november scepter 2016

THE

SCEPTER

NOVEMBER 2016 A

P U B L I C A T I O N

ISSUE 2 VOLUME 54 O F

P A P I L L I O N

WWW.PLPULSE.COM L A V I S T A

HIGH SCHOOL

TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES

4 5 6&7 8

A Foreign Experience Education in a Double World Exceptional Souls Adventure is Out There

NEWS

9 10&11 12 13 14&15 16

Oh, the Places You’ll Go The Early Bird Gets the Coffee Crowded Out

OPINION

17 18 ENTERTAINMENT 19 20 21 22 23 Timeless Tunes

The Truth About Media

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children Review More Than Just Food Days

The Art of Saving Money Caught Our Eye

Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover

SPORTS

24 25 26&27 28&29 30&31

Building a New Future

Honoring Our Past to Inspire the Future

Taking a Knee

Restoring Royalty

On the Menu

Just Roll With It

COVER PHOTO: MEGAN KRABBENHOFT COVER DESIGN: CAMRYN BOWERS Senior Ambi Anuh-Ndumu and sophomore Victoria Baker react to the announcement of Tom Robinson’s death in “To Kill a Mockingbird” on Oct. 13.

#TeamBurg The State of Domination

The Scepter is a school-sponsored publication of Papillion-La Vista High School, 402 E. Centennial Rd. Papillion, NE 68046. The Scepter’s office is located in room 307. The Scepter is printed by aPrintis. The Scepter is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association. The Scepter is a school-sponsored publication and therefore recognizes its responsibility to stay within the boundaries that the school administration sets. The Scepter will therefore inform its readers using a high standard of morals and ethics. The Scepter encourages readers to respond in the form of letters to the editor, which can be sent to room 307. The Scepter’s editorial staff reserves the right to edit the letters for grammatical errors and to remove any profanity. The editors also reserve the right to exclude letters that are false in their statements or accusations. The Scepter will not accept advertisements that promote activities illegal to minors. Advertising rates are available upon request.

2016-17 PLHS JOURNALISM STAFF

EDITORS

SCEPTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICOLE LUDDEN

PLPULSE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CJ CURRY

FEATURES CLAIRE NEIL & KAYLEE PENRY

NEWS&OPINION HANNAH IM ELLIOTT WOLBACH & FAITH WORKMAN

SPORTS

NATE GENDLER & DYLAN NICHOLSON

ENTERTAINMENT KASSIDY BROWN & MEGAN KRABBENHOFT

COPY

RAINA DODGE

COVERAGE

BRITTANY KELLNER

DESIGN

CAMRYN BOWERS PEYTON COSE JULIA HARKER

PHOTOGRAPHY

TREVOR LEWIS BRENA GROEPER

EMMA HIGBY LAUREN LAFOND EMILY LINGELBACH KAYLEN MALTAIS HANNA OLSON DELANI WATKINS ALEXA BUSBY ALYSSA FORAL MEGAN FRIEL IZZY HAAVE MOLLEE SWIFT JOANNA WALTON BRENDON BOATWRIGHT HANNAH CAHILL HUNTER POMBRIO JOSEY RYAN DEVIN VETTER

LAUREN DOMINELLO CHLOE GRIMM TREVOR KALAL KENNEDY SAUTTER CAITLYN THOMAS

EDITORIAL A World of Potential Everyone has limitations.

Whether this means you cannot do a pull-up or you are unable to walk across a room on your own, everyone deals with individual setbacks.

For centuries, people have been shunned for being different.

Physical and mental disabilities have a long history of medical study, but only in recent decades have they begun to be socially accepted.

Why is this?

We all bleed the same red blood; we all struggle through the trials of daily life. Why not struggle together?

There are individuals that feel the need to knock people down because of their limitations. They might hide behind a computer

screen, or they could be walking the halls. We all know these people exist.

What we pretend we do not know is the scars their words leave.

