News

Have you been wondering why high school seniors have been running around town with squirt guns and floaties this spring? Well, I’m part of the problem — here’s why: This year seniors got the opportunity to play Splashin’ which is a traditional...

According to James D. Wolfensohn, “the Arts must be at the heart of every child’s learning experience if...they are to have a chance to dream and to create, to have beliefs, to carry a sense of cultural identity...

Stickgame is an important part of the culture of North Western tribes of the U.S. Playing Stickgame allows for the tribes on the Flathead Reservation to exercise their treaty rights. But these tribes aren’t the only ones who play Stickgame. There are tournaments...

Construction is fully underway at Polson High School as part of the district’s $40 million bond-funded initiative to modernize school facilities. SWANK Enterprises, the general contractor managing the high school phase, is currently focused on the new addition. Concrete work is progressing quickly...

The topic of whether or not to ban phones during school hours has been a highly relevant debate across America, with many schools weighing the pros and cons of such a policy. At Polson High School, students are publicly opposing the idea, citing personal freedom...

I never planned to join the school newspaper. In fact, when I first heard about The Salishian my freshman year, I didn’t think it was something I’d ever be part of or ever lead, but life has a way of surprising you, and this surprise became one of the most meaningful experiences of my high school career...

Xander Becker, a Polson High School student, is gaining attention for his debut film Skin. The film explores themes of personal growth, high school struggles, and the impact of making difficult choices. Originally, he wrote a script called Bailey, which had some similarities to Skin, but was less meaningful...

According to local business owner Carol Lynn Lapotka, you know it’s busy in Polson when you can’t make a left turn. For years, Polson has been a central location for summer tourism in Montana. Whether people are here for the lake, the local Cherry Festival...

Over 60% of Polson High School’s student body works in the surrounding community. Students hold jobs in fields ranging from landscaping to retail to food industry. Some students own their own businesses, and others support family businesses...

Through April 10-12, Polson High School bands and choirs headed up to Kalispell to present their musical works and secure their placements at the District Music Festival. On the first two days of the event everyone was required to participate; however, on the...

In an effort to spark deeper conversations among youth voices around mental health in Montana communities, a University of Montana based team visited the Polson High School library this April as part of a four-part interactive program called State of Mind from the Co-Lab for Civic Imagination...

In Polson the library isn’t just a place for reading; it's a big part of the community. Whether you’re a student looking for a weekend job or someone who loves helping others, the library has something for everyone. Juliet Boen, a 16 year old student, works in the children’s...

After 38 years of teaching sciences includin chemistry, physics, and earth science, Jon Petersen is retiring from Polson High School. His departure represents the end of the nearly two-thirds of his life he’s spent teaching. Mr. Petersen’s introduction into teaching was mainly influenced by his father...

Colby Yarger has had many accomplishments through his high school career at Polson High School. One of the bigger accomplishments was running for and being elected to the Student Body President. Yarger said he ran because,”I wanted to create change through Polson High School...

By balancing education and life, Haley Willer has learned how to place her faith first. As a counselor and attendee of Glacier Bible Camp, Willer has grown a deep love for the camp and its participants. Surrounded by a supportive community of fellow believers and guided...

To most people, a trip to the dump is just a hassle, a chore to be done. but for Casen Elmore, it sparked a passion. What started as a normal errand with his dad became an idea that led to research, inspiration, and...

Paige Johnston has been doing rodeo ever since she can remember. Her whole family is involved in rodeo, and she competes in all the events she can. Johnston competes with the NRA (Northern Rodeo Association) and also competes with Brash (a local rodeo group), but mostly competes for herself. NRA is where...

Summer Newman will bring her hockey skills to Hilbert College in Hamburg, New York. She is a goalie and started playing back when she lived in Minnesota when she was eight. Once she moved back to Montana, she continued to play...

Polson High School senior Olivia Clairmont’s biggest regret is not immersing herself into school extracurriculars. She wishes that she wasn’t so afraid to get involved in the school as an underclassman. She explains, “I wish I was more involved, and I wish I talked to more people.” But her lack...

For some high school students, balancing academics, extracurricular activities, and personal life is a challenge. But for Durai Mahkuk and Josh Reed, firefighting is another responsibility they have willingly taken on. Both...

Andrei Young has turned his passion for restoring cars into more than just a hobby. For him, it’s a lifelong pursuit inspired by his grandfather, whose love for cars sparked a family tradition of craftsmanship and dedication...

Chloe Anderson is striving to focus on experimenting with painting after high school by studying fine arts at the University of Montana next fall. An artist with a love for experimenting with different mediums, Anderson has poured her creative...

