The
VOICE Football
V- Last Game W-28-14 Pius X Next Up Westside 9/20 JV- Last Game @Westside Next Up P-LV 9/28
Softball
V- Last Game W 13-4 Millard N. Next Up Burke/P-LV 9/21 JV- Last Game @ Millard S. Next Up Omaha NW 9/24
September 2019 Volume #1, Issue #1 Volleyball
V- Last Game L 3-2 @Millard S. Next Up North Platte 9/20 JV- Last Game @Millard South Next Up Con. Ron. Tri 9/23
Girls’ Golf
Score BOARD
9/20/2019
V- Last Meet Bennington Invite Next Up @Neb. City 9/23 JV- Last Meet Bennington Invite Next Up Roncalli Dual 9/26
Boys’ Tennis
V- Last Meet @Bellevue W. 9/19 Next Up @Skutt Invite 9/21 JV- Last Meet @Bellevue W. 9/19 Next Up Omaha NW 9/24
Cross Country
Boys’ V- Last Meet 1st Place Pius X Next Up CC Invite 9/21 Girls’ V - Last Meet 2nd Place Pius X Next Up CC Invite 9/21
Time To Save My Grades Students Have Time In School to Work, Meet With Teachers By Gabriella Goday
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Photo Editor
he idea of an “Academic Enrichment Period,” better known as AEP, was first brought up by administrators Mr. Roger Miller and Mr. Todd Mueller two years ago for two major reasons, getting kids where they need to be after school and to provide students that do not have a study hall with time to meet with their teachers. Until 2017 students had a ten—minute homeroom at the beginning of the day where students would listen to the announcements and finish up homework they might have not finished the night before. Administrators removed homeroom from the academic day because students were not using it effectively. “If we do anything that adjusts our schedule or adds to a kid’s schedule we have to have approval from the school board, they are bosses they tell us what we can or can’t do,” Vice Principal John Heckenlively said. “So we had to come up with our plan and we had to create a proposal and let the board discuss
it, and then the board had to vote on it whether or not we would do it.” AEP has similar characteristics to the old homeroom schedule making it easier for the administration is able to get information out to students. AEP works by teachers sharing a spreadsheet to sign students up to meet with them. AEPtakes place during the last 20 minutes of the school day.; students then meet with their assigned teachers during that time. All of this was explained in the AEP video that was presented to students in the first AEP session on Aug,. 15 2019. “I think it’s a really good idea I’m glad our administrators were brave enough to make the change,” English instructor Theresa Huttmann. “They saw we needed to do something different and I think this was a good idea” AEP was first introduced to teachers at their meetings at the beginning of the 2019—2020 academic year. They were shown the same video that they would show students.. During this meeting, they had time to ask questions and give feedback about AEP. Teachers have found it easier to find and help students especially if they do not have a study hall.
Photo Credits Gabriella Goday Short and Sweet The Administration has been trying to come up with a way to give students time to work inside school. English instructor Theresa Huttmann. “I think the slightly shorter schedule on Tuesday and Thursday is a pretty good break for kids.” As of right now AEP has been successful but may change in the future.
“It also gives us the opportunity to share things with the students, in the past for like homecoming rules, dance rules, or prom dance rules we have to get every kid out [of] class and put them in the gym/in the theater and read these rules for them,” Mr. Heckenlively said. “But with [the] AEP period, we can keep kids in class and show them a video of the rules, instead of listening [to] some old guy talking through the microphone.”
Some changes students would like to see is more time for AEP it would allow students to have time to finish up the work for a teacher instead of coming in after school. They also struggle with not being able to leave the classroom as well. At the moment, is just trying it out, it may need a few tweaks or might be taken away altogether if it does not work. For now, AEP has been successful and has only taken one minute away from students’ lunchtime.
Drastic Park; The Lost Spots Colossal Construction Caused Car- Operators Conundrums By Zane Mrozla-Mindrup
S Photo Credits: Zane Mrozla-Mindrup Paving Over The bond issue included money for a much needed new parking lot which is meant to relieve the clogged parking situation. It also provided for a road that runs around the stadium and connects to a nearby neighborhood.
News Editor
tudents and parents looking to park in the back parking lot were greeted by hundreds of cars, mounds of dirt, and several pieces of construction equipment. Those looking to park in the front were greeted by hundreds of cars packed together like sardines. This caught many off guard and left them wondering just how this situation occurred and what would be done to alleviate it. “The construction was just, kind of annoying,” Sophomore Garrick Wilson said. “The thing I really didn’t like was getting up earlier than usual to drive to school and find a parking spot. Also, I usually park by the softball field so I have to walk a little farther than I want to.”
