GHS The Voice February 2009

The Voice Gretna High School • 11335 South 204th Street • Gretna, NE 68028 Volume VIII • Issue IIII • February 2009

Dance Time!

Strikes & Spares Page 16

Love and Relationships Page 7, 8, & 9

Girls Basketball Page 15

Energy Drinks Page 13

news 2 school February 2009 Squirting water bottles have become a problem at GHS

By Kelsey Charrlin Staff Writer

Travis Anderson and Payton Samuelson conduct an experiment in Physical Science class.

Photo by Kelsey Charrlin

Green Army fires up school spirit

By Lexi Busch Photographer

Our school spirit and attendance to games haven’t always been the best. But some students have come up with a way to make it better. One way is through the Green Army, which was introduced by junior cheerleader Katie Sturgeon.

“ I went to this spirit convention to get ideas and improve our spirit and cheerleading squad,” Sturgeon said.

The Green Army is supposed to work is the seniors would run it and be the generals of the army.

Even though the seniors are in charge of it, the whole school is involved in it and cheer right along with the seniors.

“ The Green Army is a spirit club for the whole school to get more involved for the games,” said Sturgeon.

Everyone who bought one of the Green Army shirts and is a part of it is expected to go to all the games and cheer for their team.

“ They’re all supposed to go to every game with everyone, but usually they attend the boys basketball games more,” Sturgeon said.

Another way students have tried to boost school spirit is through the Dumbledore Army, which recently joined forces with the Green Army.

At first there was some conflict on having the two armies and who was going to keep their army because green army was made first.

“ There was a misunderstanding and

miscommunication at the beginning because one army was started and there was another one made because some people felt like they would be excluded,” Mr. Mueller said.

Eventually the armies talked it out and both agreed to keep both and cheer as one army.

“ The two armies bought each others shirts and merged as one so they all could cheer together and we now meet during long homeroom and discuss how things are going and what cheers we can and can not do or if were having anymore problems,” Mr. Muller said.

Now that both of the armies are merged and are in an agreeance to work and cheer together our school spirit should improve and make our games more fun to cheer at.

Laura Sterling sports the Green Army t-shirt.

As GHS students rush from class to class, the hallways can be brutal. From pushing and shoving to book checking, students never know what to expect. Well, expect this.

Some GHS students might be out squirting bottles to soak you with.

Students poke a hole in their water bottle at the top lid with their pen and squirt students in the hallways.

The concept isn’t a new one.

Similar events have occurred here and there throughout generations.

It started when the teachers allowed the students to bring their own water bottles to school for class and sports.

There is no rhyme or reason why it happens, but students have their own thoughts on the new activity.

“I do it because when I drink water, it’s easier to just squirt it in your mouth than take the cap off, “ freshman Jessica Dishong said.

Some students don’t learn about this, until they’ve been squirted.

“It’s funny at first, then you get mad because you’re wet, “ Kelsey Braecsh said “but it’s really immature to do. ” Some students would say it’s hilarious, but others would disagree.

“People just walk down the hallway and you feel something wet, and everyone turns around to see who did it,” Braesch said.

“I think it’s funny because someone would squirt you and you’d be like, ‘who just squirted me’”, Dishong said.

“I’ve caught about five or ten,” Mr. Eledge said, ”Its mostly teachers who catch them in the hallways.” “The students who squirt disturb the class.”

It may be all fun and games, but it also has its consequences. The penalties are losing the privilege of using the water bottle, a detention, or Saturday school.

However, all students don’t get away with this.

“If it doesn’t stop we’ll just not allow water bottles in the classroom.” Mr. Eledge said. “They’re going to ruin it for everyone.”

school news 3 February 2009

Homecoming and Prom: Too basic?

By Brittany Hannigan Staff Writer

Students at GHS look forward to Homecoming and Prom every year.

Buying dresses, renting tuxedos, getting hair done, hanging out with friends and, of course, dancing are just a few of the perks that students enjoy. Homecoming and Prom are two standard dances that most schools have, and the only two dances that Gretna has.

“I think it’d be cool if we had casual dances every couple of months,” junior Leana Wolt said.

The Voice surveyed schools across the state to find out what dances they have. Out of 44 schools that responded, 27 have dances in addition to homecoming and prom. Dances include, Sweetheart, Halloween, MORP, Winter Formal or Winter Ball, Back to School Dance, and Mardi Gras.

So why doesn’t Gretna try and have more dances? According to junior Jake Kruse, active student council member, not many people show up.

“We tried the MORP dance and only like 50 to 60 people showed up,”

Kruse said.

Senior Stacie Weakland said that when Gretna tried to have other dances she never went.

“MORP didn’t seem too terribly interesting to me,” Weakland said.

That seems to be the situation from other schools too. Schools such as Fillmore Central, Bellevue West, and Lincoln Northstar only have Homecoming and Prom because of lack of interest.

“It seemed like it was sort of thrown together and not really planned,” Weakland said. “From what I hear, I didn’t miss much.”

So, why not try something more traditional, like winter formal?

Seventeen out of those 44 schools polled have it. The Winter Formal is a very elegant dance that usually takes place towards the end of the first semester.

“A winter formal would be amazing,” Wolt said. “I’m really upset we don’t have one.”

The possibility of having future Gretna students are having a good time dances? Not very good. dancing at one of the two dances at the

“Gretna is not willing to move school. forward,” Kruse said.

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Changes, changes, and more changes: School expands, classes and all

By Ashley Zajac Staff Writer

Workers coming in and kids going out…kids coming in and workers going out. All year long it seems like something is always going on at school or nearby. Throughout the years many have noticed the multiple changes and growth of the public schools. Whether it was just replacing the carpet or building a new football stadium, someone was always aware. No matter how big or little they were, there was, and always will be an impact.

“We’ve gone from a rural area to a suburban area and the enrollment of students has increased,” principal Mr. Eledge said.

The population of Gretna has grown tremendously. Just years ago Gretna was a town of only 466 people, but 2009 has come and the community

is way past that itty bitty number.

Gretna is the home of 5,970 people.

It’s crazy to think about how such a small town has grown into a city.

Along with the city, the school has grown too. Today instead of having just one elementary school, there are three. Including: Palisades, Thomas, and the original elementary. Even though the elementary has tripled in quantity, there’s only one middle school and one high school. Just like the schools, the students have grown in quantity too. The graduating class of 1978 only had 72 students. Now, 30 years later, the graduating class has 178 seniors. This is most likely due to the positive reputation that Gretna has for raising and educating the students.