The raw cuts and bruises from their words cut deeper then any knife. It is time for us to heal together.

At times, it is difficult to see beyond the negativity. However, many people have surpassed their limitations and made a magnificent impact on history.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt served his country from a wheelchair during one of the worst wars of all time. Stephen Hawking created groundbreaking theories and is considered a genius, despite being paralyzed.

Even students at our school have become more involved, from the introduction of the special education department’s formation of a coffee serving business to competitive bowling.

For even more years, we’ve seen senior Lena Gomez on her tricycle in the hall and senior Linda Valadez Fuentes delivering mail with a smile.

So yes, we all have limitations, but our limitations do not define who we are. We are more than that.

Today’s world is a world of tolerance. Anyone can be anything.

It is up to us to leave our world a better place than when we started.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

03

A

Foreign

EXPERIENCE

Mrs. Amanda Butler and Mr. Brian Johnson are the two new Spanish teachers welcomed to the staff.

BY EMILY LINGELBACH PAGE DESIGN BY PEYTON COSE

Standing in the front of the room, looking out at a sea of eager and wideeyed students who are ready to learn. This scene is becoming familiar for two new teachers who are ready to partake in new experiences and meet new people all because of an old passion of theirs.

Mrs. Amanda Butler and Mr. Brian Johnson have joined the school staff this year as Spanish teachers. Both of these teachers have a deep love for the Spanish language, but their appreciation for it did not come out of nowhere.

“I come from a Hispanic family,” Johnson said. “Many of them speak Spanish and I wanted to be able to speak it on their level.”

This sparked his interest to further study the language and find that it was a true passion of his.

“I started learning Spanish in high school, but really fell in love with it during college,” Johnson said.

Both teachers took the opportunity to immerse themselves in a Spanish speaking culture in order to really experience the language firsthand. Butler

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studied in Costa Rica for four months; Johnson traveled to Mexico, Dominican Republic, Bolivia and Chile.

These two teachers are dedicated to the language and they want to make sure that their students enjoy learning it as much as they do.

“I try and keep my teaching style very hands-on,” Butler said.

“We play a lot of games and talk about culture and my experiences with Spanish.”

Both teachers are thrilled that they found a job doing what they love, and are especially glad that they are working at this school in particular.

“PLHS as a district has a great reputation in Omaha and I am happy I landed a job here,” Johnson said.

Johnson and Butler are both pleased with their first few months of being a Spanish teacher.

“It has been great here,” Butler said. “I love this school and the students.

I have seen great determination and participation from them.”

As both teachers work hard to inspire students to appreciate Spanish, it is evident that they strongly value the power of language.

“Spanish opens doors to so many great opportunities,” Johnson said. “I find it amazing to be able to travel to other places and communicate and share ideas through language.”

FEATURES NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

Education in a

DOUBLEELBUOD world

While most teachers and students go to high school everyday, some also go to universities.

BY EMMA HIGBY PAGE DESIGN BY ALEXA BUSBY

Students sit in rows, all zoning in on a teacher. Some are actually paying attention, while some are on their phones or doodling. The more eager students sit in the front rows, pencils ready to write down what the teacher has to say.

This may seem like an average day at high school, but for some staff members, they observe similar behavior at a university. Select students attend high school for the morning periods, but then in the afternoon take classes at a university.

These staff members as well go from job to job, teaching all of the time.

The staff members teach at high schools during the day and at universities at night. Astronomy teacher Mr. Doug Showell teaches at PLHS as well as the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Teachers reasons vary as to why they decided to teach at both schools.

“I’m a teacher, so I need the money,” Showell said. “And it’s a good experience to teach at both schools.”

High school and college may be different, but most people prefer one or the other. Learning things at a higher level can increase the level of knowledge someone has.

NOVEMBER 2016

“They both have their pluses and minuses,” Showell said. “But I’d have to say I prefer the high school level.”

