The Voice
The new band Black Camerade Page 10
Old boy bands Page 8
Coke or Pepsi? Page 3
The 2009- 2010 Dance Team Page 12
Softball pictures Page 15
Photo By Chlesea Luedtke
Gretna High School 11335 South 204th Street • Gretna, NE 68028 Volume VIII • Issue I • October 2009
Movie renting Page 10
news 2 October 2009 How is GHS preparing for the Swine Flu? By McKenna Kerr Staff Writer Influenza and H1N1 are both names for a common illness that’s sweeping the nation…the swine flu. This ailment has been all over the country for the past months, taking over headlines and the evening news. Is this flu really all it’s hyped up to be or is it just what its name states…a flu? The swine flu. Just thinking about it gets people’s nerves going. The cough, runny nose, sore throat, and fever are the symptoms that define this illness. “I believe people are simply overreacting over the swine flu because it is basically just the regular flu,” junior Kiley Grandstaff said. The symptoms for the swine flu and regular flu are almost identical. What makes them different? According to CBS news the only difference is that humans haven’t been exposed to it yet.
Globally, there have been around 1,100 deaths from the swine flu, with the U.S. being at the lower end. So with only about a hundred fatalities from the swine flu in the U.S., why are more than 100 schools closing across the nation? Is it really the swine flu or just the regular flu? “I think we will see a lot of it in our school, but for the most part, for healthy kids it will just be like the influenza,” school nurse, Mrs. Barber RN., said. With the common cold and other sicknesses going around, some people think swine flu could really affect Gretna High School. “It could definitely spread around to other people because we play other people in sports who have it and it could spread to us,” freshman Morgan Boeka said. How can students know if they have the swine flu and what could the students of GHS do to help prevent it? “Wash your hands. If you are showing symptoms, stay home until
WITH THE NEW TEACHERS
Novotny
Omar
Kohles
A Q&
you are fever-free for 24 hours,” Mrs. Barber RN., said. Students understand the need to stay home until they are well. “It’s necessary so that all the healthier kids of the school don’t get sick also,” freshman Bryar Ringhoff said. What happens when students start showing symptoms? Boeka was tested for swine flu this past summer when she started getting a bad cough, sore throat, and headaches. With so many people going in now, doctors have now stopped checking for H1N1 and are just checking for the normal influenza. Swine flu, influenza A, and H1N1. They all mean the same thing: getting sick. So is this really any different from the regular flu or is it just a publicized overreaction? No matter what you think, it all comes down to the same thing, wash your hands and be smart when it comes to your health.
If you could pick any job in the world, what would it be? “This one, I like this job because I feel like I’m giving back,” said Miss Omar. “Something with a sport. Satition, traveling around the NFL games and sit and stat,” said Mr Kohles. “I really like teaching industrial technology,” sad Mr Novotny What is the best thing about teaching at GHS? “Just having the opportunity to work with talented and wonderful teachers,” said Miss Omar. “I like the size of the district. The staff’s great and so are the students” said Mr Kohles. “Just working with the students ,teaching them about welding and construction. The students are excited to learn about it and it’s fun to teach it,” said Mr Novotny.
Prevention Be Aware Keep Clean Limit Travel Wash Hands Stay home if sick Avoid touching eyes, nose, & mouth Cover your mouth Don’t cough/sneeze in hands
Symptoms High fever Cough Runny or stuffy nose Sore throat Body aches Headache Chills Fatigue Vomiting What is one of your favorite parts of your job? “The kids, my students, I do like the literature we do here too. It’s defiently not grading papers,” said Miss Omar. “My favorite part is interacting with students, I’m a jokester. I like having fun,” said Mr Kohles. What was one of your favorite subjects in high school? “Obvisly English was my favorite class, because I seriously love to read, and I like the parts of speech and writing,” said Miss Omar. “History, I was a history major for four years,” said Mr Kohles. “Industrial technology, just because I like doing hands on things,” said Mr Novotny.
news
October 2009
Pepsi’s departure causes a stir By Lauren Sawyer Features Editor Why have the Pepsi machines been replaced by Coca-Cola? “Generally contracts run about every five years, and then the school opens it up for bid,” Principal Mr. Eledge said. “Then companies offer services and prices.” Since Coca- Cola offered the best package, it was chosen to be the district wide drink. Why are sugared drinks gone? According to Athletic Director Mr. Mueller, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) along with another group threatened a lawsuit against major bottlers, if they refused to discontinue selling sugared drinks to school children. To avoid a court case, the bottlers replaced their sugared drinks with sugarless. Does this mean other schools don’t have sugared drinks, too? Yes. Companies don’t supply schools with sugared drinks, if they are going to be sold during school hours. “The elementary and middle schools can only have water now,” Mr. Mueller said. There are sugared drinks at sporting events. Why is that allowed? “We can sell whatever we want after school, which is why the concessions for football can sell pop normally,” Mr. Mueller said. Juice seemed healthy, so why is it gone? Despite the vitamins contained in juice, juice still contains sugar, which isn’t approved for sale during school hours anymore. This is in accordance with the no sugar policy issued by the ADA. Whose idea was this? “The Gretna administration- the superintendent, vice superintendent, and principals, made the decision based on which company had the best offer and what incentives they had for the schools and students,” Mr. Eledge said. Incentives include: new scoreboards, free pop for homecoming, and scholarships.
