GHS The Voice November 2007

The Voice

Inside...

Gretna High School • 11335 South 204th Street • Gretna, NE 68028 Volume VI • Issue II • November 2007

Bathroom Passes Page 3

Group Projects Page 2

Photo by Anthony Jourdan

Marching Band Page 16

November 2007

School News

Page 2

Students weigh in Teachers’ unique bathroom on group projects passes

By Cassi Milroy Staff writer The teacher stands in front of the class and describes the newest assignment. A group project.

Students start glancing around trying to decide who they wish to have as a partner. As soon the students decide, they make sure the chosen person is willing and whispers start to flood the room.

Projects are given out individually and in groups. Students have their own opinions on which they would rather do.

“I find it risky worrying about depending on what my partners do, not just myself,” junior Amanda Olson said.

According to Principal Kirk Eledge, Gretna High School doesn’t allow group grades. The policy is that students can have group projects, but they have to be graded individually so that a student’s grade point average isn’t affected by the work of others.

Students say there are some problems with group projects. If students have an activity and don’t have time to do their projects, or if someone else is sick, portions of the assignment can’t be completed.

Olson says she worries if she will end up doing all of the work, if her partners will help get it in on time, and if she will get along with her group.

The reasoning of grading individually makes it so a student can move on without their partner, according to American History teacher Chad Jepsen.

Junior Hanna Schmid said she would rather work individually for her own grade because it means she doesn’t have to depend on other people.

Olson agrees with Schmid.

“I am very strongly against group projects,” she said. “I can work much quicker at my own pace without babying someone else through it, too.”

Not allowing projects to be graded together prevents students from putting all the work on one partners.

Then there is the selection of the groups, which Eledge says gets difficult when groups choose their partners. He makes it clear that it usually ends up that the hard-working students choose their fellow hard working classmates. Similarly, the ‘oh it will get done eventually’ students will select people with the same attitude.

Jepsen says he gives students the opportunity to choose their own partners once a standard number of people and requirements have been discussed. If students can’t handle selecting their own partners, then he steps in and helps.

Schmid says when working on a group project she finds she gets less done because she gets distracted talking to peers.

But there are also benefits of group projects.

Students get the opportunity to work with people they don’t usually talk to and brainstorm ideas which results in “better ideas, product, and brainpower,” Jepsen said.

Jepsen assigns group projects like the newspaper project for in juniors American History. The group chooses three to four partners and then a main topic like the Stock Market Crash. Then the group gets together and brainstorms ideas and each person has to write his or her own article and find his or her own pictures. Once students have their portions completed, they can put it into newspaper format together for a final project.

Schmid explains her thoughts on the benefits.

“Group projects are beneficial because you don’t have to do everything yourself,” she said.

Eledge says students learn “the value of working together.”

He adds that working in groups will teach students to work in groups to better prepare for college.

“Students that don’t get motivated by grades will get motivated by peers instead, and will understand the importance of following through and dividing the work,” Eledge said.

By Kelcie Pinkes Staff writer

What do a water jug, an Oregon bottle opener, and a wooden spool have in common?

Nothing? Wrong. They all are restroom passes for different teachers at Gretna High School. Several teachers have students carry crazy bathroom passes. So why do teachers use unique objects rather than paper passes?

“I got tired of writing passes so I got something students wouldn’t lose,” Mr. Johnson said.

When Mr. Johnson did get pieces of scraps he grabbed two big blocks of wood that the students carry around.

Mr. Ham said “the bathroom pass kept coming up missing so I needed something bigger.”

So he has students carry a big wooden spool.

“You know, it was the first big thing I could come up with.” Mr Ham said. “Students kept telling me it was too heavy so we put a handle made out of string on it.”

Since Mr. Ham switched to the wooden spool fewer students go to the restroom.

“Students don’t like carrying the bathroom pass so they don’t ask to go to the bathroom.” Mr. Ham said.

He also added that his pass is the “coolest bathroom pass in school.”

Mr. Ham might just have the students carry a big wooden spool, but wait and see what Mr.

Johnson has his students carry around.

Mr. Johnson is a physical science and calculus teacher so he wrote his favorite equation on his passes.

“I fished out pieces of scrap papers out of the extra wood pile in Mr. Ham’s room and then wrote the room number on it and guys and girls symbol on it,” Mr. Johnson said.

You leave the stall, wash your hands. But wait. Don’t forget to grab your bathroom pass. It’s that wooden spool, Oregon bottle opener, two wooden blocks, and a water jug on the floor.

Walking from the library, sophomore Emily Lawry uses Mrs. Schrak’s timed hall pass.

School News November 2007 German students get a taste of American life

Page 3

By Christie Berglund Editor-in-chief Speaking a foreign language, living away from family and friends and encountering a completely new environment. Coping would be difficult.

Sixteen German students came to Gretna to experience American culture. A group of GHS students will go to Germany this summer. The exchange students came to Gretna during their fall break for a total of 18 days. Mrs. Deane planned most of the itinerary for the students and they also visited Chicago while they were in America.

One of the 16 German students, Mat Kobbes, loved the Husker game the exchange students attended.

Koppe and the other exchange students didn’t have to prepare for the trip, but Koppe came to Gretna to learn.

“I wanted to practice English and see how people act,” Koppe said. “. . . To learn a lot from the American school life.”

Koppe enjoyed his time at Gretna and found the students to be very friendly.

“They’re very nice, everyone wants to talk to me,” Koppe said.

Another German student, Mia Muerkoster, explained why she wanted to come to America on the exchange.

“Because I want to learn the language better and learn about the different culture and how to live with the family,” Muerkoster said.

In Germany a person must be 18 years old to drive a car and it costs 3,000 euros or $4,260 to buy a license.

“To drive at 16, that’s cool,” Muerkoster said.

There also were lots of cultural differences for the German students to get used to. “[My host] works a lot and they don’t do any sport and I do much sport,” Muerkoster said. “All day the TV is on.”

The GHS students hosting German students also had a great educational opportunity. They were able to learn how to speak German more fluently and how the German students live.

