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State Volleyball Photo Essay p. 16
7400 Military Avenue Omaha, NE 68134 402-571-2618
www.marianhighschool.net
Volume 57, Issue 4
November/December 2012
A Need for Peace:
Deaths in Benson spark city-wide movement marieroubidoux amarrah Wernsman seems like your typical junior. She has plenty of friends, she’s involved in various extracurriculars, and is almost always seen with a smile stretching across her face. However, Wernsman has had anything but a typical life. Born into one of the worst abuse cases Nebraska has ever had, Wernsman and her two brothers stuck together and reached the light at then end of the tunnel. Wernsman and her younger brother were adopted nine years ago by a loving family, virtually incomparable to her biological home. However, due to the grave amounts of abuse and neglect he went through, her other brother, Anthony Ray-Sanders, remained in foster care and different facilities until a family finally found him. Ray-Sanders was scheduled for adoption on Dec. 25, 2008, but the day never came for him. On Nov. 8, 2008, Ray-Sanders was sitting in his living room, home alone. His soon-to-be adoptive cousin thought it would be funny to pull a prank on the 15-yearold and wandered over to the house - with a loaded gun. After firing several shots outside to make sure the gun was loaded, he walked inside, put the gun to
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Ray-Sanders’ head, and pulled the trigger. One “prank” changed Wernsman’s life forever. Red and black may seem like harmless colors, but for Montrell Wiseman, a 16-year-old junior at Omaha South High School, these were the colors that cost him his life. Wiseman had his whole life ahead of him; he was a bright student with no criminal past, but was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time. Police say a car full of men drove around rival gang territory in north Omaha in the early morning hours of Oct. 21; they spotted Wiseman wearing a red shirt - a rival color - and opened fire. He lost his life for no reason, simply because of gang and gun violence. Eriana Carr was a well-liked 16-yearold junior at Benson High School. She was on honor roll, an Avenue Scholar, and involved in basketball and cheerleading. Carr was described as an outgoing girl with a positive outlook on life no matter where it took her. As she was standing on her front lawn with her cousin, Nakia Johnson, on Oct. 30, shots came from a car driving by. Although her cousin believes the bullets were meant for herself, Carr unfortunately took the fall. See Gun Violence p. 3
Operation Others: A gift that gives back poornaramasubramanian
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t is Call-In Day. It is also the day that junior Helen Burns is especially looking forward to. As a member of the Operation Others Core Team, she has the opportunity to answer calls from families who want to sign up to receive food on Delivery Day, the biggest event of Operation Others. “I can’t tell you how many times people called me their angel. It really warms your heart and makes me think about how much I am given and how I have the opportunity to make a difference in their lives,” she said. The holidays are a time when many are thankful for their blessings, and in that spirit, give back to their communities. Operation Others (OO) is an opportunity available through which
Catholic high school students can get involved in their community. Seniors Anna Hautzinger and Ellie Hupp, and juniors Ellen Townley and Helen Burns serve on the OO Core Team, representing Marian and coordinating Marian’s events. Starting in August, there were a variety of service opportunities available for students including events such as a volleyball/dodgeball tournament, 5K run, pancake breakfast, pasta dinner, and Trick-or-Treat for Cans. While the Trick-or-Treat for Cans benefited local families in need, the other events were fundraisers for their biggest event, Christmas delivery week. See Operation Others p. 9
Morning Melodies. Sophomore Baylie Moravec and freshman Kateri Determan play the tenor saxophone and alto saxophone, respectively. On the morning of Saturday, Dec. 1, the band was up bright and early. WOWT Channel 6 News was sponsoring their annual food drive for the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry. There were several locations around the city where people could give donations, including the HyVee in Papillion and the Aksarben Village area.The band went to the Aksarben Village location and from 10 to 10:30 a.m. they played holiday favorites such as “Hark, the Herald Angels Sing,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” After the food drive was over, WOWT had received 12,000 pounds of food, way over their previous amount of 7,000 pounds in 2011. photo by sydneyrhoades
Cheaper by the Fifteen:
An inside look at Marian sisters’ unique family eileenbaca
“L
ife can get pretty crazy when you have a dozen siblings,” senior Anna Forbes said. “We have to do a lot of things that ‘normal’ families don’t have to. We get to church half an hour early just to get a pew big enough to fit all of us.” “Yeah, and we have to drive a 15-passenger van, and you can never show up
at a popular restaurant, because you’ll have to wait forever to get a seat,” freshman Maggie Forbes said. Anna and Maggie have a very unique family. They have 15 people in their family, 16 if you count their dog. “My friends find it an accomplishment when they can name all my siblings,” Anna said. See Forbes Family p. 7
Freshman Track Star p. 10
How to Stay Fit in the Winter p. 11
Hurricane Sandy p. 2
Photo courtesy of Bonnie Jo Mount, Washington Post
Hot Chocolate Reviews p. 15