Volume 66, Issue 3 FEBRUARY 26, 2021
SCHOLARSHIPS? CAR? BOOKS? COLLEGE? FUN? ROOM & BOARD? CLASSES? BILLS? SENCAP? SAVINGS? JOB? CLOTHES?
EXPENSES EXPENSES Pages 6 + 7
Fairbury High School 1501 9th Street Fairbury, NE 68352 Non-Profit Organization Permit #64
COVID-19 VACCINE PAGE 4
D.C. DRAMA Page 8
STUDENT MANAGERS PAGE 12
2 Opinion/Editorial
2.26.21
Layout by: Makenzie Mills
Watching the news is a lot more exciting than it should be Nearly a year ago, we were hit with a crushing sense of uncertainty. Schools were closed, businesses shut down and we found ourselves scrambling for information on a virus that had already infiltrated every corner of the world. Amidst the panic of it all, I was tasked with finding new ways to pass the time now that I seemed to have plenty of it on my hands. Out of this unprecedented time came a new, if not unusual, hobby: watching the news. I’m sure I’ve already lost quite a few people, but let me explain. I had stayed somewhat informed prior to last March, but the pandemic drove me, as I’m sure it did many others, to pay more attention and stay updated on this unpredictable situation. This is how I discovered just how fun it is to flip between CNN and Fox News. For those of you who aren’t super familiar with these news channels, the short
version is that CNN tends to lean liberally in its approach to reporting while Fox News is more conservative. Therefore, I struck gold whenever their networks would cover the same topic at the same time. It was amazing how many ways a single story could be spun to fit a narrative. Instead of taking the content seriously, I was busy constantly comparing how the two channels presented a subject. Though I appreciated this tendency at the time, I recognize how problematic this is. One of the first lessons I learned as a freshman in Journalism I was the necessity for objectivity when reporting the news. While I take watching CNN or Fox News with a grain of salt, think of those who solely watch one or the other. If this is you, you’re not receiving unbiased information by viewing either program. There are situations where this can become dangerous. My mind immediately goes to the protests and riots last summer following the death of George Floyd. I was disappointed with both networks’ choices. Fox News refused
to acknowledge the existence of discrimination against the black population (side note: checking the official Federal Bureau of Prisons website’s Feb. 6 update led me to find that 38.6% of federal prisoners were black and 57.5% white at the time of the update. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that white people make up 81.6% of America while black people stand at 12.0%, mixed race 2.1%. Draw your own conclusions.). On the other side of things, CNN recognized the injustice, but simultaneously downplayed the rioting. Both versions were dangerous and divided the country further. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still get enjoyment out of flipping back and forth between these channels. However, I think it’d be best if we left the satire to podcasts and SNL. The news should stick to reporting indisputable facts. We can get our commentary elsewhere, but if we don’t have access to the unbiased truths first, it becomes impossible to know what the truth is anymore.
Deciding whether to get a new Prom dress or not I always thought I was going to get to have three Proms, considering I went my sophomore year. That is, until we got shut down last March. Then all I wondered about was if I was going to get to wear my $300 Prom dress for an actual dance or if it was just going to sit in my closet. Luckily, I did get the opportunity to wear my dress at least once for the Miss Jefferson County pageant and for senior pictures. Some girls weren’t as lucky as I was. Yes, some of them got to wear it for the pageant, but they didn’t get to wear it for anything else. Now as Prom plans are being made and juniors are buying their dresses, seniors have the choice of wearing the same dress they were supposed to wear last year or spending money on a new dress.
They have the opportunity to go into a dress shop and spend hours trying on different styles of dresses until one stands out to them. I was one of them that decided to get a new dress. A lot of time was spent talking to the other seniors, hearing out their opinions. The majority of them are wearing their dresses from last year, while the juniors and I wear brand new dresses. Being broke high school students, a lot of people just do not want to spend that kind of money on a new dress after not wearing their one from last year, which is completely understandable. I am very fortunate enough to be able to go to two Proms unlike my fellow classmates and the class of 2020, and I empathize that they didn’t get the same opportunity as I did. Not everyone is going to get the same magical experience as me and it makes me want to have another Prom. Now, let’s hope Prom 2021 is a normal experience for the classes of 2021 and 2022.