“The location is great. We’re still considered a small town but we have the advantages of a big city,” Eledge said, “As an administrator, I have met great students and families, but the

larger we get, the more difficult it is to make it a personal school. Also with all the changes, the superintendents and school board members have done a wonderful job in planning the future growth,” Eledge said.

Although there have been changes, they have their advantages.

As the town expanded, the school system added dual credit classes and more electives. With the addition of all the extra classes, the individual needs of the students are met much better.

“Kids get more of an opportunity to individualize their education,” guidance councelor Mrs. O’Neill said.

There are more activities too.

Boys golf and track were the only spring sports until a few years ago. Now Gretna offers boys and girls soccer, tennis, and baseball.

One of the biggest changes that could probably be agreed on

was the flip-flop between the high school and the middle school in 2005.

Disadvantages were huge before the swap.

The stage in the former high school served as the weight room and the cafeteria. Also, if students wanted to eat hot lunch, they walked to the elementary school.

“I like my room the most… especially the size,” science teacher Mr. Marik said.

With all the building and the demolition, Gretna has seemed to take in all the work very well and maturely.

Both the students and the teachers have adapted to the new environment significantly.

When asked if he would like to add anything about working with the expanding school system, Mr. Eledge replied, “After 29 years, you could say that Green runs through my veins.”

ing

4 editorial February 2009

Good deal or pricey tune?

iTunes raised and lowered it’s song prices as well as music videos and upgraded their software. But are you getting a fair amount for your money? iTunes revised it’s song prices.

Instead of just surrendering a dollar you get fork over a $1.39 for the latest hits. But I don’t think one song is really worth that. With all the free downloading software out there you can almost get any song, any time, and any place for free. But iTunes is one of the biggest moneymakers in the musicdownloading world. So you would think they have earned enough money to keep their prices the same, right?

Apparently not.

Song prices went up with the cost of music videos because of

Do y ou a

By Faith Cotton Photographer

iTunes’s new free DRM policy. DRM stands for Digital Rights Management.

When songs, CDs, movies, etc. have this policy customers are not allowed to copy or transfer songs from one computer to another or share them (even though people do it anyway).

But it does not have DRM that means it isn’t illegal to copy it or move it onto another computer. That’s why most free music downloading software is illegal. So now it’s okay to copy a song,

g re e

with

CD, or a movie off iTunes.

iTunes songs have a price range. The newest songs or the most current can either be $0.99 or $1.39 while older songs will either stay $0.99 or go down to $0.69. These prices all depend on what the artist or band wants.

It doesn’t really make sense to me that iTunes raised prices. Aren’t songs of equal value? Plus I think every song on iTunes is of equal value. I mean what makes a song worth more money than another? Is it the length of one song compared to the other, the artist that sings it, or what it’s about?

For instance you buy a song that is 3 minutes exactly. Then you buy another song by that same artist and it’s also

“It’s stupid!”

-Olivia Larsen, 10

the new iTunes prices?

No

Yes

88%

12%

“That’s ridonculous!”

-Kelsey Pierce, 9

“I think you should use limewire.”

-Dillion Stuekrath, 12

“I hate the iTunes prices.”

-Chris Link, 11

The Voice News Staff 2008 Cornhusker Award Winner

Editor-in-Chief........................Liz Stratman Photographer...........................Lexi Busch Photographer...........................Faith Cotton Sports Editor...........................Anthony Jourdan Entertainment Editor.............Natalie Doering Staff Writers: Morgan Agagah Hannah Applegate Taylor Bradish Ashley Brugmann Kelsey Charrlin Ethan Dawes

Lindsey Detten Jennifer Goforth Brittany Hannigan Kennedy Healy Kendall Hendrix Matthew Horan McKenna Kerr Courtney Murcek Lauren Sawyer Danielle Spurgeon Jessica Tejral Ashley Zajac Advisor......................................Jamie Hestermann

3 minutes long, but it’s $0.30 more.

That just doesn’t make sense. If iTunes had changed it’s prices and gotten rid of DRM earlier, then maybe there wouldn’t be as many people using illegal downloading software.

So iTunes may be the cooler music downloader. But iTunes will lose money from these raised prices.

Since there is no DRM it pretty much eliminates the whole purpose of buying their music because other websites that were considered illegal have been offering their music free and free of DRM. A song went up 30 cents.

More people are just going to turn to Limewire or Rhapsody and it won’t be such a big deal anymore.

The Voice is a monthly publication sponsored by Gretna High School, 11335 South 204th Street, Gretna, NE 68028. The office of The Voice is located in sponsor Jamie Hestermann’s room, room 400. The phone number is (402)332-3936.

Reader response is welcome in the form of suggestions and ideas. They can be dropped off in room 400 at any time.

Editorials are solely the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of The Voice staff or Gretna High School.

editorial 5 February 2009

It’s time to accept the reality of cold weather

By Lauren Sawyer Staff Writer

What has the world come to?

By Natalie Doering Entertainment Editor

There once was a time when people could leave their doors unlocked without worrying about who would open them. Mothers and fathers would send their kids out to play in the morning and not see them until dinner was ready. When murders were reported, it shocked people to the core because things like that just didn’t happen.

But those days are gone. Now we lock everything. Our cell phones have locks, our I-pods, computers…if it means anything to you, you lock it.

And forget going outside to play without checking in every once in awhile.

Today, mothers peer anxiously out the windows every minute or two to make sure that their child hasn’t vanished. As the years progressed murders or missing persons became an every day occurrence. When we flip on the news, after the initial shock wears off, it doesn’t take us by surprise to hear about a child’s body being found, like the Caylee Anthony murder. Or even that the main suspects are the parent(s).

What has the world come to?

Everywhere we turn there is either a murder carried out, a homicide in the process, or a killing being plotted. Cnn. com reports 45 killings take place in the U.S. each day. If we applied that to our school it would take about 16 days for each student to become a murder

victim. Isn’t that horrible? The fact that some people convince themselves that this type of behavior is okay is even worse. In a “ETHS Investigates” show the serial killer BTK was profiled and they presented a court clip. It was horrifying how nonchalantly he commented on the women he murdered and how he justified taking these innocent lives. When is taking a persons life a justifiable act? But murderers are notorious for convincing themselves that the crime they committed was okay, therefore why justify it?

What has the world come to?

People are being killed for silly reasons. Of course no murder is silly, but some reasons are just outlandish. A British man was recently jailed for killing his EX-wife (emphasis on the EX) because she changed her Facebook relationship status to single after they had been separated for over a month.