Showell has no preference between college or high school, but junior Keith Stubbs takes classes at Metro Community College, and he definitely has a preference.

“It is a lot better because we have a lot more freedom,” Stubbs said. “We can leave classroom whenever we need to, like to take phone calls.”

Going from school to school may be a burden to some, but to others it is not. Some classes are near each other, but some can be really far away.

“It’s not really difficult, you have an hour to eat at college,” Stubbs said. “It’s actually pretty easy.”

Going to college seems like something far away from now, but it actually impacts PLHS more than someone may think. Students take classes, teachers teach classes, it’s all around us. These kids that are doodling or on their phones during class are not paying attention to the resources that are right in front of them.

Q& A with

Mr. Showell

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT TEACHING AT A UNIVERSITY?

“IT’S FUN TO HAVE ATHLETES AND TO GO TO NEBRASKA SPORTS GAMES.”

ARE THE KIDS MORE MATURE IN COLLEGE? “SOME, BUT NOT ALL OF THEM, BECAUSE I HAVE A 60 YEAR OLD MAN AND A 17 YEAR OLD. IT’S A NIGHT CLASS, AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT PEOPLE.”

DO YOU EVER TALK ABOUT YOUR COLLEGE CLASS WITH YOUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS? “I LIKE TO TELL STORIES TO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SO THEY DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES.”

PHOTO: BRENA GROEPER Mr. Doug Showell teaches his high school Astronomy class. He is teaching the engaged class about the universe and the stars.

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L A N O I T P

E c x

E

Special Education teachers help to expand learning beyond the education bubble.

BY IZZY HAAVE PAGE DESIGN BY ALEXA BUSBY

They support you, they advise you, and they help you learn things you didn’t know before. They are some of the most important, yet most overlooked people in the career field today, and they have been in the same grade for the past five years. Who are they? They are teachers.

But what about the teachers that go the extra mile in supporting those children who need a special type of support? Who are they?

Teachers Mrs. Stacia Kapalka and Mrs. Leigh Mcauliff are part of the small group of “they” at PLHS. Mcauliff, a special education teacher who works with visually impaired students, has had many experiences that led her to the career field she chose.

“I did an internship my freshman year of college working with children who had special needs and I loved it,” Mcauliff said. “I was

06

intrigued by the possibilities, I wanted to make a difference and knew this was what I was meant to do.”

It takes a certain type of patience and compassion to be a special education teacher who truly makes a difference in the lives of their students.

Kapalka has some advice for those looking into the career field of special education.

“Some days can be extremely stressful and exhausting, but others will be some of the greatest days of your life,” Kapalka said. “It is one of the most rewarding jobs out there.”

Careers that include special education can have some of the best, most fulfilling moments of any career field. Mcauliff emphasizes the reason why she and so many other teachers feel being in this field is exceptionally gratifying.

“I love when I see my students become independent and develop selfdetermination skills,” Mcauliff said.

“I also love that I travel to different buildings; each school has a different

vibe and different feel to it. I get to know the staff and students at each which makes my job fun and keeps it interesting.”

For these teachers, there is such a big responsibility and impact in the lives of special education children. There are certain schooling qualifications that must be met in order to go into this line of work, some of which can be a bit strenuous.

“I was involved in a four year program where I had to get my general education classes and basic teaching classes done in order to apply for a degree program within the teachers’ college,” Kapalka said. “They only took a certain number of students per semester in each area and once I was accepted, then I could continue and complete higher level education classes, practicums, and student teaching.”

Kapalka and Mcauliff not only share the commonality of comprising the special education staff, but they are also part of the coaching staff for

FEATURES NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

S

S

S L U O

PHOTO: IZZY HAAVE Special education teacher Mrs. Deck high-fives student Tristan Kreis.

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE Senior Linda Valadez Fuentes poses with special education teacher, Mrs. Mathison.

the cheer squad. As both a special education teacher and cheer coach, Mcauliff believes being a special education staff member has aided her in her coaching and vise versa.

