Marian Journalism I Inspirational Influences

Marian Journalism I

Photo by J1 photographer Amelia Roth

Inspirational Influences

2022 Feature Digital Magazine

2021-22 School Year Features written by Journalism I students about a subject of their choice who has been an inspiration to them.

Thanks for reading. Feel free to share feedback with the authors or with the journalism adviser, Mrs. Marsha Kalkowski at mkalkowski@omahamarian.org No printed copies of the magazine exist. It is an electronic magazine only.

Please understand that no errors are intentional. This is student writing that was edited by beginning journalism students and then designed by the students, too.

Some photographs were taken by the students, others were provided by the story subject.

Inspirational Influences

Block A Journalism I - Inspirational Features Mary Ambrose - “Community Service Fills Pandemic Need” [Trish Longacre] Maddie Balus - “Teacher Creates a Connection with Her Students” [Lisa Klemme] Meghan Bartness - “Proving Perseverance: Profile of Denise Bartness” Mallory Connealy - “Student Athlete Perseveres Through College Career” [Teresa DeGeorge] Nora Corrigan - “Connie O’Neil: Omaha Matriarch Supports Families for 35 years” Grace Diers - “Yost Finds Her Passion in Guatemala” [Audrey Yost] Audrey Ehlers - “Dancer Turns Childhood Dream into Reality” [Katrinka Stayton] Elsa Jurrens - “Kristal Kuo’s Self-Discovery Journey” Matilda Lang - “Jean Ambrose’s Journey to Confidence” Lauren Martin - “Dear Best Friend” [Bella Luetkenhaus] Maggie Morris - “Paving Your Own Path” [Cat Swartz] Theresa Mueller - “Former Student Makes Move Across the World” [Kyoko Sterns] Megan Patterson - “Doctor Overcomes Life Challenges” [Edward Truemper] Ella Plank - “From Tragedy to Peace: Profile of Kathy Arenz” Isabella Raczynski - “My Guiding Mentor” [Martha Raczynski] Ally Ravnsborg - “Dr. Gaines Starts from Scratch” [Joey Gaines] Reagan Rosenbaum - “Trauma Nurse Discovers Passion for Helping Others” [Lauren Haindfield] Amelia Roth - “Coincidence or Fate? How Volleyball Can Change a Life” [Elise Fulcher] Ceci Urbanski - “Artist Finds a Language” [Bart Vargas]

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Block G Journalism I - Inspirational Features Regina Anyaegbunam - “Every Day Starts with a Powerful Positive” [Carol Greenwood] Claire Bauman - “Student Helps Bring Wrestling to Marian” [Audrey Arthur] Jackie Blossom - “Watching from the Bleachers to Performing on the Mat” [Annie Ellerbeck] Natalie Bullock - “ICU Nurse Turns CEO: Josie Abboud Overcomes Challenges” Ellie Cusick - “Dr. McGill Advances from Plaid Skirts to PhD” [Reneé McGill] Hannah Cusick - “Maloley Searches for Balance” [Ann Maloley] Elissa Eisele - “Amber Josoff Supports our Soldiers” Joie Ferrera - “From Working Hard to Playing Hard” [Tammy Blossom] Maddia Groff - “Emma Nelson Takes on United States Air Force Academy” Courtney Long - “Katie Beatty Fights Chronic Illness: The Story Behind a Type I Diabetic” Ella Mandolfo - “Fr. Tom Fangman Shares What it Means to be a Silent Inspiration” Emily Martin - “A Family that Overcomes Challenges” [Hannah Kupka Barnhart] Kyra McFadden - “Veteran Defeats Cancer 20 Times” [Del Toebben] Maria McLeay - “Tami Hauser Supports Real Life Miracle” Nina McMullen - “Comedian John Mulaney Battles Public Scrutiny After Rehab” Sophie Ortmeier - “Dana Patterson Inspires Others” Tyler Raiker - “Shruthi Kumar Resurfaces Mindfulness” Chloe Samuelson - “Molly Roth: A Living Saint” Megan Schneider - “Sullivan Leads by Example” [Susie Sullivan] Elle Stiles - “Burton Serves the Community Through Virtue” [Abby Burton]

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Community Service Fills Pandemic Need

By J1 Reporter Mary Ambrose Whether her day is filled with taking on a new household project, enjoying a new book, or spending time with family, Trish Longacre always makes time to connect with her community.

Though she was born and raised in California, the Omaha community has been a strong part of Longacre’s life since she graduated from Creighton with a degree in theology and nursing. She married an Omaha native, and has been in Omaha ever since.

She raised her four kids in Omaha and has met and connected with many people since living here.

In the spring of 2020, Longacre became closer and more connected to the community than she could have ever imagined. Shortly after COVID-19 began spreading, there was a huge mask shortage. Hospitals, healthcare workers, and immunocompromised people were desperate for masks.

As Longacre browsed on Facebook, she noticed that with each passing day, peoples’ need for masks continued to grow. She wanted to pitch in and do what she could to help. She knew how to sew, and figured that she could do something with that talent. Longacre teamed up with her neighbor and good friend, Holly Barstow, and approached Methodist Hospital. Longacre and Barstow offered to sew masks for the hospital. Methodist

immediately accepted the offer and asked the two to make 300 masks. These new volunteers had no idea what was to come. their schedules and lives were about to change drastically.

Within one day of asking Longacre and Barstow to make 300 masks, Methodist reached out and said they wanted 10,000 masks.

Overwhelmed by the task on their hands, Longacre posted on her Facebook account and reached out to the community looking for people who could help with sewing to get them to the 1,000 mark.

Her facebook page blew up with more than 700 people reaching out to help with sewing. Facebook ended up being the most efficient communication tool throughout the process. Longacre and Barstow worked with Methodist to create an effective design for the masks. Methodist gave them specific advice and guidance on how to make

the most effective and protective masks possible.

They also partnered up with a fabric shop to help choose the best and most effective 2-layer fabric for the masks. They created kits filled with this fabric, perfectly cut string, and instructions to help their volunteers efficiently sew the masks.

Volunteers would come and pick up the kits from Longacre’s doorstep, and then return them to huge garbage bins located in her driveway when done.

Shortly after they reached Methodist’s goal, other places began to reach out. Places such as CHI Health, Offutt Airborne Flying Division, Omaha Visiting Nurses Association, One World Health Clinic, and nursing homes also needed masks.

Places just kept demanding more and more masks. Longacre found that throughout the experience, “The most challenging part was turning

“The most challenging part was turning people down because we knew that they desperately needed the masks.”

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people down because we knew that they desperately needed the masks.” They did their best not to turn places down, but to improve their system and make more.

They partnered up with fabric stores across the country who generously donated fabric so that they could increase the number of masks they made. They had about 300 people sewing masks consistently from the start of their operation in February to October of 2020.

Longacre and Barstow worked nearly every day for these nine months. Longacre felt like, “There was always something to do, every single day.” There was no time for breaks throughout this process. The hard work was well worth it, because by October, Longacre, Barstow, and their team of volunteers had sewed a total of 137,000 masks However, the operation didn’t stop with masks. they wanted more. Hospitals wanted surgical gowns and surgical caps as well. Constructing gowns and caps was more complicated than the masks and involved a more difficult process than coming up with the best way to sew the masks. Volunteers were easily frustrated with making the gowns because of the difficulty level. Despite the struggles with making gowns and caps, they met the hospital’s needs and made 240 surgical gowns and 4,000 scrub caps.

The community recognized Longacre and Barstow for their hours and hours of service and hard work. News channels such as KETV interviewed them toward the end of the project.

People wrote thank you letters and sent thank you baskets. They also made many new friends that they have been able to stay in touch with.

Most importantly, they inspired people from all over Omaha to help one another in a time of need.

The coordinators of the massive COVID mask, surgical cap, and gown opertaion, Holly Barstow (left) and Trish Longacre (right).

Team of nurses and doctors from CHI Health Center wear surgical caps designed by volunteers throughout Omaha. Photos courtesy of Longacre.

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Teacher Creates a Connection With Her Students

By J1 Reporter Maddie Balus A teacher’s life and impact in a classroom can create a change in the students they come from.

Each student is different, which makes a teacher’s job so special and diverse. They have to help, care, and fill their students with knowledge along with life lessons so they can grow into the person they would like to become. This powerful impact can be seen across teachers everywhere.

One teacher that has created an inspirational impact is Mrs. Lisa Klemme. She is the eighth grade literature and language teacher at St. Wenceslaus Catholic School. Klemme was raised as an Iowan in a small town, which meant she was outside most of her childhood.

Her Catholic faith raised her outside of her public grade school and high school that consisted of about 52 kids in her grade at the time. Later in her life, she married her classmate, who also came from the same town.

Becoming a teacher was not her first choice in her discovery of her career. She started off her college years as an undecided major, but along the way she decided she wanted to start a life in advertising. Through this major, she noticed a connection into education. “Everything I did, I was surrounded

by kids,” Klemme said, “It the years, students have was a natural progression given her an assortment of and really I often think that I “thank yous” which fills am doing the hardest adver- a box in her home. She is tising: trying to sell nouns motivated by these thank and verbs; [Trying to sell] yous, and these have created that writing is fun. I feel like her “why” in education. “If I am still doing what I start- there was a fire, I would ed doing. It’s just that I am have to grab that box,” not selling a product; I am Klemme said, “I am humselling writing and reading.” bled by the fact that I can With this add to change in “Getting to know the that box her career year students, well, that’s every path, she with some the best part of the student drew inspiration and job. Even though I who has help from written am much older than her grandme a note. ma. Her they are, we are all It could grandma be on a on the same journey was a onescrap of room counjust trying to figure paper that try school they have it out. It is a gift to left on my teacher, which meant desk or it interact.” she taught could be -Lisa Klemme all the a formal ages of the letter. town. Klemme asks herself, Every single one of those I “What would she do?” to have kept. I wish students could know how much those help herself get through words of encouragement her day when she is stuck. mean. I don’t get paid a Along with this inspiration, million dollars, but people Klemme asks the Holy who get paid a million dolSpirit to help her say the lars don’t get what I get, and right thing to make sure they are never going to.” that everyone is heard and She said she is glad that she that their feelings are being acknowledged. “I want to be could help students be seen whatever the kids need each when they have felt like they are invisible. Klemme day,” Klemme said. wants every student to be Klemme has been in education for 30 years. Over seen because they deserve to 4

be seen.

Through her years of being a teacher, her best reward has been seeing the children of her past students come through. She loves to see her students coming back with who they have now become. Klemme knows that they probably will not remember the specific words she said or a specific lesson, but with her new generation of students coming through, the parents remember that her classroom was a good place to be. To her, that is the only thing that matters.

Being a mom and raising her own kids has helped Klemme connect to her students in the classroom.

Whether they are a stubborn, difficult student or a quiet, well-behaved student, she wants to create a connection between her and them to help her get to know them better. “The first set of conferences I’ll ask: ‘What do you love about your kid?’ because sometimes kids are hard to love. As a mom, I know how passionate I am about loving my kids, even though they can be frustrating sometimes,” Klemme said. Klemme merges her teacher and mom side to help be a light and an outlet in the classroom.

Students leave a positive impact when it comes to

teaching and Klemme hopes to do the same, whether it be a good day or a bad day.

She has interacted with many kids throughout her years of teaching, and she loves the different perspectives of an idea that comes to the surface in the classroom. These new angles at an idea have helped her get to know herself while proving to be the greatest part of the job. “Getting to know the students, well, that’s the

best part of the job. Even though I am much older than they are, we are all on the same journey just trying to figure it out. It is a gift to interact,” Klemme said.

Lisa Klemme stands in her 8th grade classroom.

Photo by Maddie Balus

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Proving Perseverance: Profile of Denise Bartness By: J1 Reporter Meghan Bartness

When asked to write about someone who inspires us, it was a challenging topic. Everyone has people who motivate, encourage, and support them, but who is someone you want to model your own life off of?

Denise Bartness, or as her family calls her, Meme, is a person who inspires her two sons, grandchildren, and anyone she has met.

She is the toughest lady someone could meet, at 77 years old, standing at 5 foot 5, blond hair, brown eyes, she wears a gold necklace that goes with every outfit, even the polka dot pants.

Through her ongoing 3-year cancer battle, she finds time to bake the best blueberry cheesecake and her famous hummingbird muffins to ship across the country to her grandkids.

Her eyes will always light up in love and amazement at the sight of her children and grandchildren.

Even the days when she felt the worst because of chemo, she still found the motivation and courage, through the support of her husband and family, to always get out of bed and move around.

Humans are consistently being exposed throughout childhood to the people who will shape us. Bartness recalls her biggest personal influence, even all these years later she hasn’t for-

gotten about Miss Rice, her teacher from high school.

“Miss Rice, who was my Commerce teacher in high school, was a phenomenal teacher, role model, and I admired her ability to have fun. She always accompanied our class on trips to see the sights in London, visit the art galleries and museums. The bus rides to and from London were the most fun I can remember.”

This light of a teacher in her life was a stark contrast from her parents, who she described as “aloof and disinterested toward me, but they worked hard and loved one another.” Her parents’ relationship, being as tenuous as it was, encouraged her to become the best mother she could.

Denise Bartness goes on to talk about the seven years of raising (her two sons) on her own, and their financial troubles. “It wasn’t hard – I loved them so much. The challenges were mostly financial, so I took a second job to help out.” Her biggest motto that got her through those tough years was, “Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us.” Her own Grandmother Harris, who is her biggest inspiration, taught her how to knit and a Psalm that she says every morning when she wakes up. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want”,she continues to

use this every day.

Her grandmother also introduced her to her love for knitting, which later became a hobby that she uses to knit blankets for people who are sick and in need of a prayer blanket. Cooking also became a major part of her life, Bartness cooks hummingbird muffins, blueberry cheesecake, French toast, and anything you can imagine. Even through her cancer battle, she always had a fresh cheesecake at the ready.

After being first diagnosed with stage 3 Lymphoma in July of 2019, she fought her way through, getting up every morning with determination and courage.

By December of the same year she finished the first

round of chemotherapy, followed by a hysterectomy for ovarian cancer in February of 2020. June 30 was her last chemotherapy but in the Spring of 2021, the cancer was back. Getting back on the horse to battle cancer for the second time, she was ready to beat it once again.

On Nov. 5, 2021 she started her chemotherapy and is ready to do stem cell treatment around Thanksgiving. Through her battles with cancer she reflects how her outlook on her life has changed, through the help of friends and family. “Realizing how very blessed I am to have family and friends who support and love me,” Bartness recalls.

Her life motto: “Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us.”

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Everyone has their Fridas, Ginsburgs, and Mandelas, but someone in their own life who is a true model for perseverance is a rare commodity.

Bartness continues to light up everyone’s day, not solely through her story of hardships, but through her recent perseverance through years of cancer.

It’s difficult to understand how anyone can be forced to go through the ups and downs of cancer. It is especially hard to imagine someone so loving and undeserving of the burden of cancer can be forced to go through this.

“When I was first diagnosed with cancer I didn’t know how I was going to get up the courage to tell my family that I was sick, because I didn’t want them to worry or be sad or afraid of what was going to happen,” Bartness said.

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift someone else up first. Let someone know that you care about them,” she said. Denise Bartness will always be a symbol of perseverance and determination in the face of pain, not only to her family but to anyone she meets.

Through it all she continues to be the best mother, grandmother and cook.

Denise Bartness at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina in the 1990s wearing the gold necklace Photo courtesy of Bartness 7

Student Athlete Perseveres Through College Career

By J1 Reporter Mallory Connealy College athletics is truly a test of determination. The expectation of consistent hard work, performance and improvement creates a high stress environment for student athletes. While competing against extreme opponents, players are not only worried about their performance on the field but also within their academic studies. Teresa DeGeorge exemplified these necessary qualities required of a student athlete after graduating from Marian and while playing for Creightons women’s soccer team in the 1990s.

When DeGeorge began her academic and athletic career at Creighton University, she couldn’t rely on her usual support system of her family.

She had to explore and gain new relationships to substitute for her family’s supportive efforts.“It was extremely difficult to find people to talk to about my struggles with the team and failed attempts at balancing the important aspects of my life while at college,” DeGeorge said. The mental health

of college athletes often becomes a sacrifice made by players in an attempt to excel at different aspects of their careers.

DeGeorge was able to find a sports psychologist to confide in which was beneficial to her ability to

show up and bring a good attitude and a hunger for competition. The rigorous schedules of college athletes is truly a tug-a-war between classes and training. Trading off between studying for challenging

a college team. She said, “You spend all of your time with these people.

The thrill of winning and the agony of defeat was all done together.”

The importance of team comradery in college is vital to the team success. There are low moments and high moments on the team. Each person is working through their own problems so by coming together as a team instead of a group of individuals changes the outcome completely.

One learning experience that DeGeorge shared was when she was confronted with a choice between her studies and her team’s betterment.

After playing against a team in Chicago she was forced to make a choice between studying for a big nursing test or going out with the team and celebrating. In the moment, DeGeorge wished she would have gone out with the team but looking back she says,” it was a necessary sacrifice that aided my future career in completing nursing school and eventually graduating

“If you have the determination, grit and perseverence then the opportunities for student athletes are endless.”

-Coach Teresa DeGeorge

adapt to the new environment.

The biggest difference between athletics at the high school versus the collegiate level is the time commitment. DeGeroge said, “for me it wasn’t just about the sport, it was about the discipline.” As committed players, you are always expected to 8

classes and conditioning to sustain endurance, a new challenge arises every single day and student athletes are expected to overcome each obstacle that stands in their way to success in the classroom and as well as the field.

DeGeorge also commented on the culture of

with a degree in nursing.”

It is important to make conscious choices to do things for your future, which is an extremely challenging task in the moment.

Another struggle that DeGeorge was faced with was the fitness testing in college. For a sport like soccer that requires a lot of running, with frequent shifts from sprints to jogs, it is important for players to sustain high levels of endurance and mobility. In order for athletes to start playing in games, they are required to pass a series of fitness tests in order to prove their ability to compete at the collegiate level for

sports.

While DeGeorge never failed any of her fitness tests while at Creighton. She was still faced with challenges while training for the tests. For some players, the fitness tests came naturally due to their raw talent for running. However, this was not the case for DeGeorge. “It was hard when other girls made it easy without training and they blew by me while running,” she said. Although DeGeorge did not have a natural knack for running, she was a very determined player and was still able to showcase her outstanding soccer abilities when it mattered

most. It was just difficult to see that sometimes people get lucky with raw talent while others are forced to really work for their achievements.

However DeGeorge believes that her sense of accomplishment was worth the extra long days and tiresome nights that she spent committed to achieving excellence on her own terms.

DeGeorge said her most proud accomplishment while playing soccer at Creighton was “going full circle and completing four years.”

While DeGeorge was faced with a lot of adversity through the constant change of the coaching

staff and the balance of studying to become a nurse, she persevered and gained the experience of a lifetime. Looking back today, she doesn’t have any regrets about her athletic career and is cherished with the memories of team comradery, mental and physical exhaustion that lead to championship opportunities and the skill to preserve through any challenge or adversity that she faces in her life. DeGeorge puts all of these life lessons into practice today as Marians head varsity soccer coach.

Coach Teresa DeGeorge depicted second from the right in the middle row.

2021 Marians varisty soccer team depicted 9after winning district championship game.

Connie O’Neil: Omaha Matriarch Supports Families for 35 years

By J1 Reporter Nora Corrigan

Connie O’Neil has been taking care of children for over 35 years. She first welcomed others into her home in 1986, courageously leaving her nine-to-five in hopes of raising her son in conjunction with other family members or neighborhood kids. But what started out as a way to spend more quality time with her son, seamlessly turned into much more than O’Neil could have ever envisioned.

Leaving the accounting office at Brandeis for the last time on that fateful day in 1986, O’Neil walked into the lives of others; ultimately impacting her life and the lives’ of families throughout Omaha for years to follow.