On Nov. 6, 2018, voters approved an 85 million dollar bond issue for Gretna Public Schools. A great deal of the bond issue went towards building a new elementary school and renovating an existing one, but a portion also went to the high school to improve its athletic facilities and add infrastructure. “The bond issue approved two new phases of construction for us,” Assistant Principal Mr. Chad Jepsen said. “In phase one, we are returfing and adding new bleachers to the football and soccer fields, adding new facilities around the athletic fields and adding a new parking lot and road.” In an attempt to deal with the situation, the administration came to several different agreements with local entities and the city of Gretna. They also came up with several options to provide a place for students to park. “We’ve found a lot of extra parking,” Mr. Jepsen said. “In addition to
the regular lots students can park in the church lot, North Park, in the surrounding neighborhoods, we are even letting students park along the road to the softball fields.” While the school scrambled to come up with a solution, the vast amount of cars were quite a struggle.,becoming especially difficult for newer drivers with less experience driving and parking in crowded parking lots. “Somebody hit my car,” Wilson said. “There was a person trying to park next to me in the parking lot and they hit my car. We had to take it to the repair shop and I couldn’t drive for a couple of days.” In the end, the administration believes that the construction company has done well with staying on schedule despite some adverse weather conditions including heavy rains throughout the summer. The new construction completed on September 17, 2019.
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Kaleigh Zollman
IN-DEPTH
THe latest
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very year the school district evolves in new and exciting ways. Per usual, the district has grown over the summer, there are now an astounding 5,600 students in the district. To combat the sheer amount of students, there are 15 new hires at the high school alone; most of that goes unnoticed by high school students. One of the main differences are the lunch options. The new district culinary director Mrs. Sharon Schaefer has spiced things up with a new style and cuisine. Adding pizza to the everyday menu has caused long lines,
but also provides a more enjoyable meal that leaves students satisfied. Another addition to the cafeteria is the build your own bar, including weekly options where there is more freedom given to the students. Some of the “build your own” options so far have been burritos, nacho and pasta. Another new addition is the Math Center, which has been created to aid students enrolled in these courses. Math Center is a culmination of the math department to reach more students in a more timely manner. The Math Center is available to students after school Monday through Thursday
September 2019
New Year Brings chanGe in the library. Not only are there obvious differences, but there are also subtle differences. These changes are meant to make it easier for students and staff. This year, counselors and administrators are assigned by alphabetical order to groups of students. There are also plans for an addition to the bus barn, as well as the fine arts department in the high school. There are many substantial changes to Gretna this year. With the expansion of the school district, comes change and new ideas that have already proved useful to students.
InDepth: Connor Bulgrin - EditorIn-Chief Kaleigh Zollman InDepth & Feature Editor Lauren Eurich - Op-Ed & Feature Editor Gabby Hytrek - Reporter Ethan Menning Reporter Kalei Renner - Reporter
NEw administrators bring new ideas Mrs. ewer, Assistant principal
A Look Into New Staff and Promoted Positions
Dr. Beran, Superintendent
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ne of the biggest changes this year is new Gretna public school’s superintendent, Dr. Richard Beran. Although Dr. Beran has been among the district for 20 years, there are many differences between being the assistant superintendent and the superintendent. “Being the assistant superintendent to the superintendent is similar in some ways,” Dr. Beran said. “The biggest difference is that I now have to deal directly with the Board of Education. One of the biggest things that I and the board do is hiring new staff members. Our number one goal is to keep in mind what is the best decision for the students.” Sometimes all these tasks can be difficult to achieve, but it is a position Dr. Beran is looking forward to with the growth of the district. This new job presents new challenges. There are many topics that Beran must address as superintendent. “One thing I am looking forward to is the growth,” Dr. Beran said.
“There are lots of decisions to be made regarding the school district and how to handle that growth. I feel fortunate to work in Gretna.” Photo by Lauren Eurich
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lthough assistant principal Mrs. Ewer has been apart of the staff for over twenty years, she is now taking a new route in her career as the first woman assistant principal at GHS. Mrs. Ewer becoming an assistant principal was the route she wanted to take in expanding her career. “The biggest difference is that as a teacher your day is very structured and I was able to control what I did each day,” Mrs. Ewer said. “Being an assistant principal, I have very little control over what is going to happen each day, and it is not structured. My day is not determined by the bell. What students and teachers need every day, Photo by Lauren Eurich
Mr. Mueller, HS principal
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rincipal Mr. Todd Mueller was the school’s assistant principal and taught for many years. He has now become the new principal. With a new job, there are new adjustments. For Mr. Mueller, these changes are advanced. “Teaching to becoming principal are vastly different,” Mr. Mueller said. “When you’re teaching, you are just concerned about your classroom, but when you get into administration, now you are concerned with the whole school, so the perspective becomes much larger. I am, however, looking forward to new challenges. I have been an assistant principal for twelve years and I think I have a fairly good understanding of how it operates.” Although it can be a challenge, being a principal entails more responsibility. School improvement is a considerable amount of the job. “The principal role is more of the
Photo by Lauren Eurich
real deal,” Mr. Mueller said. “Unfortunately, when you are principal it also deals a lot with the state testing and things of that nature. I am now responsible for everybody in this building. All of the things from the grounds to the custodians, lunchroom, activities, classrooms; it is all on my plate.” Being a principal requires Mr. Mueller to have more duties, and allows for him to have a bigger voice. He could not ask for a better team to work with.