“Being a special education teacher takes a lot of patience and flexibility, which translates well into the world of cheerleading,” Mcauliff said. “Both can be challenging at times, but they are both well worth it.”

So, who are they? They are the teachers that go the extra mile in supporting the students who need a

special type of support. They are the ones whose patience and compassion is what leads those students to success. They are the ones who don’t care about the notoriety or the acknowledgement. The people who continuously work and help children not because they have to, but because they love to. At PLHS, they are Mrs. Kapalka and Mrs. Mcauliff, and they are proud to be special education teachers.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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s i e r u t n e v d A e r e h T out

Overflowing suitcases slide right behind the continuous feet shuffling out of the terminal. Prepared for a week of new places, food, faces, and languages, these students are immediately immersed into a different culture.

Where to go? What to say?

These questions are all a part of the adventure of going on a foreign language trip. Cuba and Québec are the two new travel sites this year, which, in order to be successes, need dedication and active participation from students and teachers.

In her second year of teaching, Madame Dianne Halligan decided that a trip to Québec, Canada, would be ideal.

“I have organized many trips to France in the past and being fairly new to the school community, I thought parents might be more comfortable with a destination closer to home,” Halligan said.

Québec is not a school sponsored trip, but the administration at PLHS acknowledged the benefits of this excursion with many goals in mind.

“More than anything I want the students to realize that they can actually use the language authentically even if they are only in their second or third year of French,” Halligan said.

These trips are monumental to students, getting thrown right into a foreign language and place. Junior Holly Snider went on the trip to Puerto

08

Rico last year and has committed to Cuba this year, knowing just how it feels.

“What was different from Nebraska were all the colors incorporated, smaller buildings, animals everywhere and a lot of them were different, and many nice people,” Snider said.

Snider’s reasoning for going on both trips is to be able understand Spanish better and to eventually major in it in college.

“You can’t go [to Cuba] unless it is educational, and I was motivated by my parents to go because they never had the chance to do something like this,” Snider said.

Mrs. Amy Himes, in her eighth year of teaching, is planning to chaperone along with Mrs. Joslyn Darling on the trip to Cuba. Himes believes that Cuba is going to be unlike anything else in the Caribbean.

“It is an amazing opportunity to visit an incredible place that has been closed for many years,” Himes said.

“What is nice about Cuba is that it has been untouched and we’ll have to use a lot more Spanish than on usual trips.”

All places of travel have a unique piece to look for, from the language, to accents used, to amazing sights to be seen. For a group of students and teachers, the unique characteristics of Québec and Cuba will be found this upcoming summer.

Trips to foreign countries have been added to the schedules of students and teachers next summer.

BY MOLLEE SWIFT

Québec

June 5 - 10, 2017

Cuba June 8 - 15, 2017

FEATURES NEWS

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

P l a c e e s h t , Oh You’ll Go

With the school year in full swing, seniors plan out their life after high school.

BY HUNTER POMBRIO

PAGE DESIGN BY JULIA HARKER

A strange lady stands at the front of the room. You’ve seen her in the halls but no other time than that. She says, “Hi my name is Mrs. Herbener, your college counselor.” These words lead to an onslaught of college emails, meetings and visits that will determine your future.

College can require a lot of important decisions to be made, with one being where to go.

Seniors Sidney Sheard and Tre Inzauro are aiming for the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, or the University of Nebraska at Omaha.

However, senior Haley DeWitt is looking at schools from the University of Minnesota to Kansas University.

“I’m deciding on college because

I want to get my degree and continue on to a career that will support me financially,” Sheard said.

It takes careful consideration and guidance to go out and spend thousands upon thousands of dollars for something they aren’t even sure what they would like to do in life.

“My parents have influenced me the most in going to college,” DeWitt said. “Also, volunteering at the Children’s Hospital has made me want to pursue a degree involving kids in the medical field.”