Layout by: Gavin Schramm
2.26.21
Opinion/Editorial 3
Peaceful protests, not riots, help our country grow
N EDITORIAL
ot even a week into the new year, the nation watched as its capital city fell into the hands of violence. 200+ injuries, 5 deaths and over 240 (as of now) criminally charged individuals arose from the riot. The showing was a reflection of the crowd’s opposition to the election of Joe Biden last November. Yet despite the damage inflicted, nothing changed. Biden was elected two weeks later, and those involved in the riots gained nothing but a dishonorable reputation. With this infamous day in mind, The Blazer would like to reflect by acknowledging the roles of rioting and protesting in our society. Protesting in any form has played an influential part in the U.S.’s history -- the 1773 Boston Tea Party perhaps being the most significant of them all. Therefore, it would be foolish to suggest protesting alone is the sole cause of certain instances of violence such as that seen on January 6. With this established, The Blazer believes protesting can be especially effective if it remains peaceful.
Comparisons from this event have been made to the riots that began last May in relation to the killing of George Floyd, a 46-year-old black man, at the hands of Minneapolis Police Department officer Derek Chauvin. The more extreme aspects of the movement led to 14,000+ arrests and over $1 billion in property damage. Unfortunately, what did not receive as much media attention was the nationwide peaceful protests, marches and petition signing taking
place at the same time. The reevaluation of several police departments and their subsequent reformations to fine-tune their roles in the communities they served were a result of these peaceful demonstrations, not the violent outbursts. Likewise, those who were present at Donald Trump’s rally without vicious intent are underrepresented in the news. Whatever the gathering may have started out as, what followed is what will be ingrained into the minds of the majority of those reflecting on this event. While it has become more than apparent that the type of person to have been at this rally and the type of person to have participated in Black Lives Matter marches disagree on many things, a uniting thought should be that rioting led to the tarnishing of their reputations, even if they did not personally take part. Protesting has brought about some of the most monumental moments in our country’s history, but rioting will prohibit us from following the fastest route to bettering our society. With this, The Blazer maintains the belief that protesting should be done without violence.
Editorial Cartoon by Brant Gillham
We should stop being so self-critical For four weeks, I had been working on the yearbook convo video. It took me four weeks to create a forty minute video to show to the whole student body. Even though I have gotten numerous amounts of compliments on the video, I still can’t shake this feeling that it could have been better. The shots could have been cleaner, the acting could have been more realistic, there should have been more videos instead
of pictures. I have this problem with finding the negatives in everything I do. I never believe what I create is good. Even while I was still in the process of filming and editing, I thought I was constantly missing something or that the videos and skits weren’t funny, even when the people closest to me told me they were good. I am so self-critical in everything I do that I find it hard to give myself a pat on the back and say that I did a good job. Even while applying for scholarships this last semester I find it hard to find good things about myself. Instead, I focus on my weaknesses. I am here to tell you that you have to stop being so self-critical of yourself -- this includes me. Believe in what you create and
know it is good enough. Others do not nitpick over every little mistake you make. They look at the good and what you did well. So why should we point out all the negatives when the positives heavily outweigh the bad? I have realized I tear myself down more than any other person, and I have to stop. Although it is good to be critical of yourself at some points, you cannot do it to yourself all of the time. We need to stop tearing ourselves down and instead focus on what we have accomplished.
4 News
2.26.21
Layout by: Ericka Kroeker
COVID-19 vaccines continue to be distributed TRENTON RUHNKE REPORTER
A vaccine for the COVID-19 virus has been developed and has been started to be distributed across the United States. The vaccine is still in its early phases, which means that medical workers will generally get the vaccine first. Vaccine production began as soon as the first wave of COVID started to appear in the United States until the vaccine was completed and started to be distributed on December 20. “I don’t feel like the distribution is as efficient as it could be,” science teacher Dr. Emily Winter said. “There are some hurdles with having to contain the vaccine at a certain temperature and we need as many bodies vaccinated as Graphic by possible to make it effective.” Trenton Ruhnke Some students at FHS even got a chance to get the vaccine because of their job position. The timeline for distribution for Nebraska first starts with Phase 1A, which is a top priority group and includes healthcare workers and long-term care residents before moving down to Phase 1B, which involves people 65 and older, high-risk medical conditions, first responders, education, food and agriculture, utilities, corrections workers, U.S. Postal service workers, public transit workers and grocery store workers. It then goes down to Phase 1C, including vulnerable populations until at the very bottom is Phase 2 which contains the general population.