is what determines my job.” After teaching math for several years, Mrs. Ewer wanted a job that was different than her previous one. She began to work on obtaining the degress required to become an administator. She was looking for change and decided she wanted to try something new. “I was ready for a change in my career,” Mrs. Ewer said. “I liked teaching math. I liked what I did. I was ready for a change after 21 years. I did not want to get to the point where I did not like teaching and I wanted to learn something new.” For Mrs. Ewer, becoming an assistant principal was something she wanted to achieve. She hopes to make an impact on the students and their families. “I am looking forward to meeting a lot more students and building relationships with teachers,” Ewer said. “I am in charge of students with last names A-G. Just making sure they are coming to school every day, on time for school, keeping up with schoolwork, and the discipline of the students as well. I hope that I can serve our students, staff, and families well.”
Mr. Curtis, Activities director
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fter gaining experience at another school, the new Activities Director, Mr. Matthew Curtis, is joining Gretna this year one of the new employees. He is working to meet his goals. “My previous job was as Dean of Students and Assistant Athletic Director at Omaha South High School,” Mr. Curtis said. “The opportunity to serve as an Assistant Principal and Activities Director at a school was something that I had been striving towards in my professional career. The fact that this type of position
Photo by Lauren Eurich
opened at Gretna High School made my decision very easy for me. Gretna Public Schools has a long history of excellence, both academically and with activities. Being able to join a district with such high prestige was a “nobrainer” for me.” Mr. Curtis is excited to become a Gretna Dragon and find out what makes Gretna so successful. Running a school without an activities director would be very difficult. Activities directors are required to manage many kids. Although adjusting to a new district can be tough, Mr. Curtis believes he is settling in well. “I am looking forward to learning more about what it means to be a Gretna Dragon,” Mr. Curtis said. “ I plan on using this year to immerse myself into the Gretna culture and learn more about how and why this school and this district have become so successful. I continue to tell my friends and family that I am the luckiest administrator in the world. To be able to work at this building, in this district, with these kids is a dream come true.”
September 2019
IN-DEPTH
NEW TEACHERs, New LESSONS mr. madden
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s the new school year begins, there are many new staff members. Some have taught for many years, while others, like Spanish Instructor Mr. Cory Madden, are beginning their first year in their career. “This year has been good so far,” Mr. Madden said. “The best part is the community, every teacher I’ve worked with has been enthused to help me. Every student has been very happy and very arms open to new teachers.” Mr. Madden grew up in Saint Louis, Missouri and moved to Omaha in early August. He graduated from Truman State University in Northern Missouri with a bachelor’s degree in Romance Languages, and a master’s degree in Education. “I’ve considered teaching since I was five years old,” Mr. Madden said. “Whether I wanted to be an author or a marine biologist, I was always aware that I could teach those things and I thought it would be really fun.” Mr. Madden has been interested in languages from a young age and decided to continue learning them in college. Although he only teaches Spanish II, he is looking forward to expanding his teaching spectrum in the years to come. “I plan on getting certified to teach French,” Mr. Madden said. “I speak
Mr. klein
Photo by Kaleigh Zollman
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oining the science department this year is Science instructor, Mr. Jacob Klein. He graduated from Midland University in January 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education. “I teach five sections of CP Biology and one section of Physical Science,” Mr. Klein said. “Prior to working here, I worked in Fremont Public Schools as a full-time substitute.” Even though he has been in different classrooms for a short period of time previously, Gretna is different for him. He is impressed by the staff and students. “The kids I’ve taught here are
Photo by Kaleigh Zollman
English, Spanish, and French fluently. I have studied German, Japanese, Latin, Italian and Croatian as well.” After the first few weeks of the school year, he is feeling confident in his abilities. After graduating college, he decided to expand his job search beyond his hometown. “I began looking for a job in the Omaha area because my fiancée and I decided it would be a nice place to live,” Mr. Madden said. “The policies here at Gretna are very much in line with my teaching philosophy. I want kids to succeed the best they can, and this district allows for that.” From classroom management to acquiring new languages, Mr. Madden is quick to catch on. After a long move from home, he is looking forward to his first year. very mature, well-composed and responsible,” Mr. Klein said. “The staff is very supportive. I’ve been super impressed with everything I’ve seen from students in the classroom and in the hallways. It makes me proud.” In order to be productive, Mr. Klein teaches the material in a way that will work for every student. By doing so, he hopes his students fully understnad the content and are interested in what they are learning. “I try to make my teaching exciting and fun,” Mr. Klein said. “I want to bring in a lot of real-world examples. That makes what we are learning more interesting.” In the teaching profession, where instructors are required to manage a high number of students, there are bound to be hardships. For Mr. Klein, those challenges all pay off in the end. “The hardest part is staying on top of everyone not being in class every day,” Mr. Klein said. “I have to make sure that everyone is caught up and has all of their work turned in.” From the highs to the lows, Mr. Klein enjoys enriching young minds through his work. Through running his classroom successfully and teaching his content effectively by making reallife connections, Mr. Klein is meeting his goals and making meaningful connections with the students that inspired his career.