Long before her days as a childcare provider, or even an accountant at Brandeis, O’Neil was simply an Omaha native. A part of a strong Catholic family, she attended Blessed Sacrament for grade school (now the site of Nelson Mandela Elementary School) and then received her high school diploma from Notre Dame Academy (merged with Rummel High School to form the current Roncalli Catholic). O’Neil then pursued her associates degree of interior design from the University of Nebraska Omaha. But, as these things typically go, she didn’t

exactly find a career that matched her major.

decision to become a working mother. “I loved my job and I had parents that were here, good family members.

And let me tell you, she (Nan) doesn’t have issues.”

And she’s right by the way, Nan is the embodiment of a “girlboss.”

A mother of three and an accountant and supportive wife of her husband’s very successful business.

She resides in Phoenix, Ariz. with her family and fur babies.

O’Neil recalls her early days in the workforce, “I worked part-time at Emmanuel Hospital because I kind of liked the idea of the medical field.

Well, then I got in there and they wanted me in the registry office. I thought, well, you know what, I’m going to give this a try.” Soon enough, O’Neil found herself at Brandeis in accounting after the birth of her first child.

“They’re there. They give you hugs. They want to be told that they’re doing great.

They want to be admired. They are human beings. And I think, I hope, I made a difference in their lives. I mean they’re my kids, you know?”

So O’Neil worked and raised a child and some years passed before she happily found herself pregnant with her second child. “I had trouble getting pregnant so this was big for us. And I thought, well, you know, let’s try staying home with him.”

With the arrival of Nan (O’Neil’s daughter and Marian graduate of 1989), O’Neil had to make some quick decisions; leave the workforce and take care of her child, or remain at Brandeis and risk Nan “having issues,” as her mother would taunt her. Ultimately, O’Neil made the executive

At that point, O’Neil had 10

worked in the corporate world for many years and she had her own doubts about leaving. “I said to Bill, ‘Oh man, am I going to be sorry I didn’t stay.’”

However, Bill, O’Neil’s husband, was more than supportive of their leaving to take care of her son, Kyle, and eventually establishing an in-home daycare business.

When O’Neil first decided she would take on more children besides her own, it was only because she “wanted Kyle to have other children to play with,” specifically children that she knew. “My cousin’s daughter was the same age as Kyle and she asked if I would be interested in watching Sarah. I thought that would be a good start for a playmate.” And so, the doors, or rather O’Neil’s single-car garage door, opened to welcome the first of many families that would come through for morning drop-offs or afternoon pickups in the next 35 years.

O’Neil had never intended to operate a daycare from her home or even make a profit off of it. “I think I just grew into this.

It started out as a volunteer thing at first and then I guess I wanted to make it a full time thing.” Through

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word of mouth, ads in the weekly bulletin at church, or curious neighbors, O’Neil grew her business.

She started out making $75 a week and would often sacrifice vacations to accommodate the schedules of the families at the daycare.

“Our vacations turned into ball tournaments,” referring to the annual Men’s College World Series baseball tournament. This is a tradition O’Neil’s family still continues today; her daughter and grandchildren travel back to Omaha and keep the house busy during those 2 weeks in June.

Taking care of children isn’t always a walk in the park, and that was true for O’Neil, too. There were trivial things; kids sneaking extra snacks out of the glorified ‘snack room,’ kids talking back or throwing fits, refusing to take naps, etc., but O’Neil also encountered serious situations.

O’Neil was forced to confront sexual abuse between two children at her daycare.

“There was a family that I was very close to. The mom called me and told me that one of the younger boys came on to her son.

I wasn’t aware, you know, because they would never do anything in front of me.

I confronted the parent [of the abuser] and she put him in treatment. I think it damaged the kid and Kyle’s relationship for sure. Kyle didn’t really want much to do with him after that. I think it probably damaged

our friendship with the family somewhat, too.”

ever stay home. Must be awful.’ I felt really degraded.”

After that incident, O’Neil put in measures to avoid any sort of thing from happening again.

Despite facing difficulties from friends or even in her own business, O’Neil found success in operating a daycare. She feels like part of the reason she was so successful with children is

“I really started to read little ones. I mean, you can look at them and say, you

“I never remember my parents yelling or screaming. They cared for each other and they loved each other.

They taught me how to care for kids like they’re real people.” know, how are you doing today? What did you like about today? Ask them questions that they have to respond to other than a yes or no.”

because of the examples her parents led.

“I never remember my parents yelling or screaming. They cared for each other and they loved each other. That’s it. They taught me to care for kids like they’re real people.”

Beyond the challenges faced with children, O’Neil also received backlash from former corporate friends.

When it comes down to it, O’Neil remembers the impact the kids made on her.

“I remember going to functions with Bill. He was still in corporate. We would go to dinner and visit and socialize and people would ask me, ‘How could you

“They’re there. They give you hugs. They want to be 12

told that they’re doing great.

They want to be admired.

They are human beings.

And I think, I hope, I made a difference in their lives. I mean they’re my kids, you know?”

O’Neil’s single-car garage door closed to families for good in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

She didn’t want to risk contracting COVID and spreading it to the children or their family members at home.

She was also planning on retiring in May 2020 and the pandemic only sped up that process. Although she no longer takes care of other children, O’Neil is fortunate enough to assume her grandmotherly duties as a caretaker for her son’s daughter, Carter Jo. O’Neil’s 35 years in childcare have been nothing short of impactful and inspirational. She never intended to direct her life around taking care of children, but she wouldn’t have it any other way. Families across Omaha all agree that O’Neil is more than a caretaker; she’s a mother. She was there to teach new parents how to tame a crying baby or how to handle more than one child. She taught kids how to walk or read. And she took on the most important role of a parent; she taught kids how to be kind and how to show kindness towards others. O’Neil’s son puts it best, “There’s not too many people like [my mom].”

Photo by Nora Corrigan ’23

Photo by Mary Ambrose ’23

Photo by Isabella Raczynski ’23 13

Yost Finds Her Passion in Guatemala

By J1 Reporter Grace Diers Marian Alumni from 2018, Audrey Yost loves to travel and seems to always be off on an adventure somewhere beautiful and exotic throughout the world.

Yost explained that her love for traveling began when she was young. This was when she travelled for the first time and it opened her eyes to just how big the world is and how she only sees a small portion of it in her everyday life.

“We live in such a small part of this world and day to day we forget how big that world is and how different other parts of the world are. People don’t realize how much a difference they can make in different parts of the world, and what they can see,” Yost says. She especially loves to travel abroad because she can experience the different cultures and learn about their different ways and upbringings, but also teach them about hers.

Yost has taken two mission trips, one to the Dominican Republic and one to Guatemala. She loves them because of the people she meets, and says that it shocks her every time she goes how much different their lives are from hers, and seeing this is what helped her finally decide on a major in college. Going

go on to volunteer at the Association for Creativity and Development of Guatemala. While she volunteered there, she would work with kids who may be prone to gangs because of difficult

into college she wasn’t one-hundred percent sure on what she was going to do, but she originally had communication as a major only to change it a few weeks later to international studies.

them about how numerous families tried to migrate to the United States but couldn’t fully make it. They explained that some dads would say to their kids see you in America, but end up never seeing them again, because the rest of the family couldn’t make it there. This is what truly inspired Yost and made her want to try and help them because she had gotten

We live in such a small part of this world and day to day we forget how big that world is and how different other parts of the world are. People don’t realize how much a difference they can make in different parts of the world, and what they can see.” backgrounds, or kids who didn’t get easily accessible opportunities for education and were further behind. She explains how eye opening it was to see that so many people there struggled with those issues and had no one to help them.

Yost says that they would sometimes talk to the moms while volunteering there and had conversations with

Although, after her second mission trip, this seemed to change again.

The summer after Yost’s freshman year, she took a trip to Guatemala when she was 19. On this trip she learned so much about the people who lived there because while there she was constantly helping them and learning about their culture.

Everyday in Guatemala that Yost spent there varied, but a typical day for her would include one-on-one Spanish lessons with the kids, and then she would 14

to know and even love some of these people, and their stories hit a certain spot in her heart.

Soon after she got back from Guatemala, Yost made

it her long term goal to support and fight for these people who don’t have the help they deserve. So, after returning home from Guatemala she added international business as her major, and then after the pandemic advanced to make it pre-law. Now, she has had some real experience in what she wants to do. This past summer she was an intern for

the International Trade Administration, Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.

What Yost did there was work with people that Joe Biden nominated for the senate and then she would listen in on congressional hearings where they talked about resource loss from pandemic work and other current issues.

Yost is now currently

applying to Washington D.C. to hopefully be in the legal sector or to work in a firm there.

She is also applying all over just in case D.C. doesn’t work out, but she definitely will want to live there. She hopes she will right after college because of the network opportunities she created so recently this summer.

She hopes that D.C. will work out and that she

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will be able to soon be out helping those like the ones she came to know so well while in Guatemala. Yost’s advice for Marian girls is to relax, because you won’t have it all figured out at first, you have to take time and let yourself figure it out and the right path will come to you and show itself, just like it did for her.

Dancer turns childhood dream into reality Many kids have grand aspirations when they are asked what they want to be when they are older. Astronaut, soccer player, singer, and ballerina are all a typical response. Often, these dreams form into more realistic careers that are easier to pursue. But for Katrinka Stayton, her childhood aspiration became a reality.

Ever since sixth grade, she knew she wanted to pursue a career in dance. Now, as a dance instructor and choreographer at Heartland Conservatory of Dance in Omaha, she did exactly that.

Katrinka Stayton grew up in Omaha and trained at Ballet Omaha up until she was 18. Although she did not major in dance in college, she did not let it prevent her from pursuing it. She obtained her first career at Central Dance Theatre and it still holds a special place in her heart.

Through that career, she met some amazing people from different states and even some dancers from New York City Ballet.

The hardest aspect at the beginning of her job was being short and considered “fat”. “One director literally said to me, ‘I would hire you but you need to lose 15 pounds,’ I was 115 pounds at the time,” Stayton said.

Despite this, Stayton has still managed to successfully continue her dance career.

Her husband Taylor

by J1 Reporter Audrey Ehlers

Stayton has similarly obtained a unique career as an opera singer. She said that through his career, hers has been allowed to grow.

He travels nine months out of the year, and if Stayton is not working, then she is traveling with him. She has been to at least eight countries and this is where she attains some of her biggest inspirations for her work. She said that each place has their own thing with a different culture and unique aspects, which inspires her and helps her grow as an artist. Besides traveling, she likes to cook, garden, and work out, but pursuing other hobbies is difficult because “dance really encompasses my whole life.”

On an everyday basis, Stayton teaches from 3 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. at Heartland Conservatory of Dance. She teaches around 20 dance classes a week, and during the day will pick up some

gigs working as a pilates instructor. The majority of her day before teaching is

“I just need to ... treat everybody like they’re willing and deserving to do something great.”

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spent preparing for classes by creating choreography and class plans, registering

for competitions, and organizing shows. She calls it, “a lot of behind the scenes stuff that no one really thinks about or realizes how it gets done.”

Her favorite aspect of teaching is the kids, specifically being able to watch them grow as dancers and as humans. When asked what her favorite style of dance is, she said it’s not necessarily what, but who: “I love a motivated class, no matter what style it is - it’s hard to teach kids who aren’t motivated.” More specifically, she loves to teach 8 to 12 year olds because they’re really hard working, dedicated, want to get better, want to be there, and that’s where she sees the most progress.

Being a teacher, she has a lot of people to please.

Notably parents, who are sometimes a struggle. “Parents want their kids in front, but some simply aren’t ready - it doesn’t matter and doesn’t define the dancer,” Stayton said. Another difficult aspect of being a teacher is being someone that kids look up to daily.

Stayton said, “There’s a lot of self doubt - it’s hard to know if I’m doing the right thing and making the right decisions. I just need to trust my gut and be honest with my intentions and treat everybody like they’re willing and deserving to be something great.”

Stayton’s mindset of teaching everybody as if they can do something great is what makes her an inspirational teacher who her students gladly look up to. She sees the potential

is to simply keep working. in every single student and Stayton said, “With dance, makes them feel like they it’s about the longevity. One are worth something and by one people fall out - it’s capable of anything if they not a career for the faint of put the work forward. This heart. I want to keep pushmindset that she reflects ing, learning and innovatupon her students is the ing.” same mindset that she used to get her career where it is today.

Stayton’s love for dance is what continuously pushes her to keep going.

She doesn’t have one specific person or influence, rather her emotions at the time are her biggest inspiration. Her current feelings motivate an abundance of her choreography: “I don’t have to focus on anything else - just the present moment.” The most discouraging thing to her is wanting to make her career bigger. “It’s hard seeing people who aren’t as talented or look different than you that get jobs. It’s about who you know and there’s always regrets of having done something differently,” Stayton said.

She wishes she had stayed in New York City longer or had gotten a mentor to have helped guide her.

Overall, Nebraska is not the ideal state to pursue a dance career because there is only so far one can go with it. If she were to strengthen her career, she would want to move to Europe because arts are highly appreciated there because they are funded by the government. A creator has complete control over their art because there are no private institutions or donors controlling it with expectations of how it should look.

Katrinka Stayton dancing on the roof of the Oslo Besides this large dream, her day-to-day goal Opera House in Norway.

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Kristal Kuo’s Self-Discovery Journey

By J1 Reporter Elsa Jurrens It is no surprise Kristal Kuo’s nickname is Kristal light, as she brings brightness and joy to everyone around her. Kuo is the definition of an inspiring woman. She can fill someone with desire to do something worthwhile-something that creates a better world. She inspires people with her words, actions, traits and ethics. Not only does she believe in herself, she believes in others. Kuo makes those around her want to be better, reach further and leap higher.

Kuo is currently a senior at Creighton University on the pre-medicine track.

During her sophomore and junior years of college she balanced playing collegiate level tennis and furthering her academic career. She is one of Creighton’s most decorated players as she claimed Creighton Women’s Tennis Most Improved Player, ITA Scholar-Athlete, Big East All-Academic Team and President’s Award for Educational Excellence throughout her Creighton tennis career.

Balancing a heavy course load, being a collegiate athlete, and finding time for oneself is no easy task yet Kuo’s desire to make the world a better place keeps her going. “I hope to use my strengths to improve the lives of others. I know my life is more fulfilling when I use my talents to improve other people’s lives,” Kuo said.

Kuo’s story starts in Los Angeles, Calif (CA) where she was born. She lived there for about four years, until she moved to Nebraska. Her father and mother wished for a quiet, small town-homey place to raise a family. “Because my parents are immigrants, they grew up in a world where they don’t feel as if they belong.

They had to work so hard to attain the status they now have.

Seeing them succeed influenced my work ethic and made me so grateful to be given the opportunities I have living in the United States,” Kuo said.

It is no mistake that Kuo learned many of her virtues from her family. Throughout her life her family has been one for her biggest support systems.

Along with family, Kuo is thankful for her relationship with God. “I am most thankful for Jesus because when there are times when I doubted myself, I feel like God has always been with and helping me fight my internal and external battles.”

One of the most important traits in an inspiring person is that they are emotionally healthy and healed.

Mental health is a vital part of life. It affects how one thinks, feels, acts, and copes with life. Learning to accept the messages our bodies communicate to us is monumental. Watching Kuo’s growth physically, spiritually, and mentally has made such a big impact on the people that surround her.

Impressively, Kuo graduated from Elkhorn High School in three years.

She starred as Elkhorn’s tennis number one singles player all three years. Unsurprisingly, she earned many honors and awards throughout this time.

Even so, after graduating from high school, she felt burnout.

Kuo entered college the next year, again putting her academics above herself.

She struggled mentally as a young teenager in college.

“I knew I had failed when I

“College taught me a lot about myself. I learned that I am a perfectionist, and I need to focus on my happiness throughout the journey, not the outcome of the journey,” Kuo said.

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realized I had been pushing myself too hard and tying my self-worth to how I was doing in school,”Kuo said.

Thankfully, things turned toward the better her sophomore year.

Kuo entered her second year in college with hopefulness and determination. After quitting tennis the previous year, she decided to go out for the Creighton tennis team. “After I quit tennis after high school it was a big success for me to play at a D1 school. I got back into something I was passionate about and put my all into it,” Kuo said.

Throughout her following years, Kuo matured and grew to learn more about herself and her work ethic.

“College taught me a lot about myself. I learned that I am a perfectionist, and I need to focus on my happiness throughout the journey, not the outcome of the journey,’’ Kuo said. “Having goals is good, yet beware of burnout.

Learning to accept my limits has been hard, but at least I have begun to understand them.”

Kuo’s narrative reminds current high schoolers to not worry about the destination of life and to enjoy the ride. Navigating high school and college is difficult. Students are faced with challenges at every stage of their academic journey but as Kuo said, “slow down and enjoy life.”

Headshot of Kristal Kuo. Photo by Kristie Kuo (Kuo Photos)

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Jean Ambrose’s Journey to Confidence

By J1 Reprter Matilda Lang Mrs. Jean Ambrose, the mother of one of my best friends, is a person you meet and never forget. Anytime I enter the Ambrose house, something is going on. It definitely makes my house seem boring.

When you enter, Diesel, one of their dogs, is probably taking his laps in the backyard. Mrs. Ambrose is looking for something or running around the house.

Mr. Ambrose is having me fix the t.v. or having Mary, one of their three daughters, explain how to access his soccer tickets.There is never a dull moment at the Ambrose household.

Whether Mrs. Ambrose is stopping in the middle of the road because she sees a street sign that says Jean.

Or trying to buy everyone food and never finishing it (especially slushes), she is definitely someone who makes everyone laugh and feel welcomed. So how did Ambrose grow into the entertaining person she is today? She faced her share of challenges, but overcame them.

Being one of the only female lawyers in her firm, Jean Ambrose experienced the disadvantage of being a woman in a very male-dominated field. Notre Dame Law School could only prepare Ambrose so much before she faced the reality of being a new female lawyer.

Fresh out of college, Ambrose joined her first

practice. As she adjusted to this new work dynamic, she noticed the sexism first hand. “You often hear about sexism in the workplace ,but it’s completely different when you witness it.”

Ambrose felt out of place, “I felt like I couldn’t contribute to a lot of the conversations the men had, especially about football.”

The women weren’t inclusive either.

“The few women that were in the practice were so focused on getting themselves to the top.

So much so they weren’t willing to help those around them.”

Ambrose expected more support from the women in the firm. Not every woman was like this, but it occurred more than one would think.

“The whole women-supporting- women wasn’t a prominent thing at this time.”

Ambrose had to navigate the struggles of being a new

young woman in a law position in the 90s. She worked tirelessly to gain respect from her coworkers.

When it came to how men in the firm viewed Ambrose, they thought of her as a daughter, not an equal coworker. Being surrounded by men and the sexism that occured made Ambrose uncomfortable.

Ambrose said it was a lot different in terms of how workforces are run today.

She is glad to see more emphasis on supporting the younger generation as they enter the workforce.

A piece of advice that Ambrose would give to those struggling with the pressure of the questions: What do you want to do with the rest of your life?

What’s your major? is: “Find something you enjoy, find where you would thrive. Ambrose said.

“Job shadow as much as you can to get insight on what the occupation is really like. Lastly, don’t worry. It all comes together.”

Ambrose has two of her

Being one of the only female lawyers in her firm, Jean Ambrose experienced the disadvantage of being a woman in a very maledominated field.

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four children currently in college and the other two are still in high school. She emphasizes to her kids not to worry.

So how did Ambrose persevere and gain confidence?

She turned to support from family and friends. Ambrose’s grandma, who she called Grandma K,was a huge influence and inspiration to Ambrose.

A lot of confidence that Ambrose has today is from her faith in God. Over the years Ambrose learned the importance of letting God take the lead.

“When I stopped caring about every little detail, I realized a lot of my worries disappeared.”