How do you feel about the new Coke machines? “How dare they get rid of Mt. Dew?!” -Logan Obermeyer, junior
“It’s regardless, for me, because the staff machines have actual coke. (And, I always have Coke in supply.)” -Mr. Swanson, teacher
“I don’t like them.” -Mr. Jepsen, teacher
“I like that I don’t have to fix them when they jam because I don’t have a key. Coke didn’t give us one.” Custodian Mr. Larry Cahill
s’
nt e d stu e ’s th rite? t a Wh favo
3
Students weigh in on new online grading system By Danielle Spurgeon Sports Editor No more waiting to get that little white sheet of paper that tells you whether you’re failing or not. Gretna has now turned to an online grading system, which allows parents to check up on their children’s grades with just a click on the computer. Students have mixed opinions about the new system. Some may like it and some may not. “Your parents can see every grade and if you fail a test you weren’t going to tell your parents about, they will know and I don’t like that,” sophomore Taylor Wageman said. “I don’t like how my parents can see my grades,” senior Kevin Scheidmann said. On the other hand, there are some students who think differently and may even check it themselves. “I think it’s nice, because you can step up the grades when needed,” sophomore Jared Blum said. “I think it’s helpful, because you can make sure that you are not falling behind,” sophomore Katie Cooley said. Cooley says that her parents probably check the website once every two weeks, while other parents might check it every day, once a semester, or maybe, never at all. The real question is why has Gretna turned to this? According to Mr. Eledge, the parents requested it. Eledge has heard in response to setting the whole online grading system up, that it is easy to use. “My biggest concern is that the parents be patient with the teachers posting the grades,” Mr. Eledge said. “The updates will be in reasonable time. My only thing is that I don’t want parents to use this as a substitute for parent-teacher conferences. I like the parent-teacher interaction.”
editorial 4 October 2009
The fight against online grades By Natalie Doering In-Depth Editor
In a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth, and the school served food other than chicken, report cards were distributed once a quarter, and were printed on paper. These were good times, with children only dealing with the wrath of angry parents four times a year, three times a year if you were quick enough to beat your parents to the mailbox. But those times are gone, and the angry parents may be sitting at home EVERY DAY eager to discuss your DAILY grades that they access online during their lunch break. I’m sorry to report that the school has entered the digital age, and that English quiz you bombed last period will no longer remain a secret or be denied. How can you deny something that your parents plainly saw with their probing eyes? The ‘ole “Mrs. Hestermann hasn’t graded it yet” trick works no longer, nor does the lie that you received a 95% on the test (granting yourself a 100% becomes suspicious fast). It will come as no surprise when Gretna High students are soon sporting bitten nails and bloodshot eyes, and constantly looking behind their shoulders. The chance to bring up that B to an A before your par-
ents catch wind of it has been vaporized. No more caffeine-induced, last second studying in peace for that test your grade rides on. Now you have the pleasure of enjoying your parental units breathing down your neck, yelling every second you take to breathe. I may be stepping out on a limb here...but aren’t we supposed to learn responsibility and control of our own lives? I don’t understand the concept of our parents holding our hands, reminding us to “bring those grades up” (insert cheesy smile). You bring down yourself, and you burn yourself. No need to take your parents down with you or be there to rescue you. I do however see a silver lining in this situation (a very thin lining though). Students will now have to be more credible for their actions, not only for the teachers who constantly nag for assignments, but also for nagging parents. This should give Gretna High Schoolers a firm push in the right direction towards perfect assignments, perfect test scores, and perfect work! Is my sarcasm highly noted? As I pen this last paragraph, I realize I’m having second thoughts about handing this editorial in, and printing 750 chances for my parents to see that my grades are posted online. This may lead to devastating results, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take to make sure the student body is well prepared in the fight against online grades.
Emma Blank
18%
The new online grades system has me...
8%
56%
A. Sweating bullets
B. Jum
ping f
or joy
8%
D. Not turnin g in my C. Working my butt off assignments a s usual to keep my grades up Results based off a poll of 100 GHS students.
