The Network
VOLUME SIXTY-FOUR • ISSUE SEVEN •MAY 2020 MARIAN HIGH SCHOOL • 7400 MILITARY AVENUE OMAHA, NE 68134 • WWW.MARIANDIGITALNETWORK.COM
Upperclassmen find prom alternatives to keep spirits high LilyWeindel
O
Glam Cam• Mo Flanery ’20 sets up a personal ‘glam cam’ in her bedroom. Using some simple supplies, Flanery was able to make the most of her prom dress that she had already bought. Photo courtesy of Mo Flanery.
ne of the staples of a high school experience is prom, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic a typical prom, or other special dances and traditions, isn’t possible for students across the globe, affecting many upperclassmen in the Marian community. Though the lack of a fancy dinner, group pictures and a ballroom setting may seem disheartening to many, some are determined to have a prom experience despite the circumstances. Junior Eva Watson had already bought her prom dress when she heard the news. “I was super disappointed, because I was looking forward to going with my friends,” Watson said, but she didn’t let the disappointment linger for long. She plans to host a backyard prom later in the summer or when the stay-at-home guidelines are lifted. “Replanning things helps me stay positive and reminds me that all of this is temporary.” Though it’s still in the works, she hopes to set up lights,
invite her friends and have an open house. Watson isn’t the only one waiting to see what the future of their prom may be. Junior Tory Roubidoux, a member of the Prom Committee and a Class Officer, says they’re still having meetings. “We made a video of the princess and queen getting their tiaras,” Roubidoux said, “We’re playing it by ear in regards to the options for prom.” The coronation is now available for viewing through an email sent to the student body, and shows the prom court receiving tiaras, and Janny Apiwattangsakul was crowned prom queen. Senior Mo Flanery also had bought her prom dress. She’s put it to use in a new, creative way, following in the steps of A-Listers. Awards shows such as the Grammys and Golden Globes have used a “GlamBot,” a high-speed camera attached to a robotic arm that is able to capture glamour shots of different celeb-
rities as they walk down the red carpet. Though Flanery may have not been posing for the paparazzi, using simple supplies such as her phone and tape, took a few glamour shots of her own. “It was just something that I could goof around with and have fun by myself,” Flanery said. “I still got to get all dressed up and do my makeup and hair and all that jazz.” Many seniors were disappointed with the news of no prom, meaning less time to spend with their friends and dates. Flanery decided to have her own photoshoot as “something that I could do to cope with not having my last prom.” She recorded the session on her TikTok account. “I love watching the TikTok when I’m bored or sad because I remember how funny and fun it was to make.” Flanery is hopeful that there’s still a chance for a prom-like event or maybe something with her own friends.
Servants of Mary shine light, positivity during quarantine
OliviaSullivan
L
ife changed for everyone in the Marian community amidst virtual learning and quarantine, and the Servants of Mary are no exception. Even with the changes and uncertainty, they made it a priority to focus on positivity and prayer. Many Servants of Mary at the motherhouse sewed masks for themselves and their fellow sisters. They supplied them for Sheltering Tree, an organization that helps those with developmental disabilities through affordable housing, as well. They are sharing prayers and readings with each other and reaching out through Zoom and Facetime to sisters who are at Immanuel Fontenelle Retirement Home. Not all of the sisters live at the motherhouse, including Sr. Margaret Buchta. “I am serious about using more
time for prayer since I cannot come to Marian; students and their families are part of the prayer as well as the global world,” Buchta said. Butcha stays in touch while following social distancing guidelines. “Also, I am reaching out by phone to many relatives, friends and staff.” “I do little things, probably like most of you too. If I see people during a walk outside — for exercise and appreciation of God’s amazing creation trying to burst forth with new life — I keep social distancing and ask them about their families,” Buchta said. Another example of creativity is a project made by juniors Rebecca Roh and Nicole Loeffler, members of Servite Connections Club. The duo made a short video, featuring other students as well, for the Servants of Mary. “Our inspiration for the video was that we’ve been wanting to get in touch with the
sisters in some way to let them know we’ve been thinking about them,” Roh said. “Having been members of the club for three years, we’ve formed relationships with the sisters and genuinely care about them. They’re like our bonus grandmas; they’re fun to be around and are easy to have a good time with,” Roh said. “In this time of uncertainty we just wanted to brighten their day and let them know that we are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers and miss seeing them once a month.” “We were really upset that we had to cancel our last event, especially for the seniors [in the club],” Loeffler said. “We just wanted a good way to end our amazing year with them and to give everyone a way to say goodbye to them for this year. We will be so happy to see them again next year.”
Lending a Helping Hand • Servants of Mary offer their serivces of sewing masks during the crisis. They use FaceTime to stay in touch with their fellow sisters while in quarantine. Photos courtesy of Josh Langel.
Nettie’s serves, seeks support from local community
ChloeHerbert
A
s the mandated social distancing guidelines have changed day-to-day life, the restaurant industry has taken a tremendous hit. In order to comply with the recommended guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, many local restaurants have turned to delivery, online ordering and curbside pick up options so they can stay in business. Freshman Cecilia Urbanski’s family’s restaurant, Nettie’s Fine Mexican Food, is no different. Nettie’s has been serving a wide variety of traditional Mexican foods since Urbanski’s great grandmother, Nettie, opened it in 1987. “[Nettie] came from Mexico when she was a young girl. She always loved cooking, but she didn’t open her restaurant officially until she was about 62 years old. Nettie passed away in 2005, but now three of Nettie’s 10 children, as well as several grandchildren, run the
restaurant,” Urbanski said. While the Bellevue restaurant has built a following of loyal customers over the past 30 years, social distancing guidelines have forced Nettie’s to adapt. “They’ve been working day in and day out on takeout orders.
Eat Local • Nettie’s was founded by Cecelia Urbanski’s ’23 great grandmother more than 30 years ago. They are currently only doing takeout orders due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Unfortunately they had to let go of some of the staff who did things like dish work and prep because they can’t have too many people together in the space and they can’t afford to pay everyone,” Urbanski said. But the community has stepped up to help. “Nettie’s has a ton of regulars, so they have been ordering food to help keep the business running,” Urbanski said. Nettie’s has also been listed as one of Marian’s Local Omaha Restaurants, a list of restaurants with Marian connections to consider supporting and can be found on the Marian website here https:// marianhighschool.net/wp-content/ uploads/2020/04/LocalOmahaRestaurants.pdf. “If your family likes to eat out, then I’d encourage you to call in an order,” Urbanski said. “Order the pork chile! It’s kinda spicy, but it’s my favorite.”