Someone needs to explain to this guy that ex means “no longer together,” therefore single. To add to the drama of this story, he reportedly sent her text messages, phone calls and letters with no avail. She refused to talk to him. I suppose if the miniscule detail of a status on a social network upset you, then being ignored by someone would make you furious. But no matter how furious a person gets, killing someone is taking it to the extreme. (Note to self: DO NOT make this guy mad!)

Someday in the near future, I hope we can go back to the “good ole days”. It’ll take a lot of work all of our part, maybe challenging to some. But if we want things to change, it’s the steps we need to take.

Breaking news: It’s been winter since December 21st. Sometimes it feels like half the population is oblivious to that fact. Being as it is winter, I applaud the sensible people who wear winter coats and pants through this snowy season. But why in the world do so many people wear shorts paired with a hoodie even when the mercury declares it’s a glorious three degrees out? Three degrees below zero, that is.

I’m going to go out on a limb, and say that those people don’t know, “Spending even five or ten minutes exposed on a harsh Nebraska day can lead to the onset of hypothermia,” as reported by the Omaha World-Herald.

Next time you’re dashing to the front door of GHS from your car, clock it. It will probably take you a good couple of minutes to get in. So watch out if you’re the person who still continues to wear flip-flops even though there’s a 20 below zero wind chill, because those couple of minutes just might do your little piggies in.

Some students will claim that they, “Just don’t get cold.” But it’s ok to drop the Superman act. Everybody gets cold, you can too. Being warmblooded may seem like a superpower when it comes to keeping warm, but

even all the “Supermen” of the world aren’t immune to the kryptonite that is Nebraska’s weather. November starts out with a toasty average high temperature of 50 degrees, according to intellicast.com. By January, the high averages 33 degrees, with the low being 13 degrees. In this weather, the only tried and true way to keep warm is to bundle up.

But what really got me was when I saw a girl this winter that was headed outside while it was snowing, in shorts. Never fear, she was sporting her cozy UGGs, but still no pants.

The girl said, “I forgot to pack some.”

In Nebraska. When you live in Nebraska, which was once called a desert, (remember that there are cold deserts.

Take Antarctica, for example) is it even possible to be about 18 years old and not grasp the concept that it’s cold here? And the even more befuddling question is: how do you wake up when it’s snowing, see it, and still “forget” pants?

Last year’s winter was the ninth coldest in the last 73 years, with an average temperature of 21.6 degrees. And this winter isn’t turning out to be very forgiving either. Grabbing a fuzzy scarf and some gloves sounds like a marvelous idea, to me, for the duration of this arctic weather. Thankfully, even though Nebraska may feel like the North Pole, it actually isn’t. So come March 20th, winter will officially end.

Then hopefully the frigid air will have begun to subside, and I’ll dig up a pair of shorts for school too.

Is something on your mind?

Then write a letter to the editor.

Letters can be dropped off in room 400.

story 6 photo February 2009

A NIGHT AT EMC

David Manning claps and cheers for the Gretna girls basketball team at EMC.

Randi Walters, Lisa Dyke, Lauren Faris, Madison Healy, and Jenna Hannibal clap while they pump up the crowd.

Hanna Schmid, Meghan Dennis, Nicole Andrews, and Kelsey Stark watch the girls on the court intensely while they wait for an upcoming play.

There’s got to be someone keeping Gretna’s winning score during EMC. Mr. Rhodes keeps score during this game.

Dance team was the night’s entertainment for a whole week during EMC. Leana Wolt dances along to the song while keeping rhythm and Dance team practiced at six in the morning for the whole week during an intense face.

Cathy Edmison dribbles down EMC. Victoria Sorentino drops her pom-pom dramatically and keeps the court to make a pass at the a smile on her face at the end of her song. other end.

Honesty

7 in-depth February 2009

Commitment

s p i h s n o i t t s a u l

Re

Love

Loyalty

How to lose a guy/girl in ten days: GHS style What would you do to make someone dump you?

We’ve all seen “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days.” Kate Hudson does everything in her power to totally “lose” Matthew McConaghey. She makes a scrapbook of their future family, trades his friend’s cigars for cucumber sandwiches, and acts totally emotional to name a few. But some wonder, what would be the best way to get rid of your boyfriend or girlfriend at this age? So here’s how to lose a guy/girl in ten days… high school style.

“Be extremely obnoxious.”

-Taylor Haug, senior “Talk to friend one of thei r best s and not th -Chris em.”

Hauck , freshm an , r e w o h s t o n to willing mit.”

“I’d be is my li h t n o m e n r mo e but o d, sopho o o g ll A y -Abb “Hairiness” “I’d salsa their house. Just -Justin Patterson, junior cover it in salsa.” oo e’s t h s -David Dudney, freshman inks t th ne.” a h t r irl ryo “A g for eve al, senio er to t s i s b l d coo s Hanni ear-0l “Guys that wear Speedos, y kid.” y six-y ay it was m m avi g n D i s cause it’s gross.” d “Br n ouse a -Abby Allgood, sophomore their h ites, junior St -Derek “Find “Selfis al ho single l of his pet p Kevin Y r rude girls.” one of eeves ager, ju a t -Laure nior n Bake hem to an e nd do every r, senio xtrem r e.” n guys noff whe r tu e g u “It’s a h you.” to his s d n e tally stalk p to ore e e D h t g r al, sophom brin nde ib u d n l n a u m H o e a h “I w -Jenn ve t ” “Being dishonest.” and lea eeded them. house n I y a e s r o d -La uren Baker, senior sink an nnibal, sophom a H a n n -Je ose.”

“Nev heir n man t g n i er re “Pick , fresh or if s Carlson they pond to y e c a L -Emi ’ ly Fle re talkin their te “Girls that like too much x ming g to , jun attention.” me.” t messa ior ges -Jon Miller, freshman

What is the biggest turnoff you see in the opposite sex?

Tr

GHS teachers share their worst dating moments

By Liz Stratman Editor-in-Chief

The Re-bounder.

The Cheapo.

The Overemotional. The Arrogant. The Show-off. The PoorDresser.

All of these kinds of people can certainly be turn-offs on a date. But what if you are the cause of the dating disaster?

English teacher Mrs. Huttmann says one time while out to dinner with her boyfriend (now husband), she was frustrated with him so she started a silly fight.

She was oblivious to the fact that he was planning to propose.

“I didn’t know he was going to propose to me that night,” Mrs. Huttmann said. “I was just picking a fight.”