Senior Kelsey Wildeman has been in a German class since freshman year. She hosted Mia Muerkoster and Mareike Freund and explains the best part about the two girls living in her home.

“They’re really cool and they teach me new words in German and I teach them new English words,” Wildeman said.

When the Gretna students go to Keil, Germany, they will arrive in time for the town’s celebration.

“Yes, I’m very excited to experience Kiel Week,” Wildeman said.

“Also, just to spend time with them and to see what they do.”

Senior Laura Blasnitz plans to go to Germany this summer and one of the exchange students was in most of her classes. Blasnitz explained the most difficult challenge when she interacted with the German students.

“When there are words in English they don’t know in German,” Blasnitz said. “They hate when we say, ‘just kidding.’”

Blasnitz is looking forward to the trip to Germany and thinks it was helpful to have the German students

While in Nebraska, the German exchange students visited Lincoln on a field trip to experince our history.

Gotrik got to do lots of activicome to Gretna. ties with Trotz while he was staying “Well, it’s going to be really with him. helpful were getting to know the Ger“I’m barely ever at home beman students,” Blasnitz said. cause were always doing something,” Senior Michael Gotrik shared Gotrik said. one of the things he gave up for the Gotrik will also go to Germany German student, Patrick Trotz, who this summer and discussed how he stayed at his house. imagines he will feel when he arrives.

“I sacrificed my own bed for “I think I’ll feel excited and a him and I tuck him in at night. Just little perturbed because it will be difkidding,” Gotrik said. “I bought him a ferent and I’ll be discombobulated,” bunch of American candies he didn’t Gotrik said. have.”

The contrast between Germany and Gretna

The first strange thing every one of us recognized was fact that you guys have a daily schedule. In Germany ours is weekly, we have different subjects every day - and we have more of them, about 13 in 11th grade. In America the daily schedule seems to be kind of boring after some time. No changes during the week. But the American subjects are interesting.

“Your subjects are really interesting and you can choose a lot more than we can,” Mats said.

Also a big difference is the teachers have classrooms. In Germany we stay in a class and have our own room for most of the subjects. Only sciences, music, arts and sports are in

separate rooms, which aren’t as well equipped as yours.

“You’re rooms are really related to the subject taught in them. For example, some souvenirs as a decoration in the language rooms,” Chris said. “It can make the classes more interesting.”

In Germany, most of us think the teachers are stricter during classes, but in breaks and free periods, it’s more easy going in Germany. We are allowed to leave the building. I’d better say we aren’t allowed to stay inside

during our big 15 or 20 minute breaks and in the upper grades we

By Anna-Lena Lange even may leave Staff Writer the school to go to a supermarket or home to have some lunch.

“You have a lot more rules here than we have,” Mia said.

But she also thinks the American teachers are funnier than ours.

In Germany, when students are hungry during the day, they can either bring bread or stuff from home or buy something at the cafeteria, which is very expensive and not too good. From

this year on, also hot lunch is offered, but it is not compulsory to have it.

Sports is also a very big difference, especially the importance sports have at American schools. We only have two or three periods of sports a week, and almost no after-school activities. If you want to play any sports, like soccer or handball, what lots of students do, you have to go to a club, the schools don’t offer that.

In the end, Leif tells in one sentence what we all think of Gretna High School: “It’s really cool here!”

Editorial

November 2007

Page 4

Where’s the love for Thanksgiving The kids get up on Christmas morning full of excitement because they get to open presents. They do this on Easter also, to collect their eggs and attack their baskets as well as Valentine’s Day. Mmm candy. And the Fourth of July? What kid doesn’t like to play with fire? Then there’s Thanksgiving and because the kids don’t look forward to eating food, (I mean, they eat food every day), Thanksgiving is not as prominent as other holidays.

It’s just about the least prominent holiday of all. Why not, though?

There aren’t any commercials on TV advertising fuzzy stuffed puppies for children or three razor shavers for dad.

There are no such objects as thanksgiving cards that say “Will you beeee mine?” accompanied by a doodle of a turkey. And there are no tubes of flammable powder that shoot out.... paper pilgrims.

Thanksgiving has always been a big holiday for my family and I; basically right up there with Christmas on the importance level.

It’s a time that my family, some of which I have not seen since Christmas the year before, gathers together and actually acts like a family.

When Thanksgiving approaches every November, I sincerely look forward to it, and believe it or not, I enjoy spending time with my family. I get to know what is up with my cousins, the ones that are a year or two younger than me, but surpass me in height by about five inches. I spend the afternoon eating Grandma’s favorite homemade pies and coming up with answers

By Amber Greser In-Depth Editor

to questions like “Do you have a boyfriend yet?” and “Wow, are you really a senior?” This does get quite personal, but I must say I do love that my family is interested in my life.

Every holiday my mom and I enjoy, maybe a bit too much, decorating the house. For Christmas, there’s a tree overflowing in the corner of the dining room and christmas cards line up the kitchen wall. On Easter, pink and yellow wooden bunnies dance over the windows. On Halloween, ghosts and skeletons hang from the lights and carved pumpkins just about everywhere (not to mention pumpkin seeds, my favorite holiday snack ever). We even decorate for St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day, changing our color scheme from red to green.

Then there’s Thanksgiving.

Have you ever noticed that the holiday decorations in the stores go from Halloween straight to Christmas? I personally don’t understand why. I actually think they broke out the Christmas gear before Halloween even passed.

We go to Nobbies to get our Thanksgiving decorations, not only because it is the ultimate store, but because we can’t seem to find any other store that actually sells them.

Cartoon by Natalie Hill

Cartoon by Ashley Kuta

The Voice News Staff Editor-in Chief........................Christie Berglund In-depth Editor........................Amber Greser Photographer...........................Anthony Jourdan Design Editor...........................Liz Stratman Design Editor...........................Britt Hannigan Advertising Manager...............Laura Cejka Staff Writers: Cassi Milroy Taylor Bradish Kelcie Pinkes

Brit Stock Jess Crawford

Contributors: Nicole Andrews Alexis Busch Faith Cotton Natalie Doering Damara Duin Morgan Mumby Hilary Stover Chelsea Vorland

Riley Haug Troy Hoover Jahn Kuiper Meghan McMahon Natalie Miller Alyssa Stahr Tiffany Strilka

Advisor.............................................Jamie Hestermann

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.

