9/30/15

Vol. 8 Issue 1
WHEN THE WORLD WENT UP IN SMOKE
Remembering the Events That Occurred During
the Tragedy of 9/11

By Johnny Erickson and Emma Ludwig

September 11, 2001 8:19 A.M, authorioped after 9/11. Homeland Security has been
ties were just being notified that Flight 11 had
a growing corporation for thirteen strong years.
been hijacked by a group of al-Qaeda men. The
Their goal is to protect America from terrorist athijackers had their eyes on the World Trade Center tacks or other hazards. Since 2001, America hasnt
(WTC); they were slowly approaching the giant
had to weather a terrorist attack as big as 9/11, but
striped towers. Unaware of the catastrophe about if it happens, America has its trust in Homeland
to unfold, the citizens on the streets
Secuwent about their daily lives. Moments
rity to
later, however, the people of New York
protect
City had found themselves watching as
the lives
the WTC went up in flames when flight
of the
11 crashed into the North Tower. Ten
Ameriminutes later, flight 175 cut through the
can
South Tower like a hot knife through
people.
butter. As the two planes crashed,
The
passengers and hundreds inside were
US has
killed instantaneously. An estimated three thounever been the same since the tragedy of 9/11.
sand people died on 9/11, and now the question is An onlooker of the events, who goes unnamed,
asked: How did this impact the world?
remembered people who jumped from the falling

Mr. Paul Clemens, math teacher at CCHS, buildings to avoid being killed by the flames. She
was twenty years old and in college when 9/11
said, They were choosing not whether to die, but
occurred. Mr.Clemens mentioned that back in
how to die. The people who saw the events will
his day, airport security was more relaxed.
never forget the horrific images that will haunt
In fact, you could get around the airport without
them forever. All that was before, will never be the
having a pass and there was no major checking to same again. Mr. Clemens concludes: It felt like
see if people any had weapons. Mr. Clemens adds, everything slowed to an almost surreal
Homeland Security didnt exist and was develstate.

Staff

Editors: Angela Balboa, and

Gabriel Modder
Writers: Miriam Nelson, Nicole Krueger, Ava Krueger, Rick
Derfus,Johnny Erickson, Leah
Martin, Emma Ludwig, Sophia
Marcus, Jack Zaic,
Advisor: Miss Branderhorst
Contact:
thecougarstale@gmail.com
The Cougars Tale is a publication of Calvin Christian High
Schools journalism class. Students
get the experience of interviewing people and writing articles for
viewing by others.
Questions, comments, or publications should be directed to Miss
Branderhorst and will be relayed
to the journalism class.

Dont Forget!

The Cougars Tale is now online.

To find more news articles about
events around CCHS, please check
out our blog at:
http://thecougarstale.blogspot.com/

Syrian Refugees

Student
Council
Corner
By Levi Vande Kamp

As the year gets started, one of
the things we are working on is the chalkboard in the third floor hallway. Soon,
a weekly question will be posted there,
Caribou style, for people to write their
answer. This should hopefully create positive conversation across the student body
and we highly recommend participating!
Another project we are working on is the
fall festival. This generally consists of a
pumpkin carving contest between advisories as well as other games. This will take
place on a Friday night after school. It is a
very enjoyable school bonding time! The
next thing on our list is preparation for the
winter dance. The winter dance, for those
unfamiliar, is a school dance that happens
in early December. It is open to all students and takes place at the Calvin Blaine
campus. More info will be released later
on in the planning process. Another thing
that student council takes care of is concessions. The concessions stand is led by
Mollie Kelderman, and is open at home
volleyball and basketball games. If you
are interested in working the concession
counter please let Mollie know. All proceeds go to student council to help fund
the different events we plan. The more
money we make from concessions, the
less we have to charge for dance tickets,
so please check it out!

The Extent of the Problem and What is Being Done About it?