Kaleigh Zollman
mr. Peska
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fter graduating from the University of NebraskaLincoln with a degree in Secondary Social Sciences, History and American Government Instructor Mr. Brian Peska is beginning his first year teaching. He currently teaches American History Since 1865, American Government, and Intro to Social Sciences. He will begin coaching wrestling this school year as well. In college, he gained valuable life experiences through being a studentathlete. “I got to wrestle for Nebraska for five years in college,” Mr. Peska said. “It was an amazing experience. I got to be surrounded by a lot of amazing people that really wanted the best for me. It also provided me with opportunities to do community service abroad and in Lincoln. I got to experience what being a student-athlete is like and what impact they have on their community.” New environments can often be stressful for anyone. For Mr. Peska, the people around him have made this new chapter in his life easier. “I’ve had an amazing experience so far,” Mr. Peska said. “The students are extremely respectful, they always do what they are asked to. It’s been a really smooth transition into my first year of teaching” He feels in debt to his students and hopes he can be the best possible teacher for them. Although he is sometimes faced with challenges
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mrs. enos
nglish instructor Mrs. Laura Enos is beginning her 20192020 school year with GHS. She has earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree, and an administration degree. She currently teaches English to both freshmen and sophomores. “This is my 17th year teaching,” Mrs. Enos said. “It happened very fast. Everyone here is incredibly nice; it feels like a nice place to come and work.” During the summer, she spent her summer settling into her new home
Photo by Kaleigh Zollman
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while teaching, the connections to his students make it worth it. “The hardest part of being a teacher is the responsibility you have to the students in providing the best education you can,” Mr. Peska said. “The best part of teaching is the opportunity to be someone to help students maximize their potential.” His passion for working with others pushed him to pursue a career in teaching. He decided the standards of Gretna were best for him. “I’ve always liked collaborating with people,” Mr. Peska said. “Teaching high school, I get the chance to facilitate good discussions. Older students start to develop opinions and perspectives on things. I like that Gretna holds students accountable.” Mr. Peska is enjoying the new experiences he is gaining through being a first year teacher. He hopes to continue teaching his students effectively through his hard work.
Photo by Kaleigh Zollman
after moving from Fremont. Previously, she worked at Arlington Public Schools, Scribner-Snyder Community Schools and Fremont Public Schools. After hearing of Gretna from others in her field, the policies and community of the district made Mrs. Enos decide to apply. “I’ve always wanted to get here,” Mrs. Enos said. “Gretna has a really good reputation for doing what’s best for kids. The kids here are very fortunate, they have a lot of access to great resources, as well as an extremely welcoming community.” When she entered college, she was no stranger to the world of teaching. After spending her whole life watching her mother teach, she decided that it was right for her too. “I had my mom as a teacher for one semester and I was in total awe,” Mrs. Enos said. “She was so creative. I thought it would be neat to go to work every day and enjoy what I was doing.” Teachers have an abundance of content to teach. For Mrs. Enos, it is important to balance those tasks. “There’s not enough time in the day,” Mrs. Enos said. “I could get it all done if the day were 30 hours.” Although there are long days, Mrs. Enos believes that what she is doing makes it worth it. After teaching in other districts, she is joyful to finally be a Dragon.
New Teachers
Mr. Jackson Hinze, Math Instructor
Ms. Caitlin Allely, Spanish Instructor
Dr. Jerry Arnold, Math Instructor
Ms. Renea Schwenk, English Instructor
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Kaleigh Zollman
Emma Morrison (21)
Makenna Dziurawiec (22)
Kayla Adams (20)
IN-DEPTH
“I like to do band and show choir because I am passionate about performing and music; it’s important to me.” “The foods classes give me a way to express myself in a positive way. I like getting an opportunity to learn new recipes.”
“I think the CNA course is great because it gives you a bunch of hands on experience for real scenarios.”
September 2019
Class Registration Fees CNa: $200 ACT Prep: $200 Band: $170 - $400 Show Choir: $450 -$550
Dual credit: $48 Industrial Arts: $25 - $500 Foods: $50 - $150 ART:$20 - $25
District Awards
Alicap Safety Award
- Won for conducting safety procedures properly.
The President’s Board Award
- GPS has won multiple years in a row.
- Alicap is a memberowned insurance pool.
- Earned by the school board for comitting to a high standard.
- Given to schools that operate extremely safe and file a low number of claims.
- Each school board member must attend a certian number of training seminars.
New Staff Members
Ms. Kim Wasalaski, CNA Instructor
Ms. Santha Walters, 1:1 Facilitator
Mr. David Kay, Math Instructor
Mr. Jason Larson, Science Instructor
Ms. Jennifer Schmit, Foods Instructor
Ms. Michele Evans, 1:1 Coordinator
IN-DEPTH
September 2019
Kaleigh Zollman
New and Improved Lunch @Meals4Dragons
Pizza Bar -
Snacks -
Grab ‘N’ Go -
BYOB -
Pizza is served on a daily basis and made from scratch. Due to popularity, 65 pizzas are made a day. Items such as boxed salads, paninis, uncrustables, pepperoni pizza and bento boxes have been added.