Page 5

Editorial

November 2007

Obsess Much?

By Christie Berglund Editor-in-Chief

may think and we shouldn’t spend it wasting time reading gossip. According variety.com, 3.73 million copies of People magazine are in circulation and the magazines revenue is $1.5 billion.

That’s ridiculously high.

Everyone could save at least five minutes every day by putting down People magazine. What could we possible do with the extra time we save? No one wants to go as far as Chris Crocker with his overly obsessive fixation with Britney Spears and youtube video, but sadly we’re slowly getting there.

Stardom, fortune, and any door will open for them, but what if we took it all away? I know that you know celebrities would be just like us. It’s obvious that celebrities make mistakes just like we do, and most of them are an exact replica of our own mistakes.

There’s nothing interesting with that.

What’s your “Crispito because it’s delicious.”

Abbie Harvey, Junior

“Crispito. I don’t like Mexican Food, but I’ve liked crispitos since kindergarten.”

Jillian Bilyeu, Sophomore

Grudges - let it go

How to hold a grudge: 1. Give the silent treatment when your “friend” is currently dating your ex.

2. Shoot them a glare when they have just spread a nasty rumor about you.

3. Avoid them at all costs when they have spilled your latest secret.

Think about the last grudge you held against someone. Was it worth being mad? Or was it just an exaggeration? At the time it probably seemed reasonable to be mad, but after a while you will realize it was nothing to go ballistic over.

JUST LET IT GO. How long can one person hold a grudge?

In high school there are many reasons, reasonable or not, that people hold grudges. Not only with enemies, but friends too. I’m not only talking about the friends you lose forever, even the ones you still have.

This may be the “friend” who ditches you so often that she doesn’t even bother making up excuses anymore or the one who refuses to make time for you in her busy life. Sure you may still be friends with the person,

“Quesadilla. I don’t know why I like quesadillas.”

By Cassi Milroy Staff Writer

but you will be extra cautious to avoid the problem again.

Of course, there are the friends, that, I’m sorry to remind you, you have lost. These grudges are a little more serious. I know these take a little more time to get over, but if you put together all your old memories, you usually will realize it would be better to just let the grudge go.

If it’s been so long that you don’t remember what you were mad about in the first place, you need to get over it. If people ask you, “why weren’t you guys talking?” and you sit there for more than five minutes thinking about it and can’t think of the reason, then there’s no reason to still have the grudge.

High school is too short to lose friends over these silly little issues. Let all of them go. Live with no worries grudge free.

opinion

Through the hallways and in the classrooms all you can hear is the latest news on a recent fight with Lauren Conrad and Heidi Montag. You hear criticisms of the latest Britney meltdown whether it be shaving her head or losing her children. It could be about Lindsay Lohan entering rehab again.

What’s so fascinating about celebrities? Why is everyone captivated with their lives? Whether they are in magazines or on reality shows, it shouldn’t matter. Why can’t we mind our own business?

There’s an element to gossip that draws in everyone. Why? Gossip is supposed to be wrong. If it’s not okay to gossip about your peers, then why is it okay to gossip about celebrities?

I personally don’t find the lives of celebrities all that interesting. Sure, they’re in movies and have albums, but that’s it. There’s nothing else of interest, so why not just listen to the album or watch the movie? After all, a picture of Reese Witherspoon running outside isn’t the least bit interesting. We’re the paparazzi intrudes on their lives. We buy the magazines, but without an audience there’s no profit.

Life is shorter than people

Michaela Byington Junior

“Chicken nuggets because they’re good.”

Amanda Manchester Senior

What’s your favorite lunch?

Style

November 2007

Style File Hair today...

Page 6

Students say extensions are worth the money

...gone tomorrow

Photo by Liz Stratman

Josh McManus, 12th Q: What do you base your style off of?

A: Me. Q: If you had $40 to spend at one store, where would you spend it, and what would you spend it on?

A: I would get a pair of jeans and two shirts at Platos Closet.

By Taylor Bradish Staff writer Ever see the girl walking down the hall who had short hair yesterday, but today it’s as long and luscious as Eva Longoria’s? You start seeing this more and more as the trend of hair extensions grows in popularity.

When you see girls that have extremely long and perfect hair it seems like you would have to break your bank to get hair like that.

While some extensions can range from hundreds, to thousands of dollars, locally you can get them for about $80 at Sally’s.

Senior Amanda Fannon says her extensions were about $75.

Hair extensions are simple to wear. www.hairextensions.com “You just lift up a layer of your hair, and clip These are what it in, but the first time hair extensions I put them in, I got look like before them professionally putting them in put in, and you can`t your hair. really feel them,” Fan-

Wondering how much extensions cost?

Here’s a list from some local salons.

Q: What’s your favorite brand?

A: Hurley.

Q: What is one item you wear the most?

A: My necklace.

Q: Where do you get most of your clothes?

A: Platos Closet.

-Liz Stratman

non said.

It doesn’t take long to put them in either.

Junior Kylie Hamel, says it only takes about five minutes to put them in herself.

But if you have a different color of hair, and you`re worried Photo by Taylor Bradish your extensions won`t match, you Hamel shows off her hair can take them with her extensions. to the salon and match them to your hair color.

But Hamel and Fannon didn’t have that problem. Both of their extensions worked perfectly with their hair.

You don’t have to go to the hair salons to get hair extensions, Hamel and Fannon both got theirs at Sally`s.

But Hamel says hair extensions are definitely worth the money, even though she has shorter hair, she can have long hair whenever she wants.

Salon DeMarco: $100-$120 for gluing extensions in (have to purchase your own) Garbo’s: around $100

Salon Tino: $60 an hour to put extensions in (have to purchase your own) Velvet Chair Salon: start at $20 per track Sally Beauty Supply: prices vary

Entertainment

November 2007

Top five songs to take off the radio with...