She says they were at a restaurant and she was getting irritated because he had to work late.

“He ended up being an hour or two hours late to dinner and then he took a call from another girl while with me,” Huttman said. “I was like, ‘If you’d rather be getting calls from another girl, then what are you doing with me?’ ” After that, he pulled out an engagement ring and said, “because I wanted to give you this.”

Math teacher Mr. Depue’s date turned into a disaster when he accidentally called the girl he was with his ex-girlfriend’s name. He says this wasn’t their first date or their last since she is his current girlfriend.

So what advice would be beneficial for people when dates turn for the worst?

“Try and remember your date’s name and make sure you’ve got the money to make up for it,” Mr. Depue said.

Mrs. Huttmann suggests to never jump to conclusions

.“Even it it’s going bad, it might end entirely different than you thought.”

8 in-depth February 2009

in-depth 9 February 2009

Balancing Act:

We’re stuck where we are...and it’s so far

Dealing with a boyfriend or girlfriend and friends

By Ashley Brugmann Staff Writer

It’s official. You’re going out, dating, hanging out. Whatever you call it, you have a girlfriend or a boyfriend.

“When I ask a girl out and they say yes, it is like I am on cloud 9,” senior Josh Zajac said.

That feeling might be short-lived. Eventually you face the problem with balancing the boyfriend or girlfriend with your friends.

For instance, if a girl chose to spend time with her boyfriend instead of her friend, then her friend would get mad or vice versa.

“It’s not difficult for me because friends always come first in my book.”

-Rebecca Schollaert Freshman

Boyfriend/ Girlfriend

By Jen Goforth Staff Writer Friends

Sophomore Kelsie Troudt has had some experience in this department.

“Yes, whenever I spend time with my boyfriend, my friends make a huge deal out of it and I get yelled at,” Troudt said.

Junior Kevin Scharf has the exact same problem.

“It’s kinda fun to blow your friends off just to make them angry,” Scharf said.

But it’s not like that for everyone. Some like freshman Rebecca Schollaert and Zajac seem to manage pretty well.

“I don’t find it difficult to balance a girlfriend and friends because they understand,” Zajac said.

Schollaert has something else in mind.

“It’s not difficult for me because friends always come first in my book,” Schollaert said.

“If my boyfriend has a problem with that, then they are not worth it. Usually though, my boyfriend at the time and my friends hang out so there is no problem at all.”

These are just four students out of many who deal with the same sort of problem. We all just have different degrees. What is kind of hard to understand is why friends get so jealous? I’m sure we all agree as to why that is. Friends just want to look out for you.

“If your heart is open, love will always find its way in,” freshman Codi Backen said.

Seventy-six miles separate junior Emily Lawry and her boyfriend Scott Doggett.

While most would find a long distance relationship tough, Lawry says they’re doing what they can to make it work. You would think having one person in high school and the other in college would be enough to make the relationship difficult. Try having them so far away from each other.

“I miss him a lot…it’s kind of distracting,” Lawry said.

Long distance relationships can take a lot away from the high school life. Whether it’s from keeping up grades, or finding ways to hang out, it certainly causes stress.

“We text all day and talk on the phone every night,” Lawry says.

What would parents think of this?

How much would that phone bill be?

“My parents don’t mind. Except sometimes they worry because he is in college,” Lawry said.

Having your boyfriend or girlfriend close in distance would definitely make the relationship easier. But for some people that’s not the way to go.

“Its hard being apart but it makes your time together that much more special.

Most couples get sick of each other but we never do,” Lawry said.

Imagine the challenges of not having the one you love in arms reach. They wouldn’t be able to be there for you after a bad day and there’s always the wondering of something

What’s the worst way to break up with someone?

“Over a text message.”

-Michaela Ko tera, sophom ore

“Over a post-it note.”

-Nikki Hottovy, junior

m.” tercom syste in l o o h c s e “At recess when a friend “Over th senior -Mark Beran, “Over text.” runs up and tells you.” “ P ost a note o -Jordyn Wollenburg, freshman -Brandon Frink, junior n “Over Faceb their locker ook.” .”

-Lynn Fibich, -Eddie Vacek senior , freshman

that could be going on behind your back.

“I trust him because I don’t have any reason not to trust him,” Lawry said.

Others haven’t been as lucky as Emily and Scott’s relationship. Imagine the effects of someone being two and a half hours away but the relationship starting off so good and ending so bad.

Alicia Zeeck dated Mike for 2 years and after moving to Gretna the relationship ended. They met at school. It started off well.

“Long distance relationships don’t last,” Zeeck said.

Would you consider a long-distance relationship?

The Voice asked 50 students if they would consider a long-distance relationship and these are the results.

3 2 % o N 68%Yes

What’s the worst pick-up line?

“Are you from Tennessee, ‘cause you’re the only ten I see.”

-Taylor Wageman, freshman “Are those wings rented or owned?”

“What?” “ ‘cause you’re an angel.”

-Pat Carney, freshman “Do I know you?”

-Brandon Koke, sophomore

“You look so familiar.”

“What?”

“I’ve been dreaming about you all day.”

-Alicia Janulewicz, junior “I lost my number. Can I have yours?”

-Josh Zajac, senior “If I controlled the alphabet, I’d put I and u together.”

-Hollie Walker, senior

“I like your shoes.”

-Eric Shawcross, junior

Elementary School Crushes

“In 1st grade, I had this HUGE crush on this cute little boy. Well, my sisters found out and they were older than me, so they totally had to tell the whole school that I liked this boy.

I was so embarrassed that I could hardly look at him. He could hardly look at me. But I still held a mini crush for a few more years.”

-Mrs. O’Neill

“I dated a girl in high school, and I was over at her house one day after school. And her mom had one of those big vans with the curtains on the side windows, you know? And she backed out of the driveway and crushed the driver side of my car on the other side of the street.Yeah, that was kind of awkward.”

-Mr. Stastny

“In elementary school, I asked my crush if she wanted to go skating with me. She said yes, and so we went. When we were there, I fell down and wiped out a big group of people skating. I was so embarrassed..”

-Mr. Mueller

“In Middle School I had a crush on a girl, and she was dating one of my friends. And they were at one of those eighth grade makeout parties, and I thought she was one of the most beautiful girls in the grade, and I never got her. No one knew but me.”

-Mr. Ribar

Data Match:

who’s on yours?

By Danielle Spurgeon Staff Writer

As students sit in their English classes, filling in the little bubbles for their Data Match quiz, some think about how to throw off the results, by putting celebrities names not their own and answering inaccurately. Others really wonder whom they could end up with on their lists. Who could be their ultimate match?

