Native American Literature

Here is what the Native American Literature class has explored this semester:

I. Poetry/Mythology (N. Scott Momaday, James Welch, Sherman Alexie, Leslie Marmon Silko)
II. Reservation Blues by Sherman Alexie
III. Ceremony by Leslie Marmon Silko
IV: Medicine River by Thomas King
V: Lakota Woman by Mary Crow Dog

Red Cloud Gates Scholarship Winners

Red Cloud High School features nine winners of the Gates Millennium Scholarship for 2011, a new school record.

Read about it from the Rapid City Journal.

Here is the website about the scholarship.

Poem of the Day: Haiku

Sick on a journey -
Over parched fields
Dreams wander on.

BASHO


Here is an article on "Zen and the Art of the Haiku."


In Poetry class, we are exploring the haiku. Today we watched the first section of the film Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...and Spring

This photo from the film is courtesy of http://www.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/CU/content/cms_view_301217.jsp

Journalism Projects

1. Articles and page design for school newspaper
2. Broadcast journalism: video news report
3. Blogging
4. Sanford Lab Trip and Article
5. Podcasts
6. Photojournalism

Gates Millennium Scholars

Letters are still coming in...but eight students so far from Red Cloud High School have been awarded the prestigious Gates Millennium Scholarship for 2011.......MORE INFO TO COME!!!!!

Sanford Underground Lab Trip

Yesterday Red Cloud High School Journalism students and Science Club members traveled to the Sanford Underground Laboratory in Lead, South Dakota as a part of a partnership between Red Cloud and the Lab.

Journalism students listened to some advice from longtime newsreporter Bill Harlan. Students practiced hands-on skills in photography, interviewing, and note-taking. Students also talked to scientists exploring the murky and mysterious world of dark matter.

The day started off with a fresh blanket of snow covering the Pine Ridge Reservation. However, by the end of the trip, the sun was shining supremely, symbolizing the scientific stardom of skill-seeking students.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS TAKEN BY STUDENT JOURNALISTS FROM THE TRIP TO COME....

2011 Chadron State College Chess Tournament Results

Results are in for the 2011 Chadron State College Chess Tournament. The tournament featured the top 12 bloodthirsty chess minds in the Nebraska/South Dakota area, including five brave teachers from the Red Cloud school system.

OLL math teacher Bryan Steinher finished second in the tournament with a 3-1 record. He had a narrow defeat in a tense championship game. Red Cloud English teacher Mike Sunderland took home the 6th place trophy with a 2-2 record, tying 3rd grade teacher Michael Mallon. Social studies teacher Matt Campbell unfortunately came home trophy-less, as did Science teacher Tim Barth.

Baseball Returns: Phillies Dominate

It snowed last night on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Snow covers the ground this morning and we had a two hour late start at school because of the weather conditions.

Nonetheless, there is one clear sign of spring....BASEBALL IS BACK.

One team made a huge splash in the off-season by signing free agent pitcher Cliff Lee...the PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES.

With the vaunted rotation of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels, and Joe Blanton, people are getting hyped up for the Phillies' season. Sports Illustrated featured this dynamic pitching quintet on its cover for its annual season preview.

Last night, Cliff Lee dominated the Jayson Werth-led Nationals by throwing a complete game shutout, striking out 12 hapless Nats. Story from the Philadelphia Inquirer is here.

Right now, the Phillies stand on top of the NL East with a sparkling 9-3 record. Roy Oswalt (2-0) takes the hill tonight against the Marlins and their starting pitcher Javier Vasquez (1-1).

Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies, led by sluggers Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, have withstood the loss of ace Ubaldo Jimenez (the rare cuticle injury) to stake 10-2 record and the best record in all of baseball.

In other Philadelphia news, the 76ers face the Miami Heat and their hyped trio of Lebron, DWade, and Bosh in the first round of the NBA playoffs. Do the Sixers and Coach Doug Collins have any chance of winning this series?

Chadron State College Chess Tournament

This Saturday, April 16th is the Chadron State College Chess Tournament. Link from the Rapid City Journal is here.

Red Cloud social studies teacher Matt Campbell is enthusiastically excited. He is sure to study his Chessmaster computer program in the next few days.