“Everyone is carrying their invisible backpacks,” she said. Everyone has burdens they are carrying that people can’t see.

Ambrose stressed the importance of recognizing that you never know what someone is going through and it is important to be kind to all.

Jean Ambrose ended up keeping her law license throughout being a stay- athome mom. She would do legal stuff here and there, but she focused on raising her children.

The outgoing and fun person Ambrose reminds those around her to life to the fullest and not take life too seriously.

Jean Ambrose holds her two dogs, Diesal and Tank. All of them were dressed up and ready to pass out candy for halloween. Photo by Mary Ambrose.

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Dear Best Friend,

By J1 Reporter Lauren Martin

Although not actually related by blood, Bella Luetkenhaus has been more than a sister figure to me ever since our Saint Vincent de Paul Grade School days.

She is a current Marian junior who is graduating in 2023, and she will always be my biggest inspiration.

She puts the fun in everything. Luetkenhaus can take any situation and turn it into a memory that will forever be remembered. She’s that one person that I can look at in a room full of people, and we would both understand exactly what “the look” is implying.

We have gone to school together our whole lives, have worked together at both jobs we have had, go on vacations together, go to concerts together, go to summer camp together, share a birthday together— both obviously being an Aquarius, and, overall, do everything together.

A typical day in Luetkenhaus’ life consists of: “I wake up, get a maple vanilla latte blended at Scooters, then chill in Lauren’s car until it’s time for school.

After school, I usually head to my shift at TCBY.” She is inspiring in every way from her easy going personality to her work ethic at her jobs and at school.

etkenhaus wants to go into entomology at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. We plan on rooming together and have already started looking at dorm decor.

Luetkenhaus has no problem explaining her favorite thing about TCBY, “I really like the people that I work with and the environment where I can learn more about how the real world works. I’ve met some of my best friends, and it is always such a fun time. I also love the pistachio soft serve yogurt, so that’s a plus!”

Right now, if she could travel anywhere in the world, she says, “I would live in Hawaii. I went there with my mom over spring break and I am absolutely in love with the green scenery.

Everyone is so friendly and welcoming.”

Speaking of favorites, Luetkenhaus has many.

“One of my favorite meals to have for dinner is buttery noodles and my favorite place to go out to eat is Kobe Steakhouse. I like winding down to “American Horror Story,” playing with my dogs Rocco and Carlos, a shih tzu and a pug poodle mix, and feeding my hamster D’coldest. I got this name from a game I play called My Boo.”

Luetkenhaus says, “I love decorating and doing art in my free time.” She enjoys “pretty much everything about decorating, and I do it all the time.” She decorates everything from her room to her car. “I do happen to have a moss zen garden, three sun catchers, squishmallows, and crystals in my car.”—Love the greenery!

Everyone needs a person in their lives who inspires them to be a better person and that’s what Luetkenhaus is to me. The way she’s always trying new things and making each and every situation more fun is exactly what I look for in a best friend.

She has a bumper sticker that says, “I brake for critters.” She says, “One time while we were driving home from the lake around midnight, we saw a baby opossum with its eyeball popping out and blood dripping everywhere. It was a bloodbath fosho and I will never forget this moment.

This also corresponds with my love for critters just like my desired major.” And yes, we do have matching “Honk for a TBH” bumper stickers.

Luetkenhaus says one of the things that makes her happiest is, “when you go outside and it’s green.”

She has always had a love for animals, bugs, and all creation. Knowing this, Lu22

Her favorite class is social problems because, “It is always interesting and really draws my attention. It makes me excited to learn.”

She also says she likes to “adventure to places in the area that I have never seen before.”

When conversing about celebrity crushes and about who inspires her, she said, “I LOVE Ross Lynch because we’re going to his concert and I like his music.

Die hard fan right here!”

In her personal life, her grandpa is the most inspiring person to her because he, “approaches everything in a kind manner and truly cares about my family.”

Luetkenhaus really enjoys astrology, crystals, angel numbers, and spirituality. As an Aquarius, she says, “When people try causing problems, I just keep to myself.” This is another trait of hers that I adore. The biggest challenge she’s faced is toxic friendships and losing people. This is when she becomes independent and this is another reason why the two of us get along so well. Our shared astrology sign is very important to us and played a role in how we became best friends.

Luetkenhaus and I went to Camp Foster this summer, and she says, “Camp

was the best time of my life.

I kept seeing the number 222 everywhere at camp and saw a post that said the number 222 means you’re in the right place at the right time.”

Going along the spiritual and camp theme, something she has experienced is, “My first year at camp, age 11, in Navajo cabin, I found out years later that I was in the so-called ‘haunted bunk.’

Going back to the perspective of 11-year-old me, one night after lights out, I suddenly woke up and couldn’t fall back asleep. I looked out my window and locked eyes with a row of children wearing wooden masks for several minutes. I thought another cabin was pranking us, so I decided to go back to sleep.”

“The next morning, I asked my counselor which cabin had pranked us and she said no one did.”

“Back in the present time, last year on our haunted hike, which is for 16-year-olds, the owner of the camp told a ghost story saying that exact thing had happened to someone in that same bunk. At that moment, Lauren and I looked at each other and remembered the story I had told years prior that only the two of us know about.”

Bella Luetkenhaus and Lauren Martin after Homecoming rocking their favorite color!

We experience key moments in our lives together which has grown us closer and is why Bella Luetkenhaus will always be my best friend.

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Bella Luetkenhaus’ lucky number from Camp Foster: In the right place at the right time.

Paving Your Own Path

By J1 Reporter Maggie Morris

Many people do not know what career path they want to take after college. For Cat Swartz, that was not the case.

Growing up in Omaha, Neb., Swartz graduated from Duchesne Academy in 2017. During her time there, she says one of her favorite things was being involved in theater. She then moved to Kansas City to study criminal justice and psychology at Rockhurst University, which she graduated from in the spring of 2021.

During college, Swartz says that she had one advisor who was a really big inspiration to her. They were one of the professors for her major and gave her a lot of helpful feedback and advice. She says it was “nice to have that kind of support,” especially during college when you are trying to figure out what your next steps in life are.

not “feel like you have to do what’s expected of you... you spend so much of your life at your job that you have to find a job that you love so that you also love your life.”

Swartz currently works full time as a paralegal assistant in Kansas City. This means that she helps one specific paralegal who works with one specific lawyer. A typical work day for her consists of collecting evidence and medical records for a big case she is working on.

Once this case is settled, her focus will shift to a new case. She says that it is

After graduating from Rockhurst, Swartz applied to numerous jobs based on what she had studied. She says that the job search can

“You spend so much of your life at your job that you have to find a job that you love so that you also love your life.”

Although she had a strong sense of what she wanted to study heading into college, she says it isn’t the case with everybody. Her biggest piece of advice for high school students trying to figure out what they want to do with their future is to

be a very frustrating and slow process. After a long time of searching and filling out applications for many positions, she finally got asked to interview at a law firm, and within hours of the interview, she got a call saying that she had gotten the job.

interesting to learn about the legal system in school, but you cannot get a true idea of how it operates until you actually work in it every day.

She loves getting to learn new things each day. Swartz says that her favorite part of her job is “getting to talk to people who have been wronged and be a part of 24

things that could help them get justice.”

Swartz is the youngest person who works at her office, with the next youngest person being around 10 years older than her. She says that while her coworkers probably think she is too young, having this job does not make her feel super young. She also says that her parents are both very supportive of her career and proud of her young success. “I’m really lucky to have parents who trust me to make choices that are the best for me.” This is a great example of how age should not hold you back from doing what you want to do with your life and choosing a career that you enjoy.

As far as her future goes, Swartz is not positive if she will attend law school or stay in the legal field for the rest of her career. She has some interest and experience in social work and non-profit work that she might want to go back into in the future, but for now, Swartz is happy that she has found a job that she loves where she gets to help others while using her knowledge for criminal justice and psychology each day.

Cat Swartz, Rockhurst University graduate May 2021, is currently a paralegal assistant using her passions and interests in psychology and criminal justice.

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Former Student Makes Move Across the World

By J1 Reporter Theresa Mueller Kyoko walks up the 999 stone steps of the Kuno-Zan temple, it is New Year’s Eve and she must make it to the top to pray and celebrate the new year. This was an annual tradition for Kyoko in her hometown of Shizuoka, a prefecture of Japan outside of Tokyo, where she and her sister, Yasuko, spent their whole childhood. They went through school all the way to college, but once Kyoko had graduated, she decided she wanted to see more of the world than the same place she had lived all her life. She was going to move across the world, all the way to America Creighton was the sister school of her college, and Kyoko was at a high enough level of English to be eligible to study abroad. She arrived in America in 1992 with general confidence in her ability, but soon the overwhelming reality set in: she was in a completely foreign country, and Americans spoke much quicker than she had anticipated. She was not totally alone, there were other exchange students, but they were not all Japanese.

They came from all over the world, from India to Israel, and she was assigned to a dorm room with a native English speaker and was not able to rely on her Japanese classmates.

“Yes, it was very hard,” Kyoko said, “I spent the

first three weeks crying.”

The language barrier was a difficult hurdle to overcome, she didn’t feel smart compared to everyone else, but soon things began to look up. She made friends with a student from India in her aerobics class and many other classmates. After only a year, Kyoko’s English had greatly improved and she was finally finding confidence and branching out.

When moving, Kyoko said America was nothing like she had expected.

She had initially thought it would look similar to New York City, or like the movies she had seen like “Home Alone”. Instead, when she got to Nebraska, it was open fields and much smaller of a city than NYC. Still she persevered, staying open-minded.

“It is important to stay open to other culture[s], you take the good parts with you,” she said. Kyoko certainly does, bringing Japanese superstitions to her American household.

She keeps a figure of a cat (called Maneki Neko) that moves one of its paws, as if bringing in or welcoming good fortune. Symbolic meanings vary. For example, the number 4 might not seem like a big deal, but in Japan, it symbolizes death, which was unfortunate for Kyoko during a major exam at Creighton, who

got assigned table 4. It is superstitions like these that she keeps, making it clear she still values both cultures even after the move.

Kyoko got married in 1997 on Valentines Day to an American and later had four children together (Baily, Kaylen, Kyra and Liam) and after divorcing, got married to her current husband, David Sterns. She still keeps in contact with her family, all of whom are in Japan, over calls and messaging.

After years of being away from her hometown Kyoko said, “I miss my family, but I love my freedom.”

Her parents had been very traditional,

focusing on school work and setting strict curfews.

She hopes in America her kids feel comfortable to talk with her. After the struggle of moving across the world to a completely different country and the tears that came with, she has been able to create a life for herself through the determination she had brought with her from Japan.

“It is important to stay open to other culture[s], you take the good parts with you.”

-Kyoko Sterns

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Kyoko, age 20, on adulthood day, a tradition in Japan Pictured to the left: Kyoko (light colored hat) shortly after arriving with students from Korea and China 27

Doct0r Overcomes Life Challenges

By J1 Reporter Megan Patterson A school in Marshall, Texas denied a young boy the necessities he needed to succeed in school. Little, Edward Truemper struggled to master the alphabet and reading was a challenge. He could not visualize the letters and after three months, he could recite the alphabet without truly understanding what he was saying.

Truemper’s parents began to worry about how far behind he had fallen in school, specifically in reading and math. The school told his parents they had him tested and their results showed that he was “borderline retarded.” His parents realized that he could not read or write. He was taken to Dr. James Harris, his pediatrician, to get tested. Dr. Harris diagnosed Truemper with dyslexia and dysgraphia, which was a very rare diagnosis in 1960.

The school system in Texas did not believe the diagnosis. Dr. Harris kept fighting for Ed and he took the case to the state capital in Austin to speak with the State Board of Education and the state superintendent of schools.

Truemper said, “Dr. Haris threatened to go public if the school system did not educate me with the methods that a child with dyslexia needs. And from there on I was able to master my work, overcome dyslexia and dysgraphia,

and became a star pupil in the school.”

Ed eventually earned a scholarship to the University of Mississippi and defeated all the odds that were stacked against him.

Since he was around the age of 6 he knew he wanted to become a doctor. He worked hard to become a pediatrician in critical care medicine, which led him to the creation of ELI. Dr. Truemper met Eli when he was taking care of him. Eli sadly passed away one week after being born in May 2015. His parents wanted to make a difference for kids like Eli all around the world. They decided to help fund a project to develop a headset that could monitor blood flow in the brain.

His family wished for Dr. Truemper and his partner, Dr. Greg Bashford, to make something consequential.

They then came up with the idea to make the headset wireless, which would need a link. They provided the option to brainstorm what to call this wireless headset.

The final name is Electronic Link Interface which

stands for E.L.I. Truemper explains how Eli’s name is now ascribed to this microchip, which allows doctors to be able to monitor brain blood flow wirelessly.

Today, Truemper is working on making his invention more accessible to people. His goal is to be able to get this into ambulances to monitor the blood flow in the brain of people in critical conditions.

“We are embedding the chip into a medical device that could be a handheld instrument,” Truemper said. This chip would only weigh approximately nine ounces. This would allow the emergency response personnel to be able to evaluate a patient more precisely and quicker before reaching a hospital.

Truemper is in the process of receiving funding to be able to build the prototype that will be used in the back of an ambulance for testing. The Lincoln Fire Department and other EMS programs across Nebraska have shown interest in

Treumper said, “Most of the achievements I have made come from the interaction with others and patients.”

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E.L.I. with helping to field test it.

Along with developing his wireless headset project, Dr. Truemper is working on writing his first book.

He started writing his book in January 2021, and he intends to have the first draft finished in the late spring of 2022. He says he has always been an avid reader and Truemper recalls the idea for writing a book started around 15 years ago.

Truemper questioned what his life would become when he decided to leave clinical medicine. He brainstormed many different storylines. By doing that, he came up with the perfect story to tell. “My novel is about an emotionally bereft physician executive, whose childhood tragedies led him to many obstacles in his life,” Truemper said. “He is only able to overcome these obstacles when he is confronted with a tragedy at a small-town hospital. There he finds his humanity, and the plot continues.”

Truemper has mentored 200 to 250 people inspiring them to want to create change in their everyday lives. He explains that he can tell people what to do, and what not to do, but at the end of the day you control the way you want your life to go. He loves the fact that he gets to watch his mentees grow up into amazing people, who all have

different goals and ideas of success. He sees his mentees become anywhere from a lawyer, doctor, teacher, and even a mother or a father. He says, “ The bottom line is not me determining what their success should be, it is allowing them to create their own success

so that they can feel they are being consequential in their lives.” He values the relationships he builds and will do anything he can to help anyone he asks for his advice and guidance.

Dr. Ed Truemper has overcome many obstacles in his life. When life threw

a curveball in his early years, he never wanted to quit; he always kept going.

“The way to handle obstacles is not to keep battering them, but find a way around them,” he said. His key to success was perseverance. He willed himself to become the best student he

could specifically in reading and mathematics. “All along, it has been a struggle and this struggle can defeat you,” Truemper said, “but perseverance is the tool you can use to overcome the obstacles life throws at you.”

Doctor Ed Truemper is working on editing his new novel and creating E.L.I. on November 20, 2021.

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From Tragedy to Peace: Profile of Kathy Arenz Life can bring many tragedies, it often can be difficult to find a way to navigate your way through these tragedies. However, while experiencing tragedies throughout life, you should not try to ignore them. Instead, you should surround yourself with happiness and positive people. This is exactly what Kathy Arenz does when she faces tragedies in her life.

Arenz grew up in Peru, Neb. along with her two sisters, brother and parents.

She went on to marry her first husband at the age of 18. After marriage, she was fortunate enough to be able to attend college for two years at the University of Nebraska Omaha.

After receiving her degree in business, she went on to become a secretary. She believes that she was successful as a secretary because of her determination.

Arenz and her husband were excited to start a life together and they got to experience happiness together for a few years, but then tragedy struck. Arenz’s husband unexpectedly passed away. This was her first tragedy that she faced in her life and she had to find a way to cope with it. However, Arenz did not know that she would face even more tragedies and that this was just the beginning.

Arenz continued with her

By J1 Reporter Ella Plank

life despite her tragedy and went on to marry Chuck Arenz a few years later. The two of them were blessed to have two beautiful children, Susan and David.

“I loved every minute of being a mother, and I was very blessed to have two wonderful children,” Arenz said. Arenz’s children grew up and were starting their own lives, but then she experienced another tragedy and this one was even harder to face.

my faith for almost everything,” she said. Arenz along with Chuck attended church together on a weekly basis and their faith was strengthened after their son had passed away. Unfortunately, Chuck passed away due to Parkinson’s disease and a broken hip in 2015.

Arenz started to volunteer on a weekly basis at the Siena Francis House after her son had passed away in 1981. She started volunteering at the Siena Francis House when it was located in a walk-out bar. She watched the Siena Francis House grow into a bigger organization with many different facilities. Originally, the Siena Francis House was simply just an overnight shelter for women in 1975.

However, it now provides a kitchen, dining room, cleaning room, heat room and many other facilities for people in need.

The Sienna Francis House invites all people in need and provides them with shelter and words of encouragement. She believes that the Siena Francis

“I was tested so many times in my life which taught me to rely on my faith for almost everything.”

David, Arenz’s son, had passed away from a brain tumor at the young age of 24. This was very unexpected and challenged Arenz to find support. She found this support in her religion and through volunteering. Arenz had grown up in a Christian family, however, they were not very involved in the Church.

Arenz believes that her faith brought her happiness and hope for the future through the tragedies she has experienced. “I was tested so many times in my life which taught me to rely on

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House filled a certain place in her heart after her son had passed.

Arenz went on to be a grandmother to two and a great grandmother to four.

She finds joy in the faces of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her grandchildren live in Omaha also, so she often gets to see them regularly. “It is cool to see your family and loved ones in multiple generations because not that many people get to experience that,” Arenz said.

Arenz is most proud of her grandchildren in her life because they strived to get an education and a job that provides for their family.

She finds inspiration in Emily, her grandchild, because of her dedication. Emily is always there to support and help Arenz whenever she needs a hand and she is very grateful to have a granddaughter like Emily in her life.

Despite the tragedies she has faced in life, Arenz has found pure happiness.

She believes that she was able to find this happiness because of her faith in God. This pure happiness involves spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Tragedies can often be hard to overcome, but along with tragedies comes gratefulness for the life you have in that present moment.

Kathy Arenz smiling as she gets ready for her family gathering.

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My Guiding Mentor

By J1 Reporter Isabella Raczynski Throughout our lifetimes, we’ve all had so many people inspire us. They motivate us to be the best person we can be. Throughout all 16 years of my life, I’ve had one constant supporter and inspiration, my mom. My mom always told me I could be anything I wanted to be and be who I wanted to be; she filled our house with love and music, and as she’s guided me through my 16 years of life, I began to realize that I wanted to be just like her when I grew up.

My mom, Martha, was born in Bogota, Colombia, and never had much when she was growing up. Her biological mother abandoned her at a young age, and her biological dad died when she was 19 from brain cancer. Ever since she was a young girl, she would live with her grandma, and eventually moved in with her aunt and cousin.

She would usually end up sharing many things with her cousin, Sonia, until my mom was old enough to start working and earn her own income. My mom started to make her own money from working at Coca-Cola as a teenager, and eventually when she graduated from high school, she got accepted and graduated from the two most prestigious universities in Colom-

bia: Universidad de la Salle, where she graduated as an economist, and Universidad de Los Andes, where she specialized in programs.

From there she began working at the contractship for three years, until she decided to emigrate to the United States.

After packing her bags and moving to Vero Beach, Florida, my mom arrived in the United States in April 2001. She began living with her aunt while working as a maid for my godparents. It was my godfather who suggested that she move away from Vero Beach to fulfill her dream: to learn English and start a family. Taking the advice, my mom moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, but now “I wish I would have been more mature and given my decisions more thought.”

