debate Team from North Dakota to attend the champions at the Eastern Dakota Conference (regionals), were 23 of the best North Dakota teams at the tournament. US World Schools Debate Tournament to be held in con- qualifying two people to nationals, and taking 2nd at state. Valley City participated with 23 entries to the tournament junction with the 2016 National Tournament. They proved over and over, no one was going to define and 14 entries advanced into semifinals (the most of any The month of April started with the EDC regional com- how great the team was. As Coach Nick Lee found out school) with twelve particpants in each semifinal event. petition. The team was super excited and wanted to bring very quickly he never should have bribed the team with Most events started with 30-60 entries. There are fewer home another plaque for first place. The students worked food as he still owes multiple students ice cream. This events at this tournament than the regular season and one very hard to blow all of the other teams out of the water. shows the camaraderie between the coaches and students. to two people qualify for nationals in each event. It is very With double the amount of overall sweep stake points, On April 16, the speech team loaded the bus at 7 a.m, difficult to qualify. Breaking into semifinals: the team now has bragging rights to being back to back ready to conquer the world. For eight seniors this would Dramatic Interpretation: Mikey Meester (8th), Aman- champions of the EDC. be the last meet of their high school careers. Valley City da Bjork (9th) Persuade: Libby Borg, 3rd; Jacob Berntson, 4th; Sharon had many entries into finals and some superior speakers Humorous Interpretation: Joseph Munowenyu (8th) Michael, 7th. at the Class A State Speech Meet. International Extemp: Rebecca Montecuollo (11th) Serious Prose: David Opdahl, 1st; Maggie Oberlander, Inform: Hannah Peterson, 2nd; Sarah Montecuollo, Domestic Extemp: Jacob Berntson (11th), Libby Borg 2nd; Mikey Meester, 2nd; Cacie Lloyd, SQ. 3rd; Sharon Michel, 4th. (10th) Impromptu: Erik Johnson, 8th. Persuade: Libby Borg, 5th; Jacob Berntson, Super Original Oratory: Libby Borg (7th) Dramatic: Abby Slyter, 3rd. Speaker. Out of the fourteen semifinalists, seven broke into fi- Humorous Duo: Sarah and Rebecca Montecuollo, 2nd; Serious Prose: David Opdahl, 2nd; Mikey Meester, 4th; nals. (Tied for the most entries of any team) Mikey Meester and Erik Johnson, 4th; Libby and Rachel Maggie Oberlander, 5th. Humorous Interpretation: Amanda Bjork (4th place, Borg, SQ; Alexa Uecker and Talia Germann, SQ. Poetry: Abby Ingstad, 7th. second alternate to national tournament) Poetry: Rose Marcellus, 2nd; Tanaya Leifson, 5th; Jo- Serious Duo: Maggie Oberlander/Eliza Johnson, 2nd; Inform: Hannah Peterson (4th, First alternate), Sarah sesph Munowenyu, SQ. Joseph Munowenyu/Rose Marcellus, 4th. Montecuollo (5th, second alternate) Humorous: Amanda Bjork, 1st; Luke Plagens, SQ. EPR: Abby Slyter, 5th. Program of Oral Interpretation: Maggie Oberlander Inform: Hannah Peterson, 1st; Sharon Michael, 3rd; Entertain: Hannah Peterson, 2nd. (6th, 3rd alternate), Abby Slyter (5th, 2nd alternate) Sarah Montecuollo, 5th. Humorous: Amanda Bjork, Superior Speaker. Original Oratory: Abby Slyter (3rd, 1st alternate) EPR: Abby Slyter, 2nd; Amanda Bjork, 4th; David Op- Dramatic: Abby Slyter, Superior Speaker; Abby Ing- Dramatic: Rose Marcellus (2nd, qualifier to 2016 Na- dahl, SQ. stead, Superior Speaker. tional Tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah. This is the Serious Duo: Maggie Oberlander/Eliza Johnson, 2nd; Humorous Duo: Erik Johnson/Mikey Meester, 7th. hardest event to qualify, and was the biggest event of the Joseph Munowenyu/ Rose Marcellus, 4th. The weekend of April 10 fourteen students ventured tournament) Entertain: Hannah Peterson, 6th. Opinion 2 The Bridges April 28, 2016 Here’s my on NDSU/UND Sucesses by Dalton Ondracek Slant “With the 2nd pick in the NFL no other Bison’s name has been ball world by storm. The Bison NDSU has to take advantage of Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles before. Everywhere you find a are becoming a common name this unique opportunity and run select Carson Wentz, Quarter- sports newspapers and maga- “Herd” around the country now with it. This will be seen by some back, North Dakota State.” The zines, you find Wentz’s name. with their success. of the most talented recruits in words will live in the minds and You would think a small school I believe with the success of the country, and a college foot- the eyes of Bison Fans across the like NDSU would never have a Carson Wentz, NDSU will reach ball team is nothing without re- state and country. talent considered for the num- even further heights. They are cruiting. It will be interesting to North Dakota State football is ber one pick in the NFL Draft. now getting national publicity see where this will take NDSU becoming arguably, one of the But I can believe it, based on the on the biggest stage like they football in the future. Maybe, biggest faces in college football. fact that NDSU and their Five have never gotten before. Tal- just maybe, the FBS; but that’s a With the 2016 NFL Draft, Bison Straight National Champion- ents like this hardly ever come conversation for another time. football has put a name where ships are taking the college foot- around the FCS level of football. (Views in the opinions columns reflect opinions of the writers only.) In My Judgment by Carol Foth May I begin by thanking Trierre Smith for gracefully hold- those who could not help with the process, let me say this. Teens ing off on her opinion column until the May issue so I could today have so many responsibilities, choices have to be made. Be- state my opinion on a subject I feel strongly about. tween extracurricular activities, church commitments, parttime Now that I am just days away from turning 65, I am of- jobs, concerns about testing, homework, family connections, and ficially a senior citizen. Having reached the age of wisdom having a little free time and sleep tme, they are very, very busy. But and experience, some my age and older think I should now it did not stop those who could not be involved from stopping to stand in judgment of the current teenage generation. So I check out the progress, give encouragement and say ‘thanks’ for a will. job well done. Prom 2016 took place less than a week ago, so the impres- When the decorations were done and the setup began, parents sion left with me is fresh. It was the end of a process that showed up and helped get ready for the big night. Watching teens took weeks of planning, creating and constructing. Hun- and parents work together is one of the best parts of advising prom. dreds of square feet of cardboard, gallons of glitter and tons Just having an adult working along side of them is a great way to of patience and persistance were needed to produce “A Taste of Adventure”, Prom 2016. Who was fill the generation gap. Sometimes the parents are having more fun responsible for this sparkling spectical? The Class of 2017, this year’s juniors. In a class of only 69, than the kids! I saw the determination to reach the goal. I experienced fun and laughter. I witnessed teamwork. I Now prom night arrived. Everyone showed up looking amazing. marveled at the speed with which the juniors worked. I saw individuals recognize talents they did Everyone was respectful and mature. And, everyone had a great not know they had. I also saw pride in their accomplishmets and true joy at the outcome. And for time! It is unfortunate that in some schools the common practice is to go through grand march and leave. Not at VCHS! I always stand in awe and watch the entire group of students dance together, not as couples, as one large group! I have done prom twelve times iffany ‘ rierre’s Adventures and it still amazes me. This is how we roll at VCHS! T N T So as I stand in judgment in my elder years, I say we have great kids in Valley City. An entire age group should not be judged by Sam & Dalton’s Adventures the actions of a few and it is the few we generally hear about. So by Sam Jensen & Dalton Ondracek let me say to my generation, judge fairly and get to know teens.