Volume 66, Issue 1 OCTOBER 29, 2020
COVID-19 Fairbury High School 1501 9th Street Fairbury, NE 68352 Non-Profit Organization Permit #64
THE ELECTION & OPINIONS PAGE 4
JEFFS GONE M.A.D. Page 8
SOFTBALL SENIORS PAGE 11
2 Opinion/Editorial
10.29.20
Layout by: Makenzie Mills
The ‘Original’ still rules the cookie So much more v e r Mr. Martin brought the they have pieces of Reese’s than a small town Esince I Original cookies to class, in them.
F
reshman through junior year, I hated the idea of leaving home. I loved high school and everything about it: my friends, dances, football games, classes. Why would I ever want to leave
high school? I didn’t want to go to college where I had no friends or family, and I most definitely didn’t want to move to a town I had never lived before. I would always hear my friends and classmates talking about how much they wanted to get out of Fairbury, and I never understood why. Of course, Fairbury isn’t the greatest town to live in and I understand that, but this is all I’ve ever known. I didn’t want to leave. That was until this summer when I saw all of my friends who had graduated moving into their college dorms. I wanted to be them. I realized there is so much more out there for me than this small town. There are so many opportunities in college that I cannot wait to experience. I want to meet new people, I want to have challenging classes, and I want to study a career that I am going to love. I want to do something with my life. I still love high school and everything about it (minus all the drama), and I plan to study secondary education and become a high school history teacher. Whether that actually happens or not is another story. However, I realized there is so much more for me to do with my life than stay in this small town. There are endless opportunities for me outside of this place. Don’t get me wrong, I have made some of the best memories and met some of my closest friends in the last four years, but it’s time to move on. I am ready to leave this small town and find where I am truly meant to be. For any students who think that the only thing in life is high school, it’s not. You have your whole life ahead of you, high school is only a small part of it. Enjoy every second of it while you can and make the most out of your four years. But when your four years are up, don’t worry, be excited for what is yet to come.
moved to Fairbur y in the middle of the first quarter of sophomore year, there has been an ongoing argument: Chewy Chips Ahoy! or Original? In 2018 I took Journalism I, and I cannot remember exactly how the discussion came about, but I remember half of the class was for Chewy, and the other half was for Original. For about two weeks, the cookie discussion was brought up at least once every day. We would get into heated arguments over which was better, and someone would always get butthurt. It was usually the same person every time, but for their sake they shall remain anonymous. Throughout the entire argument, I would always go back and forth between which one was better. By the time the argument started to settle down,
but only to those who thought they were better. The person who is remaining anonymous brought Chewy Chips Ahoy! for the rest of the class and didn’t share with others even if you asked. A lot of Chips Ahoy!’s other cookies, such as Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and
H e r s h e y ’s , are often found in Chewy but are sometimes found in the Original cookies as well. I would usually think the Originals would be the best, however there are times when the Reese’s Chewy ones are the ones I will choose, not because I think the Chewy ones are better, but simply because
The Originals are so much better. There are so many different things you can do with them. You can make mini ice cream sandwiches, dunk them in milk, and if you really wanted them soft you could microwave them so they are warm and gooey. Now if you were to think that the Chewy ones were b e t t e r, there isn’t much more you can do with them. If you were to dunk them in a glass of milk, it would just crumble everywhere. The Chewy cookies are so soft that even if you were to just hold them with your fingers, they crumble under their own weight. To this day, I still hear the argument being brought up by classmates every once in a while, and no matter what I will always choose Original.
Layout by: Gavin Schramm
A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR
10.29.20
Opinion/Editorial 3
The Blazer would like to acknowledge that the following editorial was written prior to the administrative decision to lift the open campus ban effective Oct. 26.