Volunteering is one of the many ways students can prepare for college.

“I’m prepared because I have good work ethic and take pride in whatever it is I do,” Inzauro said.

In today’s society, college is made out to be mandatory; countless parents say to their children, they will not succeed if they do not go, or won’t be able to get a job. The pressure of whether to go or not can be unbearable, but for Sheard this is not the case.

“I personally don’t feel any pressure because I know I want to go to college,” Sheard said. “I want to find out what I want to do with my life.”

Seniors are tasked with deciding what they want to do with their life at such a young age, so when it comes time to decide, college or a job, it can be tough.

Many opportunities will come over time, but education will always be an option.

Expert Advice:

“My advice to the underclassmen is to build up your resume before senior year and look and visit colleges that actually interest you.” - Haley DeWitt

“Don’t put off the first couple of years of high school. I wish I would have tried harder to look better for my transcripts.”

- Tre Inzauro “Start the college search early because I am far behind and have no idea where I would like to go.” - Sidney Sheard

NOVEMBER 2016

THE SCEPTER

09

arly Bird The

Gets the Coffee

Bow Down Brew, a program started by special education students, brings coffee and smiles to staff after Wednesday morning meetings.

BY DELANI WATKINS PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

For students, Wednesday mornings offer a chance to sleep in and lazily find their way into the halls.

For their teachers, this is not the case.

Wednesday mornings have been set aside for team meetings for staff. While the student body is savoring those twenty extra minutes of sleep, teachers are awake and lively, thinking of inventive ideas to keep kids interested in learning. Because of how exhausting their work is, teachers need their coffee. However, a portion of the student body has decided to do Wednesday mornings a bit differently.

Bow Down Brew, a new program started by the special education department, is adding a bonus to Wednesday mornings for staff. Almost running like a small business, the program provides coffee and other drinks to participating staff in a personalized mug to enjoy after

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getting through weekly team meetings.

“The purpose and desired results of the Bow Down Brew program are to increase and maintain social interactions with peers and adults all while targeting skills such as following directions, asking for help, and navigating the building,” program overseer Jill Guenther said. “Students are also practicing measuring, preparing, washing and tracking orders and payments.”

Bow Down Brew is a coffee delivery program that has been “Monarchized” after beginning at Papillion-La Vista South High School.

“Bow Down Brew started with a brainstorming conversation at the end of last school year among a group of teachers about a fun work task that could be set up for the upcoming school year for students working on life skills,” Guenther said.

Ultimately, the program was organized to build skills for students to use after their high school career.

“This program provides another creative opportunity for students with special needs to practice these skills in their building, gaining valuable experiences for transition after high school,” Guenther said.

Bow Down Brew not only impacts students involved, but the entire school community.

“I think that it gives teachers a chance to see some of the students when they bring the coffee around,” participating teacher Mr. Ryan Sherlock said. “As a school, or society in general, it helps build the reputation of the students and helps connect them on a more personal level.”

The program also gives students, whether directly or indirectly involved, a chance to meet new

NEWS FEATURES

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE Junior Mackenzie Smith hands a coffee to a smiling Ms. Anna Gorat. Wednesday morning for the students running the program means preparing and delivering drinks and smiles.

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE Senior Linda Valadez Fuentes and junior Mackenzie Smith prepare Bow Down Brew orders. All students involved work together to run their business.

people.

“Staff and peers have more opportunities to interact with the students delivering their product throughout the building,” Guenther said.

Participants in the Bow Down Brew program have a unique motivation behind their involvement.

“I think the best thing is that it’s supporting a good program,” Sherlock said. “I think supporting the special needs program is a good thing and people should be more active in doing it.”

So far, the program has been successful. Bringing coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water and smiles to 40 staff members, Bow Down Brew has given an uncommon chance for special needs students to brew up their own small business and leave a legacy for future classes.