Poem of the Day: Billy Collins

Photo of the Day: A window into the fields beyond Red Cloud High School









Poem of the Day, from a fellow graduate from the College of the Holy Cross.

Shoveling Snow with Buddha, by Billy Collins

In the usual iconography of the temple or the local Wok
you would never see him doing such a thing,
tossing the dry snow over a mountain
of his bare, round shoulder,
his hair tied in a knot,
a model of concentration.

Sitting is more his speed, if that is the word
for what he does, or does not do.

Even the season is wrong for him.
In all his manifestations, is it not warm or slightly humid?
Is this not implied by his serene expression,
that smile so wide it wraps itself around the waist of the universe?
But here we are, working our way down the driveway,
one shovelful at a time.

We toss the light powder into the clear air.
We feel the cold mist on our faces.
And with every heave we disappear
and become lost to each other
in these sudden clouds of our own making,
these fountain-bursts of snow.

This is so much better than a sermon in church,
I say out loud, but Buddha keeps on shoveling.
This is the true religion, the religion of snow,
and sunlight and winter geese barking in the sky,
I say, but he is too busy to hear me.

He has thrown himself into shoveling snow
as if it were the purpose of existence,
as if the sign of a perfect life were a clear driveway
you could back the car down easily
and drive off into the vanities of the world
with a broken heater fan and a song on the radio.

All morning long we work side by side,
me with my commentary
and he inside his generous pocket of silence,
until the hour is nearly noon
and the snow is piled high all around us;
then, I hear him speak.

After this, he asks,
can we go inside and play cards?

Certainly, I reply, and I will heat some milk
and bring cups of hot chocolate to the table
while you shuffle the deck.
and our boots stand dripping by the door.

Aaah, says the Buddha, lifting his eyes
and leaning for a moment on his shovel
before he drives the thin blade again
deep into the glittering white snow.

A Zen Center: Photo Courtesy of the Cambridge Zen Center


April 8th is celebrated in many countries as the Buddha's birthday.

Red Cloud Prom: Thoughts and Feelings

Saturday April 9th was the Red Cloud High School Prom.

Question of the day: How did you feel about prom?

Sonyah Clifford: It was good, the best year ever.

Gina Arrellano: It was fun. Pretty good.

Dom Lebeaux: It was alright.

Jen Schaer: It was okay. I missed the last two years, so I have nothing to compare it to.

Tiarra Little: I had fun. I had fun.

Red Cloud Class of '11 Profiles

Jeff New Holy

Q. What is your name spelled backward?
A. FEJJ

Q. Favorite food?
A. pizza

Q. Favorite book?
A. Beowulf

Q. Favorite movie?
A. Avatar

Q. Favorite video game?
A. Call of Duty: Black Ops

Q. Favorite class?
A. Geometry

Q. Where will you be in ten years?
A. This class (Journalism)

Q. Favorite animal to hunt?
A. coyotes

Q. Nickname?
A. Coyote Man

Q. How do you feel about coyotes?
A. They're pretty cool.

Q. Dream job?
A. Video game tester

Q. How do you feel about Red Cloud?
A. It's pretty cool.

Cassandra Big Crow

Q. What is your name spelled backward?
A. Ardnassac

Q. Favorite food?
A. Goulash

Q. Favorite movie?
A. Walk the Line

Q. Favorite class?
A. AP English

Q. Plans for the future?
A. College, studying pharmacy.

Q. Where will you be in ten years?
A. Rapid City.

Q. Do you own any animals?
A. Dogs, a bunny named Thumper

Q. How do you feel about coyotes?
A. They're cool.

Q. Dream job?
A. Pharmacist

Q. How do you feel about Red Cloud?
A. It's alright.

Q. If you could travel to a magical, fantasy world, where would you go?
A. Narnia

Q. Favorite mythical beast?
A. Liger or unicorn (Pegasus)

Q. If you could be a dwarf, hobbit, or elf, what would you be?
A. elf

Two Chess Battles Brewing

Matt Campbell (23-4-2) versus Tynan (11-9)

Tyrell (35-24) vs. Weizhi (16-14)

Interview with RCHS Basketball Player Kiley Weston '11

Kiley working hard in Journalism













Last night was the boys basketball banquet at RCHS. I had the chance to have an exclusive interview with senior player Kiley Weston.