Open campus ban causes more harm than good Editorial
S
enior year is the year that every high school student looks forward to. When they finally get to that last stretch, they are excited to enjoy every aspect that comes with it. This includes even the smallest of things, like open campus and open periods. However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the administration has taken away open campus lunch for seniors. The Blazer believes seniors should still have the Editorial Cartoon by Brant Gillham right and opportunity to have an open campus. Although the intention of taking out open campus until the county is back to ‘green’ was to prevent the spread of the virus, we do not understand how this is logical. What is the difference between leaving for open campus and students leaving to go to Jefferson or Central for peer tutoring? Or the difference between leaving for open campus and open period? Most students who have an open period are also involved in athletic activities, which causes them to have to come back to school for practice. Why are they allowed to have an open period, leave the school, and come back an hour later, but not have
an open campus to go home or out to eat for thirty minutes? No open campus has consequently made lunch periods more crowded as well. In years past, most seniors left the school for lunch, leaving more seats and space in the cafeteria. Now, there are more students in one area without masks than if there would be if seniors had an open campus. This would seem to be counterproductive in reducing the spread of this virus. Many senior students have had their parents call the school and allow them to leave for lunch, and it is almost certain the administration is aware of this. If seniors are still allowed to have an open campus in these conditions upon request, there is no point in having a “no open campus” rule in the first place. Seniors with stricter parents do not allow them to leave the school for lunch. The Blazer believes seniors should be allowed to have open campus lunch. It is their last year and all they want to do is make the most of it and have the same opportunities and privileges that classes before them had. It would help make this year as normal as possible.
Let’s avoid the uninformed political arguments
I
n every class since the dawn of time, we’ve all been asked to cite reliable sources for our essays, projects and presentations. The purpose of this was always to ensure our work was credible, no matter how much of a pain it could be to find articles that lived up to the rubric’s expectations. Now I’ve struggled just as much as anyone to see how certain courses and concepts taught in class are going to apply to my day-to-day life several years down the road, but I have to admit I’m starting to see just how important it is to fact-check the information we take in on a daily basis. Political tension is nothing new, but 2020’s trainwreck combination of a global pandemic, large-scale protests, a worldwide recession and rampant wildfires among other flat-out terrible variables (e.g., murder hornets) -- all during an election year I might add -- has done nothing but stoked the fires beneath the very opinionated individuals of the world. Whether or not someone has strong opinions of their own, we’ve all been exposed to the beliefs of the prominent figures we see in the news
along with those we interact with on a daily basis. Furthermore, we’ve witnessed the heated arguments that have arisen as a result. Because I absolutely hate the communication (or lack thereof in many cases) that seems to be taking place everywhere, I’d like to offer some advice on having informed, productive conversations. To me, that sounds a lot more beneficial than any alternative. First of all, don’t believe everything you read. The Internet is a wonderful, powerful tool we can use to find information on literally everything, but there are still so many people who will blindly support and share a Tweet or a biased article just because it aligns with their message. Don’t use only one source to back up your opinion when there are unlimited assets out there, and make sure your “facts” are actually facts by confirming them with a variety of reliable resources. On the other hand, we shouldn’t immediately denounce an idea just because it comes from someone we’ve disagreed with in the past - just fact-check it fairly like you would with any other piece of information. Speaking of reliable sources, use them to stay informed on what’s going on in the world. When it comes to forming your own opinion,
don’t be afraid to challenge what you’ve seen/ heard at home or school. Your beliefs don’t have to match those of your family and friends: they’re yours! As loud as the noise of today’s world can be, I still don’t believe we need to have a strong stance on every last issue, either. It’s okay to be unsure and continue researching ideas further. As for the stronger opinions we possess, having credible reasoning behind them will take you further in a discussion. When it comes to this election, I honestly don’t care that someone would vote for Trump or Biden so much as why they would vote for them. The why in this scenario makes for a much more constructive conversation. Basically, if you can back up your opinions on today’s hot topics with some credible information, feel free to engage in the kinds of productive discussions that benefit our society. If you’ve got nothing to defend yourself further than “this pisses liberals/conservatives off,” let’s avoid the unnecessary arguments that continue to tear our country apart.