“I work as a dietary aide for the hospital, so I handle the food and I interact with the residents of Cedarwood and Gardenside often,” Briaunna Knothe ‘21 said. “I received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine over winter break, and I recently received the second dose.” There have also been cases of allergic reactions caused by the COVID-19 vaccine. Along with cases of allergic reactions have Information from Will Brothers, Ted Daniel, been short-term side effects of Katie Thomas and Carolyn Y. Johnson the vaccine including fever, chills, tiredness and headaches. Long-term effects for the vaccines have also not been observed due to how recent the vaccine has been, so there has been worry about that. “I didn’t take the vaccine because I wasn’t able to make the informational meeting about the vaccine,” Keely Schramm ‘21 said. “I don’t want to get the vaccine until I get adequate information about its contents and the effects it might have on me. My aunt also had a super bad allergic reaction to it, which scared me away from it.” Many worries that have been revolving around the vaccine is that it was made very quickly compared to other vaccines and the long term effects of the COVID-19 vaccine is still unknown due how recent it is. “It is impressive that so many brilliant minds came up with it in a short amount of time,” Dr. Winter said. “And what concerns me for any new vaccines are the long term-effects that we can’t foresee.”
Different class sizes help students grow GAVIN SCHRAMM REPORTER
As students sign up for classes, most teachers don’t know how big their classes will be until the school year starts, and it could still change as students change their schedules. This can make class sizes go all over the place. Naturally, some classes are bigger or smaller than others, such as band or study hall, but some classes this year are as small as a teacher teaching a single student for an entire period. “We decided to offer it [Digital Media] second semester too, and so it worked out I had a really big group first semester last year and this year and a really small group this second semester,” Mrs. Tammi Mans said. A few reasons for small class sizes could be that the class was either a first or second semester only class or it used to be a required class but isn’t anymore. Mrs.
Mans’s first semester class had roughly seventeen students in the class, but now has only three taking it this semester. A small class size is different from an independent study course. An independent study course is when the student is in the classroom doing their class while the teacher is teaching a different class at the same time. “The smaller classes I think you can pace it a little bit faster, unless you have frequent absences from activities because you don’t want to leave half the class behind,” Mrs. Melissa Dux said, talking about Accounting II which has two students enrolled. The smaller classes can change how students learn, as some students perform better in a smaller class size compared to larger classes while others are not affected by the size. A smaller class usually gets
through class quicker as the teacher does not have to try to quiet down a group of twenty students compared to three. With the smaller class sizes, the teachers have more time for one-on-one with their students, allowing them to learn more about the students’ interests and activities. This allows them to change their teaching by doing what interests the students and get them more involved with the class. “I think every student approaches learning differently. Some of them read better and study better from a book than they do in person, some people do handson,” Mr. Shane Haley said. “Some do better from a demonstration or showing a video, so I try to gear it so everybody’s covered but when it comes down to working with the students individually, I try to meet them at their need.”
Layout by: Trenton Ruhnke
2.26.21
News 5
STC adventures outside of school to find the perfect job
ERICKA KROEKER REPORTER
Job shadowing is a good way to see what a normal day in the life of that job would look like. Junior Anna York decided to shadow the owner of C.K. Aesthetics Alicia Ferris. While there, York read some textbooks that Ferris used to get through her training and saw some of the tasks that were done. This helped York to better understand this career. On top of following someone around, students also get to ask many questions that were on their minds. When going into the job shadow, York was conflicted between what career she wanted to go into. “This made me realize that I am interested in aesthetics,” York said. “I wasn’t completely sure before the job shadow.” Getting out of the classroom and throwing students out into the world can be a good thing. It can cause clarity and answer hard questions they never thought they could find. Job shadowing is meant to be a fun and adventurous activity to answer questions students might have and put them in a position where they can grow and learn.
“It definitely opened my eyes with what I wanted to do.” -Brittyn Wentz ‘21
For many years, juniors in the School-to-Career class set up job shadows outside of the school system so they can have a more realistic outlook on the career they are wanting to go into. This is meant to be a fun and adventurous activity to get students out of the classroom and into the real world. Many students have left these with fun memories and positive feedback. For some, it even opened their eyes and clarified which occupation they could see themselves in. Senior Brittyn Wentz decided to shadow Mrs. Paige Boeckner at Edward Jones, but due to COVID-19, she had to change to an online job shadow. Wentz enjoyed getting to know Boeckner and stated the job shadow helped her decide she was not a finance person and is now leaning more towards the accounting department. “It definitely opened my eyes with what I wanted to do though,” Wentz said. “The finance area seemed a little more difficult than the accounting area.”
Sweetheart Dance held JCH&L begins expansion as masked event BRANT GILLHAM REPORTER
MAKENZIE MILLS REPORTER
The annual Sweetheart Dance was held on Saturday, February 12 at 8:30 at the Elks Club. The dance was held with few but strict restrictions to help stop the spread of COVID-19. “I was excited for the students but concerned about having the dance only because of the mask mandate,” Student Council adviser Mrs. Janet Beranek said. Students were pleasantly surprised when they found out the dance was going to be held despite COVID-19. “I felt happy that we would have the dance because I would have got to hang out with my friends at the dance and make memories,” Adam Mascarenas
‘24 said. All attendees were required to wear masks in order to reduce further spread of COVID. “When I heard that masks were required, I knew that it was for safety reasons, but it is really hard to breathe with a mask on when you are moving a lot,” Cassidy Call ‘23 said. Although it was difficult for students to wear a mask while dancing, the students who attended still had a good time. “I enjoyed going to the dance,” Karly McCord ‘22 said. “I like getting to spend time with my friends and the seniors. It’s about time for them to graduate so I’m glad we get to have events that bring everyone together.”