Charbel Fares (20)
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Due to a change in the food delievery company, some snacks have changed. New cookies will soon be rolled out for purchase. The Build Your Own Bar features items such as baked potatoes, pasta, and nachos. Items are rotated weekly.
“I really enjoy that pasta dish where you can choose between the chicken or sausage pasta and top it with either the red sauce or the alfredo sauce.”
Photo by Kalei Renner
Noah Bothwell (22)
“I really enjoy the pizza bar because it’s sold everyday and you can’t go wrong with pizza.”
Photo by Kalei Renner
Long Lines: Although the lunch program is currently understaffed, they hope to serve each lunch’s students within 10 minutes. To continue improving lunch and teaching kids proper nutrition, they need seven new staff members. Photo by Kalei Renner
math center gives students new opportunities
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ath is one of the many subjects taught at Gretna High School; calculus, geometry, algebra, and trig are just some of those classes. With the start of the 2019 school year, the way students can get extra help from their teachers has changed. The new math center is located in the library after school Monday through Thursday. “The math center is for kids who need help on current topics,” Math instructor Mrs. Sarah Benzel said. “For example help on homework, to assess if they are trying to retake parts of a test, or if they just need extra assistance.” The idea of the math center was suggested at a conference with schools from across the area. Every math teacher works two to three days a week at the math center after school. It makes it easier for teachers to give individual attention to their students by not having to jump from subjects. “It’s hard to jump around from course to course,” Mrs. Benzel said. “Although in the math center one teacher can do geometry kids, another can do algebra, and another can do trig.
It’s easier to give more focused attention to what the students need.” If the teacher is coaching during an in season sport, the student can still receive the help they may need at the math center. Not many students have used the math center yet, but teachers like Mrs. Benzel are expecting to see more feedback in about a month after tests begin. “So far we haven’t had a lot of kids in yet,” Mrs. Benzel said. “We’ll probably have more after the test when people start reassessing. Kids in there so far seemed to have liked it. Sometimes it’s nice just being in the library and not the classroom. But I think we’ll have a better idea of what it’s like maybe in a month. I could see if after the test on Monday if kids want to reassess a certain part.” The math center is available for any student to use to their advantage. Getting some extra help with work is now easier and less stressful with the addition of the math center. Grab some pens, paper and worksheets and head down to the math center for some good ole’ fashioned learning.
Photo by Gabby Hytrek
Photo by Gabby Hytrek
September 2019
OP-ED
Lauren Eurich
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No Thanks, I’d Rather Not P l a n n e d Pa re n t h o o d Pu l l e d Fr o m Ti t l e X Fu n d i n g By Isabel Mancilla EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
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n Oct. 16, 1916, Margaret Sanger, Ethel Byrne and Fania Mindell opened a birth control clinic in Brooklyn where they provided advice and information for women. Nine days later, the clinic was raided by police who arrested and charged the three women. The crime? Providing information about birth control. This did not stop Sanger. In 1930, she opened another center in Harlem. Over 100 years later those clinics Sanger and her friends created have become a non-profit organization that does more than just provide information about birth control and a variety of birth control options. Planned Parenthood (PP) provides information and tests on STDs, sex education, abortions, cancer screenings for both men and women, vasectomies, infertility screenings and referrals, along with much more. The organization is also an all-inclusive place, meaning regardless of gender, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation, they will serve every client. What started as three women providing birth control to women wherever they could in the world, is now an organization helping everyone everywhere. Established in 1970, federally funded Title X provided access to contraception along with other essential health care. Title X, according to Physicians for Reproductive Health, is a federal grant program created in 1970 to provide family planning services
and preventive health services. For 49 years, Title X has provided access to affordable reproductive health care and birth control to people on a sliding scale based on their income. That is up until Aug. 2019. President Donald Trump’s administration forced Planned Parenthood out of Title X with “the domestic gag rule.” The “gag rule,” would make it illegal for Title X healthcare providers to tell their patients where they can access legal and safe abortions. But, the organization refuses to let this be the end of their service. On Aug. 19, they announced that they would be leaving the Title X program as to not have to follow the administration’s new rules and that they will continue to provide their services. And I agree that they should. Planned Parenthood has been providing more than just abortions for over 100 years and the Trump Administration along with the pro-life groups that believe Planned Parenthood is only providing abortions, are harming themselves in the process. Planned Parenthood has been helping people women and men my age, younger and older with their healthcare services. When I first heard that Planned Parenthood had been defunded, I was angry. This was an organization that I might not be using myself, but plenty of others were and are still using it. The defunding would not stop them from providing their services, but could potentially raise prices to where the patients might not be able to afford them anymore. The gag rule is unethical and illegal, it violates laws requiring that Title X patients get unbiased counseling about