10.29.20
4 News
Layout by: Ericka Kroeker
FHS reacts to upcoming presidential election With the 2020 presREPORTER idential election right around the corner on Nov. 3, students have their own thoughts and opinions on the matter. With this year’s election deciding if Donald Trump remains in office or if Joe Biden becomes the 46th President of the United States, the thought about who is going to win has become popular at FHS. “I hope that Trump wins,” Michael Riley ‘23, who identifies with Republican views, said. “I agree with almost all of Trump’s views, and I don’t agree so much with Biden.” One key factor that could be affecting students’ thoughts and opinions on the matter is the political parties they align with. The two major political parties are the Democrats and the Republicans, and there are four minor parties consisting of Ideology, Single Issue, Economic Protest and Splinter. Individuals can also choose not to affiliate themselves with a political party and remain Independent. “I would probably be more of an Independent,” Harlie Blas ‘21 said. “I would classify myself as that because I don’t agree with everything Biden and Trump believe in.” Another key variable in students’ thoughts and opinions is how much research they have done on a candidate. Researching a candidate can help students see what the candidates are supportive of and what they disapprove of. “Researching is probably the most important thing to do, but it is very tiring and time-consuming,” politics teacher Mrs. Amy Engle-Evans said. “And it’s not straightforward news anymore, so now you have to be aware when facts stop and when commenting begins. You also have to have multiple perspectives to tell where people are coming from.” A third key item that could be affecting TRENTON RUHNKE
students’ thoughts and opinions are their parents’ influences on them as well as their political views and opinions. “I would say that I got my political views by myself and [from] my parents,” Jorjia Shellhase ‘23, a student identifying as Independent, said. “Why I think that is because there are some things we disagree about and some things we agree about.” When asked about some of the topics brought up at the first presidential debate held at the Sheila and Eric Samson Pavilion in Cleveland, OH, students had different responses. One of the topics discussed was the coronavirus. “I’m glad that they brought up the topic
of the coronavirus because it is happening right now and it has been a big pandemic,” Shellhase said. Another topic brought up during the debate was race and violence in American cities. “I think that both parties needed to step up more,” Riley said. “All this violence should have never happened in the first place.” Views and opinions differ from student to student, but having those views and opinions are important because students will become potential voters in the future. “I think that voting is very important,” Blas said. “Without elections, our world would be in an even bigger mess than it is.”
Construction continues at park After many years of potholes and built up water from storms, the city council decided to move forward with the plan of reconstructing the roads around the City Park on January 1st, 2020. Some of the main problems the road had were build up of water, many potholes and no curbs to show the side of the road during storms. Many students and faculty state the roads around the park cause danger when rain builds up. Junior Alyxandria Kuzelka said, “Sizeable portions of the road were degraded and when they filled up with water it got very difficult to tell where they were and your car could just fall right off the road into them.” Kuzelka believes the construction on these roads is a good thing. “For years I have been saying that the roads need to be fixed,” Kuzelka said. “So, I’m really glad that the city went ahead and funded the construction.” To improve the roads, they have decided to put curbs on the side of the roads, fill in potholes with asphalt, and replace the old storm sewer with new storm sewer lines that are 36 inches. City Administrator Mary Renee said, “These larger storm sewer lines will aid in dis-
Ericka kroeker Reporter
posing water collected in the curb and gutter quicker and prevent the water from collecting in the park as it has in the past.” Construction is currently over 77% percent complete and the completion date is set for January 1st, 2021. The City of Fairbury is also planning on reconstructing the City Park Dump to accommodate two new places for campers instead of the original one, also making it more accessible. They are also planning on adding more games to the Isaac Game Center on the south side of the park. Along with the construction on the park, the softball fields got new updates as well. At the entrance of the facility, there is now a hang loose sculpture. Located on the scoreboard, one can now read the new achievements: 2019 state championship and the 40 home run record holders. Senior Mallonee Biehl stated her favorite addition to the fields are the new records on the scoreboards. All in all, many students are excited about the new roads, the updates to the softball fields, and the reputable look it gives the park. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the construction will affect the park attendance in the summer,” Kuzelka said.