In Milwaukee, my mom ended up meeting my dad when he was going to Marquette University where they fell in love. Within that same year, they moved to Carter Lake, Iowa, where they got married on Sept.

27, 2003. Almost two years later, I was born, but my parents and I ended up moving to Omaha when I was 6 so that I could get a better education and have a better life. “The day you were born was the most impactful day of my life,” she told

me.”It taught me not to take the special moments for granted. Becoming a mom taught me to love kids even more, understand them, but also make them understand that as a parent, I was once in their position, too.”

As soon as we were fully moved into our house, my mom was offered a position as a paraprofessional at Jackson Elementary. Whenever I didn’t have school, I would go to work with her and help out with the kids; those days sparked my love for children. Eventually, my mom got transferred to Gilder Elementary, where she currently works, but now as a bilingual liaison she has been at Gilder for the past five years.

My mom loves what she does, which is what inspired me to pursue my own passions. “The thing that motivates me the most is helping others and seeing the outcome of it along with people’s compassion towards me.” My mom loves seeing her kids smile and watching them start to grow as people. “It pays off after hearing all the parents call me and talk about their kid now” she said.After coming to the United States my mom said she has learned to respect other cultures and their differences, along with being more open minded towards them, especially 32

since my dad is an immigrant from Poland. Even though she is happy where she is now in life, she still misses lots of things from Colombia.

Colombia and the United States are different in many ways. In Colombia, “people seem much more caring.

People here in the United States are much more distant.” She says that “the cultures are also completely different, with different festivities, food, and even the way people dress.” My mom’s favorite tradition is novenas: which are gatherings for nine days straight where we pray and then have a party afterwards until Christmas Day. She hopes that I pass this tradition on to my kids, along with teaching them Spanish and Colombian culture. My Colombian culture has always been a part of who I am, and I am so thankful that my mom has passed it onto me.

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve wanted to be just like my mom. She’s taught me to stand up for myself, pursue my passions and dreams, and that I deserve nothing but the best. I strive to be like her when I’m older, to make her proud and to continue empowering my family for generations to continue. I’m so grateful for my mom to this day, and I always will be. Because

of her, I am the woman I am today, and she has made me become the best version of myself. For that, I owe everything to my mom and hope that my kids will learn to value her as much as I have.

“The day you were born was the most impactful day of my life. It taught me not to take the special moments for granted.” - Martha Raczynski

Isi Raczynski and her mom, Martha, in Pueblito Boyacense on November 21, 2021.

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Dr. Gaines starts from scratch

By J1 Reporter Ally Ravnsborg

Growing up, most people have an evolving picture of what their future looks like. At a young age most children dream of being a rock star, doctor or astronaut. Most of the time, these dreams will stay just that, dreams. However for Dr. Joey Gaines, the dream of becoming a veterinarian started from the age of 4 and never faltered.

While attending high school, Gaines was tasked with writing an autobiography that included her past but also her possible future. She wrote that she wanted to own her very own clinics, which soon became her reality. After attending Millard South High School and Salina Central High School, Gaines felt prepared to enter into undergrad at Kansas State University.

After making it through undergrad, she went straight into vet school and received her doctorate in veterinary medicine in 1999.

While attending high school, Gaines met her life partner, Adam Gaines, and they married in May of 1997 while attending college.

Getting a degree while starting a life together may be hard for some people, but the couple managed to find a way and started their family soon after in 2000. Before her first child was born, Gaines decided to move back to Omaha because she previously knew it as home, and it was in close proximity to her parents, which

was a major factor in her decision. Once she returned to Omaha, Gaines didn’t wait to continue making her dreams a reality.

Just a year after her first child was born, Gaines opened the doors of Ridgeview Animal Hospital. It is located at 180th and Center. By 2003, Gaines hired two full time vets.

Today Ridgeview has a staff of 6 female doctors.

In her early career, Gaines found it difficult to be confident and find the perfect work-life balance because, “I was just trying to start a family and do a really good job,” said Gaines.

Finding this balance, she admits, is still a struggle today.

Seven years after starting her first practice, Gaines opened Walnut Creek Veterinary Clinic with Dr. BJ Ravnsborg, the only male doctor in the practice.

The Walnut Creek Clinic is located in Papillion. The two also opened Skyline Veterinary Clinic, in 2016, further growing the business to the Elkhorn area. This

clinic also employs 5 female doctors on its staff.

The most recent addition to the family is The Ridge, which was opened in April of 2021. It is located at 150th and Center. The Ridge is another practice that belongs to the family and also employs a full female doctor staff.

Through building all of these clinics, Dr. Gaines considers the team she has built to be her greatest accomplishment.

She also considers the opportunities that are given to her employees to climb the ranks to be a major accomplishment.

Being a veterinarian is very important to Dr. Gaines. By building a relationship with her clients, she finds that connecting with them is her favorite part of the job. When generations of clients come in, Dr. Gaines said, “I just have so many clients that want to come in and talk to me…I love that family relationship.” Gaines recognizes many qualities that help her to be the best mother and businesswoman possible. She identifies that she is a good multitasker, or-

“Let that stuff go... you don’t have to be at everything and be in charge of everything.”

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ganized, and an overachiever. She is eager to learn which helps her become a better veterinarian by learning the newest procedures and techniques to best help animals in need.

One of the most innovative ways that Dr. Gaines is able to help her clients by entrusting them to Dr. Michelle Beck who was the first Certified Canine Rehabilitation Therapist (CCRT) in Nebraska.

Gaines recommends that juniors in high school, “Let that stuff go...You don’t have to be at everything and be in charge of everything and always get 100% on everything.” She recognizes that it can be very hard to determine what your priorities are. Students should also know, “what you’re working towards is going to be able to pay off your debt and you’re going to be able to survive on it” Gaines said.

The people who influenced Gaines to become the person she is today, were her parents. They were excellent role models and exhibited many good qualities. Her parents always set a good example by demonstrating a good work ethic and being very independent. By setting a good example, her parents helped this truly inspirational person grow and become a leader to many. Gaines followed her dream to become a veterinarian which continues to inspire people every day.

Dr. Joey Gaines with her husband Adam, and kids Samantha, Vivien, Jack, Eddie, and Jay.

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Trauma Nurse Discovers Passion for Helping Others

By J1 Reporter Reagan Rosenbaum

“I think the idea of being able to leave the world a little bit better of a place than when you left it is what motivates me to get up in the morning,” replied Lauren Haindfield, a trauma nurse in Chicago, Ill. Haindfield is 30 years old and stands around 5 foot 7 with dark hair. When she is not working, she enjoys things such as art and taking her French bulldog, Duke, to the dog park. Duke has a habit of playing soccer with a red ball over interacting with the other dogs. Hainfield has to hide said ball from him to prevent this; regarless, he still manages to find it.

In the past few months, she has also taken up the hobby of cooking, where she has finally mastered the perfect chicken parmesan; her secret: the world may never know.

Haindfield hasn’t always seen herself with a future working in the emergency room as a nurse. After graduating from Iowa University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Physiology, her original plan was to go to grad school for perfusion where she would learn how to operate a heartlung machine that pumps oxygenated blood throughout the body during heart

surgery. discussed that typically, “But, I realized during there are two patients per transition time that there nurse in the Intensive Care was so much I could do in Unit. During the thick of it nursing,’’ Haindfield said. all, there were four or five She went to grad school at patients who were intubated DePaul University in Chiand alone; she was the only cago where she did a joint one there with them.

Registered Nurse (RN) and It’s hard. There is this Master of Science in Nurs“God-complex” in meding (MSN)program. A few icine. The truth is, you years cannot save later, everyone”, “I think the idea she Haindof being able to startfield said. ed her Along with leave the world a career.

COVID-19 She better place than during the quickly summer of when you left it is learned 2020, the that protests what motivates nursing and riots me to get up in is not surroundfor the ing the the morning,” faint of Black Lives heart.

Matter -Lauren Haindfield It is a movement job that proved a requires testing situcritical thinking skills on ation for not only Hainfield, the spot. “I was worried the but also everyone else who older nurses would think was working alongside her.

“It was like a scene from I’m stupid,” Haindfield said. a warzone. We were pullRegardless, she has not slowed down, even through ing people out of cars and around 30 of them came in the peak of COVID-19 with gunshot wounds within where she considered other a 6-hour span,” Haindfiled alternatives to her current reflected. “Seeing what situation. human beings are capable of COVID-19 in the hosis one of the most disheartpitals was a picture drawn ening things.” with the reference of someRegardless of how many one’s worst fear. Hainfield 36

people she would see in a day that didn’t want her help or were scared to be around her because she worked in healthcare, Haindfield didn’t stop.

She kept going because there was something about helping all of those people that made the gut wrenching reality of her job little more bearable.

While healthcare is one of the most mentally and physically exhausting professions, the doctors and nurses are not doing it for their own benefit.

The reward they receive in getting to see their patients overcome their illnesses and injuries is greater than any tangible thing someone could hand them.

Even though doctors and nurses can feel alone in the grand scheme of things, everyone is always there for each other. “It’s like working with a family. It can make even the worst experiences possible to overcome,” Haindfield said.

Now, Haindfield has found herself in a different position in life. She is currently working in a pediatric trauma center while also teaching a few days during the week. “While I do miss the chaos of taking care of adults, kids are much more appreciative,” Haindfield

said. “It’s hard to take care of people who don’t want your help.”

Teaching is something that she never imagined she would enjoy. She described how rewarding it is when you can see the students finally understand the material for the first time.

The satisfaction that comes along with having the opportunity to share your knowledge to others can feel very uplifting.

In the world today, many high school students have a desire to enter the medical

field in some way. But, they do not necessarily know the steps they should be taking to achieve the goals they have set for themselves.

Haindfield commented on how it does not matter whether someone goes to Harvard or a state school; most programs just want to see students who are well rounded. This includes things such as leadership roles, volunteering opportunities, caregiving experience, and activities that help to show what you’re passionate about.

“People make such a big deal about where you go to school. It’s the credentials you have that matter.

Exposure is so important,” Haindfield said.

“But, you also have to be able to deal with not receiving validation.” Haindfield commented. As mentioned earlier, those who are new to the field are expected to know most things. No one is going to be walking around handing out gold stars, lives are on the line.

But regardless of how mentally draining and

EMTs thank Haindfield for her work as she opens a new chapter in her life.

Photo at a Chicago Medical Center. CWWWurtesy of Haindfield’s Instagram.

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physically tiring the job of a trauma nurse is, Haindfield has persevered through it all. She has been able to make it so far in a career where burnout is such a real thing because her desire to leave the world a better place than how she found it is so great. She has a passion for helping others, a passion that is going to take her fantastic places in her life.

Coincidence or Fate?

How Volleyball Can Change A Life

By J1 Reporter Amelia Roth

Devoted, hardworking, returned home. She deand confident are words to cided to give Benedictine describe the commitment a chance and she and the and love of a sport that can coach kept in touch for a change one’s life forever. few weeks. Soon enough, 2014 Duchesne graduate Fulcher committed to play Elise Fulcher, was destined college ball at Benedictine to pursue a career in volCollege.“It truly was a God leyball, but she didn’t have moment,” Fulcher said. an outlook on that direction Beneuntil fate came knocking. dictine Fulcher grew up in Omaha was a surrounding herself in a perfect culture full of volleyball fit. She success. Playing for Duchenjoyed esne Academy as well as the smaller local club Premier Volleycampus ball, Fulcher committed and the her young teen years to this school’s sport. focus on Senior year came around God and and Fulcher was indeciher faith. sive on if she was going to However, freshman year of participate in that year’s college was a struggle. She club season. The day before battled with time managetryouts, she decided to ment and the stress of being play one last season, or so a student athlete. Failing she thought. As a senior, some classes and wanting Fulcher was receiving many to transfer as a freshman, college letters and going on she didn’t give up hope. visits. She visited BeneContinuing to work hard in dictine College, located in both school and volleyball, Atchison, Kansas, in 2013.

Fulcher was so glad she Going mostly for academics didn’t give up. and not really thinking of “In hard times I stayed playing volleyball, her mom true to myself and trusted mentioned her daughter’s that everything happens for love and dedication of the a reason. I allowed myself sport to one of the tour to fail so I could learn from guides. it and do it right next time.”

The tour guide then This was a moment where proceeded to ask Fulcher fate prevailed in Fulcher’s about her volleyball career life and she learned to beand asked her if she would lieve God’s plan was good. like to meet the head coach.

Playing for about 10 After finishing the tour years, Fulcher’s body startand conversing with the ed to give up on her and coach for a while, Fulcher she constantly dealt with

injuries. As a middle hitter/ blocker she had to work through persistent knee issues, lots of shoulder pain, and even had to get ankle surgery. As her college senior year came around, she was in endless pain.

She made the hard decision

be her fourth year coaching at Premier. “I love seeing people succeed, and sharing my love of the sport with so many people every day,” Fulcher said. “Building a relationship with the players and the coaches is very important to me. I love to see my girls develop not only as volleyball players, but as young, growing women.”

Fulcher’s love of coaching opened yet another opportunity to influence a to pass up her last year of new group of girls. She was playing volleyball due to introduced to Coach Amy her injuries. “I couldn’t play McLeay through Sarah without being in extreme Hughbanks, who coached pain or constant rehab” Ful- with her at Premier and cher said. Although she was Coach McLeay at Marinot directly playing on the an. Soon enough, Fulcher team, she was asked to still started to help with the attend practices and games Marian volleyball program. and became an extra coach In 2021, Fulcher finished for Benedictine. her second year as assistant After graduating from varsity coach and third year college, Fulcher moved in the Marian volleyball back to Omaha where her program. whole family lives. Since Fulcher plays a very then, she has worked at crucial role to her club and her family business helphigh school teams. She ing with accounting, book holds this responsibility keeping, and inventory. In close to her heart because addition to working with you never know what her family, Fulcher fills the next day could bring. her competitive spirit and Trusting the process may be her love of volleyball by hard, but Fulcher has provcoaching at the same club en that everything happens she grew up playing for. for a reason and God’s plan This upcoming season will is good.

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“Everything happens for a reason. Trust in God’s plan.”

Elise Fulcher

Elise Fulcher (left) and Sarah Hughbanks coach Estella Zatechka at volleyball tournament.

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Artist Finds a Language

By JI Repoter, Ceci Urbanski

The day started like many others: Bart Vargas hopped on his bicycle and started pedaling hard in an attempt to escape to somewhere else, to anywhere else. At a young age his pedals carried him from his absent and abusive home life, from the loneliness that comes from being one of the few racially ambiguous kids in the small town of Bellevue during the 1980s and 90s; and from the general pain that comes with feeling misunderstood.

More than 30 years later Vargas is an accomplished professor, artist, activist and thinker with work featured all over the United States as well as Europe, Asia, and Australia. How did Vargas go from trying to escape his life to chasing his dreams?

As he put it when he talked about how he finds motivation to survive as an artist: “I was crazy enough to keep going.”

Vargas stands at 5’9’’ and has long peppered dreadlocks that reach about half that length. He has a warm and welcoming smile that you can notice even when he has a mask on. Anyone who knows Vargas will tell you how genuine of a person he is.

Maddie Urbanski, a waitress at a restaurant he frequents said, “when he asks how your day is going, he actually cares about your answer.” He also wears a pair of dark

rimmed glasses that usually have a few small specks of paint around the lenses: most likely something he is used to by now. Vargas has been an artist his whole life.

Art, more than his bicycle, became an escape during his youth. Though Vargas got to see a lot of the world as a military child, he also had to deal with the consequences of constantly being uprooted and the effects of the actual war on his father. His father was a Vietnam veteran who dealt with severe PTSD as well as alcoholism; on top of that, his mother had severe Schizophrenia and refused to get treated. “Between my parents’ demons, it was a pretty chaotic childhood.”

And yet, oddly enough, he credits his parents for him becoming the artist he is today. “I drew all the time…I drew to create worlds where I had some kind of control over.” And he never stopped creating.

When he was 16 he got a job in the shoe department of a Shopko. Within a few

months his boss started to notice something was wrong. Vargas was taken in and given a safe place to stay by his boss who he now considers his real family.

Though both his biological parents and his real family were traditional blue collar families who weren’t exactly thrilled about his attraction to the arts, Vargas still carried his love for it into his teenage and young adult years.

As a teenager he was an angry misfit.

He was bullied for his non-white features and called numerous slurs that he didnt even understand the meaning of at the time. He hung out with other angry kids and they listened to angry music because “we were all trying to escape something.” Vargas was getting Cs and Ds and never saw himself as the type of student to be able to go to college. “Art was the only thing I was really good

“I can’t change the world, but I can make people think and that might change things.”

-Bart Vargas

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at,” he said.

Vargas did, however, make it to college, but only after 6 years of serving in the Air Force. He got to see the world and gain the skills of self discipline that would later assist him through his college years. He realized he wasn’t happy in the Air force and it wasn’t good for his mental health so he decided to go back to school at age 28, utilizing his new found self discipline. He became an “A-level student” and earned his bachelors in fine arts four years later at the University of Omaha. He later furthered his education by receiving his masters at University of Minnesota-Twin Cities. Using his degrees, he became a professor of fine arts as well as a highly notable artist in the Omaha community.

Vargas has said that he doesn’t think art in itself can change the world.

But he does believe that “art can be a tool for communication and education…I can’t change the world, but I can make people think and that might change things.” He creates thought provoking pieces that express his frustrations and feelings concerning the earth and all the humans on it. To this day Vargas is still angry but not in the same way he was as a teenager for now he has

not just an escape but a voice. He uses that voice to speak out about the climate crisis and excessive consumerism with pieces such as Keyboard Globe and The Bitter Pill which are made out of entirly recycled materials. Most of his art is a product of salvage; turning discarded waterbottles into a masterpiece is a normal Tuesday for him. He also expresses more day to day feelings through his daily drawings; many of which gained a lot of popularity during quarantine through his social media.

Though he isn’t the biggest fan of “influencers” he has influenced the hearts and minds of many through his art.

Many people describe Vargas as a workaholic, and they would be right because he believes the key to his drive is to never stop pushing. To keep going when things get hard. To not let yourself slowdown. To be “crazy enough to keep going.”

Bart Vargas’s Keyboard Globe

Recent photo of Bart Vargas from his website: www.bartvargas.com 41

EVERY DAY STARTS WITH A POWERFUL POSITIVE

By J1 Reporter Regina Anyaegbunam

Carol Greenwood is a light that shines from Room 211 on the second floor of Western Hills Elementary School’s recently renovated building. A light has to be turned off occasionally to conserve energy and keep up its brilliance. Taking a break every now and then is good to do. It is necessary in order to meet the demands of everyday living with teaching a fourth/fifth grade combo.

Enjoying a Diet Coke and a Bacon Turkey Bravo with a side of chips from Panera is how Carol Greenwood went about this.

Ideally a Diet Mountain Dew, maybe a nut mix… or chips… or crackers, and a day with the dogs is how to escape from the intense realities of being a teacher.

Today, she’s taking a short break in the comfort of a Panera booth.

Greenwood starts her days by opening up emails and getting ready for the school day. Then ends her days by cleaning up the mess created throughout the day. Nights are spent grading. Weekends are spent planning.

Retreating to her family cabin in northern Iowa has proven to be beneficial to disconnect and re-collect her thoughts. “I love to just not have any sound and let

my brain think instead of grew up in a small town. having to go on that overThe two attracted, despite drive,” Greenwood said. their differences, on a blind One sound she enjoys is date. Thanks to their meetthe sound of song. Greening, Greenwood was able wood exemplifies “lifting to learn from the two and every voice and singing” by their different perspectives shining her light with her on life. “Between the two of voice, “I love singing and them, we learned a lot about I get to sing every Sunday diversity and caring for othdown at the Kroc Center.” ers,” Greenwood said.

Singing Two is not main new for things Greenher father wood would who has preach been were singing forgivesince the ness and age of 5. gratitude.