Amy McManus, junior

1.Rockstar-Nickleback 2.When You`re Gone-Avril Lavigne 3.Bubbly-Colbie Caillat 4.Crank Dat-Soulja Boy 5.Cupids Chokehold-Gym Class Heroes -Taylor Bradish

What’s On Your I-Pod? Tyler Ortlieb, freshman 1.Bleed It Out - Linkin Park 2.Sweetest Girl - Wyclef 3.Crank Dat - Soulja Boy 4.Kiss Kiss - T-Pain 5.Feel Like I’m Dying - Lil’ Wayne

Music for thought

Page 7

Your opinion on music?

By Brit Stock Staff Writer For some, music is just a background noise. For others, music is an outlet to the outside world, being the only way they communicate. There are many different types of music, each one having its own group of followers.

Every person has a own favorite song and favorite band. Some are the same, while some are so different it’s unbelievable.

Maddy Mulholland, a junior, says that “Fever for the Flava”

by Hot Action Cop is her favorite song because it has a good beat and the lyrics are funny.

“October Nights,” by Yellowcard is junior Will Griffey’s favorite song for reasons he doesn’t really know.

It seems to be that many people have that one favorite song that describes them and their own personality.

Joey Milroy, a freshman, says that “Giants” by Krisis, is a good song that describes him because in the song they say, “We will walk like giants, we will roar like lions, we will fly like eagles...” which tells him to get out of life what he can and stand out.

“A lot of lyrics in different songs describe certain things I go through in life,” Mulholland said.

The many different types and names of bands are endless.

Each one having their own unique name and own unique type of music.

Griffey says that Switchfoot is his favorite band because the lyrics are awesome and the music is fresh, while Mulholland said that Rage Against The Machine is her favorite band because the lyrics are meaningful, but still sound good.

“Blucymoon is my favorite band because the guys are my personal friends and I go to all their concerts and set up and hang out with them,” Milroy said.

Griffey is a fan of many genres, including country, punk rock, and Christian rock, with his favorite genre being punk rock. Milroy on the other hand, steers more towards rock and rap, rap being his favorite genre.

“I listen to music all the time, every day,” Milroy said.

“If someone isn’t talking to me or if I’m not at work, I’m listening to music,” Griffey said.

Whether the genre be country, punk, or even rap, every person’s taste in music is different.

There are millions of different lyrics that can each stand for someone’s feelings or opinions.

Mulholland says that there are a few songs like ‘Everything You Want’ by Vertical Horizon and ‘Ima Flirt’ by Bow Wow, that describe her life everyday.

In today’s generation, society is depending more and more on music each and every day. Without it, what would you do?

Photo by Laura Cejka

Center

November 2007

Why put your fingers

through the

By Liz Stratman Design Editor

PAIN

“Half the time I don’t even noRaw fingers. Sore skin. Tiny retice that I do it,” sophomore Hilary Stomains of what used to be finger nails.

Nail-biting and picking at skinver said.

Neither does sophomore Ryan around the cuticles is one habit students Hartnett. say is hard to break.

“I don’t know, I’ve always done it,” Hartnett said. “It’s a nervous habit.”

Junior Erin Meier used to bite her nails when she was nervous.

“That’s why I wanted to get fake nails on because I always bite my nails,” Meier said.

Now she has acrylics, so doesn’t have to worry about biting them.

When asked to describe what he thought his hands looked like Hartnett said, “There’s no skin on my fingers.”

Hartnett and Stover have tried to break the habit, but didn’t succeed.

“I’ve tried putting gloves on my hands, like to school, but it didn’t work out because the gloves were making me mad,” Stover said.

Hartnett says he’s tried many

?

NATION

By Cassi Milroy Staff Writer

times.

“I gave it up for Lent, but I just started doing it again,” Hartnett said.

Meier tried keeping nail polish on her nails all the time, but says it didn’t really work.

It took acrylic nails for her to finally break the habit.

“If you have a problem with biting your nails, just get fake nails on so you can’t bite them,” Meier said.

Stover has done it since she was little.

“It’s a bad habit,” Stover said.

“But I can’t seem to break the habit.”

And it’s a little painful too.

“They get really sore and they bleed,” Meier said.

The alarm just went off, and it feels like you just fell asleep. Maybe that’s because you did. Teenagers stay up way too late, but why? “... Because I drink a lot of energy drinks,” sophomore Jordan Gass said.

Gass says he stays up until 12 on most nights.

Sophomore Brandi Brown has her own reasons for staying up late.

“My dad has always stayed up really late,” Brown said. “I’m the same way he is.”

Senior Becca Stedman says that she stays up until 2:30 most nights.

“I’m just tired all day and then I wake up at night somehow,” Stedman

said.

With all the time they’ve gained, what do they do all night?

“Depends where I’m at. Right now I talk to my German students,” Gass said. “I mostly watch TV, but I don’t really pay attention or care [what’s on]. I watch movies like Rocky 3.”

Brown spends time the same way Gass does.

“Watch TV or movies pretty much,” Brown said. “Usually there are movies on late at night that I have to stay up and watch.”

Because of the lack of sleep, Stedman has noticed changes in her health.

“I get sick really easily because I don’t get enough sleep,” she said.

Besides feeling tired the next

zzz

By Brittany Hannigan Design Editor

z zz z

zzzz

ZZZZZzz zzz

November 2007

PROCRASTINATION

“I bite my nails really bad,” senior Andi Daly, pictured above, said.

Z ZZZZZZZ Gotta catch ‘em all

Center

Page 8 Page 9

z zz zzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzz

day, Brown doesn’t really notice any other differences. “[I’m] tired, usually though I’m actually in a really good mood,” Brown said. “I try not to be cranky because I don’t like being cranky.”

Teens need the right amount of sleep in order to perform the things they need to do properly. When they don’t get enough sleep, students’ immune systems are weakened and they do poorly in school and other activities.