Layout by: Trenton Ruhnke
10.29.20
News 5
A different type of learning in the agriculture classes
Mrs. E m i l y Wendland, a new student teacher who has arrived this year, has been student teaching in Mr. Thomas Dux’s agriculture classes. Mrs. Wendland graduated from UNL in 2019 and is now finishing her teaching certificate and helping in Mr. Dux’s classes since the start of the school year. “She is doing a great job,” Mr. Dux said. “It’s good to give someone a chance to teach. It helps give them a chance to experience the branch of education and to see if they like it or not.” Mrs. Wendland took over all of Mr. Dux’s classes starting on September 30. The classes range from Intro to TRENTON RUHNKE REPORTER
Agriculture, Wielding, Animal Biology, Plant Science and Agriculture Trades 7. Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Wendlend also helps “I would say that my favorite class to teach is Intro to Agriculture,” Mrs. Wend-
land said. “It is my favorite because we are able to cover so many different things.” Mrs. Wendland and her teaching styles haven’t gone unnoticed by those who she interacts with the most. “She’s a good teacher and
has a good personality,” Trayce Blas ‘23 said. “She’s not horribly strict while also being assertive. I like her teaching method and I think it works.” After moving to Diller with her family, Mrs. Wendlend hopes to get a teaching job around the Diller area after she finishes her teaching certificate because she wants to stay near her family. “I was born and raised a farm girl,” Mrs. Wendland said. “Agriculture is in my blood and this is a perfect blend of everything I wanted to do.”
6 In-Depth
10.29.20
Layout by
ID-19 COVID-19 COVID-19 COVID-19 CO Teen health care workers gain medical perspective on COVID-19
BRYNN NOVOTNY
When COVID-19 hit the United States, it caused massive shutdowns of businesses and organizations across the country. It was at this time that essential workers, especially those in the health care field, had to continue their efforts when many others were not able to. A portion of high school students have had the experience of being employed in a health care facility during a global pandemic when virtual learning was in place and school was eventually out for the summer, and some of them are continuing their service now that classes are in session once again. Having a job revolving around the wellbeing of others requires more precautionary measures. “We have to wear masks, we get COVID-tested every Monday, we wash our hands a lot,” Sarah Engelman ‘21, a dietary aide for the Heritage Care Center, said when listing some of the actions she and her coworkers have to take. “I feel like it’s more important since I’m taking care of elderly people. I should probably be tested more than someone working at a fast-food restaurant.” For those who had been employed prior to the pandemic, the EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
adjustments, while sudden and ever-evolving, were still able to be added to the workload they were already familiar with. For others, these procedures had to be learned on top of entering a new job amid unprecedented times. Jaley Wigget-Anderson ‘22 started her position as a CNA at the Heritage in March - the month in which the coronavirus first reached Nebraska. “With being a new CNA, I get a lot of people that are tough towards me because they want me to do well,” Wigget-Anderson said. “I have to be able to adapt because there is a new thing every week. I came in just after COVID hit, so a lot of the people I worked with were like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hate these masks.’ For me, it’s been normal - I walk into work, I put on a mask. I have to wear these big head goggles. They’re really obnoxious, but if it keeps my residents safe, it’s okay with me.” A job before graduation can give a high school student prime workforce experience and multitasking skills. A position in a career field so heavily affected by such an impactful virus grants them both of these assets along with an inside perspective on real-world events.
Local businesses forced to make adjustments amidst pandemic ERICKA KROEKER
M a n y businesses took a hit from COVID-19, whether it was having to hire more employees, hanging up signs, sanitizing or even losing customers. Several students have jobs at these places. Many of them said this was definitely a crazy, once-in-a-lifetime event. A short break from school eventually turned into a long summer, and not helping was the closing of many businesses. Many businesses eventually opened up but with some type of precautions. There were businesses that were making masks mandatory, taking temperatures or even closing down overall. Junior Mariel Ramos works at the public library. She stated that some of the main precautions they are taking are making masks mandatory, disinfecting a lot of surfaces and limiting computer use. One thing that was extremely new was putting books in quarantine when they came back. At the beginning of the pandemic, instead of allowing visitors to go inside, they would need to call ahead to check out a book and then go and pick it up. Ramos stated that they put up plexiglass dividers at the checkout. That combined with masks made it difficult to understand one another Many students work as lifeguards or in the admissions and concessions REPORTER
at the pool. Luckily, with extreme caution, they allowed students to continue their jobs and to cool off from the sun in the water. One of the big precautions that was taken was to enter into the pool, one had to get a waiver signed by one’s legal guardian stating that the pool was not responsible for someone getting COVID-19. Some more precautions taken were temperature checks and separating people in groups of eight or less; they would all receive the same color of wristband to ensure this. They also had a limited number of people allowed in the pool, but manager Delainey Stewart states that they never went close to going above that limit. Stewart also stated that they hired more workers for admissions/cleaning so they could maintain enough staff to accommodate the new procedures instead of cleaning at the beginning and end of the day. They needed to clean two extra times weekdays and four extra times on weekends. “Even though the new procedures took some time to get used to, it worked out for the best for everyone,” Stewart states, “We all stayed safe and were able to have some sense of normalcy by having the pool open this summer.” COVID-19 affected many businesses over the summer. Many had to increase staff on duty or even make
more procedures for shoppers to follow. Overall, they are put in place to ensure safety for civilians. Not only did this affect those shopping but also those working. Businesses are still in the process of opening up completely and appreciate their customers following procedures to ensure a happy and healthy environment.