“I was in To this various day she choirs, still values groups, those and a things and -Carol Greenwood solo applies singer as them to well.” her moral Greenwood grew up as code. “My faith in God is the daughter of a Methodist the strongest moral code minister and often relocatthat I have, I know it sounds ed to different small towns cliche, but I think to myself in situations: ‘What would around Iowa. “He would Jesus do?’” get assigned another place One Sunday night in to go, so we’d all have to 2019, Greenwood encounleave.” Greenwood and her tered a little miracle on her siblings, an older brother and sister, sang in trios at all way home from the Kroc Center. “I saw this itty bitty of their churches. dog running around and I Her mom was very citified. She grew up in the big thought, well, ‘Whose dog city of Boston, the complete is that?’”

Any stray dog captures opposite of her father who

“My father always said we are to do for others and that is our job, to always do for others.”

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her heart, “If I see a stray dog, I pick it up.” Like many dog lovers, she feels as though she loves dogs more than humans sometimes.

She tried repeatedly to get him off the streets, especially after noticing his limp. After 45 minutes and several failed attempts, she decided to call the Humane Society and leave it in their hands. She tried driving away, but a pull at her heart told her she couldn’t. She turned around to find him again and eventually found his head poking out of a bush.

Greenwood continued to follow and felt defeated by the constant rejection from the dog. She had given up on the chase again. She sat down at a picnic table nearby and asked God for help to save this “little boy.” She lowered her head, made eye contact with the “little boy” and said for the umpteenth time, “Come here little boy” And the dog trotted over to her, wagged its tail, and sat down in front of her.

This shook Greenwood who recalled thinking, “Oh my gosh, it’s a real time miracle.” She brought him to the Humane Society and wanted to adopt him knowing he’d been on the streets for a while. She feared adopting someone else’s dog, but still

Photo By Regina Anyaegbunam Carol Greenwood poses in front of her classroom door at Western Hills Elementary School decorated with letters she created herself. really wanted to take care of him, “He’s my miracle boy.”

She’d wait for a week to get a call from the Humane Society and on a Friday afternoon, she got the call.

“We didn’t have kids that day and I ran out of the school.” Louis, the terrier found on the street and her miracle boy, would join her family of Henrietta, a chihuahua terrier, and Winston, a cocker poodle.

Her selflessness and faith-driven character has developed over the years thanks to her growing up and hearing the sermons of her father who preached kindness and forgiveness.

She also credits various

questions.”

She recalled the teacher getting so mad at her when she wouldn’t do her phonics, “She would make me go sit under a table. I would bawl and while all the other kids were sitting in a circle doing phonics, I was under a table.”

In that same year. Her teacher belittled her to her parents, going as far as calling her the r-slur and saying they’d have to take care of her forever. Her father refuted everything she said, ‘“No, you’re wrong. She is actually quite smart and she’s not returning.” She was transferred from that little town to another little town.

interactions she had in her adolescence and experiencing many small town relationships.

One notable experience that inspired who she has become today was her primary school experience.

There were bad memories that led to her meeting Mrs. Fritchen, who would become her fourth grade teacher and a good memory.

It was traumatic. In third grade, she had a teacher who was old, kind of angry, and bitter. “I was very shy, and she had a hard time helping kids that didn’t follow what she wanted. I was so shy that I was gonna say the wrong thing, and I was scared to death to answer 43

She found herself in Sydney, Iowa, at a new school, with a new teacher.

“I remember walking in, and I’m so scared because I did not have good memories from Kindergarten through third grade.” Her fears soon subsided because to her, her new teacher Mrs. Fritchen was nothing like her old teacher.

Greenwood remembers walking into that classroom and thinking: “I walked in, she’s gorgeous. She had long black hair and a big huge smile on her face. She came right over to her, gave her a hug and said, ‘Carol, I’m so happy you’re in my classroom!’”

This was a significant

turning point in her life.

Mrs. Fritchen was able to flip a switch in Greenwood just like that. In that moment, Greenwood decided she wanted to be just like her. Mrs. Fritchen changed Greenwood’s view of what school was and brought her out of her shell. “I was still shy and I didn’t think I was smart, but she allowed me to believe that.”

Years later she found herself pursuing a Master’s degree in Curricular Instruction, then teaching elementary students at Western Hills. She hopes to always leave a positive impact on students that makes them kind, forgiving and believe in themselves. “I want everything for them, I keep hoping that if I keep encouraging them, telling them how much they’re worth and valued, then maybe they’ll end up believing in themselves, too.”

annoyed like really we have to tell you five things we’re grateful for?” Lessons were learned after getting over that irritation. “We learned after you’d get to say your five things you kind of felt better.”

This would be her solution to getting her students who were having a hard time getting along, to start being kind to each other.

She’d ask them what they were thankful for.

“Pencils,” they’d say.

They would mock others and laugh. It didn’t seem to have the right effect. “I kept thinking, eventually, someone is gonna break through and

Today, Greenwood starts every day with a powerful positive. The school year of 2014-2015 was not going in an ideal direction. “It was one of the toughest years I’ve ever had.” The thought of powerful positives originated from a holiday tradition that started with her dad. “What are you grateful for?” A common question asked at the dinner table on Thanksgiving.

It was commonly asked in the Greenwood household, “What are five things you’re grateful for?” Greenwood recalled her and her siblings getting annoyed at first. “We’d get

say ‘I’m thankful for mom’ or something meaningful.”

Eventually they did break. They stopped trying to cut corners. They became more competitive and tried to outdo each other. “I still do it. Every day. And if I don’t do it, my kids are like, ‘You forgot our powerful positives!’” One student a few years ago gifted her a canvas that says ‘Start every day with a powerful positive’ and it still hangs up on her wall to this day.

What lies ahead for Greenwood has yet to be determined, but ideas are up in the air waiting to be pursued. After being in the game of teaching for 15 years, talk of retirement is inevitable. In the future, there is no doubt that her love for dogs and animals will ever go away. “I love animals.” If there is a stray dog on the streets, Greenwood may be found not far

Photos By Regina Anyaegbunam Above: The Powerful Positive Poster, gifted by a former student, continues to stand in Greenwood’s room after the reconstruction of the building.

Below: Carol Greenwood teaches her fifth graders about the food chain with an interactive video.

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behind it.

One thing for sure is that her kindness and faith will continue to guide her in doing things for others, “My father always said we are to do for others and that is our job, to always do for others.” This is a moral she

will continue to live by in her daily interactions and dedication to her classroom.

There is nothing she would want to do over in life because everything she has done has brought her closer to finding who she truly is. A strong confi-

dent woman who could do well on her own. There is nothing she would want to do over in life. Except maybe to get back in line to get a baguette for her sister, which she does.

Carol Greenwood is a light in the world, dressed

casually in tennis shoes and a grey ‘Literally Freezing” sweatshirt waiting patiently in the Panera line to order that baguette.

Photo By Regina Anyaegbunam The 4:00 end to the school day approaches as shown by the time of the clock. Underneath the clock are quotes posted by Greenwood to contribute to a positive learning environment.

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Student Helps Bring Wrestling to Marian

By J1 Reporter Claire Bauman Every day Audrey Arthur ‘23 goes to wrestling practice after school. Heavy weight lifting, jumping rope, throwing medicine balls and running sprints are just a few of the physically challenging tasks she endures.

She enjoys the company of her teammates and grows closer to them each day. Her bond with head coach Ms. Lauren Barefoot is particularly strong. Arthur isn’t just any member of the team, she is one of the main reasons the team came to be.

Before 2021, Marian had no wrestling team. With the NSAA officially making girls wrestling a sanctioned sport for the 2021-22 season, an idea came to life.

Arthur is passionate about women’s wrestling. “It is a sign of how far we have come in women’s sports, the fact it took so long for wrestling to start can inspire future generations to see the accomplishments made.”

Arthur said. With the help of a few friends, she met with Coach Barefoot and her idea blossomed.

Arthur talked to friends and messaged classmates.

She was a big recruiter when it came to finding members for the team. Her bond with Coach Barefoot helped in this process as well. They have known each other since Arthur’s freshman year. “My freshman year I was pretty weak.

Lauren Barefoot has pushed me to be the best version of myself both physically and mentally,” she said.

Unlike other members on the wrestling team, Arthur’s approach when it comes

Having T1D, Arthur has to watch carefully what she consumes. She has to watch the amount of sugar and carbohydrates in each item she eats. Not only does Type 1 affect her eating habits,

“It is a sign of how far we have come in women’s sports, the fact it took so long for wrestling to start can inspire future generations to see the accomplishments made.”

Audrey Arthur to wrestling differs. She lives with Type 1 Diabetes, an autoimmune condition where the pancreas produces little to no insulin.

it also affects how she can compete. She has to be sure to keep her blood sugar at a normal level. Having T1D, Arthur participates in many 46

Juvenile Diabetic Research Foundation (JDRF) events such as JDRF walks. JDRF is a non-profit organization that funds T1D research and advocates for better medical treatment for T1 patients.

Arthur’s family life is also important to her. She says her mom is her biggest supporter. She doesn’t have much free time, but in the little time she does have, she enjoys going outside.

Arthur has four siblings.

Although none of them live at home, she is particularly close with two, Andrea and Augusto. She frequently goes hiking with them.

They also enjoy going to new places, exploring downtown, and trying new restaurants.

Arthur’s family life changed during the pandemic. She now looks back at social events and has learned to appreciate people gathering in large groups.

The way she views social situations also changed as she is cautious in big settings.

When asked if she finds herself to be inspiring she said, “Yes, in some aspects.

I do believe my impact on the wrestling team can be seen as inspirational.” Her goal for the future is to grow strong and win consistently.

She hopes to be wrestling in state in Feburary.

Audrey Arthur on the wrestling team’s photo day.

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Watching from the bleachers to performing on the mat

By J1 Reporter Jackie Blossom Sitting on the bleachers at the fall pep rally her freshman year, Annie was in awe of the Marian cheerleaders performing. They looked like they were having the time of their lives and right then and there she decided she wanted to be on that mat performing in front of her classmates. Walking into Marian’s cheer tryouts her sophomore year, she was nervous. This is her first year trying out for any cheer team and she doesn’t know what to expect from these tryouts. She walks into Marian’s gym and looks at the judges and becomes even more scared when she sees they are staring right back at her. But she is ready, she has practiced nonstop and is ready to nail this audition, and she does.

Trying out for Marian’s cheer team her sophomore year was Annie Ellerbeck’s first time ever trying out for a cheer team. Going to tryouts was a very impulsive decision and doing so with no experience was terrifying for her but she says, “It was a spontaneous decision to try out and I am so blessed that I did because it has given me so many of my favorite memories.” Marian cheer has given Ellerbeck some of her best friends and has made memories that will last her a lifetime.

Being a senior now, Ellerbeck has spent every

year then moved on to being varsity captain. Girls like Wagner, who are starting their first year as captain, look up to Ellerbeck as an example of a great captain and just like a captain should be she is an amazing role model for the whole team.

Life isn’t easy as captain, paying attention to all of the little details is one of the hardest things.

Ellerbeck says, “Making sure girls are in the right uniform, on time, and ready to cheer are just a few of the many responsibilities that come with the captain title.”

Making sure your team looks good and is ready to perform requires her to critique her teammates and friends which is not an easy

day since making the team working hard to make her way to being Varsity cheer captain. She sacrificed her late starts in the Marian gym perfecting extension with her stunt group and working on her jumps.

She has put time and effort into this team and has earned her place at the top as captain.

Junior JV captain, Lydia Wagner, says, “Annie is always so positive and motivated to be a good captain for her team, which pushes me to do the same and be a good captain for my team.”

Ellerbeck was in a similar position as Wagner is right now. She made the team her sophomore year and was named JV captain her junior

“It was a spontaneous decision to try out, and I am so blessed that I did because it has given me so many of my favorite memories” -Annie Ellerbeck

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thing to do but necessary when you are the leader of the team.

Being captain is a demanding job and having to balance being a student athlete is hard sometimes.

Ellerbeck says it gets hard to keep up with school when her cheer schedule is so time consuming. So sometimes there is a difficult decision she has to make between cheer and school. While she wants her decision to always be cheer, she sometimes has to prioritize school so that she can continue being able to participate in cheer and be able to continue being captain for the team.

Ellerbeck has spent her three years on the team learning all there is about being a cheerleader. She has spent long practices learning and perfecting her routines and cheers. Now that she is a senior, she is leading the team in learning new skills and helping them perfect each pep rally routine.

One of Ellerbeck’s main goals for the team this year is to achieve a successful pep rally. She says, “We put so much effort into them and performing in front of the school is so fun!” Ellerbeck can’t wait for the rest of the cheer season and will be devastated to say goodbye to her team and some of her best friends when she goes off to college.

Annie Ellerbeck poses for her offical cheer photoshoot!

Annie Ellerbeck ‘22 and her co-captain, Lily Mausbach ‘22, at a Mount Michael football game this

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ICU Nurse Turns CEO

Josie Abboud Overcomes Challenges

BY J1 REPORTER NATALIE BULLOCK Josie Abboud knows how it feels to cook dinner and take care of seven siblings at the age of 16. She had been handed the responsibilities of making dinner and cleaning for her little siblings since she was little.

Abboud grew up in Tempe, Ariz. where she was involved in all kinds of volunteering and student council at her high school despite her heavy responsibilities at home. Josie headed off to the University of Arizona in 1988, then to Creighton University where she earned her bachelor’s degree in nursing, and then finishing her degrees at Regis University where she obtained her masters in business administration. She had always been curious about the way things worked and knew it would come in handy to have that knowledge.

Abboud was a natural leader beginning at her first job as a nurse in the intensive care unit (ICU) at Methodist Hospital in 1996 where she was working the 12-hour night shift. She had been a young leader and that was shown when she applied to become the charge nurse after just one year in the ICU. Abboud noticed that the nurses who had been there for more than 20 years had been questioning why a nurse that had only

one year of experience was applying. This backlash didn’t deter her from applying.

She experienced a similar situation with an older colleague in her organization.

Abboud was up for another promotion at the time when the older colleague told her “You are only getting promoted because you wear a skirt” Abboud said she hadn’t experienced remarks questioning her leadership like these often, but when she did, her record and the things she had achieved spoke for themselves.

In 2018 Abboud was named the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Methodist Hospital and Methodist Women’s Hospital, where she has been working at for 25 years now. She was faced with the responsibility of balancing her home life with her demanding work life. Family is one of the most important factors in Abboud’s life. She

has always had a demanding work life. “It takes all of us to make it work in our family”, she said. Abboud has been impacted greatly by her family her whole life.

Her husband Jason had been getting their two kids up, making their lunches, and driving them to school since they were little. She would have meetings almost every morning, and she said she wouldn’t be where she is today if she didn’t have a supportive husband.

Abboud always wanted to make sure that there was at least one parent there for her kids every day and she noticed that her kids were able to recognize that she had a taxing job and Abboud said “they never made me feel bad for it”.

Along with her family, Faith has always been a driving factor in Abboud’s daily life and it shows. She is an active community leader and has been involved on the boards of the Nebraska Hospital Association, Hospice House, American Cancer Society, along

“I believe you don’t achieve anything without your belief and your trust in God”

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with many more. Faith plays an important role. “It plays every day into my life, because I believe you don’t achieve anything without your belief and your trust in God”. She thanks God every day for the position and opportunities that have come her way and trusts Him to guide her through the tough decisions that she has to make.

Inspiration can come through many forms and Josie Abboud displays her inspiration through her leadership and hard work.

She said the most important thing to remember in leadership is that “you have to do the best you can with the information you have, and if you do that, then you’ll feel confident in the decisions you make”.

Josie Abboud receives the 2020 ICAN Leadership Award. She received the award at the 27th annual ICAN Women’s leadership Conference.

Photo Source: Methodist Website

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Dr. McGill Advances From Plaid Skirts to PhD

By J1 Reporter Ellie Cusick Renee McGill once walked the halls of Marian as a student striving to accomplish her goals.

After teaching at several different schools, raising her daughters, and earning her PhD, McGill returns to the Marian halls as a teacher.

She now inspires and helps others to gain what she once learned as a student: how to be a confident, independent woman. McGill showcases the same characteristics displayed within her biggest inspiration, her own mother.

Through her determination and selflessness, McGill inspires her students and her daughters daily.

As a Marian student, McGill developed a strong determination that empowered her to accomplish goals she would set for herself in the future. Marian enriched her faith and aided her in establishing traits that would stick with her throughout her life. McGill grew grounded in her faith life. Marian gave McGill “the confidence that we are still leaving you girls.” The confidence she formed at Marian continues with her and becomes instilled in her students. After graduating from high school, McGill attended college at Northwestern University. Although it was a challenging school, she felt that she was

the University of Nebraska Lincoln, a night time class at Creighton University, and Nebraska Methodist College.

While working on her PhD and teaching some classes, McGill was also raising her four daughters.

Although McGill was working on her PhD, she always prioritized her family. Her daughter, sophmore Bridget McGill was in preschool while she was working on her PhD. Bridget admires her mother for balancing so much. As Bridget highlights how hard working her mom is and she says, “my mom is my biggest inspiration.”

Getting her PhD was a goal McGill set for herself at the age of 22. She accomplished that goal 20 years later.

Although McGill had a lot to balance, she was able to achieve her goal.

McGill’s inspiration in life is her own mother.

Her mother raised six kids while working as a medtech. McGill is inspired by her mother because of her ability to create a balance between family and work.

“She just wore a lot of hats.

I really admire the way she was able to balance so much.” McGill is inspired by her mom because it is difficult to create this balance. McGill was also able to create that balance for

properly prepared coming out of Marian.

Since she went away from home for college, McGill had to adjust to the new environment she was exposed to. As she adjusted, she became comfortable at Northwestern and formed strong connections there. She created friendships that would last a lifetime and continues to stay in contact with. McGill also developed a bond with one of her professors, Professor Evans. He was her British Literature professor and he became an inspiration to McGill. Proffesor Evans helped her in all of her achievements by writing recommendations for her.

Within college, McGill realized that if she puts her mind to something then she can accomplish it.

After college, McGill taught at several different schools. Her first teaching job was in Crystal Lake, Illinois. She taught at Crystal Lake Central High school for seven years.

McGill then moved back to Omaha and taught at Westside for a year. After teaching at Westside, she then started working on her PhD. While McGill was working on her PhD she could not teach full time. However, she remained teaching part time. She taught a class at 52

herself. She showcases the same qualities in which she admires deeply about her mother.

McGill displays such selflessness through her constant support of her family. Bridget recalls her mother’s support when her and her siblings had multiple sports they needed rides to. Bridget’s father worked late downtown, therefore McGill would drive Bridget and her siblings to their sports. “At the end of the night after a day of teaching and then taking us to things, she probably could have driven to Kansas City in the time she spent in the car.” McGill prioritized her family over all else. Even while teaching, she made time to help her daughters whenever necessary.

Accomplishing a PhD is truly inspiring, but McGill’s gratitude to those who supported her in gaining her PhD reveals how inspiring she is. McGill emphasizes the support she received from her family, predominantly her husband and mother. She highlights the consistent support she was given throughout her stages of education. While balancing teaching and getting her PhD, McGill credits her mother for helping her out with her daughters and always supporting her. She

also feels very appreciative of her husband’s support, “My husband’s always been super supportive every step of the way with my education and my professional life.” McGill also shows her gratitude for her students.

When students give McGill a letter, she keeps them in a folder because she appreciates the letters greatly. “I do have this folder where I put

thank you notes because I know they’re really precious and heartfelt. I don’t ever really take that for granted.” McGill’s passion for teaching is easily displayed through her folder of thank you notes. She ensures that everyone around her feels appreciated for the things people do for her.

When McGill began teaching full time again,

she taught at Millard North for five years and Creighton Prep for one year. After teaching at Millard North and Creighton Prep, McGill returned to Marian as a teacher. This is her third year teaching at Marian.