all their options for pregnancies. The defunding does have some effects on other patients, including how a mobile health care unit in Ohio will have to cease operations. The clinic was the only Title X funded operation within nine Ohio counties and provided for more than 60,000 low-income residents that now have to find another way to access affordable healthcare. And due to Planned Parenthood serving Title X patients in Minnesota and Vermont, wait times for appointments and care will increase. Stranding them without help and care for a much longer period of time, which in turn leaves a bigger risk on the patients’ health. While the defunding leaves a major dent in the organization’s finances, Planned Parenthood still accepts donations, even if they will not be enough to support the entire organization and its operations. Three women started the organization in a time where birth control and sex education were not accepted. Now it exists in a time where it is accepted but is frowned upon by a group of people who do not realize the true usage of these services. My generation uses contraception devices and sex education for more than being able to get an abortion with an unwanted pregnancy. I use birth control for its health benefits rather than contraception. As a kid, I started puberty early enough that my family noticed some serious health concerns as I come from a family riddled with bad reproductive health including endometriosis, bursting ovarian cysts and ovarian cancer. The moment I was old enough and felt comfortable,
I started taking birth control to lessen my risk of these health problems. Birth control has helped my body regulate itself and lessened worries I had about my health, which allowed me to continue my schooling and other activities. Although I am lucky enough to be able to afford it, there are people around the world that Planned Parenthood is helping by providing them with birth control that they otherwise might not be able to afford. For people like myself, birth control is not a “want,” but a medication, or treatment, rather than a contraceptive. The idea that Planned Parenthood should be defunded is a harmful one. Men and women across the world depend on Planned Parenthood as a means of safety, health care and much more. Cutting out these services could possibly increase unwanted pregnancies, backstreet abortions and other methods of unsafe healthcare. Along with the risk of what people might do because of the defunding, screenings for sexuallytransmitted diseases (STDs), cancer in both males and females, and other examinations like pap smears, would slowly go away as well. The defunding affects more than just the pro-life/prochoice controversy, it affects the everyday person’s health checkups and exams. Planned Parenthood has not shown any signs of stopping their services and have stated that they will continue without the funding. Three women started the mission and the organization is still carrying out their mission today. And people like myself will fight to protect Planned Parenthood’s right to Title X, not just for women, but for everyone.
Meet The New Staff
Cartoon by Emma Mayer
Editor-In-Chiefs: Connor Bulgrin Isabel Mancilla Managing Editor: Mary Matya Copy Editor/Cartoonist: Emma Mayer Photo/Swing Editor: Brie Goday A&E/OP-ED Editor: Lauren Eurich News Editor: Zane Mindrup Feature/In-Depth Editor: Kaleigh Zollman Sports Editor: Regan Ehlert Reporter:: Gabby Hytrek Reporter:: Kalei Renner Reporter:: Ethan Menning
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SPORTS
Friday Night Lights Regan Ehlert
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September 2019
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Senior Football Players, Students Deal With Construction of Field By Regan Ehlert Sports Editor
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ith the GHS crowd cheering and roaring them on, the senior football players’ had one last desire before they part ways: to charge onto Gretna’s brand new turf masterpiece after the announcers call out the starting offensive line-up. Seniors awaited the day the field could fulfill their final request. “Once the field is done, I’m most looking forward to the openings,” senior TJ Huber said. “The starting offense lines up and runs down the field. That’s probably the most fun thing about home games.” The construction on the new turf field came to completion on Sept. 17. Rainy weather throughout the summer caused work to fall behind schedule, leaving students with one less home game. “A series of delays have pushed back the date the field was supposed to be finished,” Principal Mr. Todd Mueller said. “Number one, we were using the track at the end of spring. Number two, the early start of summer was very wet, which pushed them back as well. Number three, recently it has been wet
again. The weather was the main issue for construction.” The construction project started in mid-May. Different delays in construction caused fans like senior Rylie Riepl to be discouraged, yet keep an optimistic attitude. “I’m a little mad that the field isn’t done,” Riepl said. “But, I’m excited to see the change from the old field to the new one and to have good conditions for soccer in the spring.” The construction of the field affected almost every student. Whether it is the football players, athletes, members of the band or teachers, the set-back has caused complications in many aspects. “It has affected a lot of people,” Mr. Mueller said. “It’s affected every student with a parking pass because we have fewer spots than last year. It’s affected our activities. Soccer and football camp couldn’t be at the high school. Cross country couldn’t run on their normal track. The band has been displaced. However, even though it’s negatively impacting students now, it will positively impact the students once it’s done.” Seniors had to face the fact: their last football season hoorah had been changed. Football players and students have three home games instead of the past seasons four or five games. Even though the seniors were disappointed,
photo by Sophia Allen Welcome The construction of the field slowly but surely came to an end. “There was a rumor that we weren’t going to have any home games,” Principal Mr. Todd Mueller said. “We are having three great home games on our new fancy field.” Seniors are excited to cheer on their favorite football players on their home turf. they all carried positive attitudes. “We stay focused on not what the “It stinks that we have fewer home construction workers are doing, but games, but it’s for the better,” senior more so on the season,” Jacobson Ben Jacobson said. “The kids in the said. “We could play all away games future can have all of the home games. and it wouldn’t really matter. People It’ll be nice once it is finally done. Not a normally make it out to the games.” big deal.” In the future, Gretna will have During the last weeks of the nicer concessions, more bathrooms, construction project, the football extra space and overall, a greater fan players had their eyes on the prize. experience. Varsity football players Instead of allowing the field issues to already charged onto their new field be a distraction, they were zoned-in on and are looking forward to the rest of the game. the season.