y: Brynn Novotny
10.29.20
In-Depth 7
COVID-19 COVID-19 COVID-19 COVID-19 Schoolwide rules and regulations enacted for protection Due to COVID-19, new rules and regulations have been added to try to prevent students from getting sick. “I think we should have strict rules to protect students from the coronavirus,” Beckett Chappell ‘23 said. Students have their opinions on the negatives of COVID-19 and the rules that follow it. Some people, however, decide to look at the positive side of these new rules and regulations. “I enjoy being able to be back in school because of the rules we have set.” Isabella Ausk ‘25 said. “I enjoy that I don’t have to show half my face most of the time. I enjoy that it keeps people safe with what we know as the new normal.” Students still know what MAKENZIE MILLS REPORTER
they do and don’t enjoy. They express these likes and dislikes in many situations. They have these opinions about the new rules and regulations as well. “I personally don’t believe social distancing in the BFAC is helpful because we don’t social distance at lunch when we have our masks off.” Hailie Nicholson ‘21 said. Students tend to think the school administration is responsible for the rules and regulations. Some students who do not agree with the rules and regulations might even take it out on them. However, it isn’t entirely up to the school. “Most of it came from recommendations of the CDC and other sources such as that,” Vice Principal David Davis said. Certain students, parents,and teachers think that many of
these rules do not help. Though they might disagree, there is a reason behind all of these rules and regulations being put in place. “Many of the rules and regulations that were put in place were with the help of Public Health Solutions as a means to keeping the numbers of COVID cases down.” Principal Derek Anderson said. “This was a combined effort between administration and the school board to create the policies necessary to address the concerns from Public Health Solutions.” There are many basic needs such as food, water and shelter. To some people, these rules and regulations seem to be turning into one of these basic needs. Though they might not be as important as water or food, these rules do have a rea-
son for being needed. “With the increase in the spread, it is more vital that we be vigilant in keeping kids in school. Wearing masks helps make sure more kids stay in school and are not placed in quarantine or self-isolation.” Derek Anderson said. “I understand why some do not want to wear masks, and I understand their views of COVID. Right now, the school must follow the protocols that were put in place by Public Health Solutions. As a result, we want masks worn so that when a student does test positive, it does not take out other students who would then have to self-isolate or even be tested and quarantined. These rules are put in place not only for health reasons, but in order to keep as many kids in school as possible.”
Food service staff overcomes new challenges TAYLOR GUSTAFSON In March REPORTER of this year, schools were required to shut down for the rest of the semester. While some students were overjoyed and glad about the shutdown, others were worried. Even though it is not something most people think about, there are many students in the community that depend on school lunches. Low income families sometimes struggle with putting food on the table for their family and depend on the school’s lunches. The food service staff at Fairbury Public Schools took on the challenge of providing meals for these
families throughout the pandemic. During the shutdown, meal service became a completely new experience for all of the cafeteria and the school food service staff. The workers were given three short days to come up with a game plan on how they were going to serve students and families. The solution was a curbside pick up service where students would be served free breakfast and lunch. Jane Rhine was one of the many who helped make the school meal service work over the last few months. “We had paras helping in the kitchen packaging and delivering meals at the curb, janitors helped by delivering meals to homebound students and elderly people in town and some out of town and our die-hard school food service staff worked hard all summer feeding students,” Rhine said. Meals were served daily Monday through Friday from March 23 to July 3 and from July 6 through July 31 on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Two pick up sites were offered for families to choose from: one in front of the Central Elementary building and one behind the high school. Not only did the staff serve students, they were also able to serve the elderly and would specially deliver meals to those who could not make it to the pick up sites. Donations were also collected from community members to cover the costs of the unpaid meals. The Fairbury Public Schools food service staff was able to serve 60,500 meals from March 23 to July 31. “We had great teams at both schools and some very appreciated volunteers that helped this be a very successful project,” Rhine said.