McGill has been an inspiration to her students and her daughters. She continues to instill her values into those around her. Bridget empha-

Dr. McGill at the top of Quandary Peak in Colorado.

Photo by Kate McGill 53

sizes her mother’s impact on her saying, “She has shown me the importance of being a confident independent woman.” McGill encourages those around her through her confidence and kindness. McGill’s hard working attitude, selflessness, and gratitude are an inspiration to those around her.

Maloley Searches For Balance

By J1 Reporter Hannah Cusick Ann Maloley, an intelligent and confident business woman, looks around the board room in which she is presenting. Maloley is the only female there, but this is a typical sight for her. In her male-dominated profession, Maloley is faced with the constant struggle of having to prove her intelligence. She feels as if she has to “earn the right to get in there” unlike her male counterparts. Although she had to prove her value to the company she works for, Maloley quickly gained credibility from her coworkers and now lets only her imagination be the limit of her success.

Maloley was interested in pursuing a career in business and marketing because she did not want her ambitious and creative mind to be limited. In high school, she struggled in science and math, but began to feel comfortable in the marketing arena. She easily understands the concept of marketing; it was logical to her during her high school years, so it was an effortless decision to pursue a career in marketing when the time came. In business and marketing, Maloley said “the sky’s the limit” and is

ment.

While working at these jobs, Maloley felt that she was deprived of the privilege her male counterparts had. While they could walk into a room and already have the respect of their colleagues, she had to work for her credibility as a woman.

Through these jobs, Maloley learned how to work effectively to succeed.

She grew to be successful by finding her area of expertise and tirelessly working to find unique ideas to help her stand out amongst a crowd of competitors.

After gaining plenty of marketing experience through a variety of businesses, Maloley felt as if she could do it better on her own. Although creating a company from the ground up as a woman would be extremely difficult, Ma-

the perfect outlet of independence for an ambitious woman. To pursue her interest in business and marketing, Maloley went to the University of Nebraska-Kearney.

Fresh out of college with her MBA, Maloley worked for the Multiple Sclerosis Society as the director of marketing at age 24. For about three years, Maloley planned all of their fundraisers to earn money for MS research and to support patients with multiple sclerosis, a disease that causes nerve damage to the brain and spinal cord.

Before paving an independent career path with her own companies, she led all of the physician marketing for Creighton. Through her job at Creighton, Maloley was able to find her area of expertise in marketing: physician practice develop-

“As long as you have peace of mind and a happy heart, you have everything.”

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loley was confident that she could reach her goal.

Coming from a supportive family that was driven to be successful, Maloley said “I knew I had it in me, instinctively, to do it on my own.”

Her personal goal while creating her own business was to become independent, to make something that she could call her own and be successful at it.

As a high school student, Maloley had a dream of running her own business. After countless days of working late into the night, she finally made the childhood dream come true. In 2006, she launched her first company: Maloley Healthcare Marketing.

Maloley was shocked by the early success of her business, as her new company gained numerous clients at a fast rate. Maloley Healthcare Marketing quickly became successful. She was pleased with how effectively she turned an idea into reality. Even though Maloley now had the professional success and self-sufficiency she desired, an uncomfortable feeling of discontent lingered.

Although she was gratified with her accomplishments, Maloley felt

there was a part of her life that was missing. Many of her co-workers all had families and kids, but she had only ever indulged in her work. Even in her youth, she constantly focused primarily on work and school. Although her peers had a balance between their professional and personal lives, Maloley only prioritized her work life. She stated, “I poured everything I had into my professional life because I didn’t really have that other piece of it.” If she could go back before she found success in her profession, Maloley wishes she would’ve integrated more personal balance.

Twenty years ago Maloley would have seen success as reaching some sort of professional goal. Maloley has a new perspective on this now, stating “when you have those kinds of hard goals, you lose sight of the process, you lose sight of being happy in that process.

Today, Maloley would define success as “being happy about what you do, feeling really content in your heart, contributing to society, and doing good in the world.” Maloley has realized that success is having a well-rounded life with people you love; whatever someone aspires to do or be in life, just be happy about it. She says,“You have to be happy in order for you to give happiness to the people that are around you.” She’s found the importance of treating people with kindness and fairness.

her company and shows Everyone has their own through the importance her peers how to think professional or personal of family, friends and outside the box. She pushstruggles, and it’s importkindness. Maloley has not es her employees to work ant to have empathy tofound the perfect balance hard, but also understands wards everyone. Learning between the two, but she’s how to empathize with her to become empathic to her closer than she’s ever been employees makes her feel by living day-to-day focus- employees’ need for personal relationships and the as if she’s become a better ing on both her work life importance of kindness. leader and manager. and her personal relationMaloley is a role model for These beliefs stem from ships. determined leaders; she Maloley’s role model and Now knowing the shows that being a successinspiration, her mother. significance of creating ful businesswoman does Growing up, her mother a balance between work always told her that she and relationships, Maloley not mean that empathy and a personal life must can do anything she puts has become a symbol of be set aside. Her story sets her mind to, and if she’s success in the professional good to people, then good world and personal world. an example for young girls by demonstrating how things will come to her.

She learned how to thrive in a male-dominated work creating a balance between While starting her comwork and personal lives environment, boosted her pany, Maloley’s mom gave confidence in her abilities, can be accomplished, even her the confidence and for the most ambitious and support she needed to face and became an indepensuccessful women. dent business woman. She the struggles she endured. utilizes her creativity in She admires her mother’s strength and how she sees the goodness in everyone.

Through her mom’s words of wisdom, Maloley has learned one of her most important morals in life; “As long as you have peace of mind and a happy heart, you have everything.”

In Maloley’s past years, she has found success through the importance of hard work and perseverance. Now, she is find- Ann Maloley celebrating with her mom at her wedding shower on ing success Saturday, Nov. 27.

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Amber Josoff Supports our Soldier

By J1 Reporter Elissa Eisele At 18 you are about to experience one of the biggest milestones in your life: graduation. As you look around at the people you’ve grown up with your entire life, a well deserved sense of accomplishment and uncertainty starts to surround you.

Suddenly, you are hit with that gut wrenching thought that even though you might have grown up with all of these people, you never really got the chance to know them, and you might never see them again.

This was not the same glorified experience for Amber Josoff when she graduated high school.

Josoff is from the very small town of Mead, Neb.; current population 609 people. And when looking up at the familiar faces on her graduation day she was met with the faces of the 13 other students from her class graduating that year.

She wasn’t worried about missing out on the different unique personalities, and interests of her other peers. In fact it was quite the opposite in Mead, “You knew everyone and they knew you.” But grow-

ing up on an acreage near a rural community provided its own unique opportunities for Josoff who remembers her childhood fondly, and recalled participating in everything she could throughout high school, “I was in cheerleading, basketball, volleyball, and was at every single football game.”

But Mead was not the final destination for Josoff who would go on to do even greater things with her life then cheer on her high

school football team under Friday night lights.

Today Josoff finds herself located in Omaha, Neb., population: 1.9 million. She lives here with her family of five in the suburbs of west Omaha it’s a pretty drastic change from the rural community she used to call home. Her dayto-day consists of working at the Veterans Administration hospital as a clinical pharmacy practitioner serving the men and women who sacrificed to provide the people of America with justice and liberty for all. But getting to the place she is now was no easy feat.

Josoff wasn’t sure exactly what she wanted to be when she first entered college but she knew she wanted to be able to come out of college, “Trained and ready to

“I just try to keep my head down, do the right thing, and hope that eventually someone is going to notice”

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help people”, which is how she found herself initially pursuing a career in nursing at Nebraska Methodist.

It didn’t take long for Josoff to discover that nursing wasn’t her passion and she ended up making the decision to switch careers and get a degree in the pharmaceutical department. Josoff recalled how nerve racking deciding to make the switch was since she couldn’t be assured that she would get admitted into pharmacy school. Getting in was just the tip of the iceberg, the next seven years consisted of countless nights spent studying, and Saturdays designated to taking tests that could determine if she got her degree or not.

Once she earned her degree Josoff was faced with another difficult choice; continue her schooling to get her Doctorate in pharmacy, or use the skills she had acquired and get out there to start helping people.

She settled on the latter, and now she gets to help people every single day, as well as coming home to a loving husband and three children. Even with

rs a demanding work schedule she still manages to have more time and energy to give to her family.

Josoff attributes a lot of that ability to her faith, which is a huge part of her day to day life.

She tries to always say a prayer for her patients, because “you never know what someone might be going through” and to Josoff the little acts of kindness can make a huge difference.

In the end, her decision to enter the workforce changed her life for the bettter, and now Josoff gets to spend her days doing the thing she loves most: helping people. When asked how she treats her patients, Josoff explained, “ Whenever I meet with a patient I think to myself, if this were a family member of mine how would I want them to be treated?” This tactic reflects the morals and values she lives by, most importantly being, “Treat others the way you want to be treated” followed closely by “Do no harm” Josoff’s life embodies these morals which are highlighted throughout her family and career.

Cheryl Eisele and Amber Josoff enjoy wine in Northern Michigan, in the summer of 2021 57

From working hard to playing hard

by J1 Reporter Joie Ferrara

“You look really young to be working here.”

This comment was all too familiar for seventh grader Tammy Harrison working at her father’s restaurant, Don’s DriveIn, in Silver Lake, Kan. Working for her father at such a young age taught her how to have a good work ethic with his high expectations.

She was taught how to balance her school and social life while having a job at a young age.

By the time she was in eighth grade, she was already hiring staff to work at the diner.

The most important thing that her father taught her was to work hard, but Sundays were for rest and family time.

This balance has shaped all that she does in her work and family life.

“Nothing was ever handed to me, I always had to work for it and do my best.”

Blossom went on to get a degree in political science and communication from the University of Kansas and a master’s of business administration and her masters of public administration from Columbia University in New York City.

During her college studies she married her hus-

band, Andrew Blossom.

After traveling to various cities such as New York, Philadelphia, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Kansas City, and Omaha, the Blossoms finally settled in Kansas City to raise their two boys, Skylar and Cameron. Between working and traveling up to 70 hours a week, hiring a full-time nanny to take care of the boys, and her husband traveling 70 percent of the time, she struggled to maintain a good worklife balance.

“I never made dinner for the boys and only saw them on weekends.”

Blossom knew she needed a change in order to become a great mom while maintaining a good work balance.

After having her youngest child, Jackie, they packed up their family and moved to Omaha, Neb. Blossom

quit working full time and volunteered for her parish and kid’s school at St. Vincent de Paul to help raise money.

Moving to Omaha with a new baby taught her how to balance using her skills as a volunteer and being a great mom. “I learned to really love being a mom and supporting my kids in books, sports, and their activities,” said Blossom.

She was always told to enjoy these years because they fly by so fast.

Moving to Omaha was the change she needed to help her family grow closer together.

As her kids got older, she found herself spending her days raising money to support charities that she firmly believes in.

By staying active and using her skills in fundraising, managing projects, and serving on boards, she stayed

“Nothing was ever handed to me, I always had to work for it and do my best.”

-Tammy Blossom

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engaged in her career.

Cutting back on her work hours and spending more time with her family presented her with a once-in-a-lifetime experience. She found herself working in the movie industry to help raise money to create an upcoming movie focusing on a Nebraska story that shines a positive light on the state that she grew her family in.

This movie is unique to Blossom because the writer shares the same values that she believes in: working hard and playing hard to enjoy life, and the writer also happens to be a 1983 Marian alum.

Through this experience, she has met many producers and actors that align with her values and strong work ethic.

Blossom says, “I never thought I’d produce a movie, but I’ve learned that my skills in raising money can really be applied to any industry.”

Blossom shows that maintaining a good work-life balance isn't something that is handed to you; it is something that takes trial and error.

From working hard to playing hard, Blossom achieved the lifestyle that she has always wanted.

Tammy Blossom, 2021 Skylar, Andrew, Tammy, Jackie, and Cameron Blossom at the 2021 Aksarben Ball.

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Emma Nelson Takes on United States Air Force Academy

By J1 Reporter Maddia Groff With tears rolling down her cheeks, Emma Nelson was nearing her breaking point. It was basic training and push-ups were not a soccer-player’s exercise of choice. She could hear her Cadre approaching as he weaved in between the rows of her fellow cadets, yelling and demanding her not to stop. With him standing over her, Nelson refused to break. As she mustered up the strength for another rep, she said to herself, “I am always able to do one more so why am I doubting myself?”

Arms shaking, Nelson went down and completed another push-up. And then another. And then another.

At the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), experiences like these are common. Being a division 1 student-athlete at any university is a difficult task, but “the Academies are their own beast,” Nelson said.

Nelson comes from a military family. Her dad had an especially significant impact on her decision to go to USAFA. He also attended the Academy and later coached baseball there. Nelson grew up in Colorado Springs, where USAFA is located, and connects her

childhood memories with her father to that place.

Her father is now buried on the Academy’s campus, which really built her connection with him and the university.

She felt that it hit all of her family ties and allowed her to pursue her dream of playing soccer at the division 1 level.

Initially, Nelson’s mother was against the idea of her following her father’s footsteps because of her personal experience as a military spouse. She saw all of the struggles and difficulty behind the scenes that comes with being a military spouse. However, “as soon as she saw my drive

for it, she did a 180,” Nelson said. She proved to be a pillar of strength for her throughout her time at the Academy.

As Nelson said before, the Academies are their own beast.

USAFA consists of 80% male and 20% female.

That alone speaks volumes about Nelson’s fearless and empowered character.

She graduated from Marian in 2017 and had to navigate through the drastic change of going from an all-girls school to a male-dominated university.

However, she went in with a solid approach. “I would tell myself that if people before me could do it, then I could do it, too,” Nelson said.

On top of the already cumbersome work-load

“I wouldn’t be the woman I am today with out the struggles I went through.”

-Emma Nelson

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at USAFA, Nelson had to face additional challenges in her time there.

Second semester of her junior year, COVID hit. Beloved traditions and privileges that had motivated her to keep working were suddenly taken away. Nelson, along with the rest of the cadets at the Academy, were confined to their simple 10x12 foot room for months to prevent the spread. But she refused to break.

On top of this, Nelson tore her ACL in the fall of her senior year. Because of this, she was not able to consistently compete in her last season of playing soccer. Still, she refused to break.

Reflecting on her overall experience and challenges at USAFA, Nelson claimed, “I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without the struggles I went through.”

Emma Nelson’s positive outlook and resilience throughout her time at the Academy can all be traced back to doing one more push-up. It was moments like these when she became an honorable member of the United States Air Force, moments like these when she refused to break.

Emma Nelson poses for her senior year school photo at USAFA in 2021.

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Katie Beatty Fights Chronic Illness The Story Behind a Type 1 Diabetic

By J1 Reporter Courtney Long

Every year in December, Katie Beatty is reminded of her and her son’s diagnosis. Katie and Nicholas Beatty were both diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in

December at 8 years old.

On top of that, they were both diagnosed in the same exact hospital. Nicholas and Katie clearly have a connection like no other; Katie says, “Oh, he’s my little dude.

We definitely have a bond, and it’s wonderful because with this disease only those who go through it really know the ins and outs of it, and it’s very special.” As a mother and son who share this disease, a strong relationship is necessary for a battle against T1D. Katie and Nicholas continue to outshine the needed bonds for this disease and go above and beyond within the growth in their relationship.

As a mom of 4 kids, Katie is forced to stay on Katie Beatty poses with son, Nicholas, as they display their insulin pumps her toes every

day and does not have much time to lay low. Katie is involved in her kids’ lives and is currently working her dream job. She stays busy working at Medtronic which allows her to work with other people who have been diagnosed with diabetes and is so grateful that helping other people is a huge factor in her job. At times it may feel impossible to keep going, but her family inspires her every day to keep fighting.

Alongside her family, God plays a key role in her life. “I’ve learned I don’t need to do everything on my own and that I do have God. It strengthens my relationship with Him as I lean into Him more and navigate my child having the disease,” Katie said. While keeping God and her family the closest to her, she can live confidently with no regrets After her teenage years being altered from the disease, she wants her teenage self to know, “Stay true to who you are. Follow your intuition, it will never lead you wrong. What you think is awful right now will pass,

“With this disease only those who go through it really know the ins and outs of it, and it’s very special.”

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and just be yourself. That is all God wants us to be and that is what the world needs.”

Even after the days where her blood sugar is too low or too high, she learns to forgive herself. Katie’s dayto-day life is tweaked and adjusted by how low or high her blood sugar is that day and by being extra careful to count her carbs and keep track of everything entering her mouth. She has gone through this process every single day since she was an 8-year-old little girl.

Katie does not tell people she is an inspiration to others. Instead, every day she shows she is an inspiration through her actions to not only the T1D patients who count on her at Medtronic, but also the average person wanting to be a good human. Katie and Nicholas take this disease on together, one step at a time. Their support for each other is endless and will only get stronger as the years go by.

Katie continues to grow as an inspiration to the world around her.

Katie shares an emotional moment with Nicholas shortly after his diagnosis of Type 1 Diabetes Photos courtesy of Katie Beatty 63

Fr. Tom Fangman Shares What it Means to be a Silent Inspiration

By J1 Reporter Ella Mandolfo

You may not consider yourself as someone inspirational, but the truth is you probably inspire someone in the world whether you know it or not. In Father Tom Fangman’s case, he definitely inspires many. When he was asked if he considered himself to be an inspirational person, he said that he was honored that he is viewed as such, but he doesn’t think he is anything special. That is the exact point of being a silent inspiration. Although in his opinion he is just living his life, he is still inspiring. Fr. Tom is an inspiration because he lives his life in service to others.

When Fr. Tom thought about himself as an inspirational person, he said his main goal is to treat everyone with respect and love. The most inspiring people are the people who aren’t trying to inspire others, they are just living their life in faith and being a good person because it’s the right thing to do.

Fr. Tom embodies the idea of being a man for others in the different ways he serves the community.

The hardest thing he has had to accept was that he can’t do it all, no matter how hard he tries. His answer can be relatable for

a lot of people because the making sure he is treating everyone with love and feeling of turning people down when they need your respect. It’s inspiring that help is the worst, but imag- he does all of these things and so much more and the ine if you were a priest and you had to turn away a whole time he is selfless and never asks for anylast blessing for someone dying or you couldn’t offi- thing in return.

Being selfless is not an ciate somebody’s wedding. easy Fr.Tom thing described “Appoach every day to do, himself as an opportunity espeas a percially son who instead of an obliwhen always gation because an you wants to please opportunity helps you are a busy others to realize ‘I get to’ and perand never let I’m blessed to be here, son like anyone whereas an obligation Fr. down.

That’s means ‘you have to’. In Tom. It can very life there is too much to be so relatable for most live for and strive for easy to fall people, to let things be obligainto but in small reality tions.” -Fr. Tom Fangman selfwe can’t ish do it things like complaining, all. For example, Fr. Tom not being grateful, taking has had to deal with the things for granted, or just COVID situation this past not living every moment year where he is making the calls for the regulations in the present. In his office at St.Patrick’s parish in and rules in place and everyone has a different Elkhorn where he has been opinion. There is no way the pastor for five years he can make everyone Fr. Tom reflected on his happy. He has had to do life. It was the day before what, in his eyes, is the his 60th birthday and he best thing to do for the explained the four quesmajority of people, while tions he asks himself every 64

decade: “I am making the world a better place? Do I have my health? Are there people I love? Are there people that love me?”

He said that if he could answer yes to those four questions, then he was alright with turning another decade older.

He is a perfect example of being grateful and being aware of all that you have in the present. He inspires his parishioners to be more aware of how blessed they are, and he reminds them that they are human, they are not perfect, humans make mistakes, one person can’t do it all and that’s ok because as long as a person is actively trying to treat everyone with respect and love then they are doing everything they are supposed to be doing. Everyone needs to be reminded of that sometimes.