MENU

COFFEE COFFEE WITH CREAMER HOT TEA

ICED TEA

VANILLA ICED COFFEE ICED WATER EVERYTHING IS $1

BOW DOWN BREW

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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CROWDEDOut There are a lot of things you can do in five minutes: microwave a meal, let the dog out, ask Siri that question that’s been nagging you all day. But sometimes, five minutes is not enough time to make it to class due to the sheer volume of students in the halls.

With 1,715 students attending school this year, space is tight all around. But administrators like assistant principal Dr. Angie O’Hanlon have been seeking a solution. Among the space-saving possibilities is “Jumpstart to College,” a program that would allow students to take college courses during the school day.

“It’ll be for seniors next year,” O’Hanlon said. “They can take two classes per quarter at Metro. Those courses would dual-enroll here and

count towards graduation.”

These courses would be offered at a reduced cost to students and credits would be transferable, but students would be responsible for getting themselves to class. Students taking classes at Metro would free up space in the halls at certain times of the day.

Other solutions have already been put into place. The first move was to increase maximum class enrollment. Classes used to cap out at 28 students; now, they can admit 30.

Additionally, study halls have been moved back to the cafeteria, allowing more students to attend one study hall.

“If we have more students with one teacher, we can have more teachers teaching classes,” O’Hanlon said.

Short-term solutions to school overcrowding are within reach.

BY RAINA DODGE

Administration had predicted an enrollment of roughly 1,750 students at the beginning of the year. The difference allowed the number of teachers at school to remain the same.

“Once the dust settled, we weren’t as big as we thought we would be,” O’Hanlon said.

In the meantime, crowded hallways will be a fact of life. While some might be complaining, others have taken a more optimistic view of the situation.

“I think it’s a good amount of kids,” freshman John Cisneros said.

There are a variety of solutions that could alleviate the crowding issues, but for the moment, students will have to continue navigating crowded hallways.

Students force their ways through the halls during a busy passing period. There are over 1,700 students in the halls, making navigation of the school a challenge.

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NEWS FEATURES

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

I U B

NG I D L A NEW

During each passing period, people are pushing against each other throughout the halls. Intersections are an unorganized mess of students muttering obscenities under their breath as they try to rush through the six feet towards the next hallway.

With Papillion’s population rising quickly within its relatively small borders, new schools are needed to be able to educate children and teenagers alike. A new elementary school and middle school were both built within the past five years, and capacity is increasing rapidly at the two high schools. Plans for expansion in grades 9-12 are becoming necessary, and the visions are endless.

“The district continues to grow, especially on the south side,” head principal Jerry Kalina said.

“At some point we’re going to get overcrowded.”

Some students already believe PLHS is overcrowded as it is. The freshman classes are growing with every new school year, and the congestion throughout the hallways is turning into a headache for students of all ages.

“I think that the overcrowding is annoying, but not unbearable,”

FU

As student enrollment grows in Papillion, ideas for expansion have been a priority for the PLC school district.

BY MEGAN FRIEL

PAGE DESIGN BY ALEXA BUSBY

E R TU

freshman Samantha Stuck said.

Community representatives, district administrators and contractors are all in the process of coming up with an authentic plan. Before a bond can be passed, a definitive plan of action needs to be proposed.

“We’re trying the work through the process right now,” assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction Mr. John Schwartz said.

Students at PLHS also have the opportunity to aid in the visioning process. Senior Morgan Eby provided her own ideas towards the future of expansion in the district.

“We can make a third high school, or make the high schools bigger,” Eby said.

The growth will directly affect students in multiple ways. According to Kalina, if a third school was built, enrollment would “drop a couple hundred or so.” There would also be more opportunities for students to excel in athletics, academic studies and in the fine arts.

If PLHS expanded in size, enrollment would grow past the current restrictions. Inevitably, fine arts, academics and athletics would become more competitive than they

already are.