Near the end of 2020, Jefferson Community Health & Life began the process of making an addition to the complex to combine the clinic and the health center together to make a much larger building. The project started on October 19 and ever since has been getting more and more progress over the following months. The community has been wondering what the expansion is for and why they are doing it. Many staff members know about the construction going on and understand it a bit better than others. “Since the clinic is part of the hospital, it would be more convenient if the two buildings combined,” radiologist Marci Gillham said. “I think it’s a great idea because the hospital felt separate from the clinic. If the clinic and the hospital were together though, it would mean better communication between workers and create a better culture for staff. It is also easier for patients that are treated here.” Other staff members also agree with the new expansion. “I think it’s a great idea. It will be more cost effective and easier to build a clinic which will be more handicap accessible, with wider hallways and exam rooms,” PR director Lana Likens said. “We feel this will be a tremendous benefit to patients and staff alike. It will make it easier for staff to collaborate amongst each other.” The workers are, so far, on schedule with the project. With them starting at the end of 2020, they hope to complete the project near the end of 2021 or sooner.
6 In-Depth
Layout by
2.26.21
Seniors face the scholarship application process BRYNN NOVOTNY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Scholarships, seniors are learning, are a huge difference-maker when it comes to paying for college. With the commencement of higher education around the corner for many seniors, some have already gotten a head start on their financial aid package. By applying for college early, admissionsbased scholarships are often awarded after taking factors such as a student’s GPA and ACT score into consideration. After many local scholarships opened up for applicants in January, the countdown to receiving as much financial aid as possible began. “Scholarships will probably decide my entire college career,” Christina Hickey ‘21 said. “It’s a long process: going over all of the scholarships, seeing what you qualify for, applying, keeping track of those and accepting the ones you’ve gotten. It’s easy, but there’s a lot.” Some seniors are pursuing scholarships outside of the local listings. Common types of scholarships include academic achievement, community service, athletic, hobby, financial need and family affiliation. Band member Brylee Yantz ‘21 auditioned for a music scholarship through Northwest Missouri State University. “You could either do a Zoom meeting or go there in person, and I chose to go in person,” Yantz, who plans on using the scholarship towards her Wildlife Ecology and Conservation major, said. “You just play a piece you selected that shows a bunch of different things so they can see your ability, and you also do some sight-reading.”
EXPE EXPE
Besides granting the opportunity to continue enjoying an extracurricular at the collegiate level, scholarships may also heavily influence a student’s college choice. Someone planning on obtaining a fouryear degree may opt to complete general education requirements at a two-year school to ultimately pay less for tuition. “After a lot of thought, I figured that doing my Gen Eds would be more beneficial cost-wise,” Jordan Tracy ‘21 said. Tracy received a softball scholarship through Southeast Community College-Beatrice that currently covers all of her tuition, though it may expand to also include her books during her sophomore year. “I was actually not looking at SCC at all. I just thought it’d be better for my case. Just knowing I have a little bit off my shoulders is great.” In order to make the process seem less overwhelming, seniors are finding scholarships tailored specifically for them. Their interests, financial situations and academic performances are just a few key indicators of what they should be looking for, and the guidance office as well as online resources exist to guide them through it all. “I think it can be intimidating, but it’s good to get help and even look online for tips about what you should put in your resume and what colleges are looking for,” Yantz said. Many local scholarship deadlines hover around April 1, and by then a majority of seniors will be able to more clearly identify how their college education will be paid for.