10.29.20
8 Feature
Layout by: Taylor Gustafson
Newly-formed ‘Jeffs Gone M.A.D.’ serves the community Gavin Schramm A new community service Reporter group almost entirely
composed of students, Jeffs Gone M.A.D., formed over the summer. The community group began with a different way of donating to the community: painting a house for a family in need. “M.A.D.” is an acronym for Making A Difference. The title was created by junior Zane Grizzle’s older brother. Grizzle then created the group and asked his peers to join. Many students decided to help Grizzle with his projects and want to help in the future. “So far, we have painted a house for a family in need, a house at the cemetery due to the board not having enough money to do it themselves. Then, we raised money for Lucas Weise [He became paralize and his family had to get ramps in their house]. We hope soon to be able to go to the Heritage Center and paint their flower beds and benches. Ruth Stewart had reached out to me and let me know that [residents of Heritage] are feeling very gloomy and would like a change of scenery,” Grizzle said. “This went very well and each house was done within a matter of two days,” Anna York ‘22 said. Grizzle stated that there has been a lot of participation and everyone that showed up really wanted to make a difference. This group impacted the people it has served
Anna York ‘22 helps paint the flower beds in front of the Garden side assited living homes in Fairbury. This was just one of the many projects the Jeffs Gone M.A.D. group participated in over the summer and fall months. Photo by Gavin Schramm
in a large way. Jeffs Gone M.A.D.’s main priority is assisting people who are disabled or lack the funds to support themselves. The first house they painted the owner was in the hospital. The second house’s owner couldn’t afford to paint it. The group is described as laid-back and don’t ask for donations, just that volunteers are willing to put in the work.
Anybody can join if they want to, all they have to do is contact Zane Grizzle and he will let them know when and where the next project will be. For example, the first house the organization painted belonged to someone who was, at the time, in the hospital. The second house the owner couldn’t afford to paint it himself.
Mr. Dusso stays involved through the arts Makenzie Mills Reporter
Mr. Ryan Dusso is involved in many different activities. He oversees 7-12 choir and band, 6th grade band, Crimson Elite, jazz band, pep band, color guard and the play. “As someone who specializes
in music, it is very easy to be asked to do multiple things,” Mr. Dusso said. Students and teachers have many theories about why he is involved in so many activities. “I think Mr. Dusso decided to get involved in so many different activities because he has a passion
for it, and he wanted to be involved in not only the school but also the students,” Addison Parrack ‘21, an actress in the school play, said. “I am excited to build a good working relationship with him.” Mr. Dusso’s involvement in has left an impression on students in his classes and activities.
“He’s nice and interacts with his students. He listens to us and what we have to say in the classroom,” Adaline Linscott ‘22, a student involved in jazz and marching band as well as color guard, said. “He’s nice and interacts with his students. He listens to us and what we have to say in the classroom.” Mr. Dusso’s assistant director for the play, Mrs. Dawn Jobman, has given positive feedback about Mr. Dusso. “He is so much fun to work with!” Mrs. Jobman said. “He’s like my brother from another mother - we’re both big theater nerds and we work well together.” The students are looking forward to a variety of activities with Mr. Dusso. This includes concert performances and the play production. Since he is involved in so many activities, Mr. Dusso also has many things to look forward to. “This semester I’m looking forward to getting to know the students better and watching the programs grow,” Mr. Dusso said.