By Ava Krueger

Recently in the news, the Syrian Refugee
ing since 2012. Others have fled to Iraq and Turkey.
Crisis has gotten a lot of publicity. Many might not
All of these countries are struggling to meet the needs
be aware that this is an ongoing crisis, and has been
of the refugees and deal with cultural tensions as well.
active since March of 2011. This crisis is causing
Many other refugees are going across the Meditertragedy in all forms. Adults and children alike have
ranean Sea to get to Europe. This is a very dangerous
been found washed up
trip, and many do not
on shore after drowning
make it across alive.
when trying to reach a

Many countries
safe place. Countries
are helping with this
taking in refugees are
crisis, some more than
dealing with innumerothers. The United Naable people flooding
tions issued the largest
in, and conditions there
appeal that theyve
are worsening because
ever provided for one
of the sheer amount of
crisis, and are estimatpeople there are.
ing that $8.4 billion is
The crisis has been
needed to help everycaused by both the civil war in Syria and ISIS. The
one affected by the crisis. Humanitarian organizations
civil war itself has killed 220,000 people. Half of
like Mercy Corps are helping the U.N. with contributhose are thought to be civilian casualties. The amount tion and funding internationally to help the refugees.
of people displaced is 10.6 million, which is half of
The U.S. is taking in 10,000 refugees next year. Right
the pre-war population. Also, half of these are under
now in the world, this is the largest amount of disthe age of 18. Many of the refugees are living in Jor- placed people since World War II. This issue is still
dan and Lebanon, where Mercy Corps has been help- unresolved.
1

Editorials

Why Vote?

Finding Your Vocation Everyday

What is God calling you to do right

now?
By Angela Balboa
Sometimes it can be hard to
listen to our parents when they
want us to clean our room
or do the dishes. We would
rather keep watching TV or
just lay in bed and continue to
do nothing. And then when it
comes to homework I would
rather clean every inch of the
house than to start constructing a case study about some
organism that I know nothing about. But have you ever
thought that maybe that is
what God is calling you to
do in that moment? I never
thought doing the dishes was
part of my vocation, but it very
much is a part of my calling
as a daughter of my parents.

The majority of people
who think of the word vocation probably dont think of
something like being a janitor.
But the fact of the matter is
that, that could very well be
your part of vocation. God has
made you and is calling you,
right now, to your vocation.
This summer I read a book
called, God At Work. There
were two main themes/phrases
that the author continuously
brought up: Who is my neigh-

bor? and How can I love/

serve them? This book had
very inspiring theology and
made it applicable for everyday life.

The Bible talks about
how God wants us to do our
very best in everything we do
and by doing that we are honoring him. Colossians 3:23-24
says, Whatever you do, work
heartily, as for the Lord and
not for men, knowing that
from the Lord you will receive
the inheritance as your reward.
You are serving the Lord
Christ. Your current vocation
can be honoring your teachers by being present in class
and devoting your thoughts to
discussion.

At every stage of your
life, God is calling you to
build his kingdom in small
and big ways. Sometimes it
can be difficult to realize that
what youre doing is actually
bringing people to Christ. You
may feel insignificant, like you
arent doing anything, but if
you are serving and loving in
the places God has called you,
you are entirely necessary.

Do you plan on taking advantage of

your rights?
By Rick Derfus and Sophia Marcus

The fate of this country
hangs in the balance once again. The
fate of the land rests in the hands
of the people, one of the things that
truly makes America unique. The
right to vote has expanded in the
U.S. and has now been given to all
citizens. As elections come about,
many neglect this significant and
rare right.

Why vote? It often seems as
though one vote from one individual
will accomplish nothing. It is important to remember that if everyone
thought this way, no one would vote.
The whole is
the sum of the
individuals,
therefore the
opinion of the
individuals
comprises the
whole. Almost
everyone is
willing to criticize a president once he is elected,
though not nearly as many people
are willing to take responsibility for
their election.

A survey was sent out to the
student body to gauge what they
knew about and thought about the
election. The questions were: do
you plan on voting, if so, who for,
what do you know about the political
parties, and do you know any of the
candidates? Most of the responses

listed that they would vote if they

were of age. Ben Carson and Marco
Rubio are the two most popular candidates. Most of the students knew
that there are two main political
parties and many listed basic differences that they had. The average
number of candidates that someone
could list is four, and the best known
candidate is Donald Trump.

Many people think that their
opinion lacks value. Some people
have become indifferent to voting.
They might hold the opinion that
my opinion, in the midst of 318 million people
doesnt
really matter. On the
contrary, it
does. We
have become people
who are
used to voicing our opinion on all sorts of subjects. We tend to eventually get what
we want, by voicing our opinion.
(Even if it has to be voiced over and
over again.) Some people, though,
think that it is somehow different in
voting. Your vote matters. People
are free to express their presidential
opinion through voting, so why not
take advantage of it?