Q. What did you think of the basketball banquet?
A. I thought it was nice. Sad, because it was the last time for the team to be together as a team. At the same time, it was fun because there were a lot of jokes.

Q. How did you prepare your speech?
A. Hard to prepare. I just thought about what I should say and how basketball shaped me.

Q. What is your best basketball memory?
A. Hard to pick one. Probably when we beat STM my freshman year.

Q. What are your plans for the future?
A. College. Bismarck State.

Thank you, Kiley!

Red Cloud Chess Standings (Exclusive Update!)

One club has taken over Red Cloud High School by storm since March: CHESS CLUB. With thirty members strong, the Chess Club is much like an unstoppable storm crashing through the prairie. You can ONLY find updated Red Cloud Chess Standings here:

RPI STANDINGS:

1. Matt C.: .652892
2. Jun Y.: .609786
3. Mike S.: .607506
4. Tynan C.: .566573
5. Weizhi L.: .536799
6. Tyrell O.: .535796
7. Lane P.: .504975
8. Sylas R.E.: .490189
9. Bobby H.: .480633
10. Orin M.: .447963
11. Cody Y.B.: .438973
12. William B.: .427308
13. Terrance C.: .417047
14. Wyatt H.: .405599

The RPI is calculated by Red Cloud stats guru Matt Campbell (also, coincidentally, the top-rated player thus far, despite losing to English teacher assassin Mike S. three out of four times). The RPI basic formula is 25% winning %, 50% opponents' winning %, and 25% opponents' opponents' winning %.

Photo of the Day: Red Cloud High School Parking Lot: Thursday, April 7, 2011

Chess: Exploring the Architecture of the Mind

There are two actual chess boards and an image of a chess board in this photo. Look carefully.












Chess

by Jorge Luis Borges

1
Set in their studious corners, the players
move the gradual pieces. Until dawn
the chessboard keeps them in it’s strict confinement
with its two colors set at daggers drawn.

Within the game itself the forms give off
their magic rules: Homeric castle, knight
swift to attack, queen warlike, king decisive,
slanted bishop, and attacking pawns.

Eventually, when the players have withdrawn,
when time itself has finally consumed them,
the ritual will certainly not be done.

It was in the East this war took fire.
Today the whole earth is its theatre.
Like the game of love, this game goes on forever.

11

Faint-hearted king, sly bishop, ruthless queen,
strraightforward castle, and deceitful pawn -
over the checkered lack and white terrain
they seek out and begin their armed campaign.

They do not know it is the players hand
that dominates and guides their destiny.
They do not know an adamantine fate
controld their will and the battle plan.

The player too is captive of caprice
(the words are Omar’s) on another ground
where black nights alternate with whiter days.

God moves the player, he in turn the piece.
But what god beyond God begins the round
of dust and time and sleep and agonies?

Journalism Explores the Blogging World!

Today is my first day blogging here in Journalism Class. Students are starting up their blogs. It is a gray, cloudy day here on the Pine Ridge Reservation.

Tonight is the boys' basketball banquet. Last night, we had a sweat here at Red Cloud, with lots of people in attendance.

In Journalism, we are starting blogs so that students can experiment with and experience the world of online journalism. We have created a regular student newspaper, The Blue Pages, but are now venturing into the online world of news reporting.

During this week, students need to write four blog posts by Friday. Each blog post should cover a different style of journalistic writing. For example, some of the options students have are hard news (Red Cloud High School news), features, reviews (film, movie, video games, etc.), editorials, sports, creative writing, cultural writing, humor, and so forth.

During this semester, besides our newspaper work, we have also worked with producing news video broadcasts. Another option to explore is the production of podcasts.

On the topic of our new project of blogs, senior student Jeremiah says, "It's cool. I like it. You can write about whatever, whatever is on your mind."

On working on the blog project, Shaina says, "I like it. It gives us more freedom."

In the changing world of journalism, I think it is good to have students work with new forms of media. Also, I think it is always a positive thing to have students writing each day, especially in different styles of writing.

Hopefully, the Journalism students will improve their interviewing, researching, and writing skills.

Senior Tristen ambled in out of nowhere. He states, "I'm glad to be alive and living another day in Tunkash country." Thank you, Tristen.

Tristen is currently producing a basketball highlight film for tonight's banquet.