Down to Earth Marching Band Learns New Show By Mary Matya
Mangaging Editor On Fridays during the fall, students think of football players tackling each other and the roar of the crowd. However, not many students think of the marching band. Every year the marching band learns a new show, and the show has a certain theme that is portrayed through the music and visuals from the color guard and band. The show this year is called Reflections of Earth. This year’s music has some earth elements in it, and the visuals from the band reflect earth by showing rainforests and waterfalls. The band would like to emphasize that this year’s show was chosen before the Amazon Rainforest began to burn. “It’s not political in any way,” Band director Mr. Andrew Norris said. “It’s an uplifting, earth type theme, so there’s not really a story.” The color guard helps portray this theme by using different colored silks. For each movement of the show, there are certain colors used to help accentuate the music. “Our opener flag resembles a faded sunset going from red, orange and yellow,
Johnson said. “For the ballad, we have swing flags which also follow the sunset theme going across the field with red, orange and yellow silks,” senior color guard captain Cierra Johnson said. “For the closer, our flags have a portion of the globe across it showing North America with an ocean surrounding and clouds hovering above.” In addition to the silks, the color guard wears costumes that tie into the show. The costumes have different shades of brown, green and blue. There are also different fabrics used to create the costume. “They’re kind of earthy because that’s the vibe we’re going for,” Color guard Coach Kate Wallace said. “We’ve got leaves, we have the earth flag, and we have the sunset which the vibe in the beginning of the show.” Another important visual aspect of the show is the giant globe prop. The globe shows all the continents and is emphasized throughout the show. “In the beginning of the show, our weapon line dances around the globe, Johnson said. “We revisit it in other areas of the show as well.” However, it is not just the color guard that does visuals during the show. The band does visuals as well. These visuals tend to go with the music to emphasize what is
photo by Mary Matya Getting Ready The band practices their marching before they start rehearsing their drill. “We start out with a nice fundamental block,” drum major Devin Durnal said. “We go through a serious of warm-ups and then we go through rehearsing all the sets.” The warm-ups help prepare the band for the day’s rehearsal. being played on the field. “Our visuals this year are awesome, arguably better than last year,” senior Drum Major Will Holke said. “This year’s visuals take lots of focus and precision to get correctly and gets kids out of their comfort zones to try something different and visually pleasing.” Besides the marching and the visuals, music is just as important for a marching show. This year’s music includes Micheal
Jackson’s “Earth Song” as well as other songs from different artists. “This year’s show is based on Reflections of Earth, Michael Jackson’s Earth Song, and original music by Carol Brittin Chambers,” Holke said. The marching band performed their earth-themed show on Friday, Sept. 20 on the new turf field. The band’s first competition is on Sept. 28 at Papio-South High School.
8 A&E Beneath The Inked Skin S t u d e n t s W i t h Ta t t o o s S h o w W h a t T h e y E m b o d y September 2019
By Emma Mayer
COPY-EDITOR/CARTOONIST
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nce a ubiquitous form of art, cultures of every continent would engrave permanent dyes into their bodies as a way to represent their status, rites of passage and as a form of decoration. With the invention of the rotary needle, tattoos advanced from simple “stick and poke” tribalistic designs, into a more advanced form of art such as portraits, 3D images, and watercolor. According to The Fact Site, a tattoo gun can puncture the skin between 50 and 3,000 times per minute, penetrating the skin down to the dermis, which causes discomfort and pain. “I think it’s really quite beautiful and is a skill,” Art Instructor Mrs. Amy Oliver said. “I think the fact that you’re not on a flat stable surface, but you're doing it on skin that gives and moves, perhaps a person that moves with a little bit of pain. Technical, I think it’s a definite higher level of skill.” Pain, pain, pain. Due to the rapid puncture of the rotary needle, getting a tattoo can cause discomfort and pain, but for some, the reason for wanting a tattoo out ways any amount of physical pain one could feel. Tattoos can be straight forward such as a portrait to commemorate a loved one or a symbol to represent someone or something. “The ‘I love you’ one is because
Lauren Eurich
my mom is sick, to show I always have a piece of her with me close to my heart no matter what I do,” senior Brooklynne LaFontaine said. “[I got it after] realizing the fact that I'm not always going to have my mom around, and I don’t know how much longer that will be.” According to The Fact Site, tattoos are believed to have begun as a form of healing similar to acupuncture then eventually evolved into the art form it is today. Although they can not help people physically, tattoos can provide individuals with a sense of assurance and comfort. “Warrior. It represents mental health awareness,” senior Caleb Meehan said. “I myself have suffered with mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. I’ve known a lot of people that weren't strong enough to fight it.” According to a report by Byrdie, mental health-related tattoos can make a difference in a person’s well-being. Despite the health benefits, tattoos can be used as a way to immortalize a bond between mother and son. “I paid for it,” Meehan said. “I also paid for her tattoo, which is the exact same but in a different spot. We got the same tattoos in the same day.” There are two different kinds of people in this world: those who choose to hold their memories on their skin in permanent ink, and those who choose to put them in scrapbooks. When it