The Voice News Staff 2008 Cornhusker Award Winner
Editor-in-Chief: Liz Stratman Photographer: Lexi Busch In-Depth Editor: Natalie Doering Features Editor: Lauren Sawyer Online/News Editor: Payton Samuelson Entertainment Editor: Taylor Bradish Sports Editor: Danielle Spurgeon
Staff Writers: Kelsey Charrlin Ethan Dawes McKenna Kerr Hannah Applegate 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.
The world: The best classroom By Lauren Sawyer Features Editor
“Excuse me, what is the dessert?” The waiter replies, “Oh, it’s mousse.” “You mean… the animal?” jokes Mrs. Ockander. The waiter’s brow creases in confusion. “What?” “The animal.” In order to help the waiter understand, a few members at my table began to make moose ears, to demonstrate. If the waiter thought we were “kreizi” (crazy) before, this was his proof. Apparently, moose are completely foreign to the Italians, and the joke was on us. This gap in communications was harmless, but the lesson to be learned is that one must take others’ cultures into consideration. June 13 2009, I took off to Italy with a group of GHS students and three adults. Mrs. Ockander organized the trip. I traveled all over
Italy and Greece, learning about many emperors, monuments, and the mythology intertwined with their stories. However, some of the most valuable knowledge I gained from this trip came from my personal and group member’s experiences, not a tour guide’s briefing. One such lesson was to check and double-check that I have everything. You see, planes take off, no matter if a passenger’s personal items are still on board or not. A tourist, however, cannot go anywhere without his/her passport and money belt (containing all alternative forms of identification). Thank God for long layovers which provide enough time to catch up with the flight attendant playing superhero, who saves not only the day but also the entire trip of a fellow flyer, when she returns these precious items, that she forgot. I would have hated to see a fellow flyer’s trip come to a screeching halt, as she couldn’t get through customs without her passport. Also, an alter ego is recommended for a beautiful blond visiting Italy because of their rarity. This means that most men would love to marry a “miss-white,” as one of my group members was called, without
even knowing the blond. Keep in mind that Italian men are more forward than American men, and Italian construction workers are more desperate than regular Italian men. Point being; avoid gelato shops next to construction zones. Or at least have a witty group of friends to accompany you. Believe me, it will save you some trouble. A final lesson, but one of the most important lessons to be learned, comes from a variety of my experiences, with one common denominator. Venice: stairs approximately every 150 feet of walkway. I walked over five hours there. Rome: I saw all of it in one day, at about fifteen miles of walking. Pompeii: walk to the top of Mt. Vesuvius. It’s over 3,000 feet high. Monasteries: built about 600 steps up a mountain. I saw two. Don’t forget the fact that the Italians and Greeks liked to build everything as high above sea level as possible. The best part is, every one of those stairs is either rocky or made of marble- polished completely smooth by millions of feet. This means lots of tipsy walking conditions. I think you get the point. Comfortable shoes with a high level of support are absolutely crucial. But hey, look on the bright side, all the steps act like a free Stairmaster, only
over H1N1 has more than doubled since May of this year, from 17 percent to 39 percent. At the same time though, 60 percent of people are confident that the government has the situation under control. Most people make a full recovery without any medical treatment, just like the regular flu, CNN noted. It’s not certain death like some people are making it out to be. If people are so worried about contracting the H1N1 virus, then they should just be cautious and take care of themselves like they always have. They should wash their hands often and cover their mouths when they cough or sneeze. Basically, these are every day
things we should do with or without the swine flu looming over our heads. If a person already practices basic hygiene, like most do, then staying swineflu-free shouldn’t be such a hassle. Another tip is to keep surfaces clean, and last time I checked, most people don’t like to let their countertops bulild up with dust and grime either. Does H5N1 sound familiar? This was the bird flu virus that was supposed to be “epidemic” years back. And as far as I know, there isn’t much talk about it these days. The Black Plague of the late 1340s greatly affected many people, but back then, there wasn’t the technology we have today. We have far more advanced medicines and more
editorial 5 October 2009
Photo by Lauren Sawyer
It’s tradition that white wash houses cover the Greek isles. The houses are painted three times a year. with breathtaking views. This trip, along with all the lessons I learned, opened my eyes to a whole new world and its cultures. Simply going made me a more independent person; it helped me prepare for many future adventures on my own, no matter if they take place in another country or in a dorm room. I will never regret the three weeks I spent immersed in other societies learning everything I could about them, and learning even more about myself.