Data Match is a quiz that everyone in the school takes. Answers are compared with everyone else’s in the school. The results show who your most compatible boys and girls are and who your least compatible boys and girls are.

“Some of my friends were actually on it, so it was pretty good,” junior Hannah Dittmar said.

“I got a hottie on my list,” freshman Dave Dudney said. “It’s all-good.”

Several students do not believe that the data matches are accurate. They think this because many people just answer the questions randomly and were not truthful about their answers.

“Kylie Hamel is on my most unlikely and we are actually friends,” Dittmar said.

Not just were they good, bad, and untrue, but they were also funny. Dudney said that he didn’t even know his top person and his number two on his list was his best friends sister.

“My ex boyfriend was my number one,” sophomore Lauren Faris said.

10 entertainment February 2009

Tattoos: Are they the latest trend for GHS?

By Taylor Bradish Staff Writer

While walking down the red carpet, Angelina Jolie wears a gown revealing a large Asian tiger, a dragon, and tribal designs all on her back.

It seems like most teenagers know someone who has a tattoo, or has seen a tattoo that they think is cool.

Some students at Gretna are already “inked.” Not only students, but popular celebrities are also sporting tattoos such as Megan Fox, David Beckham, and Lil Wayne, just to name a few.

From the early 1990’s there has been an increase in the popularity of tattoos..

“The coolest celebrity tattoo I have ever seen is the girl off L.A Ink, Kat, the tattoos of the stars on her face are awesome!,” said sophomore Lindsay Hanson.

But if Caleb Guern, sopho-

more, could get any tattoo he would get a black rose with his name on it, on his chest, above his heart.

Hanson would prefer a place a little more noticeable.

“I would get something on my wrist,” said Hanson.

Remembering that the tattoo you chose will be on your body for the rest of your life Scotty Olsen a senior, has some advice for you.

“Think about it before you get it”, said Olsen “make sure it’s something you really want.”

Olsen already has a tattoo of a soaring eagle, with a banner, dedicated to his father.

Students who are considering getting a tattoo should be prepared to pay the price, and the time. Some tattoos can cost up to hundreds of dollars, depending on the amount of work you want done, and can take hours also depending on how much work you want done.

“I would probably spend

Must haves for concerts

By Courtney Mursek Staff Writer

ACDC, The Black Eyed Peas, and Cold Play are just a few of concerts that have been to Omaha.

There are many upcoming concerts including Brad Paisley, Motley Crue, Celine Dion, and Fall Out Boy.

Freshman Lauren Frink said she’s looking forward to the Nickleback concert on March 17.

“Me and Meghan Harriman are going and we’re gonna ball it up there,” Frink said.

What’s the best part of a concert? Is it just listening to your favorite artist perform, or, is it the rush of being at a concert screaming your head off?

“When they walk into the crowd and are standing like five rows away from you. That’s definitely the best part,” Harriman said.

“You have to stand the whole time and sometimes your legs get tired and wanna sit but you can’t ‘cause then you wouldn’t be able to

see. So I would rather sit up a little higher so that I can sit or stand and still be able to see,” says Ashley Moss, freshman.

Is what Arena the concerts at have any effect on if you go or not? It might or might not. Some students say the Qwest Center is the best. They have great food, comfortable seats and t h e best performances.

The Q w e s t Center has three different levels so t h a t there is more of a better opportunity for you to get tickets so you and your friends can rock out at your favorite upcoming concert.

“The tattoos of the stars on her face are awesome!”

Lindsay Hanson, Sophomore

about a hundred bucks on a tattoo,” said Hanson.

From celebrities, to Gretna High School students, tattoos are a way to express yourself.

“I’ll be getting two or three more,” said Olsen.

Scott Olsen’s tattoo is dedicated to his father.

Photo by Liz Stratman

What are your essentials for a concert?

“Money for a shirt and a poster.”

Ashley Moss, Freshman

“My ID and money.”

Alec Wineinger, Sophomore

“Camera.”

Taylor Haug, Senior

“Clothes.”

Josh Reynolds, Junior

Spencer Daly, Freshman 1. American Idiot- Greenday 2. Adrenaline- Nightmare 3.Heartshaped box-Nirvana 4.Boulevard of Broken Dreams- Greenday 5.Letterbom- Greenday

By Matt Horan

fun 11 February 2009 CAR OF THE MONTH Lauren Frink, Freshman When did you get your car?

November of 2008 What type of car do you drive?

A Pontiac Grand-Am. Is there anything special in your car?

Christmas Cookie Air Fresheners.

What’s one thing that’s always on the floor of your car?

Clothes

Lauren Frink shows off her car with a cute pose.

Yeah, there’s this button on the gearshift that you can play with while you drive. I don’t know what it does, but it’s fun!

Is there anything about your car that you like to brag about?

Lucy Carlson, Freshman

Style File Petra Vanderweijden, Freshman

What do you feel the most comfortable wearing?

Jeans and a T-shirt What outfit would you want to wear to school, but are scared to?

A dress What style of clothing do you really not like?

Skinny jeans without high heels Where do you buy most of your clothes/ accessories?

JCPenny’s or Kohl’s By: Jessica Tejral

Favorite place to eat?

Favorite Sports Team?

What do you think is the best movie in the theater?

Chelsea Luedtke, Sophomore

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What accessory do you own the most of?

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If you could change your name what would it be?

By Ashley Zajac

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12 features February 2009 “What’s the most frustrating part about cut hours?”

“Getting less money.”

-Chris Link

“My hours were cut down to times that wouldn’t work for me and that I’ve previously asked for off.”

-Mary Kay Brennan

“Not having the money to pay for things like my phone bill.”

-Cindy Sedlacek

Now Hiring: But Not Teenagers

By Lindsey Detten Staff Writer

Do you want fries with that?

We’ve all been asked that annoying question as we pull through the drivethru, and some of us have even been the employees forced to ask it.

Now, with teen jobs becoming scarcer due to the declining economy, are we all going to be hearing less of this question?

Junior John Whitney is currently on the job hunt, and so far he hasn’t had much luck in finding businesses that are hiring. Part of this could go back to the economy issue.

“As businesses are going out, they have to cut off people to save money,” Whitney said.

So far, he’s applied at three places, most of them having to do with outdoorsy equipment and restaurants.

The main challenge he’s faced has been the competition from other applicants who are older and have more experience. As adults lose their jobs, some must resort to working at common teen places, making it more difficult for high school

I

students to find work.