Students provide details about their spending habits
TRENTON RUHNKE REPORTER
Students at FHS all have their own personal budget to spend on objects such as makeup, food, games or even yearbooks. Students who have a parttime job will usually have a larger budget compared to other students without jobs, allowing them to have more choices when deciding how to spend their paychecks. Some places for part-time employment in Fairbury include Runza, Walmart, Rays and the public pool during the summer. “Right now I work at Kids Connection,” Harlie Blas ‘21 said. “I like working there, and I think it has influenced my
career choices.” Paychecks earned can be used on many things. The thing that comes first is paying bills and expenses such as gas for vehicles and vehicle maintenance. Paychecks can then be spent on personal wants or can be put into a personal savings account. “For every paycheck, I put at least 70% of it into savings,” Brigham Scheetz ‘22 said. “Then I use the rest of it for gas, Netflix and Spotify Premium.” With personal savings accounts, students can choose to save up money to be able to afford something expensive, such as college. Prices for
four-year colleges in Nebraska fluctuate with Creighton University being the most expensive with an in-state tuition of $39,630. Colleges can even cost more when you take into account buying or renting books, getting school supplies and essentials such as a computer, finding a place to live in such as dormitories or nearby apartments and buying food in the school’s cafeteria or from grocery stores. “I’ve been saving my money for college and a better vehicle,” Seth Engelman ‘23 said. “I need to go to college for a job and I need a car with better gas mileage.”
y: Brynn Novotny
ENSES
2.26.21
In-Depth 7
Despite expenses, SENCAP/DC moves students in the right direction ERICKA KROEKER REPORTER
As the school year starts inching closer to May, the schedule for next year is often thought about. Some may be looking for extra classes to fill up their schedule. Others might be signing up for dual credit and SENCAP classes. These courses both count for college and high school credits. They can help students save money in the long run while still getting the same benefits they would get by taking the class in college. Senior Ellie Ohlde has earned 30 college credits by taking classes such as Applied Statistics, Honors English I and II, Intro to Education, and Special Education. These classes are different from other classes because a student might still need to pay a little for the classes or materials, such as textbooks. “I’ve paid quite a bit for some of my books but nothing compared to what I would have for college,” Ohlde said. While books might seem fairly expensive, it is nothing compared to paying hundreds of dollars for the class. “You are paying less to take the class
now rather than in college, and it helps prepare you for college,” Ohlde said. With the advantages, there are also disadvantages. Since it is a college class, the students are responsible for their own learning. Many of these classes are online, meaning there is no teacher to motivate them to do homework. “There is definitely a heavier workload and, depending on how many classes you’re taking, you may have homework to do on the weekends like I do,” senior Marlee Biehl said. “Teachers also grade a little harder and most don’t accept late grades.” Biehl advises that students don’t procrastinate their work and to try and get as much done during the week so they can relax on the weekends. “The advantages are being able to get classes out of the way and done with so you don’t have to take them next year,” Biehl said. While paying money for a class now might seem like a hassle, it will make life so much easier for many students in the long run.
By Brynn Novotny
8 Feature
2.26.21
Layout by: Taylor Gustafson
Mosher reflects on D.C. trip during unrest BRYNN NOVOTNY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
When senior Erica Mosher attended former President Donald Trump’s rally in Washington D.C. on Jan. 6, she had no idea about the historic storming of the Capitol that would take place shortly after. The trip to D.C. came about when Mosher’s mother suggested visiting their family in North Carolina and driving up as a group to attend the rally. They put this plan into action and departed for the nation’s capital around six p.m., arriving around midnight. Along with the rally, Mosher was eager to see some of the city’s historical sites. “Definitely seeing D.C. for the first time and seeing the monuments,” she said in response to what she was most looking forward to about the trip. “Even though I’m not such a big Trump supporter, I thought it was pretty cool seeing him because me and my cousin got free V.I.P. tickets.” Mosher and her family started walking to the rally around six in the morning. A long line awaited her, and she spent the next two hours making her way to security. After this, the waiting was not quite over. “Trump showed up an hour late,” Mosher said. “It got really, really cold. Twenty minutes before he stopped speaking, we got too cold so we left early. We never went to the Capitol, but the rally was very peaceful. There was nothing wrong with the rally.” While Mosher and her family visited sites such as the Lincoln Monument and the Arlington Cemetery, violent protesters clashed with police at the Capitol, eventually breaking into the building while Congress was in the middle of the Electoral College vote count to formalize thenPresident-elect Joe Biden’s victory. “I don’t really know when it started happening,” Mosher said. “Me and my mom started getting texts like, ‘Are you okay?’ I think it’s really sad because we met people that were also going there [to the rally] and they were really nice. It sucks that people that went there as supporters ruined it.” Despite such unforeseen circumstances, Mosher states that the riots did not ruin her trip. Because her family left early, they were able to experience the sights of D.C. without being stuck in the middle of trouble. Overall, she described the trip as “a really great experience to have.”
Independent studies allows class flexibility
Ability to work at own pace provides students with scheduling options for classes not fitting into an eight-period schedule LINDSEY KORTHALS REPORTER
Many students are taking a class that just happens to be the same time as another class. These are called independent study classes; students take these classes during another teacher’s class. They use that class time to work by themselves while the teacher works with other students. Junior Karly McCord compared her independent study course to a SENCAP class where she can work on her own and still ask questions. A majority of the time, these are only offered to upperclassmen.