Chill about H1N1 already: most make a full recovery By Liz Stratman Editor-in-Chief
When the World Health Organization declared H1N1 a “public health emergency of international concern,” people started to panic. This was back in April when no one really knew much about “swine flu.” And now that children are back in school, the state of panic has only increased. According to a poll on CNN, the number of Americans concerned
knowledge on curing viruses. Plus, the swine flu doesn’t even compare to the “Black Death.” H1N1 is a cureable virus, and if people recognize the symptoms, then it shouldn’t be a topic of concern. Word of advice: stop freaking out! Yeah, any type of influenza isn’t fun, but people aren’t always freaking out about the normal seasonal flu. While reports back in 2005 claimed the bird flu was the fastest spreading type of flu, obviously it didn’t turn out to be such a devastating outbreak. So how can we say that the swine flu will really sweep the nation if it’s not any more dangerous than the basic flu and we’ve all survived for this long?
fun 6 October 2009 What’s In Your Bag?
Getting to know the people of GHS
If you could choose the color of the sky, what color would you choose?
Blue Caycee Price
Derek Hill
Kathrine Reeves Tide to go “Because I’m prone to messes and I’ll probably spill something on me sometime.” Three body mists - “So that I smell nice at all times. “ Body lotion “So my hands do not get dry,” Reeves said. What is your favorite part of your bag? “I like the purple lizard pattern.” Why do you carry what you do in your bag? “Because you never know when you’ll get a flat tire and need something in your bag.”
Cole Spurgeon
Ashley Larrick
Mr. Depue
Red Green
What is your favorite song to sing to?
What was your favorite game as a kid?
If you could choose any movie to be about your life what movie would you choose?
Only You Monopoly Can Love Me This Way
The Notebook
I Believe I Can Fly
Kickball Remember the Titans
Chimpanzee Chutes and riding ON a Ladders segway
Purple Tear drops Twister
Blue
Whats Goin’ On
Connect Four
Happy Gilmore
Mean Girls Dumb and Dumber
Music
Boy Bands
40s
Jazz
Ipod
Pop CD
90s
94.1
103.7
60s Cassette
Calming
Radio 70s
Records80sEffects Country
Rap 50sRock 99.9 Hip-Hop
Music Players through the years
Radio
20s
Jukebox Records BoomBox Cassette player
50s
60s
70s
80s
Portable CD Player
Ipod
90s Present
in-depth 8 October 2009
in-depth 9 October 2009
Boy bands: Say Bye Bye Bye By Natalie Doering In-Depth Editor Just as children today idolize Hannah Montana’s style, and the Jonas Brothers sense of cool, those who grew up in the 90’s idolized Nsync’s fancy footwork and the Backstreet Boys impeccable harmonies. These boy bands often defined one’s childhood, and memories were built to the soundtrack of “Bye Bye Bye” and “Larger than Life”. But just as everything does, boy bands eventually fizzled out and were replaced by newer, “hipper” artists. Loyalties still lay strong though, and heated debates about which boy band was better still prevail. “The Backstreet Boys were my favorite, because I liked their songs the most,” junior Kaitlin Pearson said. Sophomore Shane Nevius’s opinion differs. “I believe Nsync was the best because they simply knew how to dance.” Although these two bands are the most associated with the phrase “boy band”, many others were paired with the term. But what defines a boy band? Sophomore Becca Schollaert has her own idea . “They didn’t focus so much on their singing or lyrics, but more on their looks and sounds,” she said. Pearson agrees. “Cheesy dance moves, redundant lyrics, and hideously tight and flashy outfits make a boy band”. Although it is most often denied, these boy bands of the 90’s ushered in the pop artists teens listen to today. “They entered a new era of pop music, dancing, and tight leather pants. They set the standard for the present day ‘scene’ cliques,” Nevius says.
So why is it that these bands who were formally at the top of the charts, no longer reap the glory of hit songs? “I stopped listening awhile ago, because better stuff came along,” Pearson explains. Schollaert came to the same conclusion. “I stopped listening when I was 10 or so. I just found better music,” she said. New Kids on the Block are currently on their reunion tour, and it is likely that the Backstreet Boys and Nysnc will follow suit. But you won’t find Nevius waiting in line for his ticket. “I wouldn’t go to any reunion tours because I have a feeling it would just depress me to see that even ‘glamorous’ pop stars turn into middle aged men at some point”, he said. Schollaert feels the same way. “I haven’t listened to them in ages, and I’m 100% fine with that. I don’t plan on changing that,” she said. Even though many will probably not be in attendance for these tours, fond memories can be looked back upon where boy bands are involved. “I listened to it [“Bye Bye Bye”] for days, and would go through every radio station until I could hear the song again. I would dance to it and feel so cool, because that was one of the most popular songs,” Schollaert said. So while the iced hair, coordinated outfits, and sleek dance moves have passed, the memories live on of a time when boy bands were on top of the world.