The Study of Revelation at CCHS

A new Elective Taught by Mr. Arlan Koppendrayer
By Nicole Krueger

Calvin Christian High School has recently started an elective
never done before; Mr. Koppendrayer is teaching a class on the book
of Revelation. It [Revelation] is a part of the Bible. . .a lot of people
have never learned about, says sophomore
AJ Foster. This is true; Revelation is one
of the least-understood books of the Bible.
However, many people are intrigued by it,
as says Mr. Koppendrayer, Over the last 13
years of teaching. . .every year some student or more than one student has wanted to
study the book of Revelation. . .There seems
to be just a high level of interest in the
book. This is why an elective devoted to its
study was started.

Although it may be that the class
is off to a slow start, with simply reading through the book, AJ Foster says it is
still pretty interesting. Mr. Koppendrayer
has many things he wants to accomplish through the class, including
helping students know how to better study a book of the Bible, giving

them a better understanding of Revelation, and de-mystifying this often

extremely symbolic book. He also wants students to better understand
Gods deep desire to address injustice and suffering. Another thing I
want students to get out of this class,
says Mr. Koppendrayer, Is a sense of
how Revelation is deeply relevant to
their lives right now.
When asked whether or not the
class should be taught again next
year, Mr. Koppendrayer said, Its too
early to tell. It seems as though the
future of this elective is as obscure as
the meaning of Revelation! However,
interest level is high and it is starting
off well; students are beginning to
understand more about this important
book of the Bible. This will greatly
benefit them, because, as Mr. Koppendrayer says, It [Revelation] really is not. . .just primarily about the
future.

Student Highlights
Alice Bushhouse

Gabe Distad

Birthdate: January 2, 2000

Birthdate: September 4, 2000

Biggest fear? Being killed because it is a scary thought.

Biggest fear? Dying and death.

Favorite quote? N/A

Favorite quote? Be careful what you think, because your thoughts become your words, be careful what you say because your words become
your actions, be careful of your actions because your actions become
your habits, be careful of your habits because your habits become your
character, be careful about your character because character decides
your destiny. -Anonymous

Whats on your bucket list?

Going to Europe because I am interested in it.
Whats your favorite TV show? Jessie

Whats on your bucket list? Play in Major League Baseball.

If you had a time machine where would you go? Back to the day when
my mom dropped
me off at the
orphanage because then I would
maybe be able to
see her.

Whats your favorite TV

show? MythBusters
If you had a time machine
where would you go? I would
go to 2008, because Owl City
rose to fame in 2008, and I
want to be there when that
happens.

Describe yourself
in five words:
Caring,
weird,
happy,
respectful,
and kind.

Describe yourself in five

words: Athletic, outgoing,
open-minded, patient, and
kind.
If you could vacation in one
country where would it be?
New Zealand, because its
a beautiful country and its
where the Lord of the Rings
was shot.

If you could
vacation in
one place where
would it be?
California, because
its close to the
ocean and I have
never really been there.

If a genie appeared and offered you one wish beside more wishes what
would you wish for?
I would live in Hawthorne, Wisconsin, because my best friend lives
there.

If a genie appeared and offered you one wish beside more wishes what
would you wish for?
To have a happy life.

What do the Freshmen Think?

Sports From a new Perspective

By Miriam Nelson and Jack Zaic

lenge is fun.

Cassandra Jarmuzek, who is a freshman volleyball player here,
was asked what she thought about her team. She, too, said that the
teammates all have the same
role. She mentioned that she
gets a lot of support from the
other players, and that they
have to work together and stay
positive in order to get the ball
over the net, score points, and
win games. Even though the
team has to put in a lot of hard
work, Cassandra continued to
say that no matter what, the
team has fun.
From this, one can see
just how welcomed and content the freshmen feel playing
on a high school team. They
are clearly getting a great
amount of support from the
upperclassmen. The teams are
having a good season, putting
in plenty of effort. It can be
concluded that freshmen and
upperclassmen alike are having a good time with the teams
and looking forward to the rest of the season.