Similarly, everyone needs to find a person who inspires them to become better versions of themselves. Fr. Tom is admired because of how he chooses to live his life, and he inspires many, particularly his parishioners to become better people. He leads by example and proves anyone can inspire others.

He believes in living every single day with a purpose.

His advice is to “Approach

every day as an opportunity instead of an obligation because an opportunity helps you to realize I get to and I’m blessed to be here, whereas an obligation

ment to the fullest, and living your life with intent. If you choose to live your life with intent, then you will be an inspiration to someone, whether you mean to be or not.

means you have to. In life there is too much to live for and strive for to let things be obligations.”

These words are a perfect example of living every mo-

Fr. Tom Fangman gives a homily at a wedding at St.Patrick’s in Elkhorn, NE

Fr. Tom Fangman takes a picture at Marian Highschool with former St.Patrick’s graduates 65

A Family that Overcomes Challenges

By J1 Reporter Emily Martin

Hannah Kupka learned the importance of prioritizing her mental health in order to help others. Growing up, Hannah Kupka and her three siblings attended Christ the King (CTK) for grade school. After eighth grade, she went to Westside High School.

She was involved in volleyball, track, show choir, and various clubs offered.

Kupka’s family was supportive throughout grade school and her high school years. Her parents always pushed her to be her best and stood by her side through all of the challenges faced. “They let me fail and were there for me to figure it out on my own and grow from that,” Kupka said.

Kupka continued her education at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL). She knew she wanted to pursue teaching as a career. Kupka struggled with education herself, but knew she could teach it well “I always knew I had a gift for education.” She learned a lot and met many new and different people. Kupka’s parents impacted her life in a monumental way.

Kupka and her family

“I make sure I take care of myself. I care for everyone around me so it’s hard to care for myself.”

-Hannah Barnhart had to overcome mental health together. Her father grew up struggling with various mental health problems. Although the news was difficult, it ultimately brought the family closer together and strengthened their relationship with each other. Kupka said, “He has done great his whole life, but got sick.” She had to overcome the hardship of helping him and herself.

Her father needed a kidney transplant and lucky enough, Kupka’s mother was the donor. They both healed and recovered great.

A couple of years ago, Kupka experienced another fear with mental health in her family.

Hannah Kupka met Drew Barnhart at college and got married in 2018 at CTK Parish. “My husband was very sick,” she says. Drew

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had scar tissue wrapped around his intestines. This caused him to have surgery. “It challenged me to have to be strong for him and me, even though I was scared myself on what was going to happen,” she explains. “It also was a wonderful reminder of how important my marriage is to me!”

She and her family had overcome all these difficult bumps, but did it together. Reflecting on the experience, she says, “ I make sure I take care of myself. I care for everyone around me so it’s hard to care for myself.”

Their family has continued growing closer together as these challenges pushed them to care for each other. Through the experience, God has been with them all. “Faith made us stronger by the trust and vulnerability we built as a family,” Barnhart says as she reflects how God has helped her family. “I love working in a Catholic environment,” she explains. Being able to work surrounded by faith helps her prioritize her faith as much as her family. Faith has helped her and her family through the toughest times in their lives.

Hannah Barnhart, third from left, poses with her family for a photo.

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Veteran Defeats Cancer 20 times

By J1 Reporter Kyra McFadden Del Toebben, 91 year young veteran, pilot, and cancer survivor, has no short of unique experiences in his life.

Mr. Toebben has survived cancer close to 20 times.

Toebben, born and raised in Arlington, Neb, was a true farm boy and spent most of his early childhood days working in the hot sun, without proper protection.

Back then, working on a farm, “you didn’t have sunscreen, so your skin would burn and you’d get very tan.

You didn’t take care of your skin at all.”

This led to Toebben having skin cancer, 5-6 spores on his head and 10-15 spores on his back.

However, esophageal cancer had a huge impact on his life. No doctor in Omaha had ever done an espophagectomy or in more simple terms, surgery to remove most or all of your esophagus.

Given six months to live, he worried his luck had run out. At his lowest moment, a savior intervened. A doctor from the University of Michigan was able to perform this life-saving surgery.

Cancer had affected him and his family physically, mentally, and emotionally, especially as cancer runs through his genes. Toebbens father had died of pancreatic cancer and lung cancer took

two of his brothers. Toebben gives wise words, “Cancer makes you look at yourself and make sure you’re doing the right things. It makes you evaluate what you want to do.”

Now an esophageal and skin cancer survivor of almost 20 times, Toebben just hopes he’s doing the right thing and more importantly, that God likes it.

Toebben is a two-time University of Nebraska Lincoln business school graduate. After his first graduation from UNL, Toebben was drafted in the army for the Korean War. Arriving in Korea, “I was lucky enough to receive an office job, only 10 miles away from the war” Toebben reflects on his time in service. He spent two years in service before registering for graduate school.

“When you’re in service, you end up having a best buddy.” Toebben’s buddy was New Jersey native Archie Russo. Although Toebben was technically Russo’s superior, they spent all their time together. They had even spent a week together in Japan before returning home to their respective cities.

Toebben kept in contact for about 10 years via Christmas cards, until that dwindled out. One day, Toebben’s son wondered, “What ever happened to

Archie?” Toebben’s son searched for Russo until they were able to contact him over the phone. Archie and Toebben had stayed connected to each other by phone calls every couple weeks or months, until “one morning I had woken up and saw an email from Archie’s son.” Archie had died. Toebben now keeps up with Archie’s son by phone every three weeks, to talk about their days and of course, Archie.

In his adult years, Toebben accomplished many things. He opened his own silk screen printing company, a technique where mesh is used to transfer ink onto a substrate. His company had made many advertisements, including a Pizza Hut banner hung in stores.

Along with this business, Toebben was a pilot.

Piloting was a big part of Toebben’s life as he used it socially and for businesses.

From flying for advertisements to flying in coaches for UNL, he loved being a pilot.

Most recently, Toebben had heart surgery. He had an ablation surgery in the upper and lower chamber of his heart because his heart was beating too fast. The ablation surgery burnt nodes that controlled the beat of his heart and put in a pacemaker, which helps his heart beat at a regular pace. Toeb68

ben was afraid to have heart surgery, “I was very worked up about it.” Though, the surgery was successful, and he is still learning how to recover. Part of his recovery includes walking outside around his neighborhood circle, of course when the weather allows it.

One admirable thing about Toebben is his 66 year marriage with his wife Phyllis. His wife had also attended UNL, eventually leading up to them meeting in a religious youth group.

They had been friends for a while but never dated, until one weekend.

Toebben was enlisted, but he came and visited Lincoln for a weekend. That

“Cancer makes you look at yourself and make sure you’re doing the right things.”

-Del Toebben

weekend he asked her on a date. After his return home from service, Toebben and Phyllis met yet again at a religious peoples group, started dating, and ended up getting married. Toebben says he married his best friend.

Now, Toebben spends his day-to-day life just trying to keep busy. He is an active member of multiple foundation and investment groups.

“I was blessed growing up around very nice people with good morals.”

-Del Toebben

He tries to do things around his house, and of course walking outside.

Del Toebben has a rollercoaster of a life. From surviving cancer almost 20 times to being a pilot, Toebben says “I was blessed growing up around very nice people with good morals and a good religious outlook,” which made a difference in his life.

Del Toebben and his wife Phyllis being recognized for their donations to the Rotary Foundation which supports the promotion of education, disease eradication, and literacy. Photo Source: Rotary Club of Omaha 69

Tami Hauser Supports Real Life Miracle

By J1 Reporter Maria McLeay In a big brick house across the street from me lives Tami Hauser, one of the strongest people I know. I grew up driving home from school with Hauser going over to her house for cookies and playing with her kids almost every day. She is a mother of seven and a devout Catholic and a big part of my life.

Hauser grew up in Omaha, Neb. and went to high school at Central High downtown. She volunteered at St. Margaret Marys, the church my neighbors and I all belong to and where we all went to grade school.

She enjoyed activities like gymnastics and dance and had two brothers who were Episcopalian Priests.

“I wish I did more with singing in high school, that’s why you need to try everything”, Hauser said.

She met her spouse, Tracy and had seven kids.

None of her kids were my age, but were all pretty close. Hauser continued to be involved in anything she could do to help the community and especially the parish. Her mom converted to Catholicism when she married her dad and Tami followed in her footsteps of being a strong leader at St. Margaret Marys. “I think

it’s funny how when my mom converted, she went to church more than my dad did!” Hauser said.

She and her family moved in down the block about two years after my family moved in. We quickly became very close and have an amazing neighborhood community. My childhood was filled with playing outside with her kids and the other neighbors and making memories I will never forget. Their family was not complete without their youngest John Paul. John Paul was close in age to my brother.

John Paul had a chromosome disorder which made him rely on Hasuser and others for close to everything in his day-to-day life. He was not supposed to make it past birth and the doctors encouraged Hauser to get an abortion.

Hauser felt as if this child needed to be born and she was not even considering an abortion. Hauser went forward with the birth and John Paul lived 12 amazing years. He filled our neighborhood with happiness and made everyone smile and appreciate every day a little more. John Paul had a lot of complications in his life, but he was still always happy.

Hauser prayed to Pope John Paul II in hopes of him helping her son who she and her husband then named John Paul. At the time he was not a saint but she was hoping her son could be one of his miracles to become one.

“Tracy and I thought that this child could be one of those miracles” Hauser said. John Paul had issues his whole life but unexpectedly passed away this past summer which left everyone that met John Paul devastated.

Hauser and her family had tremendous support during hard times from her neighbors, church and community. She saw them as representing the Body of Christ. That is what God’s love looked like to her. “All of these people coming together to support us were the body of Christ in action” said Hauser. Everyone embraced him, prayed for him and so much more.

After his death, one of his siblings, Josh, said that it would be impossible to not believe in God after John Paul.

John Paul taught everyone so much. He was an innocent baby in his head, only about 12-18 months old. He showed unconditional love and how 70

much it can do. He will be remembered by all of the happiness that he gave to people. Hauser will forever be paying it forward by all the gratitude they received.

She wants to continue to help special needs kids like she did when he was alive.

She still has some projects that she is working on memorials of John Paul and other special needs kids at his school JP Lord and the Monroe Meyer Center.

Hauser has this beautiful analogy that she told me. Hauser is creating a butterfky garden at John Pauls old school. “All of the special needs kids represent the flowers and all of the amazing people that help them are the butterflies being brought to the garden to help them” Hauser said.

COVID was a blessing to the Hauser Family, they had a year of special times with John Paul before his death which was so unexpected. “God is a cheerful giver”(Corinthians 9:7), this quote reminds me of Hauser in so many ways.

This happens to be her favorite quote and suits her so well. I am so lucky to have Hauser in my life, she will forever be one of my biggest role models.

“All of the special needs kids represent the flowers and all the amazing people that help them are the butterflies being brought to the garden.”

This is Hauser embracing her son, John Paul.

Picture taken by Ann Marie Hauser.

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Comedian John Mulaney Battles Public Scrutiny After Rehab

By J1 Reporter Nina McMullen

A cold breeze sweeps through the 8th floor of 30 Rockefeller Plaza, or 30 Rock for short. A young John Mulaney, freshly hired and sporting a bright orange tee shirt, pops his head into an office. Not just an office, but Lorne Michaels’ office. Lorne Michaels as in the modern day father of comedy who created Saturday Night Live? Yeah, that Lorne Michaels.

“You’re from Chicago?”

Lorne asks, already knowing the answer.

John, slightly stunned, responds “yeah.”

“Well, now you’re here,” Lorne responds matter of factly with a tilted head and pouted face. “And your family is in Chicago?”

He continues, once again, knowing the response.

John, ever-confused, responds, “yeah, I’m the 3rd

of 4, I have 2 older siblings and…”

Lorne cuts him off. “I know everything about you.”

John is left not knowing what to think but he can assume the analogy-prone Michaels meant ‘I’ve met your kind many times.’

From the outside, John Mulaney is dubbed “America’s Sweetheart” and “Comedy’s Golden Boy.” But the view from outside is not even half of the story.

Sure, this 39-year-old is a stereotypical Midwesterner, raised Irish Catholic, who is known to be about as square as a comedian can get. But those who follow his comedy know Mulaney to be open about his drug-fueled past. “Fourteen years ago I smoked cocaine

the night before my college graduation,” he shares in “Kid Gorgeous,” his Netflix comedy special, “Now I’m afraid to get a flu shot.

People change.”

again in December 2020, it seemed like Mulaney would never take the comedy stage again. But the “Comeback Kid” did exactly that; he came back.

Mulaney started drinking at the age of 13, and by 23 was in recovery for drug and alcohol abuse. He relied on substances for social confidence. “I drank for attention,” Mulaney explains in a 2019 interview with Esquire, “I was really outgoing, and then at 12, I wasn’t.

I didn’t know how to act.

And then I was drinking, and I was hilarious again.”

The line between saturnine dark humor and the Broadway-esque vivacity he typically brings to the stage is where his new comedy special falls, titled, “John Mulaney: From Scratch.”

After attending the show at Arizona’s Federal Theater in Phoenix, it was clear that Mulaney is reinventing his brand and bringing a new tone of authenticity and reality to his comedy.

This stain on the comedian’s squeaky-clean past launched him into a year-long bender over 2020 and 2021. After checking himself into rehab once in September 2020 and

Photograph Courtesy of Lloyd Bishop John Mulaney on the set of Late Night with Seth Meyers Feb. 15, 2015.

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The feel of the room was electric. All phones and recording devices were locked away upon entering the theater, so it was a pure connection between Mulaney

and the ecstatic audience.

A buzzing vibration made its way around the crowd as Mulaney’s appearance grew closer and closer. The moment he walked on stage was like a breath of fresh air.

Seeing him in person after the media frenzy that consumed his name over the last year was nothing short of spectacular. It felt like seeing the underdog finally rise to the top after a season-long losing streak. As if the benchwarmer got up to bat and crushed a home run.

“Here’s how weird my life is: I announced I’m having a baby and the reviews are mixed,” Mulaney said in an opening line. This comedy icon no longer had those perfectly rehearsed bits about “Street Smarts’’ or a “Horse in a Hospital.”

It was a raw, shocking and brutally honest matter.

The struggle between sobriety and relapse all while the public eye is watching is nothing short of brave.

17-year-old Duchesne Academy student and fan of Mulaney, Izzi Horning, admires him “not just because he’s funny, but because he’s overcome and is still overcoming so much.”

Horning’s first memory of John Mulaney was watching clips of “Saturday Night Live” (SNL) on YouTube. Of Mulaney’s works, being hired as a writer for SNL is one of the most notable. There, he co-wrote the eccentric city correspondent played by Bill Hader,

Stefon. Stefon’s budding romance with Weekend Update host Seth Meyers captured audiences. In 2018, when Bill Hader hosted SNL, Mulaney appeared on the silver screen as Shy, Stefon’s lawyer and friend with a quirky job history.

and it takes a strong sense of spirit and resilience to keep a level-head in the midst of swirling rumors.

But how did Mulaney build up such a strong reputation and rapport with his fans and colleagues? Watching Mulaney’s comedy is a lot like looking in a mirror for most people. He’s that relatable boy-next-door who tells cheerful self-deprecating stories. Aug. 19, 2017, Mulaney told CBS news that his comedic subject (himself) has always stayed the same.

“It’s still, you know, the adventures of a sweet idiot,” he said.

“Me and my two best friends were watching TV and one of them was like ‘Hey watch this SNL skit I saw last night’ and it became a big bonding moment for us. We loved it.” After finding out Mulaney wrote the skit, “it changed everything,” Horning says.

“Shy made us lose our minds These laughadvening and tures all -John Mulaney then that started launched with his my love of John.” improv comedy group at Georgetown University Few comedians can and quickly evolved. His hold the attention of such a career launched in 2008 devoted fan base as Muwhen he landed the highly laney’s. Fans feel a personal coveted writing job at SNL. connection to him and when In the same CBS interview the news broke of his stint he said, “That changed the in rehab, an outpour of sup- course of my career export followed. Of course, ponentially. I was writing it wasn’t all sunshine and comedy. To compare it to rainbows in the following writing comedy at ‘Saturday news. Headlines surfaced Night Live,’ it’d be like if such as “You may not like you were a farmer and you the new John Mulaney” and were picking up rocks and “John Mulaney has fallen then suddenly, you’re an off his nice-guy pedestal.” astronaut on the moon and Scrutiny is always quick to you’re picking up rocks. seek out celebrity gossip, Now, you’re still picking

“Sitting here tonight, I’m so grateful to you and everyone there for saving my life, OK?”

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up rocks, but you’re on the moon. And I would often look around at ‘Saturday Night Live’ and go, ‘I’m on the moon.’”

His writing at SNL landed him the one-hour Comedy Central special “New in Town.” He was officially a respected standup comic.

With this new-found stardom, he launched his own ‘Seinfeld’-esque sitcom aptly called, “Mulaney.” To put it lightly, the show was a flop. Cancelled-after-13shows type of a flop.

That ever-persistent Mulaney held his head high after this failure and hit the road. He started a tour— that later became a Netflix special—fittingly named, “The Comeback Kid.” He kept himself busy with more specials and projects. And then came the pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic was a scary time for everyone and all stability or day-to-day structure was just thrown out the window.

Additionally, for people struggling with addiction, relapses became unfortunately common.

It seemed jarring that someone who had been sober for 15 years could relapse so suddenly but people with drug addictions don’t just fit in one box.

There can actually be a lot to learn from Mulaney’s story. …Oh! And to clear up a quick rumor: NO! Pete Davidson, current SNL cast member and close friend of

Mulaney, is not the reason Mulaney got back on drugs.

Yes, Pete Davidson is open about his drug use, specifically the use of marijuana, but Mulaney was actually showing him how to live a substance-free life and he made this abundantly clear on his “From Scratch” tour.

To make his long story short, he told how during detox (the most grueling part of rehab), Davidson called him nearly 10 times concerned for him and worried sick. He was horrified that people would think it’s his fault. So, no. Pete Davidson is not to blame for Mulaney’s relapse. Now back to the story…

Mulaney was in desperate need of help. From so many years as a mild-mannered and sober comedian, he built up a group of supportive friends. These friends knew if they let Mulaney continue down this path of addiction, it would cost his life. After his 2020 hiatus, he came back in September of 2021 for an honest chat with his longtime friend Seth Meyers, host of “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” Mulaney detailed his intervention, of which Myers was in attendance.

Mulaney was under the impression that he would be meeting with an old college friend for dinner.

“When I opened the door, I knew right away it was an intervention,” Mulaney admits. “That’s how bad of a drug problem I had, that when I opened a door and saw people, I went, ‘This is probably an intervention

about my drug problem.’”

Meyers, “Remember when I looked at everyone and I went, ‘I’m sober now. I’m sober right now.’ I wasn’t.

Remember when I kept going to the bathroom? That was for drugs.”

To pop the question on everyone’s mind: yes, it was a star studded affair. Despite how mad Mulaney was, he looked around and thought, ‘This is a good group.’ He referred to the numerous viral videos of celebrities singing “We Are the World,” when he compared the attendees to “a ‘We Are the World’ of alternative comedians over the age of 40.”

Although it may seem callous for someone to make light of their situation fresh out of rehab, he did share a genuine and touching moment with Meyers, saying, “Let me say this about it. I walk into In the interPhoenix, vention Ariz., he and I’m revealed so mad. the list of I didn’t people in want an attendance. intervenMost tion… recogAt that nizable moment were his in time, co-workI wanted ers from to continSNL: Fred ue using Arminsen drugs. and his Sitting wife Nahere totasha Lynight, I’m onne, Seth so grateful Meyers, to you and -John Mulaney Bill Hader, everyone and fellow there for writer saving my Marika Sawyer. And of life, OK? That night, I was course, his intervention not grateful.” couldn’t be complete without his best friend since It’s not common for college, Nick Kroll. comedians to be seen in completely serious environAlthough Mulaney ments. It’s simply not in the claims he doesn’t remember nature of their job. Mulaney much from spending the last noticed this lapse in humor year in the throes of cosaying, “So many funny caine, klonopin, and various people. And then no one did other drugs, he does remem- bits the entire time.” Meyber “insisting [he] was sober ers agreed, adding, “Yes. I at the intervention.” He asks think you know the gravity

“I don’t take being here for granted. I really don’t.