60s
The Beatles
70s
The Monkees
80s
What was your first CD? OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN BY BRITNEY SPEARS Sophomore, Angie Kauffman
MAKE YOURSELF BY INCUBUS Sophomore Kealan Lindekwgel
BACKSTREET BOYS Junior Jordon Josoff
OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN BY BRITNEY SPEARS Senior, Lacey Jordan
OOPS! I DID IT AGAIN BY BRITNEY SPEARS
he ongs t re g s e e t w ppin wer a Wh rt-to you r a ch yea e th n? r bo 1992:
1993:
1. End of the Road- Boyz II Men 2. Baby got back- Sir Mix A-lot 3. Tears in Heaven- Eric Clapton
1. I will always love you- Whitney Houston 2. Bring it on- Tag Team 3. (I cant help) Falling in love with you- UB40
1994: 1. The Sing- Ace of Base 2. I swear- All-4One 3. Hero- Mariah
1995:
1. Gangsta’s ParadiseCoolio 2. Waterfalls- TLC
Freshman Paige Paskevic Information compiled by Payton Samuelson
Information compiled by Kelsey Charrlin
Music’s effect on teens By Mckenna Kerr Staff Writer It’s 7 a.m. Your alarm goes off, but instead of the annoying beeping sound, your radio starts playing “Thriller.” For some people this starts the day off better, getting teens energized and ready for the day. Music not only starts the day off right, but it can work wonders for your mood, health, and stress levels. “It’s a must-have,” senior Hilary Stover, “if there was no music in my life I’d be a robot.” No doubt, everybody listens to music. M o s t people listen to it every day, but why? Music has been said to deeply affect a person’s m o o d , according to http:// w w w . associatedcontent. com/. “It can drastically change my mood,” Music Effects poll based on 110 students
New Kids on the Block
90s
Backstreet Boys
90s
NSync
Present
The Jonas Brothers
said sophomore Leilani Byington, “because if I’m sad I turn on the radio and if a good song is on, it just makes my day.” Different genres of music can have certain
effects on not only a person’s mood, but they’re actions as well. Classical music, probably one of the least favorite music of today’s generation, is said to be the best music for people’s health. Listening to classical music can increase your creativity, reduce tension, and enhance types of intelligence. On the other hand, country has been linked to depression and suicide, according to http://www. associatedcontent.com Can listening to the wrong types of music affect a person’s actions? “It can cause you to do what they’re talking about in the lyrics,” said Byington. Sophomore Riley Smith agrees that it’s a possibility in some people but doesn’t affect him. “Music is about the beat and not about the words,” said sophomore Tyler Harris. Music not only affects a person’s mood and actions it affects health and intelligence. According to http://www.cerebromente.org/, listening to music that has 60 beats per minute can help students retain information up to 85% better. Also listening to slower music can slow a person’s heartbeat, breathing rate, and can bring down blood pressure. Ever felt like you just couldn’t remember the information you’re studying no matter how hard you try? Maybe, you should try listening to a little baroque music in the background. Listening to that catchy tune while students studying is said to help children retain the information. Does this technique work for everybody? “Sometimes I listen to music when I study, but I can get off topic because I sing to it,” said sophomore Andrea Hanson. No matter where you go or how old you are music affects your life in some way, shape, or form. Whether it’s the fast-paced upbeat music or the slow, calm, and relaxing tunes, music is everywhere.
10 entertainment October 2009
“Black Camerade”: Students form a new band Hitting the playing field after school, four GHS students set up the drums, tune their guitars, test the microphone, plug in the amps, and run through the latest lyrics of their original songs. Juniors Nolan Schmid, Thomas Olk, Jeff Zagurski, Jordan Josoff, and Cody Kaup, have developed an alternative rock band. This cutting-edge team has a very unique, one of a kind name, “Black Camerade.” “The name came from Cody and Jordan, because one day during study hall they were trying to think of band names, and looked at the black video camera and then saw
e In th
the Powerade machine. They put the names together and we got a name,” said Olk, the band’s bass guitarist and singer.
The band plays all types of music including rock and alternative. They also cover songs including “All the Small Things” by Blink182 and “Blister in the Sun” by Violent Femmes. At the moment, they have about three original songs and are working on more. “You know, you can say we play any kind of music. We just write about what inspires us the most,” guitar player and backup vocalist Schmid said. “Most of the songs I write are inspired by my personal experiences and what I have learned from them.” These guys didn’t always play together. The Photo by Danielle Spurgeon band started with Schmid, Black Camerade poses for their official band picture.
mood
?
for a movie
Check out this chart to find the best buy for your buck! “Blockbuster, because it’s the only one I know.”