Mr. Thomas Dux only offers independent ag classes to students who have been in his program for four years. “I mainly reserve these classes for seniors who may need an extra class or need to work on their State FFA Degree,” Mr. Dux said. In order to participate in FFA, students must take one ag class per semester. Sometimes the class students wish to take is during another time a class they need is offered. “The class I wanted to take was during my third period [Anatomy & Physiology] class, and that is the only period that class is taught in so I talked to Mr. Dux about taking an independent study,” McCord said. Not all of the ag classes are offered to be an independent study, but some of the classes that are offered are Ag Business,
Animal Biology and Ag Leadership. Mr Dux said that he only offers what might interest his students. Mr. Dux is not the only teacher that offers these classes. Mrs. Connie Schouboe also has independent art classes for upperclassmen. Senior Abigail Judd was one of the students that took advantage of these classes. Judd likes her independent art class because she is by herself; she can zero in and really focus on what she is doing. Some students prefer to work by themselves. With taking these independent classes, they are able to work at their own pace and focus on what they need help the most with, but still get help from teachers when they need it. McCord likes that she can get things done before their due dates and still be able to work ahead if she needs to.
Layout by: Lindsey Korthals
Media center contests promote student involvement MAKENZIE MILLS REPORTER
Contests have been done in the media center to promote reading for fun. For one of the contests, which took place over Christmas and Thanksgiving breaks, students could read a book to win a prize. They would pick a book to read over the upcoming break and had to read it and answer a few questions to receive a prize. “In order to promote leisure reading, we had a couple of challenges for students to read a book,” media center specialist Mrs. Janet Beranek said. “Students were asked to check out a book, read it over the break, bring it back and answer a few questions to prove they read it and they would receive a prize.” Although there were not many students who participated, all that did so enjoyed it. The participants were happy to receive a prize. The participants felt rewarded just by finishing the book over break. “I participated in the reading over Christmas break,” Eliana Livingston ‘23 said. “I got a $10 gift card to the Bonham Theatre! It felt good to get rewarded for doing something educational.” Another contest that was held was a Christmas coloring contest. In this contest students could turn in a completed coloring page which would then be judged. The winners of this contest, Alyxzandria Kuzelka ‘22 and Lindsey Korthals ‘21, each received a prize. “I was unaware of what prizes were offered, I just wanted to enter the contests for fun,” Kuzelka said. “I won the prize both times I participated. I received a ten dollar gift card for the Bonham from the book reading and a new book from the coloring contest. I was surprised and happy both times I won.”
2.26.21
Alumni return over winter break
Feature 9
TAYLOR GUSTAFSON REPORTER
Many students and faculty may have seen some familiar faces walking through the halls and classrooms of Fairbury Public Schools. These were the faces of Fairbury alumni and recent graduates. With colleges closed for winter break and many alumni returning to Fairbury to spend time with family and friends, they chose to come to Fairbury Public schools to earn some extra money and further their educational goals. Some of the alumni that were seen back at FPS are studying certain fields of education. Two of them included Toriann Likens ‘19 and Kennedy DeBoer ‘20, both studying and majoring in Agricultural Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. DeBoer was a long-term sub for the majority of winter break. “I thought since I’m majoring in education, it would be a great experience and would look good on my resume,” DeBoer said. Another graduate included Izze Schwab ‘20. Schwab decided to continue her education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Schwab is still undecided in
her major but has been bouncing between a pre-nursing track and a few other possible studies. With the long two-month break, she was unsure if she wanted to go back to her high school job or working at the assisted living in town. Fourth grade teacher Ms. McKehna Bartels encouraged Schwab to come work as a para sub because they had so few people to fill the position. Schwab contacted elementary principal Mr. Sean Malloy and was given a position where she could work for the next two months. “It’s nice to have an income as a college student,” Schwab said. Schwab’s favorite part about being able to work at FPS was the eye-opening experiences that she had. Being able to work with children in the Life and Chance programs gave her a different perspective. She also was able to get some hands-on experience in those programs. “It was a fun experience and gave a helpful perspective for me, especially as a college student trying to figure out what I want to do as a career,” Schwab said.