I don’t take you guys for granted. So, thank you.”

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of a situation when Fred Armisen is not doing a bit.”

Their conversation wrapped up as Mulaney thanked Meyers for “saving” him as the two shared how much they love each other over a friendly handshake. “I don’t have a joke for that,” Mulaney concluded.

Back in Phoenix, Ariz., Mulaney finished out his show with a heartfelt thank-you to the audience.

“I don’t like to get sappy but I feel like I need to say ‘thank you.’ I really mean it.

Over the last year it wasn’t like I was just a little sad, I truly could not imagine ever being happy again. I don’t take being here for granted.

I really don’t. I don’t take you guys for granted. So, thank you.” He buttoned his suit, raised a hand to the crowd, and with a small bow and smile, he walked off stage. As the lights went up and the people roared with applause, John Mulaney, the comeback kid, proved just how much of a mark he’s made on the lives of his fans.

Mulaney will be bringing his “John Mulaney: From Scratch” comedy tour to Omaha, Neb. on April 22.

Tickets go on sale Dec 10.

Visit johnmulaney.com for more details.

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John Mulaney poses for Vulture photo shoot on Nov. 8, 2015.

Photograph Courtesy of Nathan Perkle

Dana Patterson Inspires Others

By J1 Reporter Sophie Ortmeier

Dana Patterson has a full calendar including all her children’s activities, dinner for each day and much more. Patterson is a spouse to Steve and mother to three children, two daughters and a son. Megan is a junior at Marian, Grace is a freshman at Marian, and Steven is in eighth grade at St. Roberts. She works at Creighton University in the Heider College of Business.

She works for an economic institute where she puts together student groups and programming. She also brings in speakers for the students and the public.

Patterson was born in Little Rock, Ark., but moved multiple times throughout her life. She has two older siblings, a sister, and brother. They were a very athletic and competitive family. She grew up playing soccer and basketball. She would travel a lot for soccer; she even missed thanksgiving one year.

She attended Burke High School.

During high school she was involved in sports.

Dana was also a “decent” student and was involved in the National Honor Society.

“I was friends with a lot of different people from clubs and sports,” said Patterson,

“but had three close friends who I am still friends with.”

For college she attended Lincoln first, earning a spot on the Husker soccer team.

Playing a college sport impacted her experience because she had limited time to take classes. “I had to have a routine down by the first couple weeks,” Patterson said. On top of that, she was involved in a sororityKappa Alpha Theta. About half way through college she transferred to Oklahoma because her parents moved there after she went to college. Patterson wanted to be closer to her family, after losing both her grandmas and her dad got sick. She continued to play soccer at the University of Oklahoma. Being in a college sport helped her make connections and gave her close friends. She did not

want to give up soccer. She says, “If I could do it again, I would.” While playing, she suffered from multiple injuries. She had three knee surgeries, a broken wrist, and a broken nose.

This does not impact her children today as they are all involved in multiple sports.

After college she moved back to Nebraska from Oklahoma because her parents had moved to Nebraska.

Her role model is her dad because she looked up to him throughout her lifetime.

He died in 2009, but got to meet all his grandchildren before passing. “He was smart and funny; he taught me business and insurance,” Patterson said.

The morals she lives by are God first, family second, and community third.

If she had all the money in the world, she would not tell anyone, then potentially

“Enjoy yourself because life is too short.”

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move and travel. She would also donate to her church.

Finally she would get a new sign for Tranquility Soccer Complex in Omaha. Patterson said, “I would get a new sign because it bugs me every time I see it.”

Since she works full time at Creighton and has a family, she says, “It is hard, but I just need a quiet moment to myself to be a better person when overwhelmed.” She enjoys going on drives to cool off or taking a day to hang out with her friends.

Additionally, she tries to plan accordingly.

A moment when she was helping someone and it ended up helping her was when she helped her friend get through a divorce. Seeing her friend go through this tough situation made her grateful for her family and want to hug her husband and kids. It also made her more thankful for everything she has.

Unforgettable moments for her were the birth of her three children. Each births of her and her husband was different. She is grateful for her family, friends and health. Her life motto is to not take things so seriously and enjoy yourself because life is too short.

The Patterson family in 2021: Megan, Steven, Dana, Steve, Grace.

“God first, family second, and community third.”

Dana Patterson

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Shruthi Kumar Resurfaces Mindfulness

By J1 Reporter Tyler Raikar A firm, thoughtful grip of a handshake is more than just an exchange of greetings. It’s an exchange of setting your grounds, fulfilling your assertiveness, giving your peers a first impression of yourself. Shruthi Kumar, taught this lesson as a little girl from a friend of her father, keeps this mindset with her years now as she attends Harvard University, currently a freshman. First going into this handshake, the man exclaims, “What are you doing? You can’t go into a handshake with such a light grip! You must stand your ground and give a handshake executed so well, they know you recognize your worth.”

Growing up in Omaha her entire life, Kumar lived her adolescent years spending periods of leisure doing yoga, playing piano and violin, swimming, and learning a dance called Bharatanatyam, one of the oldest and most popular classical Indian dances originating in Tamil Nadu.

It encompasses music, rhythm, and expression harmoniously— all ideals that Kumar embeds into her routine. Reading was another interest she loved.

Both of her parents grew up in India, and after

moving to America with the Indian education system being their recognized schooling, they saw the American schooling system Kumar endured as uncanny. These two differences clashed together as she grew up learning. ”I had to choose either how my parents were taught or how I was taught.

activities she remembered being pure bliss and innocence no longer could fit in her schedule, and Kumarshe had to pick her battles between her many extra curriculars. The stage of entering high school highlighted new perspectives and goals for Kumar— her life was now a strict routine

“I know it’s a cheesy saying, but it holds so much importance. You have to fulfill what truly brings you happiness in life. That right there is the key to success.”

It was confusing!” It was mind-boggling for Shruthi’s parents to adapt to the ways the American system taught their daughter. It was only fair they wanted the best for her educationally, even if that meant re-teaching her methods of algebra, composition, or just that common ground.

Moving into her high school years, the same

of school, studying, violin practice, Student Board, Burn Magazine, yoga, and the list goes on. Kumar was attentive to performing her best work in committees she knew could implement a difference. Kumar also remembered valuing her parents and peers around her.

Each new day, Kumar would notice little details of 78

her classmates’ personalities and take great meaning and lessons from each tangent.

Her peers had taught her the importance of not caring about what others could judge you about, because at the end of the day, “you are driven by what truly makes you happy.” Another noted detail was the stressful atmosphere that appeared to be a constant every day at Marian. Kumar could not imagine when a student shared “I had to go to bed at 4 just to finish homework.”

This was in no way how a student should formulate a mindful schedule. Not at all.

At this moment Kumar started to brew up an idea.

Summer going into sophomore year, Kumar took a spiritual trip to India for two weeks in the sublime of mountains, away from any commotion. This trip was focused on the legitimacy of yoga, an activity she now took pride in. Yoga in the Western Hemisphere has been marginalized as the physical activity white mothers attend to in the morning every now and then. Its true nature is discipline and liberation; yoga focuses on the art and science of healthy living.

Being in India, Kumar went to bed at 9 and woke up at 4

AM every morning, fueled her body with foods most beneficial to her mind and body, meditated several moments of her day, and learned the daily routines of the native people’s lives.

Inspired with a new confidence, Kumar sought to anonymously organize a new program instituting these new perspectives in Marian under the name of “GoYogi”, a non-profit organization that prioritizes mental health in educational facilities. Her goal was simple. Bring the students of Marian five minutes of mindfulness to rebalance and center their days. Five minutes of pure meditation and alleviation had the potential to recreate a student’s day. Igniting this difference in students’ lives continued to inspire Kumar to her days of high school and present day college.

GoYogi expanded to many schools in the U.S. and even India. Her program emphasizes the importance of mental health education and mindfulness in school systems. Schools currently practicing this are Marian and Udavum Karangal, located in Chennai, India. Prairie Meadows Alzheimer’s Special Care Center’s, in Omaha, Neb.,

Kumar recognized the fast-paced lives Marian students endured every day. Sports, homework, pressure of success, extracurricular activities, social participation, projects, sleep deprivation, anxiety... and the cycle repeats! Using her guidance from her trip to India, she experimented using the art of yoga to battle this academic disruption.

As Kumar continues to lead her expanded organization today, it sets a reminder for herself and others of what she wishes to forever live by.

She strongly hopes each person involved with

also began using the program Feburary 2019 to give a a great alternative of medication to patients with latestage Alzheimer’s. The program showed relaxed and rejuvenated patients who have participated in the meditation. But what exactly inspired Kumar to create a non-profit organization like this?

GoYogi feels driven to find balance, to establish goals with a reward of happiness, and to feel inspired. To all the young women, even if that means fighting a little harder to have their voices heard, Kumar says the experience is worth all the fight once that girl realizes her worth.

Kumar was that girl once.

That girl is the same person who learned to fight for her own approval rather than another’s. That girl who learned to take the initiative from a firm handshake has grown up to be an unstoppable young woman who continues to be an inspiration for each girl at Marian today.

Shruthi Kumar Age 20 Photo courtesy of Kumar 79

Molly Roth: A Living Saint

By J1 Reporter Chloe Samuelson On a late night in Lawrence, Kan., Molly Roth puts her three young children to bed. Molly and her husband Chris just moved their family out there and are feeling very isolated in their current situation. As she laid in her bed and fell off into a deep sleep, she was quickly awoken by a frightening nightmare.

In this nightmare, she saw her children dying and it was her job to save them, this is now a recurring dream in her life.

Trembling from this horrendous nightmare, she woke up and immediately picked up her Bible. It was at this exact moment she knew in her isolation that she had allowed the devil to get to her, and she needed Jesus more than ever. As she read, she instantaneously felt amazing, her heart was on fire while she read the word of God. With no idea where to start, she opened the Bible and read from the book of Genesis.

From this moment on, the nightmares that were terrorizing her mind were replaced with God’s everlasting love.

Growing up, Roth was raised in a Catholic household that taught her the importance of a never ending spiritual journey. She did all of the things expected of

a young Catholic; going to Mass on Sundays, having a good prayer life, and being an active member of the Church. When it was time to go off to college, she slowly started drifting away from God. Her biggest regret was not being confident enough in her faith to speak up and continue to grow on her journey.

Drifting away from God during college can be a common occurrence, and Roth was just another example of this.

After college, Roth got married and started her own family. Still not completely recovered from falling away, she had not yet let the Holy Spirit fully back into her life. The move to Lawrence had her feeling very isolated. Lacking the religious foundation that she had once established, she was feeling confused.

Ever since the night she picked up her Bible, she now reads it every night before bed, ensuring that the

devil will not get to her in her sleep again. She began to lead faith groups and got back into the Church and fully emerged into Christ.

In Lawrence, she led a Catholic women’s group and dedicated herself to helping other women encounter the Holy Spirit.

She moved her family to Omaha in 2007, and has continued to do the same here ever since. As a member of St. Vincent de Paul Parish, she volunteers her time and has led her fair share of prayer groups for people of all age ranges. Her goal is to make people feel welcomed by God, and not intimidated to embark on a religious journey of their own. She shows kindness to everyone in her life, including her family, friends and peers.

If someone is in distress, she will step up and be the first to help them out.

Many people refer to her

“Love big, forgive always”

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as a “living-saint” because of the many compassionate deeds she completes on a daily basis.

Fast forward to 2020, Roth was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemotherapy and all of the treatments necessary to help her beat this terrible disease. Later, she found out that she was misdiagnosed by her doctors and discovered it was actually a rare cancer called sarcoma cancer. It is an uncommon diagnosis of cancer that not many researchers study. This was obviously a major shock to her and her family. Everyone in the community was devastated by this tragic news. These many months were filled with lots of pain and sorrow. They taught Roth not to take anything in life for granted, especially the precious little moments.

During her battle with cancer, she clung to God and remained hopeful. She kept repeating the phrase, “Thank God ahead of time,” meaning thank God no matter what because he knows your ultimate plan and will not lead you astray. This allowed her to find positivity and to trust this long, hard process. As of right now, Molly has been cancer free for several months. With the

immense support from her family, friends, and ultimately her strong relationship with Christ, she was able to overcome and beat this heart wrenching disease.

Molly Roth is the epitome of an inspirational figure. Living by the phrase, “Love big forgive always,” she serves as a role model for the people in her life.

Her ability to love and show kindness to all shows her grand purpose in this world, which is to help people grow closer to God. She truly was placed in people’s life for a reason and everyone she encounters, she deeply touches. Through everything she has been through, she role models optimism and hope. Being inspired by Mother Teresa herself, she is a model of compassion for everyone she knows. She is a mentor that helps guide people through life by giving advice, a shoulder to cry on, and an overall feeling of love that will be cherished forever.

Molly’s daughter amelia captures her iconic red hair before starting her first week of chemotherapy.

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Sullivan Leads By Example

by J1 Reporter Megan Schneider

While approaching the center staircase on the second floor of Marian, students walk past Mrs. Susie Sullivan’s office every day. Tucked away from the classrooms, Mrs. Sullivan spends her days running what she calls her second home.

“You know I may not have been the best in my class, but I could outwork anyone,” Sullivan said. This drive for hard work stems back to her time as a student at Marian onto college in Helena, Mont., and back here in Omaha at the University of Nebraska for her Master’s.

Sullivan’s early life was spent with a mom who valued education, “My mom was one of four girls, and it was unusual for girls to go college at the time, but she used to say, ‘Well, you got to get a college degree Susie, so if your husband dies, you can get a job,’” and Sullivan did just that.

Sullivan attended Carroll College and majored in history and minored in English, but did not get a teaching certificate. “My mom kept saying, Do you need to get a teaching certificate?

And I’m like, No, I don’t.

There’s a million teachers. I don’t know if that’s what I want to do.”

After college Sullivan moved back to Omaha, got married to attorney Mal Sullivan and worked part-time for about 12 years taking

care of her three sons. “I al- Head of School Dr. Susan ways worked like 15 hours Toohey was still working a week and then when my at the school and Sullivan youngest was in fourth or assumed she would retire fifth grade, I got a full-time from teaching before Tooteaching job.” hey did. Her former prinSullivan’s teaching career cipal in the Millard district began in the Millard district. told her, however, “Oh, you “I got never a job know in Milwhere lard life and might then take the people.” prinSulcipal livan, there still sugunsure gested, about ‘you switching should to the think adminabout istrative beside of comteaching a ing, deprinto cipal.’

Principal Susie Sullivan cided ask her And then-deI’m ceased just mother for a sign or interthinking, I never thought vention of some sort on her about that. So I got my drive home from work one Master’s.” Sullivan continued working while pursuing day. She remembers saying, “Mom, I don’t know if I still her Master of Science in want to teach eighth grade Educational Administration or if I need to do this princiand Supervision. pal thing. You need to send “I remember telling my me a sign.” A week later a friends the only place I’d ever be principal was Mari- friend Michael broke the an because really everything news to Sullivan that Toohey had been given another they do is perfect as far as opportunity elsewhere. “I I know and I agree with remember he said, “Did you every single thing they do hear the news?” And I said, there.” During this time, “‘What?’” and Michael however, Marian’s former

“I feel like getting this job was truly divine intervention.”

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said, “‘Susan Toohey is leaving,”’ I said “‘No way,”’ I felt like it was divine intervention because of what I had asked my mom.”

The job principal now open, Sullivan was determined to get an interview.

All Sullivan thought was, “If they give me an interview, I know I can convince her (President Mary Higgins) that I am the person for this job.” Sullivan landed an interview and before she knew it, she was one of the top two finalists for the position. “And so I interviewed. I thought it went well and it took them 12 days before they called me and offered me the job,” said Sullivan.

The board told Sullivan that they were going to wait a couple of days before the formal announcement and lo and behold on the second anniversary of her mother’s passing, the formal announcement was released and Sullivan was officially Marian’s next principal.

Six years later, Sullivan still loves her job more than ever and is continuing her education by obtaining her doctorate. When asked why she chose to further her education she said, “My job is primarily to research already so I figured why not put my knowledge into a certificate.” Sullivan’s story proves that through hard work and dedication even what seems impossible is within reach.

President Ms. Mary Higgins and Principal Mrs. Susie Sullivan, dressed up for Halloween 2021 in costumes from “Footloose,” the fall musical, pass out granola bars to students before school.

Photo by Bella Beck

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Burton Serves The Community Through Virtue

By J1 Reporter Elle Stiles Abby Burton is someone who inspires others.

During her whole life she has always been a positive influence. She has always been extremely honest, supporting, and kind, and everyone really admires that about her. Throughout the past decade, she has always been there and willing to help. And the whole time, everyone around Abby has been inspired by her intense modesty and admirable virtues. She always inspires everyone around her to be a better person, and that’s why she makes a great friend and inspirational figure.

It all started during her childhood. Sandwiched between two brothers, she has had a very full and entertaining childhood.

According to Burton, her upbringing had everything to do with who she is now.

She states how her childhood was fun because her family “tried to let us get new experiences and taught us how to treat others correctly”. This uniquely kind and generous upbringing are what contributed to Burton’s present day attributes.

Currently, Burton attends Millard South High School. She is involved in jazz choir, and has been an

avid achiever of Millard South’s high academics. She has achieved a 4.0 GPA and higher in high school, and has been on multiple honor rolls in middle school. Her academic drive is highly admirable and is currently the main focus of her life.

While Burton is focused on school, the greatest motivation and inspiration of her life is “religion because it’s my way of life”. A devout Mormon, Burton is deeply immersed in her faith. It drives her to live the way she does, and inspires her to better herself.

She explains how her faith taught her honorable moral standards and a good work ethic, while also giving her hope and something to look up to. Religion is a central part of Burton’s life, making up a large part of who she is.

Along with having a righteous childhood and being a dedicated Christian, Burton is an extremely modest person. She is very humble and thinks more highly of others

than herself. When asked to describe herself, she stated that “I try to be nice to everyone, however I can” and that every now and then she says something positive or inspirational for the benefit of others.

Burton also enjoys helping others by doing little things.

She loves to do little acts of kindness that make people smile or laugh, and that brighten up their day. According to Burton, “When you don’t have a lot of time for the bigger services, sometimes the little lines are all you’ve got, and they add up over time”.

This philosophy is what has brought many to enjoy her company.

Through the past decade, Burton has always been kind to everyone and helped nearly everyone she meets.

In middle school she would always help others with their schoolwork, helping in whatever way she could.

A couple years ago, she brought a few home-cooked meals to the sick, completely making their day. And

“I try to be nice to everyone, however I can.”

- Abby Burton

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now, she displays her considerable love of knowledge in Millard South’s Early College Program which allows students to take advanced classes and even graduate a year early.

Abby Burton is kind, virtuous, and charitable, yet she somehow manages to stay humble. She has a proud past, flourishing present, and a promising future. Her work and dedication to helping others and making the community a better place are some of the most admirable aspects of her life. They summarize her drive of compassion and serve as a reminder of her inspiration.

Abby Burton truly is an inspiration to us all. charitable, yet she somehow manages to stay humble. She has a proud past, flourishing present, and a promising future.

Her work and dedication to helping others and making the community a better place are some of the most admirable aspects of her life. They summarize her drive of compassion and serve as a reminder of her inspiration.

Abby Burton truly is an inspiration to us all.

Abby Burton poses for a picture 85 in her backyard last spring