Olk, and Zagurski. The decision to become a band came when Schmid and Olk both started talking and realized how much they both liked music and how Schmid could play the guitar and Olk could play the bass. “Well I wasn’t in the band originally,” guitar player Josoff said. “Nolan, Jeff, and Thomas were talking about it and asked me if I wanted to be a part of it.” “I had a [drum] kit so they invited me in,” said Kaup, the band’s drummer. Now all “Black Camerade” has to do is get more songs and they are on their way to making it big. “We started the band because we thought it would be fun and now that we’re starting to get our songs together, we’re looking to start recording demo and playing shows pretty soon,” acoustic guitar player Zagurski said.
Movie Madness Name
Cost for Rent
$1.28 $2.99
Locations
Weekly Late Fees
- Online - Store - Mail
$1.25
- Computer - Xbox/PS3 - Mail
No Late Fees.
Matt Reinig, sophomore
“I like to go to McKinney’s because I like to ride my scooter.” Abby Allgood, junior
$3.99
- Computer
No Late Fees.
Movie Limit
Unlimited!!
By Danielle Spurgeon Sports Editor
entertainment 11 October 2009
Upcoming Blood Drive By Taylor Bradish Entertainment Editor On October 28th from 8:00 to 2:00, Gretna High School will be hosting its annual blood drive. Students need to register Monday, October 19th, through Wednesday, October 21st during their lunch hour. Students will be giving blood during their study hall. A parent consent will be needed for students under 16 years old who want to donate blood. In order to donate blood, it is important that the student is healthy. Nurses will take the student’s temperature, check his/her blood count, and measure his/her blood pressure and pulse. Then the fun part begins: nurses will clean an area on his/her arm, and insert a needle to draw whole blood. It usually takes about 35-40 minutes. After the process is finished, donors will be allowed to spend about 15 minutes enjoying refreshments in the recovery area.
The 2009 Homecoming Court listens as senior Kelsey Stark sings “Everything” by Michael Buble to close the coronation ceremony. 2008 Homecoming Queen Hanna Blum crowns the 2009 Homecoming Queen Emily Lawry. Former King Trent Tibbs, Princess Hilary Stover and Prince Jake Kruse watch.
Get Prepared: Sleep: Get at least 8 hours of sleep the night before your donation. Eat: Eat a healthy breakfast- or lunch. - Don’t skip meals on the day of a donation. - Make healthy choices: pro tein, and carbs Drink: Drink a few extra glasses of water or fluids in the days before you donate. Drink water 10-30 minutes before your donation, and you will be less likely to experience dizziness and light-headedness.
Stark and senior Brittany Andersen dance to the music at homecoming.
Junior Ellen Emanuel does the motions to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” during the homecoming dance.
H O ME CO MI NG ‘09
features 12 October 2009
Dance team: It’s a sport too By Hannah Applegate Staff Writer
Pinning, kicking, shooting, hitting, and throwing aren’t the only things that make something a sport. Because dancing is also a sport. The GHS dance team is constantly practicing their two minute routines. They are always kicking, twirling or doing some kind of difficult dance move. Just like other sports they have to be in shape and flexible. They go to camps in the summer just like every other sport. Also, they practice in the mornings before school. Dance team members have practice Tuesday and Friday at 6:30 a.m and Saturday at 8:30 a.m. “It’s really intense.” junior Shelby Sunderman said. Sunderman has been on dance team for exactly two years and four months. Katie Harrison, a freshman, has been dancing since she was four years old. This year the dance team has started off with new moves, new uniforms, and a new coach. “The new dance moves are sick,” Sunderman said. “Some are easier than others, but we just keep practicing until we get it down.” Not only do they get to show off their moves to the Gretna
she actually knows what we are doing and she can help us.” There’s also a new captain: Lyndsay Stessman. Without our seniors what will dance team be like this year? “I think we will get a lot accomplished this year,” Sunderman said. “Last years seniors were fun, but this year’s are fun and hard working which is exactly what we need.” There are only two seniors on dance team this year. They are Lyndsay Stessman and Leana Wolt. On the dance team we also have some new members. Katie Harrison is the youngest person on dance team this year. “It’s really cool to be the youngest,” Harrison said. “The older girls look out for me and I feel photo by Lauren Sawyer special.” Senior Leana Wolt, and juniors Natalie Miller, Shelby Sunderman, They have to get up early and Courtney Randall perform at their first pep rally of the year. Dance team has three new members, a new coach, and new outfits to practice, but that doesn’t mean this year. dance team isn’t fun. With new uniforms it adds a “I love performing for the kids, but they also get to perform little something special to the dance school,” Harrison said. “Especially at Royals games. at football games. It’s different “It’s so amazing,” team. “The new uniforms are really from being on stage.” Sunderman said. “It’s a little harder Being new on dance team to dance on the baseball field, but cute.” Sunderman said. “Also, the tops are sweet.” can be pretty scary, especially the we make it work.” The new coach is adding a first time you perform. “It was different,” Harrison “I was pretty much scared to said. “Dance teams don’t usually little something extra too. “Ms. Lynsay Kempf is our death,” Harrison said. “Once I was perform at baseball games, but it was fun because more people were new sponsor,” Sunderman said. out there though it was fun.” “She used to be on dance team so there watching and cheering.”