Even though Brown is tired from lack of sleep, she still stays up the latest out of her friends.

“I could be the tiredest person out of a group of girls staying the night, and be the last one up,” Brown said.

As first hour approaches you start to remember the homework assignments you were supposed to do instead of going to a movie with friends, talking on the phone for hours, and updating your Myspace page. You are reminded that you have a history test to study for before second hour, an English paper to write before third hour, and a math page to finish before fourth.

So what do you do?

Sitting in first hour, you copy the notes off the overhead and listen to every other word the teacher says as you attempt to hide the assignments you are rushing to finish. You glance at the clock every few minutes so you can manage your time.

The reason? PROCRASTINATION. It’s moments like this that junior Andrew Novak calls “hectic last moments” before handing in these rushed assignments.

Waiting until the last minute to do your homework?

Some people wait until the night before, and others wait until the period before the homework is due.

Why do it?

There are many reasons why students put off their homework.

“I would rather hang out with friends or watch tv; doing what I want, when I want,” junior Mallary Kohlbek said.

Teens would much rather go out

with their friends than sit home doing their homework, but how far do they go to avoid it?

“Just the lack of incentive or the fact that I’m not going to do it until five seconds before class. And also not having to worry about getting it done,” Novak said.

Teachers have their views on procrastination too.

“I don’t think there are any benefits,” Mrs. Childs says. “I think it’s stressful for the students.”

But that doesn’t stop the procrastination.

“Last year in creative writing I avoided writing a paper and handed it in three weeks late, on the last day of school,” Kohlbek said.

Kohlbek added that she also took her time reading AR last year and had to serve many detentions. She didn’t always show up for detentions, which resulted in more detentions and trouble with the teacher and her parents.

Novak was also penallized when he put off writing two essays for his English class.

“I wrote both of them in homeroom because I have her class first hour,” Novak said. “I got them done but they weren’t typed so I got a late grade.”

Procrastination results in several punishments.

Childs says if students

According to the National Sleep Foundation, teens need 9 to 14 hours of sleep to function properly. For some teens, they can function wih 8 to 12 hours, although research shows that only 15% of teens are able to function with 8 to 12 hours of sleep.

don’t get their homework completed on time then they have to go in after school to complete it as soon as possible.

Besides detentions, students also get confused in class when the assignment is being reviewed.

Novak said he procrastinates the most with being on time or getting things in on time in school because he has to get so much done.

“I procrastinate the most on writing papers, reading AR, studying... pretty much everything,” Kohlbek said.

Jaclyn Sutton and Stacie Weakland walk from the vending machine during seventh hour. “We procrastinate all the time,” Sutton said.

December 2007 Jessica Kerwin, junior

Third grade I figured it out when we went to different malls and they all looked different.

Entertainment

Page 10

When did you find out about Santa?

Ty Blackstun, sophomore

One morning when I was six I woke up to go potty and I saw my mom and dad putting presents under the tree.

Timbre Backen, sophomore

It was like seventh grade, my cousin was three and I overheard my aunt talking about bringing in his santa presents.

Justine Ward, junior Ginny

In sixth grade, I heard friends talking about how Santa wasnʼt real! I went home and cried, it broke my heart!

Ostransky,

sophomore

Santaʼs Christmas gifts had mommyʼs handwriting on them!

Gifts Ideas for Guys Hats IPOD Touch Guitar Hero 3 Cologne Itunes gift cards Shirts Gift cards

Gifts Ideas for Girls

Jewelry Digital Picture Frame Hoodies Perfume and lotion Gift cards Designer product Coach keychains Camera

Anna Weigandt, junior

Second grade and kid at school told me and I got in an argument with him and went home to talk to my mom about it and she told me it was true.

On snow days, GHS students have a winter blast

By Laura Cejka Advertising Manager Waking up to the sound of nothing but soft snowflakes hitting your window pane, you jump out of bed and rush to turn on the TV. There, scrolling at the bottom of the screen are the prized words, “Gretna High School...Closed”. You want to scream and shout, but who does that this early in the morning?

So you just snuggle back under your flannel sheets only to be kept awake by the possibilities the day could bring.

Those possibilities are endless, but to the less creative among us, it seems as though sleeping is the only option. Well, wake up! There are people actually having fun on their day off. Senior Amy Nitchals, for example, doesn’t waste these rare days.

“One time me and Ashley (Blum) went to her friends’ house and they took an old car hood and hooked it up to the back of their truck,” Nitchals said.

“We laid on our stomachs and they drove us around through the snow.”

Riding on various objects chained behind a

truck seems to be a popular winter past time for quite a few GHS students, including junior Tim Boehmer.

He may be the kind of guy who relishes sleep on a snow day, but at least he has thought about doing something crazy.

“I really want to hook a couch to the back of a truck on a snow day” Boehmer said.

Besides fun involving trucks and snow, several students see snow days as a chance to break out their snow boards and skis. Sophomore Nick Schroeder does just that.

“I go out to Mt. Crescent and snowboard for about six hours,” Schroeder said.

It’s well known that snow boarding can lead to some traumatic injuries that can have students coming back to school in wraps. Schroeder knows about these kind of experiences first hand.

“I broke my arm and had to get surgery,” Schroeder said. “My friends and I had made a homemade ramp to snowboard off of. When it started getting warmer, the ramp started collapsing and I went

off of it the wrong way.”

Getting hurt in the snow usually brings back childhood memories when students had the courage and energy to go sledding in the middle of a cornfield for countless hours at a time. Freshman Katie Gramlich had a blast when she was little with her new spin on sledding.

“My dad would run the hose on the snow and wait for it to freeze,” Gramlich said.

“Then me, my brother and my cousins would all sled down it.”

For the more “warm- blooded” people among us, there are also fun things to do in the comfort of your living room when it’s just too cold to go outside.

Here are some ideas: “I watch Elf and eat Chili with Ritz crackers and cheese,” Schroeder said.

“I sleep in, make a really big breakfast and then watch Home Alone,” Gramlich said.

Whether you have a blast inside or out, the vote is unanimous; we love snow days!