Layout by: Lindsey Korthals
10.29.20
Feature 9
Students, staff involved in 9th annual car show BRANT GILLHAM
On September REPORTER 13th, 2020 the Fairbury Museum held their 9th annual car show, even with COVID-19 looming overhead. This year’s car show had a total of 223 car entries, which passed last year’s amount of 153 by 70 more cars. The show also broke it’s own record with the amount of entries it had. There were entries from different parts of Nebraska, Kansas and Missouri. Some students and staff had their own entries in the show. Connor Heidemann ‘23, one of the only students who participated, entered a 1984 Buick Park Avenue and a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass. “I entered the show because everyone
Mr. Mick Suey’s 1954 Chevy 3100 Pickup that he has been working on since last year. Photo contributed by Mr. Suey
there enjoyed it and to encourage more kids my age to also enter the car show,” Heidemann said. History teacher Mr. Mick Suey, had a big part in the car show and in the museum, which opened a new exhibit. He has also been fixing up a truck since last year. “I have a 1954 Chevy 3100 Pickup, but I did not enter in the show,” Mr. Suey said. “I bought it about a year ago -- saw it sitting in a guy’s pasture in Hubble, talked him out of it -- and I’ve been working on it ever since. I have been working on it mainly in the winter or early spring.” “There is more to work on, but I am hoping it drives by spring and I don’t have a new car to work on at this time, it’s an expensive hobby!” Suey said.
FEATURE PHOTOS
During a run-through of the play WCKY, Ethan Smith ‘22, Kacy Starck ‘21 and Brynn Novotny ‘21 decide how to react to a character’s death. WCKY is a murder-mystery comedy that takes place in a radio station in 1939. Photo by Makenzie Mills
Alex Buxton ‘22 and Shelby Klaumann ‘21 share a heated conversation in character during a play rehearsal. Opening night will be Nov. 20 at 7 p.m.. Photo by Trenton Ruhnke
SENIORS 2021
10 Entertainment
10.29.20
Layout by: Makenzie Mills
Tenet offers movie goers action-packed ride BRANT GILLHAM
Tenet, the newest movie released by the excellent director Christopher Nolan, is a well-crafted, loud, action-packed sci-fi spy thriller that impressed a lot of people, but also confused many. This movie has a great roster of actors such as John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki and Michael Caine. These actors play into their roles very well and enhance the viewing experience for the common viewer. The story of Tenet revolves around the protagonist (portrayed by Washington) and how he is recruited into a secret task force to stop World War III. He is joined by Neil (Pattinson), and the two of them must embark on the mission while going into the world of espionage to stop the war from starting. Sometimes, the movie is very confusing, and the acting from Washington is dull in a few scenes, but those are a few minor nitpicks I personally had with the movie. The movie has one more trick up its sleeve: its use of time inversion. This is why the movie has the sci-fi genre connected to it in many reviews on the internet. Here’s how it works: in the movie, the spies, with the use of this trick, can go forward in time, but everything else around them goes in reverse. Instead of shooting a gun at an enemy, the bullet would reverse back to the gun, causing the damage to REVIEWER
Protagonist John David Washington (center) leads Jack Cutmore-Scott and Robert Pattinson down the hallway as chaos breaks out all around them. Director Christopher Nolan provides an a tale in espionage worth of viewing. IMDb Photo
get reversed. Due to COVID-19, movie theaters are practically going extinct, which is extremely unfortunate in my opinion. More and more companies are going to streaming services, such as Pixar with its newest release, Soul, being pushed back to December and being put on Disney+. I personally dislike streaming services like Disney+, Hulu and Netflix, but Tenet is helping theaters come back safely into a pandemic-stricken world. Theaters are now starting back up again with new restrictions for seating and masks, which is a good sight to see! Even our own Bonham Theatre is coming back during this pandemic. Christopher Nolan’s Tenet gives me hope that movie theaters can still thrive in the common world. Even before COVID hit, movie theaters were already starting to go bankrupt and closing down, and the pandemic forced theaters to slow to a crawl, but now theater owners are wanting to open back up, and maybe this could bring theaters back into full swing again, but only time will tell. I was originally going to give this movie a 7/10, but since this movie can help theaters reopen in a pandemic, I will bump it to a solid 8/10.