According to a survey from The Denver Post, teen employment has gone down almost 15% in the last twenty years. The cause for that?

Businesses have been reducing the amount of employees they need— and the first people to be affected by that are teens.

Another frustrating problem for many teens is cut hours. Junior Robbie Berglund has faced this hardship with his job at McDonald’s. He went from working 24-30 hours a week to 16-20 hours, making him watch his spending a lot closer.

“With less money, I’ll have to cut back on personal items now,” Berglund said.

Parents are also forcing students to start getting jobs to pay for their own items. Sophomore Olivia Gahan has started a search of her own in order to pay for a car, its insurance, and to have her own spending money.

She’s applied at several places in the hopes of getting a job.

Her main trouble has been finding places that hire younger people.

“It’s really hard, because

Sophomore Hannah Kerns takes a break from her job at Sonic to smile for the camera. almost no where hires 15-year-olds. It seems like they want college kids who don’t have as many extracurricular activities.”

Right now finding—and keeping—a job is becoming more and more difficult for teens.

Whitney has some advice to future job hunters/holders.

“Make lots of connections,” Whitney said.

And if all else fails? Be glad that you aren’t the one repeatedly asking, “Do you want fries with that?”

What was GHS students share their silly accident stories thinking?

Junior Kevin Yager rides his scooter down the halls of GHS.

By Kendall Hendrix Staff Writer Jumping wild and crazy on the model beds at Nebraska Furniture Mart, sophomore Ashley Smith was hanging with friends. They were all having a good time when suddenly Smith slipped on the bed and snapped her ankle.

Everyone has had those embarrassing stories, right? The moments they’ll never forget and always regret.

“I can’t believe I just did that, that was so stupid,” Smith said.

Smith obviously had to tell her parents, but it happened to be easier than she thought.

“I started bawling and actually the people that work there saw me fall on video camera,” Smith said. “My mom was close by too, so the workers came with a wheel chair. Everyone laughed.

My parents thought it was so funny. I went straight to the hospital though.”

Everyone gets those creeps when they walk in the hospital right?

What if you get there and it’s the wrong hospital?

“My parents accidentally took me to the wrong hospital, where a bunch of creepers were,” Smith said. “This little kid kept wanting to push me around in my wheel chair.”

Then of course there are always those embarrassing moments when the doctors put the patient on pain medicine

at the hospital.

“I was so out of it,” Smith said.

What’s worse than this story is an accident that happened in front of many people, not just friends.

Junior Kevin Yager slipped on ice at Tranquility Ice Rink and broke his leg.

“I went to turn around, like in a circle, lost my balance and was going backwards,” Yager said. “I twisted, but my skate was in the ice, my foot was stuck. I heard the loudest crack ever. I lay there for 15 seconds and tried to get up, but couldn’t. Finally I got up with the help of friends.”

Then, in most circumstances the injured one doesn’t know what to do next. This is true for Yager’s accident.

“Well, I knew something was definitely wrong,” Yager said. “I didn’t even know if I could drive home.”

Scary thoughts flew threw his head about missing out on sports or having surgery.

“I was worried about missing my senior year of football,” he said. “I went to the doctor the next day and ended up

having surgery, I had three screws put in my leg that were one inch each.”

That’s not it though. Another GHS student got caught doing an embarrassing stunt involving furniture too, just like Smith.

Freshman Sam Applegate turned out with a broken arm after a late night at his friends Kelton’s house. Applegate and friends were playing hide and seek when he was racing back to base, tried to jump the couch…and missed. He fell awkwardly on his arm.

“That was just stupidity,” Applegate said.

Applegate went all night without telling his parents he thought he broke something.

“I finally told them. They thought it was pretty funny,” Applegate said. “I ended up going to the doctor the next morning. There was a huge bump on my wrist.”

All the other kids at the party cleared the couch Applegate missed.

What bad luck.

“Yeah, I didn’t clear the couch, but I did make it to base,” he said.

features 13 February 2009

Finding where you fit in

By McKenna Kerr Staff Writer

Friends. Isn’t that what almost every teenager’s life revolves around? What’s the thing that actually gets us up in the morning to go to school?

Maybe for some of us, it’s the thought of learning new things, but for a large amount of highschoolers it’s the thought of laughing and socializing with friends.

Walking into the GHS cafeteria is almost like walking into the scene of the movie Mean Girls where some tables are crammed full of students engaged in a variety of conversations, while others are more spaced out with a few loners here and there. It’s like the part where main character Cady walks in and she sees that each table houses a different clique, like, the jocks, math nerds, preppy girls, art geeks, then of course the plastics. Whether people know it or not, this is actually what many high schools are like, just maybe not to that extent.

Many things come to mind when people say the word cliques. Negative things like cat fights and drama are at the top of the list. Is this really all true?

Lots of people have mixed feelings about them like freshman Emma Connelley, who considers herself part of a clique.

Connelley says there are two sides to cliques.

“I like having friends, but not having friends that define me,” Connelley said.

Connelly said that sometimes cliques are exciting because then kids always have someone to talk to. But on the flip side, sometimes they can get annoying because of all the drama.

Mrs. O’Neill, the school guidance counselor, said, “Peer pressure will, a lot of times, determine what clique you’re in.”

Some people like junior Tina Martinez don’t like cliques at all. “ I try to avoid cliques,” said Martinez, “they annoy me.”

Martinez doesn’t consider herself in a clique but instead she intercliques, or hangs out with lots of different people.

Although there may be bad sides to cliques, there are also some positive sides to them.

“Cliques create a feeling of belongingness and acceptance,” said Mrs. O’Neill.

They also bring people together with common interests and personalities.

“ I like being in a clique because it gets me closer to my friends and I feel safe around them,” Freshman Andrea Hanson said.

When do cliques start? Does it all of a sudden

just happen, or do they slowly start forming? “ They can start in elementary, just by who’s playing with who,” Mrs. O’Neill said.

There are all sorts of cliques out there, but how exactly can you tell them apart? A bundle of high school students said: by clothing, hairstyles, or the way they act. “ You can tell cliques apart by who’s hanging out by the lockers together before or after school,” said Ms. Benzel, a high school mathmatics teacher.

One common agreement that many students had, was that, the cliques teens hang out with today are probably not going to be with them forever, so people shouldn’t care so much about who they hang with.

“Nobody cares who you were with in high school when you’re in college,” Ms. Benzel said.

Cliques, groups of friends, BFF’s, pals, best buds, amigos. No matter how you define them they will always be a part of high schools everywhere.