Entertainment

December 2007

Page 11

Step away from the controller?

Students confess to their video game addiction

What’s On Your

By Amber Greser In-Depth Editor No way.

Three kills away from the ultimate win.

Attacked from behind with an energy sword, one more hit and your dead. In a fit of panic, you swing around attempt to slap a Spike Grenade to your opponents face, all in the blink of an eye.

Of course you don’t get away fast enough.

Suicide. And your opponent walks away with some heavy damage, but alive.

Getting too much into the game is a norm for gamers, and so is playing for hours on end.

“It’s a daily event. I’ve broken three controllers and a table,” senior Chase Sorenson said. “And one time me and Josh [Torres, a senior] made a kid cry because we destroyed him so bad.”

“Master Chief returns to a Covenant Dominated Earth on a mission to kill the final alien leader.

Meanwhile, the Arbiter, Johnson, and Keyes form a loose alliance and escape from Delta Halo.”

Foreign language?

If not, then you’re at least somewhat familiar with the game Halo. Halo 3 in particular, which was released September 25, 2007. The Halo 3 release sparked the interest of many Gretna High School students, including seniors Chase Sorenson and Derrick Winje.

“FlakyBiscuit (senior Dylan Wellenstein) shot some kid when I was on top hill at Valhalla when some bad kid rushed me,” Sorenson said. “I attempted a sick no scope on this kid but missed. The shot went to the back of a base and took some poor kid’s brain out on a mongoose. I then shot the kid Dylan had and got the sickest dub of all time.”

Halo CE is the game that got Sorenson into really being a gamer. Other than that he’s been playing for around nine years.

At the moment you’ll probably find Winje playing Halo 3, but he enjoys all of the Halo games,

though he says that “out of Halo Gaming one, two, and three, two is the for worst.”

Dummies Winje has even been spon- Halo CE - Halo 1, Combat sored to go to St. Evolved Louis and Chicago COD 4 - Call of Duty 4 “all expenses paid” RPG - role playing games to participate in Energy Sword & Spike Gretournaments, and nade - Halo weapons on a scale of one Valhalla - Halo level to ten, consid- Rushed - basically attacked ers himself a six Sick no scope - To shoot an when it comes to opponent in Halo with a being obsessed sniper rifle without using the with video games. scope He does consider Mongoose - Halo vehicle himself a gamer, since he’s been playing video games from around age seven or eight when he received a Nintendo.

Senior Amanda Dudley also started playing video games on a regular Nintendo.

“Since I was a wee child. I used to play Mario and Donkey Kong,” Dudley said.

Dudley does not think of herself as a gamer, or obsessed with video games, but says that one time she spent “about six hours playing Kingdom Hearts,” one of her favorite games along with Guitar Hero and Harvest Moon.

But why?

What is so special about video games?

“You can do stuff in them that you can’t do in real life,” Sorenson said. “It’s the excitement and the joy of destroying [other players].”

I-Pod? Tommy Dudley, freshman

Chase Sorenson has broken three controllers while playing video games.

DECEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR 1 A Christmas Carol Play, Omaha Community Playhouse- Dec 1-23rd

When I’m gone - Eminem Crank That - Soulja Boy Seatmen - SeatmenJohn Down with the sickness - Disturbed Theheretcanthon - Slipknot

2 Holiday Lights Festival, Gene Leahy Mall- All December

3

4 Henry Doorly Zoo’s Zoolightful, 5-8pm

5

6

7 The Golden Compass opens in theaters

8

9 United Methodist Church Live Nativity- 6pm

10

11

12 Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Qwest Center7:30pm

13

14 I am Legend opens in theaters

15 Linkin Park Tickets go on sale at 10am

16 Clay Aiken with the Omaha Symphony- Dec. 14-16th

17

18

19

20 Show Choir Cookie Walk

21 National Treasure 2 opens in theaters

22 Salsa Dancing Lessons, El Museo Latino, 8:30- 1pm, $5

23

24

25

26 27 Manheim Steamroller, Qwest Center- 7:30pm

28

29

30

31 First National Bank Fireworks Show- 7pm

Features

November 2007

Page 12

Does your birth order affect you?

By Laura Cejka Advertising Manager Competitive, driven and a tad on the bossy side? You must be a first born. Babied, spoiled and posess a see-saw-like personality, you’re definitely a last born. And well, if you feel left out of the picture you’re probably a middle child.

Did that sound about right?

Most children are deeply affected by their birth order and show specific characteristics, according t o childdevelopmentinfo.com.

There are exceptions though.

The number of siblings a person has plays a large role. If you are the second child, but you have more than one younger sibling, you are probably looked up to like a first born. Zach Tejral, a junior, is a perfect example of this case. He has a younger brother and sister (10 and 13 years old), but has an older sister (19 years old) as well. Tejral agrees that he posseses many of the middle child qualities, but says that his personality leans more towards the first born side.

“My parents expect me to be a role model and they base their decisions for the younger children off of me,” Tejral said.

This is very common with the oldest children. The qualities in first borns are constant across the board. They are known to be hard working, perfectionists, great leaders, responsible, and driven, but tend to be controlling. Jordan Swett, a junior and first born child, agrees that she possesses almost all of these characteristics.

“With my friends I’m outgoing, loud and crazy, but in class I’m more reserved,” Swett said. “I

won’t raise my hand, I’ll just sit and listen.”

Swett describes some of her stereotypes for first, second, and third born.

“First borns, I would say, are more responsible and their siblings look up to them and they’re more caring,” Swett said. “Middle children are kind of ignored more. They’re either more shy or really extraverted to get attention. The youngest are spoiled and class clowns. If they don’t get w h a t they want they will throw a fit.”

Senior Ashley Blum says she is a typical youngest child.

“I would say I’m wild, talkative, friendly, spoiled, nice, and hardworking,” Blum said.

Typical younger children, according to cbsnews.com, tend to be the charmers of the family, but can be manipulative, spoiled, and babied. According to childdevelopmentinfo.com, it is often said that the youngest children “get away with murder.”