10 Entertainment
2.26.21
Layout by: Makenzie Mills
Soul is one of Pixar’s most mature movies BRANT GILLHAM REPORTER
Pixar’s Soul is one of it’s most ambitious films it has made in a while. Its more recent films like Onward or Toy Story 4 were alright movies, but they didn’t have the spark that classic Pixar movies do. Soul isn’t just your typical Pixar movie; it’s a movie that goes in-depth about self-worth, life beyond death and what it means to live. It is an amazing movie with a great cast of voice actors, a dynamic story, a spectacular jazz-filled soundtrack and amazing animation. The movie takes place in modern day New York City as we follow Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) as a middle school band teacher trying to make it big in the jazz scene and who gets the gig of his life with Dorothea Williams, but tragedy strikes as Joe falls down a manhole. As Joe falls, his soul leaves his body and he gets taken to the Great Beyond: a long, narrow path that leads to a large light. As Joe realizes this, he freaks out and tries to escape, ending with him falling farther down to the Great Before, where new souls are sent to Earth to live. While Joe is there, he meets 22 (Tina Fey) -- a soul that has been there for thousands of years because she never wanted to live. Together, they try to find where Joe can go back to his body, but shenanigans ensue. The movie had me worried throughout the second act because of the “man and cat switcheroo” and “main characters split in the second act” cliches, but it works well in developing 22’s character, and it’s a breath of fresh air to see how Pixar could put a spin on such an old cliche. The story also has points where the characters become blue blobs of energy, which represent souls, which is alright. After all, this is made for
children and families, so there must be some fun in this mature Pixar film. Where this film succeeds though is its main message: live life to the fullest every day. Just as a warning, I will be getting into spoilery topics from the movie, you have been warned. In the movie, Joe gets the jazz gig he has always wanted and has major success, but afterwards he feels rather disappointed and thought there would be more to it. He leaves to his house, sits at his piano and begins to play. He reminisces through his memories of his youth, teenage years and through adulthood. Then Joe remembers 22, a soul who never wanted to live, but got to and liked living. Joe comes to a realization that you must live your life to the fullest and never take a moment for granted. I will not spoil the rest, because it must be seen to fully realize its message. In my opinion, Soul is one of Pixar’s most mature movies in a long time. Only certain other movies in it’s catalog could truly beat this film’s maturity, like Up, Ratatouille, Inside Out and The Incredibles. Even throughout these movies, they have their moments for all audiences to experience some kind of emotion, which should be expected. But the main reason I like this movie is the soundtrack by Trent Reznor. It has such a pure sounding jazz feel and you could get lost in it. It gives this movie so much more life and emotion than it already has. I will be giving Pixar’s Soul a 9/10.
CAST Doris Burke-----------------------------Basketball Announcer Cora Champommier--------------------------------------Connie Alice Braga------------------------------------Councelor Jerry A Richard Ayoade------------------------------Councelor Jerry B Wes Studi--------------------------------------Councelor Jerry C Fortune Feimster----------------------------Councelor Jerry D Zenobia Shroff--------------------------------Councelor Jerry E Ahmir Khalib-------------------------------------------------Curley Ochuwa Oghie----------------------------------------Dancerstar Donnell Rawlings-----------------------------------------------Dez Sakina Jaffrey-----------------------------------------------Doctor Dorian Lockett----------------------------------------------Dorian Angela Bassett-------------------------------Dorthea Williams Cathy Cavadini------------------------------------Dreamerwind June Squibb---------------------------------------------------Gerel Callum Grant-----------------------------Hedge Fund Manager Jamie Fox----------------------------------------------Joe Gardner Phylicia Rashad----------------------------------Libba Gardner Rhodessa Jones-----------------------------------------------Lulu Peggy Flood--------------------------------------------------Marge Margo Hall----------------------------------------------------Melba Elisapie Isaac-------------------------------------------------Miali Esther Chae----------------------------------------------------Miho Graham Norton----------------------------------------Moonwind Daveed Diggs--------------------------------------------------Paul Jeannie Tirado---------------------------------Principal Arroyo Marcus Shelby--------------------------------------Ray Gardner Rachel House-------------------------------------------------Terry Laura Mooney---------------------------------Therapy Cat Lady Tina Fey-------------------------------------------------------------22 Ronnie Del Carmen------------------------------------Windstar
Produced by: Pete Docter, Murray Written by: Pete Docter IMDb Rating
8.1/10
Layout by: Trenton Ruhnke
2.26.21
Sports 11
Baseball begins ‘second’ year GAVIN SCHRAMM REPORTER
Everybody knows that baseball is America’s pastime, and fortunately for FHS, the school was able to put together a baseball team. This means there is a baseball season after basketball season ends and students can play baseball before summer league starts. What is different about this year’s baseball season is that it is technically baseball’s second season. Last year, before school was online for the rest of the year, there was a small time where sports were still going on before the school knew what to do. Track and baseball started and were canceled midseason, before any meets or games could be held. Therefore, that was baseball’s first season that never happened.