Mrs. O’Neill gave with a great piece of advice, “ Love yourself first, and you’ll attract your own clique. Be a leader, because if you get sucked into the wrong cliques it’s hard to start over. Be true to yourself.”

Photos by Mattie Strong

What does it take to stop the addiction?

The growing dependency on energy drinks in our nation

By Jessica Tejral Staff Writer

There’s always a few people dragging their feet in the morning, accomplishing the look of an almost tardy student at GHS. With a morning voice and ruffled hair, it seems unusual that they are without their Red Bull even in the early hours of school. Somehow though, with their lack of energy, they manage to complain that they didn’t have any caffeine. Many people have never tasted the wonders of an energy drink, but it seems those who have; don’t have the desire to stop. Is it an addiction to the flavor, or is it the guaranteed energy people crave?

Freshman Katie Gerdes loves Red Bull, Monster, and Hydrive. She drinks them for the flavor, and is convinced that it is possible to get addicted to them.

“I used to get headaches when I stopped drinking them for track,” Gerdes said. “I know that

drinking them too much can be bad for your heart because of the caffeine. They give you an extra kick and you can stay up later, but then you wipe out.”

Some people seem to make the mistake of confusing energy drinks with sports drinks, such as Gatorade. Thomas Machal, a freshman, drinks at least four Gatorades a day as opposed to energy drinks.

“I get crabby if I don’t have my Gatorade in the morning,” Machal said. “I can only last about an hour without it, and I would only stop if it was a bet.”

Junior Kayla Christensen loves to drink 180, and Xenergy. Enough, in fact, that very few things could made her stop.

“Only a shortage of energy drinks throughout the universe could keep me from drinking them,” Christensen said.

She, however, doesn’t believe that they truly give you energy.

“It’s all in your head,” Christensen said. “I could survive about two weeks without my energy

drinks, and then die a terrible death.”

Sami Frederick, a freshman, drinks Monster 3-5 times a week for the guaranteed energy and flavor, unlike Christensen, who drinks them purely for the taste.

“It does give me energy,” Frederick said.

“But a couple hours later I always crash. I could only last two days without it and would only stop if I got paid. It’s only bad if you overdo it.”

Energy drinks can be a potential risk to the consumer’s health, it has an addictive flavor, and you tend to “crash” later. On the other hand, it gives that extra boost of energy for a couple hours on a tiresome Monday. Christensen thinks they taste “magically delicious,” and after drinking them, according to mottos, you can party like a rockstar, and generously be given wings. Now it’s time to balance out the pros and cons of energy drinks, and come to a conclusion for the benefit of your health. Are energy drinks worth it? Do they really give you energy?

sports 14 February 2009

Behind the Eyes of Coach Feeken

By Anthony Jourdan Sports Editor

With five minutes left until game time, coach Brad Feeken calls his team into the locker room for last minute game preparations. In the locker room he turns to some inspirational quotes to get his team pumped up for the game ahead of them. After he has prepared his players for the game, Feeken leads his team out into a gym full of roaring Gretna fans.

So what exactly does Coach Feeken do to get prepared for every game?

“I have a specific game plan for every team,” Feeken said. “I will watch them play at least three times before we play them. I am trying to get any advantage we can get.”

Part of gaining the advantage means drill after drill.

“We do a lot of drills,” sophomore Cole Spurgeon said. “And depending on how we do on the drills is what the outcome is on the rest of practice.”

It seems apparent that every time you see Feeken coaching he loves

what he does.

“The best part is that get to work with kids and help them to learn lifelong lessons,” Feeken said.

Coaching basketball also allows Feeken to build relationships with the players, something that’s evident when talking to those who have played for him the last four years.

“He is a great motivator,” Ben Barna said. “He knows how to explain things in a helping way. He has also helped me improve my fundamentals and hustle.”

Working on fundamentals has proven success in this season and in the past. He has taken three of those teams to the state tournament and has an overall record at state of 2-3.

Coach Feeken says that there is also a downfall in coaching and that is that everyone can’t play. He said that some of the players have to accept a role that may not be in the spotlight or even on the floor for that matter and that is hard for the players, and for the coaches. He also believes that basketball is one of the toughest sports to coach because there are only five spots on the floor with a lot of kids who want to play.

-Photo by Anthony Jourdan Coach Feeken and Coach Hoffman try to explain what play they are going to run next. Both coaches have helped the team earn a 14-3 record “I always talk about basketball is still work to be done. being about something bigger than “We have done pretty good yourself,” Feeken said. “I think that so far, but there is still room for lesson is one of the best you can get improvement,” Spurgeon said. from sports.”

“I think we have played well at The Dragons basketball team times, but still have a long way to go for has a record of 14-3 so far this season. our team to be happy with how we have Spurgeon and Feeken both think there played,” Feeken said.

Your guide to Wrestling 101

Q &A

By Hannah Applegate Staff Writer

If you’ve ever wandered into a wrestling meet and felt completely clueless, this guide is for you.

Wrestlers are separated into one weight class between 103 pounds and 285 pounds. Every match is six minutes and they win by pin fall or points. You know you they have made a pin when their opponents back and shoulders have hit the floor.

So those are the basics. Here’s everything else you’d want to know.

So how do wrestlers get points?

“There are multiple ways,” Mr. Bruggeman, the wrestling coach, said. “You can get them from being on your feet, on the mat, or on the top or bottom of your opponent.”

Wrestlers want to get as many points possible because at a tournament they keep track and the team that has the most points in the end wins the

whole tournament.

“You need team points and to win your own match,” Patrick Carney, a freshman, said.

You really need those points so they want to try and not get disqualified.

How do wrestlers get disqualified?

“Fighting because you can’t be wrestling and all the sudden just punch your opponent,” Bruggeman said.

So is there a certain range they can be from their weight?

“They have to be right on the dot or less or else they are out,” Bruggeman said.

In basketball, players play on courts, but in wrestling they wrestle on mats in a circle. Why?

“It’s just the boundary they made,” Bruggeman said.

Also, like all sports, wrestlers have special uniforms they have to wear. So what are the uniforms like?

“They are tight,” Carney said.

“I would rather not wear them, but it’s not the end of the world.”

Why are they so tight?

“So we don’t get injured by

getting body parts stuck in loose clothing,” Carney said.

What’s so special about the shoes?

“We wear those because they’re better for the mats,” Carney said.

Getting prepared for a meet is very important. So how do wrestlers get prepared for a meet?