“We work just as hard as all the other activities at school, and often don’t get the same recognition.” - Natalie Miller, Dance team member
features 13 October 2009
Transitioning to high school By Payton Samuelson Online News Editor
Generally, teenager’s wallets aren’t overflowing with cash. Plus, planning ahead isn’t always a priority. Thankfully, these costumes can be made with a bit of creativity, and just a few items laying around the house.
By Taylor Bradish Entertainment Editor
Remember the good old days? When your parents had to take you around trick or treating, you sprinted up to the door and rang the doorbell. Hoping whoever was on the other side of the door was going to give you handfuls of cavity causing candy. And if you were one of the lucky ones, you just got the speech about how people stick razor blades in candy apples. Now that we’re in high school, times are changing! Instead of trick or treating, students are finding ways to occupy their Halloween night. It’s also a lot harder to find cool costumes. So, students are forced to be more creative with their costume ideas. “I go to parties and just hang out, or to Halloween shows,” senior Sarah Stednitz said. “I just walk around and scare little kids,” sophomore Hanson
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Wendelin said. It’s a lot harder to find reasonable and appropriate costumes for students. Popular places to buy costumes if you don’t want to make your own are Nobbies, Walmart, and Target. “I wouldn’t spend more than twenty dollars,” Stednitz said. If you think you’re too cool to dress up, you’re not. Even Ms. Flynn celebrates Halloween and rocks a costume. “I usually go to my aunt’s Halloween party, I’m dressing as a boxer this year,” Ms. Flynn said. It was a breeze to find cool costumes, up until you hit about 10. Students share some of their favorite costumes from the past. “My favorite costume was my workout Barbie costume,” Stednitz said. Wendelin’s favorite costume was Freddy Krueger, but he still plans on dressing up this year, as a nerd.
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High school is a brand new experience for incoming freshmen. From a whole new building to upperclassmen to only seven periods a day, high school is completely different than middle school. “I was a little nervous, but excited,” freshman Maddy Miller said. Freshman Paige Young was scared of upperclassmen before she entered high school but now says that “cute upperclassmen boys” are the best part of high school. She loves the sophomores and juniors, but is still scared of the seniors. How does high school stack up to middle school? “Middle school doesn’t even compare to high school,” Young said. “You got away with a lot more,” freshman Trent Brosdahl said. After just a few weeks of high school, Miller, Young, and Brosdahl all prefer high school over middle school. “High school is way better,” Miller said. “You get more freedom.” Miller’s favorite part of high school so far is history class with Mr. Swanson. Brosdahl’s favorite activity is show choir. For most freshmen, the scariest part of high school is finding all of their classes and opening their lockers for the first time. “It was the scariest, and hardest thing I have ever done in my life,” Young said. Young also got lost a lot the first few days. “I couldn’t open my locker or find any of my classes,” Young said. “It was hard at the beginning, but I got used to it after the first few days,” Miller said.