“I feel that we missed out on the environment of the first year having school baseball,” Cody Petersen ‘22 said. As a result of a canceled season, the players missed out on the experience of facing other schools. They also didn’t get to make memories with the graduated seniors who lost the chance of playing due to COVID-19. As a first year sport, there are many challenges to expect. “A couple challenges I can think of is that the schools will be a lot bigger and have a lot more experience,” junior Ethan Smith said. Besides the problems of not being in shape or not being a good batter, there are other problems that are there because of the new sport: How will games be set up against other schools? Who
will be the coaches? Does the team have all the supplies it needs? “I’ve been playing baseball since I was young, playing tee ball,” Jacob Martin ‘22 said. Most of the players on the team have been playing since they were young. They are all familiar with the rules and the technique of throwing, swinging, catching, etc. The players continue to play the sport because they enjoy the sport and the memories with the team. “I just love the sport. I love the competition. I love baseball. It’s a lot of fun,” Landon Trimm ‘23 said. “The whole spirit of it and the morality you have with the team.”
Cheerleaders perform at State for first time TAYLOR GUSTAFSON REPORTER
The FHS cheerleading team has been preparing for the state competition since July. They have put in many hours to compete against some of the best teams in the state. With this being the first state competition that the cheerleaders have competed at, it was something new and exciting for the team to experience. The state competition was held in Grand Island at the Heartland Event Center on February 17th. Fairbury was in Class C-1 and competed against 19 other teams. Cheerleaders performed a pom routine for the judges. The routine that was performed was a minute and a half long and was a very fast-paced routine. “Some of the most impressive moves we did through the dance were our double toe touches, aerials and formation changes,” senior cheer captain Keely Schramm said. The dance was of the hip hop genre where they snapped, gave lots of facial expressions to the crowd and included what Schramm calls ‘sassy moves’ like rolling the hips that gave the most sass to the dance. To perform at the state competition, the Fairbury cheer squad had to spend many months preparing for the event. The team started practicing back in July when they had their summer cheer camp. The team mostly focused on this routine at practices all through the cheer season. Other cheers were expected to be learned on the
Elizabeth Kerwood ‘24 and Jamie Junker ‘22 participating and being some of the first from Fairbury to compete at State. Photo by Brynn Novotny
cheerleaders’ own time. Although the cheerleaders practiced the routine often, there were still parts that were difficult to learn. “The hardest part of the routine for me was either the double toe touch or getting to my spot on time,” freshman Elizabeth Kerwood said. The team was also able to make many memories throughout the season and at the state competition. Whether it was at the competition, in the hotel room or getting ready. “I had a great year and I’m really going to miss our seniors,” Kerwood said.
Volume 66, Issue 3 FEBRUARY 26, 2021 Layout BY: Brant Gillham
One last time student managing LINDSEY KORTHALS REPORTER
Every year, students have the opportunity to either participate in a sport or become a student manager. A lot of the time, junior high students can be found assisting the teams, but sometimes high schoolers help as well. Senior Page Nippert is one of those students that made that decision. Nippert has been helping the wrestling program for the last six years. She chose to student manage wrestling her seventh grade year after her mom told her she had to participate in one sport or another. Ever since, she has been assisting the team. She has also helped with the annual Matmen Invitational hosted in the ‘89 gym. “During practice, I am in charge of filling up the water purifier in order for Coach [Derek] Garfield to clean the mats,” Nippert said, detailing a few of her responsibilities. Nippert also runs the clock up on the wrestling deck and controls the music. When it comes to competition time, Nippert is in charge of
the stats. Domenic Hyson ‘22 says she keeps a record of everything for the team. “Without her, the coaches wouldn’t be able to coach,” Hyson said. “If we didn’t have her, we would be scrambling to find someone to do that job.” When asked about her favorite memory from wrestling, she was not able to pick out a single favorite. She mentioned some of the things that get said or she has witnessed are strange. Nippert did say there are two atmospheres during the season she particularly enjoys: Districts and State. “Both have a tense but emotional aura that’s intimidating,” Nippert revealed. She also said that State tends to be more intimidating because of the large crowd. Overall, Nippert has done several things to help out the wrestling program over the years. She is always there for when the coaches or athletes need her. Her assistance to the program is greatly appreciated by all.
What’s one of your favorite things about student managing?
CJ Goeking Korey Nippert
Izzy Ohlde
Being with all the players
Being a part of the team
Logan Wentz
Brodie Prellwitz
Helping the girls when they needed it. I also enjoyed doing films for the girls
Lauren Wanamaker The bond I create with the players, especially on the bus rides and learning new skills each practice
Landon McBride James Martin
Tagging along with the team for the road games. They are super fun and it’s awesome on the bus coming off of a victory