The fact that they are the youngest usually makes them more submissive so they get along very well with their peers.

Along with youngest children, middle children also are very friendly. Since they usually feel left out and overshadowed in their family, they confide in friends. Others confide in them, because they feel middle children will take it with an open mind. In arguments they tend to be the mediator, which can have up and down sides. Sophomore Jeff Homan loves being a middle child despite the down sides.

“I would rather be a middle child than anything else,” Homan said. “You’re not a baby, but you don’t have as much pressure.”

Middle

First: Oprah, Steve Balmer (Microsoft CEO), Every astronaut to go into space, JK Rowling, Winston Churchill, Clint Eastwood, and more than half of Nobel Prize winners and presidents

Middle: J.F.K, Bill Gates, Madonna, Princess Diana, George Washington, and Dwight D. Eisenhower

Diaz, Drew Carey, Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, and Billy Crystal

es

t

www.careerbuilder.ca

ng Yo u

Second Born

Fir

Well-known people according to birth order

Youngest: Cameron

(Above) Characteristics: Usually feel left out, get along well with others, are eaither quiet or outgoing, trusting, and secretive

Characteristics: Competitive, driven, usually opposite personality of first born sibling, and sociable

Characteristics: Leaders, responsible, caring, driven and bossy

Characteristics: Spoiled, babied, submissive, class clowns, and get along well with peers

st

Bo

rn

Features

Page 13

November 2007

Through rough terrain, steep inclines, and hairpin turns, Urban takes it to the track

The boy who loves motocross

By Hilary Stover Staff writer Determination, strategy, speed, balance, and guts are a few of the ingredients necessary toward becoming a motocross racer.

Brandon Urban has been racing bikes since he was 11 years old.

While visiting his aunt and uncle, Urban watched his cousin compete in a race one weekend, and instantly knew that was the sport for him.

“After I watched my first race it looked like fun and I wanted to try something new,” Urban said.

This fierce competitor trains year-round, five days a week for one to three hours a day. Urban has found outdoor motocross tracks in Ashland, Bennington and Lincoln and an indoor track in Omaha.

For those unfamiliar with motocross, competitors race on a closedcorse racetrack made up of natural or simulated rough terrain. There are many steep inclines, hairpin turns and, depending on the weather, a lot of mud.

When asked how many races he has competed in Urban said, “There is a race every weekend in the summer, how ever many that is.”

Urban has raced in Oklahoma, Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota, and Nebraska just to name a few.

His favorite track is Spring Creek , in Minnesota. Urban described it as “crazy.”

Urban buys a new bike every year to compete because the harsh conditions of the terrain can tear the bike apart. The cost of a motocross bike is approximately $5,500. In addition to the bike, Urban wears a helmet, long sleeved jersey, motocross pants and a chest protector that goes under his jer-

sey.

Although Urban wears a lot of different colored race gear, most of the time he is in red and yellow. There are travel fees, lodging and entry fees too.

Urban does have many sponsors to help with the high cost of the sport like Hamster Racing, UVF Sports, Detailed Works and Twin Airs.

The dirt track consists of sharp turns, difficult terrain and hills that reach as high as 75 feet. In order to race, Urban must be in top physical shape because the course is demanding and unforgiving.

Unfortunately, with any sport, injuries do happen. During three separate races, Urban has broken his arm, collarbone, and shoulder blade mostly due to landing a jump wrong.

“The best jump I have landed was a 75-foot triple, with a bump in-between landings,” Urban said.

The most memorable event was when Urban went to Oklahoma after qualifying for a national event.

He place 20th out of 90 competitors.

Throughout his racing career, Urban typically places in the top 3-5 percent, and has won one race. Most of the time, Urban races against boys, but has competed against girls. Not until the professional level does the boy/girl competition split.

Each race begins with all competitors lined up at the start of the race.

Urban has raced in all types of weather conditions. His least favorite is rain, where the mud from the track kicks up on all sides, saturating racers, making the track difficult to maneuver.

The race goes on unless conditions get too bad.

“I hate racing in the rain because mud gets on my goggles and

Brandon Urban takes a turn on a motocross track. makes it hard to see,” Urban said.

Urban idolizes Ricky Carmichael because “His nickname is GOAT-Greatest Of All Time.” Urban urges kids to get involved in the sport because it is exciting and fun. Two of

his cousins are involved and compete along with both of his younger brothers.

“Motocross is a great family sport that your family can get into,” Urban said.

“The best jump I have landed was a 75-foot triple, with a bump in-between landings.”

-Brandon Urban

November 2007

Features

Page 14

Easy going or strict? Restaurants Coping with the consequences You’re grounded and supposed to be at home, but instead you’re at the mall with your friends. You look to your left and there you see your mom glaring at you in fury.

Busted!

By Liz Stratman Design Editor Most teens could probably guess how they would be punished in this case.

“My phone gets taken away and I can’t get on the computer,” junior Paige Hoskinson said.

Hoskinson says she doesn’t like how her parents take her phone away.

She’d rather she not be allowed to watch TV. “They are usually not very strict unless I do something bad,” sophomore Sam Montemarano said.

Hoskinson says her mom is pretty easy going, but her dad is pretty strict.

Mrs. O’Neill, a counselor and a parent, says she and her husband aren’t strict.

“They’d say we are [strict], I couldn’t say we are,” O’Neill said.

So what can a teen get in trouble for?

“Being out late, not having my room clean, talking on my phone too much, and going over my text messages,” Hoskinson said.

Montemarano says she usually gets in trouble for lying.

“It depends how big the lie was,” Montemarano said. “Usually I don’t get to go out or my phone will get taken away for a few days if it’s bad.”

Her punishment doesn’t normally last very long.

“No longer than a week usually,” Montemarano said.

“They get to do a lot of stuff because theyʼre trustworthy.

They would be grounded a lot more if they disrespected our house rules.”

-Anita OʼNeill Counselor and parent O’Neill says her kids are pretty good but they would get in trouble for toilet papering, bad grades, driving recklessly, or being mean to their siblings.