Its that time again! The beginning of the school year brings
about fall sports. This is the start of soccer and volleyball. Many
students in our school are involved in these sports, but what is their
opinion on them? How do the
freshmen see sports at a new
school?

Gabe Distad, a freshman, is a part of the CCHS
soccer team. When asked
about whether or not he felt
he had a different role on the
team, as a freshman, versus
when he was on the soccer
team in middle school, Gabe
responded immediately. He
said, . . .I was able to get a
feel for it before the season
started in summer practices.
This shows how easy it is for
new players to feel like a part
of the team. But what Gabe
likes most about soccer is that
. . . You have to work hard,
stay in shape, and make sure
you have the power and accuracy to get the ball where it
needs to go. Reaction time is
important, [and] knowing what to do in every situation, and the chal3

Salt

Advice From His

Majesty
Logic not Love

Finally, one of my subjects
had the sense to come to me about
their problems (its about time!).
Since I am not a complete monster, I will not share the name of
the individual who asked it, but
they signed off as a fractured and
confused human being. If you are
confused,
sit down
and
think
about it:
reasoning
always
helps!
But I get
ahead of
myself:
I should
first mention the nature of the problem. Apparently there is a man out
there who is so stunningly attractive that he is irresistible, and the
writer desperately wants him. Next
I will outline the solution.

First of all, it is easy to
identify the attractive man. Only I
am so stunning with my features,
and so magnificent in form. I am
sorry to tell you that I have no
interest in love. I am a lone wolf,
married to my job. Women and I
dont go well together. Dont worry
though, there are plenty of subpar men out there that you could
choose from, you just

The Small Group, not the Food

By Anna Silker

By The Ricktator
need to find the best of the worst.
First he needs to be smart: who
cares about how he looks, if he is
no good in the business world he is
useless. If you can get an attractive
and smart one (not as attractive or
smart as me) that is even better. So
step one is to find a new guy. Step
two
is to
realize
that no
man
can fix
your
problem of
being
fractured
and
confused(not even me). You need
to realize that your life is whole lot
more than love. Logic not love,
that is what brings someone to success.

So remember subjects, first,
I am not available. Second of all
logic reigns above all, and reasoning will fix your problems much
better than love will. If he or she
seems out of reach, dont embarrass yourself going after them and
getting rejected. So remember, love
is of secondary importance and all
hail the Ricktator.

Last year, I was inspired
to do an independent project
that focused on trying to get
students to open up with each
other. In school, we study
about how to be a Christian,
which is good, but a number of
friends wanted to put what we
were learning into practice. It
started with a small group of
students meeting during lunch
to share how they were doing and
to pray
for each
other and
for the
school.
We called
our group
SALT.
We felt
that, if
we were
really
going to
grow in our walk with God, we
had to learn to be honest both
about our struggles and our desire for God to move at Calvin.
We also made it a goal of ours
to reach out to students in the
rest of school.

The members of the
groups put together the following purpose and ground rules.
Our Purpose:
-To share challenges and victories in our personal lives
-To pray and contemplate truth
that addresses these things

TV Show Survay

-To strengthen each other in

faith and obedience
Our Ground Rules for Sharing:
-Confess your own attitudes
and temptationsno one elses.
-Accept one another; people
have enough guilt already
dont add to it!
-No unsolicited adviceworse
than useless. When people want
advice, they will ask.
This is personal sharing to
advance
spiritual
growth:
theological,
philosophical, and
political
debates
may
take
place
elsewhere!
Because some will share very
vulnerably, what is shared in
group stays inside the group
no gossip!

So far, SALT has been
a wonderful experience, and
we have learned to have more
grace with each other as we
learn whats going on in each
others lives. Many of us also
feel that we have grown closer
to God. If you are interested in
learning more about SALT, ask
Ava Krueger or Anna Silker.

A Survey of what the Student Body is Watching

By Nicole

The journalism team recently produced a survey designed to find out what shows were being watched by the student body. There were
not many shows that were watched by more than one person, so general trends were hard to find. However, the top shows were Supernatural,
Friends, and Psych. They were tied in terms of the number of people who watched them, but students spent the most amount of time watching
Psych (averaged at 5 hours each week), with Friends at a close second (4.5 hours each week), and Supernatural at 1.5 hours each week.