Submitted Photo comes to getting a tattoo, the most common mistake first-timers make is rushing into it too quickly. “I did research two months prior to getting it [and] I designed the tattoo myself. It took a lot of planning and discussing,” Meehan said. “It wasn’t very difficult to find a place, I just searched online for the nearest place with the best prices. I went in and talked to an artist and he was down with the idea, he loved it [and] was excited to do it, so we set a date.” Tattoos are permanent and will be with the individual indefinitely. When thinking about getting a tattoo try not
to jump into it right away, thoroughly think it through and make sure it is meaningful. “Make sure it’s something you looked at, not necessarily for a long time, but a good time,” senior Jaileigh Sogenfrei said. “Something that’s just not in the moment.” There are more to tattoos than what meets the eye. They are built off of ideas, stories and loved ones. Before getting a tattoo, take time to find an artist, come up with different ideas and overall thoroughly think things through before making a final decision.
An Inside View On
Tr y i n g D o w n t o w n O m a h a Yu m m y Ve g a n C u i s i n e By Bayleigh Koch GUEST REPORTER
Photo by Bayleigh Koch
Photo by Bayleigh Koch
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n assortment of smells, fuschia, black and gold on the interior in the large, modern, high ceilinged restaurant. A family-friendly spot for those who are vegan, have allergies and food restrictions or who just want to try something different. Modern Love is a restaurant located in Midtown Crossing, across from Turner Park. The restaurant's hours are 4 p.m. to 9-10 p.m depending on the night. Modern Love offers a comfortable, vibrant and earthy atmosphere, all the colors make it 100% Snapchat, Instagram and VSCO worthy. On a Wednesday night, my friend Lauren and I went to Modern Love. We arrived around 6 p.m. to a fairly busy restuarant. I called ahead and made a reservation because the first time I went to Modern Love the restaurant was packed. There were tables open and plenty of walk-ins were seated after a few minutes of waiting. Once being seated by a hostess who rocked the space buns hairdo, we were greeted by our waitress. She started by telling us it was “Wing Wednesday” and then told us the specials. Although there were plenty of healthy and appealing drink options, we stuck with water. Lauren and I started by ordering their sriracha and honey cauliflower “wings”. The two of us admired all the different options on the menu before making our decision, which proved to be extremely difficult because everything sounded delicious. Lauren ordered their Modern Cheeseburger and fries, and I went with the Mac & Shews. Going to a vegan restaurant helped me a lot, considering I am gluten and dairy-free. While all of the items on the menu were dairy-free, they had a large variety of gluten-free options as well. Our waitress made sure to ask about any allergies, and made sure to notify the chefs. The resturant is considerate of allergies and knows what to do if that is an issue. When our appetizers arrived the smell of sriracha filled our nostrils and our mouths began to water. I will admit, I was
hesitant about trying cauliflower wings. But I was quickly reassured when the first bite filled my mouth with a bold flavor. Spice and heat hit me at first, but then came the slight sweetness and tang from the honey. They were sent from heaven, I swear! Lauren and I both tried not to eat them all and get full before our meals, but I have to say, I failed. Not wanting to let anything go to waste we ended up boxing up the rest. With our tongues still tingling from the siracha, our main course arrived. The dishes were plated beautifully and they put tons of detail into the meal. The colors popped against the white plates and the smell of “cheese” filled the air. The moment the noodles hit my tastebuds I was delighted. The roasted red pepper cashew cheese tasted like cheddar. After almost a year without cheddar cheese this tasted like a exact replica. The spiced pecans on top complemented the dish. Everything about this meal was lovely and I cannot wait to eat it again. For dessert, we both ordered ice cream. This was the first time I’ve had a shake from a restaurant in a long time. I ordered a chocolate malt while Lauren ordered a chocolate peanut butter shake. Both were rich and honestly better than regular ice cream in my opinion. All of the food seemed filling in my opinion. I cannot wait to go back and try more foods that I have not been able to eat in a year. I would recommend Modern Love to anyone as I give it five out of five stars. Although their food is pricey, considering it is fresh, vegan, and absolutley delicious I think it is worth it. For all of the food it was $61, but that is with appetizer, two main courses and two desserts, so I think it is reasonable. With all of the flavors and colors as well as diet-friendly food, the place gives enough positive vibes making me want to go back.