“I like to talk to my brother about the match, listen to my ipod and point at my boy Brian,” Drew Tasler, a senior, said

Is there something special you have to do before every match?

“I have to listen to the song “Don’t Push Me” by 50 Cent and Eminem,” Tasler said.

Are there any other preparations, like stretches?

“We all stretch as a team,” Tasler said.

Are most people you wrestle athletic?

“Yes, because you have to be extremely athletic,” Ethan Donica, a senior, said. “I mean extremely.”

Senior Andrew Novak gets ready to face his opponent. The Dragons went on to win that dual.

Getting positioned for a move, senior Dillon Andrews grabs his opponent by the arm.

-Photos by Lexi Busch

sports 15 February 2009

Girls basketball rebounds, picks up steam

By Morgan Agagah Staff Writer Girls basketball had a shaky start, but now they’re coming back with a big bang.

“We didn’t work as a team”, Kristen Goldenstein, senior on the Varsity girls basketball said. “We thought of ourselves as individuals, then teammates”.

But wins against Roncalli, Waverly, Nebraska City, Platteview and conference championship have boosted the team’s confidence.

“Beating Roncalli was a great comeback for the season,” Head girls basketball coach Mr. Skrdla said.

“Players like Hanna Blum, are big contributors to the team, it’s going to be hard to lose a player like that.

Cari Hawk is a very hard worker and Kristen Goldenstein always keeps the team going.”

Working as a team makes everything so much better.

“We may have started not so great, but we improved as a team and came back and won our games,” Goldenstein said.

Work in practice, and playing has a team has got them this far.

“During practice I see the girls are hardworking,” Freshman Katie

Record - 13-5 Stat Leaders: Scoring - Hanna Blum 14 Ppg Assists - Hilary Stover 3.0 Apg Rebounding - Kelsey Rogers 3.8 Rpg 3-point % - Meghan Dennis 39%

we have been to state so many years, if we play well throughout the season, I am sure we will make it to state,” Skrdla said.

And that would be a good way for the seniors to end their high school careers.

“Some of these girls it’s their last season on this team”, Freshman Morgan Kraynik, an assistant manager for the girls basketball team. “It’s going to be sad to see them go.”

Sophomore Nicole Andrews, freshman Meghan Dennis, and senior Cari Hawk wait to get into the game.

Whitted, assistant manger for the girls said. “They all want to be the best they can be or they wouldn’t be working so hard if they didn’t want it.”

People may wonder if the girls could still make it to state.

“Yes, we just have to improve every week. We started out slow, but

Sophomore Brooke Arp guards a Nebraska City player. The girls started off the season 3-5 and now have won ten in a row.

Senior Hanna Blum dribbles the ball down the court. She has led the team in scoring this year.

-Photos by Faith Cotton

Pre-spring sports conditioning sky rockets

By Ethan Dawes Staff Writer

Springtime.

For some, it’s all about fun and counting down the days until school lets out. But for others, it’s all about conditioning for spring sports.

The boys and girls get up at 6:30 a.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays to condition and weight train for upcoming sports like soccer, track and baseball. It can get quite stressful and exhausting but these athletes show their determination to become more physically fit for their sports.

“So I stay in shape and not get slowed down. I even cut down on candy,” said freshmen track team

member Todd Andrews.

The lifting and training is

“I’m impressed with the way everyone’s committed, athletes and coaches alike, to this extra training. They are showing that they really want to earn this.”

-Mr.Ham Track Coach completely optional, but it’ll help future sports if they put in the time now.

Everyone from freshmen boys to senior

girls are showing up and working hard on this to get better.

“About 50 kids show up every day early just to stay motivated and in shape,” said head coach Mr. Ham.

The athletes who show up change into running shoes and clothes and then work out in the gym and do different core exercise every other day. On some days, they work on their running form and upper body with bench press and specialize on their abdomen and core while on others they work in the legs with rear squats. With a special bonus, doing this training will give some a special day off from practice if they show up for enough days.

“We lift for half an hour and run for 15 minutes, stretch for the last

30 and it’s not too challenging but not too easy,” said freshmen runner Maddie Strong.

The motivated and hardworking kids stay intense and focused as they sweat and run down the hallways of the high school. They show pure determination to get better at sports and to stay in shape before the real practices start. Trying harder to push them beyond that limit and boundaries is something this is all about.

“I’m impressed with the way everyone’s committed, athletes and coaches alike, to this extra training, said Mr. Ham. “They are showing that they really want to earn this.”

16

photo story February 2008

Spare s & Strikes

By Matt Horan Staff Writer

Sophomore Dustin Herring gets ready to through the ball down the lane. Herring is on the jv bowling Sophomore Jack Griffey a strike on his first try at parctice. team.

Bowlers have practice two times a week.

Sophomore Colin Vipond watches the ball roll down the lane. This is Viponds first year on the bowling team.

Freshman Ryan Sump stares down at the pins.

The bowling team practice from 4-5:30.

Photos by Lexi Busch

Sophomore A.J. Sudrla waits to see if he bolwed a strike. The bowlers dont have to pay for any of their bowling.

Hours of practice must have paid off for the two people that made it to state. They are Anthony Jourdan and Andrew Snell.

So far the Gretna Varsity boys Bowling Team has won 7 and lost 4. The highest score was 234 from freshman Zach Tietze.

“I just felt awesome. I was on fire the day I scored 234.” Tietze said.

Practice for Tietze is like a walk in the park.

“I just have to get into the groove of it before I go out and like play against somebody,” Tietze said.

Tietzes favorite thing about the bowling team is that he is able to meet new people and bowl for free.

“I’ve made a lot of new friends and bowling is really fun” says Tietze.

The coaches mostly expect the players like freshman Maddie Strong to just go out there and have fun. She is on the JV Bowling Team. Strong’s highest score is 144.

“The only reason I joined was because we got to bowl for free and make new friends,” Strong said.

Freshman Eric Manning is also a big bowling fan on the JV team.

“I joined because I wanted to make new friends,” That’s really the only reason why I joined,” said Manning

How does one prepare before a competition?

“I usually just relax and stay focused on bowling,” Manning said.

Strong loves classic rock and just happens to listen to music before going into a competition to get her pumped up and ready.

“ I usually listen to either Bruce Springsteen, Journey, Heart, and other bands,” said Strong.

The best part in bowling for Manning is that you get to bowl for free, which is probably the best part for everybody on the team.

With the Varsity boys team, their highest score yet was when they played Nebraska City with a score of Gretna-20 and Nebraska City-1.