“They get to do a lot of stuff because they’re trustworthy. They would be grounded a lot more if they disrespected our house rules,” O’Neill said.

Montemarano says her parents’ rules aren’t ridiculous so she thinks they’re fair.

“Some I don’t agree with, but most kids don’t agree with their parents,” Montemarano said.

Montemarano says her punishments are usually effective.

“Punishment can look like it’s unfair, but you have to do what’s appropriate for the age of the kids needs at the time,” O’Neill said.

As far as understanding what they’ve done wrong, O’Neill says she makes it very clear.

“I explain loudly sometimes. There’s no doubt why mom is angry,” O’Neill said.

Punishment is not meant to be bad, according to Mrs. O’Neill.

“Disciplining your children is kind of a form of love,” O’Neill said.

O’Neill says it’s hard for her kids to have both of their parents always working at the schools.

“We’re less tolerant with our own kids’ excuses because they’re just excuses, and if we don’t let students get away with them, then why our own kids?” O’Neill said.

have healthy options

By Britt Hannigan Design Editor You have five minutes until you’re needed at the school... yet again. You haven’t had time for dinner and you won’t be home until late. What do you do now?

For those of you who worry about eating healthy, this could be a problem. Unless of course you know where to go, and most importantly what to get.

“I don’t eat really greasy foods, like I won’t go get a Big Mac,” Junior Jennifer Gotrik said. “But I also won’t just stick to salads.”

However, sophomore Jamie Reitmeier doesn’t worry at all.

“It just seems like a big hassle and I eat what sounds good,” Reitmeier said.

“I could care less.”

Some restaurants have menus with a carb intake on it. McDonald’s for example has all of their nutrition facts on their website.

What if you have more timethan going to a fast food restaurant, where do you go?

“Applebee’s has weight watchers.” Gotrik said.

Not all regular, sit down restaurants have menus where they tell you how much you’re taking in. So instead you could follow sophomore Cathy Edmison’s example. “... Ask for low-fat stuff, and ask what’s in it.” Edmison said.

Reitmeier works at Godfather’s and he says that it’s all fresh ingredients.

“They have salad, and we can reduce the amount of sauce and cheese on it and we also have veggie pizza and salad bar. Other than that it’s all grease,” Reitmeier said. “There is thin crust to, which is like half of the calories of original and golden.”

Nutritional Facts from McDonald’s Serving sizeCaloriesTotal fat% Daily ValueSaturated fat % Daily ValueTrans fat-

Asian Salad with Grilled Chicken

Chicken McNuggets (4 piece)

12.8 oz (362 g) 300 10 g 15 1g 6 0g

2.3 ox. (64 g) 170 10 g 15 2g 11 1g

In the Hallways

November 2007

Page 15

Car-of-the Month

Q&A

By Laura Cejka Advertising Manager Nick Link, Senior

Mark Mintken, Senior Q Your house is burning down, all the people and pets are outside, you have time to run back and save one thing, what would you grab?

A. My X-Box 360.

Q.If you could have two front row tickets to any concert, who would you go see?

A. Lil Wayne.

Q.If you could play a one on one game against any NBA player, who would you play against?

A. Rick Smits.

What kind of car do you have?

A 1977 International Harvester Scout 2 What is the inside like?

There are bucket seats in the front. It’s pretty clean except for when I go mudding, it gets pretty muddy inside. The gauges don’t work on it so I’ve gotten four speeding tickets.

Where did you get your car?

My neighbor down the street got it on Ebay then sold me his old one. I would joke about how I would never buy a car like that then I ended up buying it.

When did you get your car?

A year ago this month.

Brittany Olson, Junior

Why did you pick the car you did?

It’s different. No one else in Gretna has it. It’s also has 4-wheel drive, which is good, especially in Nebraska.

Q. If you could enter a race horse in the Kentucky derby, what would you name your horse?

A. Sally Sunshine.

What is your dream car?

1st generation Hummer or a Saleen McLaren F1 GTR.

Q. If you could have two front row tickets to any concert, who would you go see?

A. Led Zeppelin, if they were still together.

Q. If you could play a one on one game against any NBA player, who would it be?

A. Michael Jordan.

Any special details to your car that you want to brag about?

The exhaust! If you hear something really loud coming from three miles away, it’s probably me coming down the highway. My dad and me have been working on it. We lifted it, put bigger shackles on it, painted the wheels, put in a cd player, re-carpeted the hard top, added an electronic choke for winter and we’re painting the hardtop white. It weighs 4 tons.

Name 3 things in the back of your car.

Gas can, since the gage for the gas tank doesn’t work, a folding chair that I got from post prom, and a baseball glove. I keep it pretty clean. I don’t live in my car like other people do.

Jack Griffey, Freshman Q: What`s your favorite number-one through nine- and why?

A: 4 cause it’s my all-time favorite quarterback`s number.

Q: What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?

A: 27 Q. What fear do you most want to be rid of forever?

A. Death.

-Jess Crawford

Jordan Kracht, Sophomore Q: What`s your favorite number-one through nine- and why?

A: 3, I was 3 when my little sister was born Q: What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?

A.22 Q. What fear do you most want to be rid of forever?

A. Not being happy and not having a family when I`m older.

-Jess Crawford

Photo by Laura Cejka

Would you like to see your car or a friend’s car in next month’s issue?

Drop by Mrs. Hestermann’s room and let us know!

November 2007

Photo Story

Page 16

Sophomore Daina Keehn plays her flute for the marching band.

s e lB u Brother s The Dragon Marching Band received a 1 at the State Competition in Lincoln at Secrest Field.

Freshman Josh Roberts plays his trumpet.

He along with his other band members received a rating 2 at the Links’ Marching Competition.

Sophomore Alexa Reed stands at attention in anticipation for beginning of the Blues Brothers’ show.

Band members junior Zach Tejral and freshman Sam Stoltenberg played their trumpets while they marched to the song “Can’t Turn You Loose.”

Junior Chase Randall plays his saxophone to the tune of “Soul Man.”