You might have seen the valedictorian of this year, Samantha Rensvold, worked her way to the top by keeping up good grades while staying active in sports and school clubs. “Being valedictorian shows all the hard work I’ve done over the years...

A hunter, a student, and a state baseball champion, Landon Shoemake made quite the splash as a student at Polson High School during his four years. He won the 2023 state during his sophomore year, and said, “The first season we had, spring high school baseball for Montana...

As an incoming freshman at the University of Montana and graduating senior at Polson High School, Seth Stanley will major in culinary and minor in theater when he starts next fall. His acting experiences throughout middle school and high school have sharpened his skills, and he hopes to eventually win an Oscar...

Through his dedication to coding, Aiden Acosta has grown significantly in his confidence as well as resilience through the coding programs offered at PHS. He began his coding journey sophomore year by taking Computer Science Essentials and since then has honed in his skills through different coding projects...

Gabriella Ilac has been a diligent para helper for the Polson High School Special Education program for the last two years of her high school career. Her introduction to the program was more coincidental than intentional...

As winter settles over Polson, students face not only the usual challenges of navigating icy roads and snow-covered streets but also the added responsibility of ensuring safety in school zones and the parking lot.  Locals suggest that action should be taken to address...

When Joe Martinez graduated from Polson High School, he planned to set off to continue his education at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota. Once he got to the campus and spent some time in classes, he realized that it wasn’t the path for him...

The district’s Gifted and Talented program (GT) helps advanced students, giving them extra learning opportunities, faster lessons, and additional support for qualifying students. A big goal is to get more identified high school students involved with the program, which currently serves 173 students in Polson...

With rapidly changing trends, stores such as H&M and Zara let consumers purchase high-end merchandise at low prices, but at what cost? “Fast Fashion” can be defined as the mass production of current trends sold at retail stores. While appearing helpful to the average individual who cannot afford luxury pieces...

Each individual tribe in the U.S. has their own traditional ways of life that supported them from time immemorial, though they have had to adapt with changing times in the world. The youth of these native tribes have to balance out these two worlds. And the native youth in PHS have come a long way in doing so...

Major changes are already happening at Polson High School. With the first phase of construction underway, the district’s ongoing renovation and expansion efforts will soon bring new classrooms, specialized spaces, and enhanced facilities to the campus...

If you have ever wanted to learn how to crochet or want an opportunity to crochet with others, you should join Baylee Lemm’s newly established crochet club. Anyone is welcome to join them in the library on Wednesdays after school. Lemm started the club for a project in her Leadership class where...

Amanda Walsh’s twelfth-grade career-based English class takes the fundamentals of a standard English class and applies it to how a student can work on achieving their goals for their future careers. Walsh, a first year English teacher at Polson High School...

Polson High School will enter a new chapter with a new principal for the 2025-2026 school year, as current principal Andrew Fors transitions into the role of superintendent. After serving as principal for the past five years, Fors decided he’s ready to embark on a new adventure...

FLIC is back in its 13th year, from February 14-16, 2025, at the Showboat Stadium 6 in Polson, Montana. Prepare to view local and international films. Festival organizer David W. King said, “We’ve got movies from 18 different countries this time, which is the most ever...

The moment you turn eighteen you are entitled to participate in voting whether that be in your local, state, or national elections. For voters, the primary election that takes place every four years allows one to support candidates with similar beliefs and values to their own...

Powwows, a staple of the Flathead Reservation, offer opportunities for Indigenous communities across the reservation to gather and see family and friends they might not see very often. There are two main powwows during the summer months: Elmo and the Arlee powwow...

This summer before school started, juniors and seniors at Polson High School decorated the parking lot as they painted their designated parking spots. The painting started September 5 and lasted throughout the rest of the week...

Woodrow, Polson’s best known dog, has gained a prominent social media presence on the Mission Valley Safety awareness page as he travels from Mrs. Wonderful’s Café clear across town to Murdochs...

Polson High School just kicked off a new Entrepreneurship class taught by Sean Elser, and it’s all about helping students explore their business ideas...

Polson High School welcomed Amanda Walsh, a new English teacher this year, bringing a fresh approach to exploring literature. With six years of teaching experience in Missoula and nearly a year in Ronan, she now teaches three sections of senior English, one section of junior English...

DND, also known as Dungeons and Dragons, is a hyper-reality dice game riding on the chances of probability. A (DM) Dungeon Master’s creativity in world building, and the craftiness of the chaotic players that adds a unique layer of individuality to each session.

With the construction of the elementary schools nearing completion, attention is now shifting to the high school, where renovation plans are set to kick off before the end of the year...