High schoolers put their own twist on the spooky season Pop
sports 14 October 2009
New and improved crowd By Lexi Busch Photographer From crazy outfits the boys wear to the huge crowd cheering on the players, the students have proved they love volleyball games. Whenever there’s a point or an ace, the crowd goes wild screaming cheers as loud as they can. At every home volleyball game when you walk in you probably don’t expect to see a huge crowd all dressed up with posters and cheering on every one of the volleyball players. This year that’s what it is all about: people love dressing up and pumping up the players so they can win. “The crowd helps the team be motivated,” junior Nikki Mickelson said. “It makes us play better and it’s really sweet when they chant your name or scream when you make a good
play.” Freshman Rian Kirby also loves the crowd’s enthusiasm and thinks it really helps the players get them pumped up for the games. It has also helped them get the record of 10-2. “It’s really cool to see a huge crowd cheering us on and getting us pumped up through the whole game,” Kirby said. It really helps any kind of team when they know they have the support not only from their parents but also from all their friends and classmates. “It feels good to have their support because it’s cool to know they care,” Mickelson said. Another means of showing support are the huge posters along the wall of the gym. Each girl has her own poster with her own picture, height, position, and the year she will graduate. “I really like the posters,” Kirby
Photo by Lexi Busch
said. “They look sweet.” W i t h all the posters, cheering and dressing up, it has really helped the team play better. With so many people going to the games the team has been doing a lot better and has only lost one game. This gets them excited to The volleyball team huddles around the coach to plan what each teamate will do to win the game. play every game knowing they more aggressive and I think we want it will have a huge support system there more. Our communication is better and cheering them on. I think we’re overall a better team. The “This year is so different from crowd really helps all that.” last year,” Mickelson said. “We’re
sports 15 October 2009
Gretna Dragons beef up their schedule By Ethan Dawes Staff Writer “Down, set, hut!” It’s football season again and the hype of the crowd and school spirit, as well as the bone-crushing hits to the big kickoff has returned to Gretna High School. This year’s football team plays Lincoln Pius X, Beatrice, Columbus, Skutt and Waverly who are all pre-season ranked teams by maxpreps.com and in the top ten. So far, the team has an average of 19 points and holding the other team to an average of 23 points. Other big keys to the Dragon’s success is their defense, holding Blair under 150 rushing yards to win. The Gretna Dragon’s team is holding their own against the top ten and evidence of their success is their overtime victory against Beatrice on Homecoming. “We study the opponent’s formations and cover technique in
practices,” Head Coach Mr. Jepsen said. “Our biggest factor is individual technique and get good at the position you have “Improvement in technique is a major key to getting better and ultimately beating the other team,” Jepsen said. The practices are physically and mentally challenging by working on offensive plays on certain days, and defensive on the others. “It makes us work as hard as we can at practice even harder for the big games,” sophomore Patrick Carney said. By playing against some of the higher ranked teams, the football team can show what they are really made of and how much they really want it. “It’s better to play some of the harder teams to get better experience,” junior Cole Spurgeon said, “We know that they play hard, but we play just as hard.”
The center gets ready to hike the ball to the quarterback. While the team plans a strategy to pull out a victory against a top rated team. Photo by Ginny Ostransky
GHS gains full time trainer By Ethan Dawes Staff Writer
The catcher takes her stance as she awaits the pitch. The softball team started off with a rough start but is nowpicked up their game. Bailey Toovey takes a hard swing with her bat. This hit took Waverly for a run.
The players on the field gather at the mound to plan their next move. Photos by Lexi Busch
From a turned ankle on the volleyball court to a shoulder injury on the softball field, Gretna athletes now have a full-time trainer to help them through their injuries. Mr. Pancoe is at the high school at 2:30 p.m. and leaves the high school at 6:00 p.m. and treats several students a day for different types of strains, pulls, and breaks. He treats twenty-four to thirty students a day on an average. But what does an athletic trainer do? “My job is to assess students on how their injuries are,” Mr. Pancoe said. When the students enter with an injury, Mr. Pancoe first evaluates the injury, treats the area with either a stretch, ice, or tape and does many exercises to prevent injury to the spot and strengthen it. If the injury is serious enough or that he feels that the student should see a doctor, he can call
a parent or guardian to tell them about what happened. “It’s fun. I enjoy doing my job,” Mr. Pancoe said. “I especially like working with the Gretna athletes.” Athletes agree that Mr. Pancoe is doing his job at a top rate. “I was in for a hip flexor injury. He first used an ultrasound and then stretched it,” sophomore Matt Jones said. “I’d give him a ten out of a ten, it felt amazing.”
New full time trainer, Mr. Pancoe assists Gretna athlete Jake Butler with an injury early in the season. Pancoe helped this student recover fully.
Photo by Danielle Spurgeon
story 16 photo October 2009
Juinor Jessica Tarsikes stuffs junior Brandon Johnson’s face with whipped cream and orange slices. The juniors came in last place in this competition.
Junior Dustin Herring had to put on a frozen T-shirts quickly as possible. The juniors came in last in this competition.
Mrs.Omar laughs at Johnson while he tries to swallow all of the whipped cream and orange slices in his mouth. She cheered on the juniors throughout all the competitions.
Herring tries to get the frozen t-shirt over his head so the juniors can win. He almost beat the sophmores, but couldn’t get the t-shirt all the way on.
Johnson tries to get all of the mess off his face and hands. He still had a mouth full of orange slices.
Class Competitions get MESSY
Tarsikes reaches in the plate of whipped cream trying to find the orange slices. Tarsikes and Johnson were both blindfolded to make the competitions harder.
Photos by Lexi Busch