Layout by: Trenton Ruhnke
10.29.20
Sports 11
Seniors Build Relationships Over 10 Years LINDSEY KORTHALS
ing -- batting with coach Tony Biehl and playing summer Now that the softball sea“We’re one big family and we try softball. son has come to a close, there When asked about what to never let anyone get down on is time to reflect. A majority drives the team to have good themselves because we know that all chemistry, senior Josi Mans of the varsity starters will be saying their goodbyes to the of us are capable of doing amazing said, “The many, many sumteam, and new players will mers we have spent together things on the field.” step up to take their positions. on the road, in the hotels and All of the senior players on the field.” have been playing the game Mans also mentioned that they love ever since they were they are always there to pick Photo By: Lindsey Korthals playing in 8 and Under. They each other up after a bad pracgrew together as a team and tice or game “We’re one big family, and we try to never let anyhave overcome many obstacles along the way. one get down on themselves because we know that all of us are “The biggest challenge my team has overcome is meeting capable of doing amazing things on the field.” some standards that are expected of us,” senior Ellie Ohlde said. The softball team’s work has paid off in the end. They have The players know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and traveled to summer tournaments where they have won state are always striving to make their teammates the best they can championships and runner-up multiple times. With high school be. With positive attitudes and communication throughout the ball, there can be more competition. Last fall, the girls traveled whole team, they are able to maintain those positive attitudes to Hastings and beat Guardian Angel Central Catholic in two and also help maintain their bond. games for the Class C State Championship. This season ended In the off-season, the players can be found in the “dungeon” with a fourth place finish at the same tournament. -- a set of batting cages found in the basement of the ‘47 buildREPORTER
-Josi Mans ‘21
Football struggles with new instant replay tool T h e football team learned about a new instant replay tool called Hudl Replay. They learned about it this year and it lets the team watch their plays. They have been using it at games and practice to learn how to use it. This is a brand new tool the coaches learned about through the sports technology company Hudl advertising their equipment. The players and coaches plan on using the tool next season. The players are finding it helpful while the coaches are having some struggles with it. “This is a new tool for us, but I feel like we haven’t really used it like we should be using it,” Braden Suey ‘22 said. Even though the players are liking the tool, the coaches have a little trouble getting it to work. GAVIN SCHRAMM REPORTER
Freshman Branden Konetzki and Senior Lane Zabokrtsky help play against players from Fall City. Moments like this can be captured with the Hudl Replay. Photo by: E. Kroeker
Some of their problems are uploading the video from the field and recording the play. “It’s honestly been a struggle for connection,” head coach Matt Edson said. “If it works, I really like it. Working has been the issue.” Most of the players like the
tool as they can see what needs to be worked on. Some find it more useful than others, but that is all in the position they play as. “I think being a running back it’s good for me because they can look at my runs and show me how I can improve,”
Brody Kroll ‘21 said. The tool is something new that the team is working on one step at a time. The team likes the tool to have and use when it works, but it still needs to work through some problems before it becomes a big game changer.
Volume 66, Issue 1 October 29, 2020 Layout BY: Brant Gillham
XC faces new coaches, approaches, expectations The cross county team got a new head coach after Coach Kristi Peterson retired from teaching. Coach Drew Stone, with assistant coach Steve Vonderfecht and junior high coach Sabrina Wanamaker, took over head coaching duties after being Coach Peterson’s assistant. With the promotion came new responsibilities for him to face. One of the challenges was being prepared. “It’s just a lot more extra work and extra time for practices and meets,” Coach Stone said. “There’s just a lot of extra stuff you don’t realize until you’re head coach.” Coach Stone plans on staying in Fairbury for a while and continuing to serve as head coach. Since Coach Peterson left, there have not been many changes. One of the things that have stayed the same is the runners’ practices. They describe it as the same as last year, only changed if needed. Another similarity from this year to last year are the meets. The runners get out of class at a certain time, head to the course and run it. “It’s very laid back, but the practices still challenge us and make us perform better every week.” Erica Mosher ‘21 said. The team misses having Mrs. Peterson as a coach and being there with her happy attitude. With a new head coach, the team still feels as if they are performing well this season. “I think the team is running great this year - we are all showing improvement as the season progresses and I am excited to see what some of our team accomplishes at Districts.” Kacy Stark ‘21 said prior to the meet on Oct. 15. With a new head coach providing new coaching styles, the team changed how they normally practiced and adjusted to Coach Stone’s new style of coaching. GAVIN SCHRAMM REPORTER