“Kids are going to get cut; there’s not enough sports,” Kalina said.

The options would impact funding as well. The 9-12 student population is projected to increased to 6,000 within the next 20 years. As a district that prides itself on academic excellence, this near-doubling of the student population will bring unique challenges.

“With bigger schools, the money would be spent on better programs,” Eby said.

PLHS has felt the strain, and overcrowding is now at the top of the school district’s list. Within the next decade, changes are going to have to be made in order to improve the education experience of the district’s students.

While this promise of expansion is scheduled for a time when current students have since graduated, overcrowding is a problem that almost everyone has experienced now. As students feel a strain in their classes and in the hallways, the future of passing periods is looking brighter for the kindergartners who will one day walk in the same halls.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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TAKING A KNEE Students voice their opinions about the kneeling protests taking place throughout the country.

BY ALYSSA FORAL PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

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NEWS FEATURES

OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

Across our country we see unending violence, especially against minorities. Now people across the country are taking a stand, or more literally said, a knee, against the violence.

The uprising of the debate over citizens kneeling during the national anthem began after Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, took a knee during the anthem before his team’s final exhibition game before the start of the NFL season.

Kaepernick’s public stand opposing brutality against minorities has caused this movement to spread.

It has even started making its way into high schools.

A group of students at Omaha Central kneeled during the anthem at one of their football games in late September. The students did this as an act of peaceful protest against needless violence, and received hateful backlash online and in school. People requested they be suspended, expelled and kicked out of any activities in which they are involved.

Students have started to form their own opinions about the situation.

“I believe the issues the people are protesting is what should be focused on, not the protest itself,” junior Maggie Phillips said.

Many students are keeping fairly neutral opinions about the controversy.

“I think that if people want

to protest, they should be able to,” junior Jerome Barnes said.

With all of the controversy around this topic, some of the reactions are bound to be negative.

The primary argument against this protest is the actual time and place.

“I don’t think it is done to disrespect the United States,” junior Andrew Popelka said. “But I think if people want to protest they should choose something that doesn’t disrespect your country.”

The people participating in the protests and the ones that agree with them think that the time and place is no issue.

“People say it’s not the place or time, but if not then, when is the place or time?” sophomore Victoria Baker said. “For protesting, usually the incorrect place and time is when it is the best time.”

The choice to kneel during the national anthem is one of many freedoms American citizens have.

“The whole point of freedom in the U.S.A. is to protect those who want to peacefully protest,” Phillips said.

With the argument of kneeling circulating the country, some students have thought about if they would kneel.

“Even though I don’t believe it’s wrong to kneel, I wouldn’t do it personally,” Barnes said.

In the case of others they feel the choice of kneeling is disrespectful to our troops who fight for our country.

“The anthem is something for our troops,” Popelka said. “Some families lose a mom or a dad or a son or daughter because of a war that our military is fighting for the freedom of this country.”

Those in support of the movement believe its goal is not to disrespect the United States in any way; it simply wants to draw attention to the struggles of minority citizens.

“In a country where minorities, specifically African Americans, are constantly oppressed, kneeling is fitting,” Baker said.

Protestors feel a sense of obligation to stand with their fellow American citizens that are being treated unfairly.

Leah Tysse, a San Francisco based jazz and blues singer, sang the national anthem before the preseason game between the Sacramento Kings and Israel’s Maccabi Haifa. She decided to kneel during her performance.

Tysse stated on her social media: “I love and honor my country as deeply as anyone, yet it is my duty as an American to speak up against injustice as it affects my fellow citizens.”

In this country we have the choice to kneel or stand during the national anthem. The choice is each individual citizen’s decision to make.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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Students buy Godfather’s pizza in the cafeteria everyday, but do they know why we have in the first place?

Menu On

It is a delightful experience to skip the usual lunch line and head straight for the hot, cheesy pizza served in the back. For something so wonderful, it is hard not to ask: how is this allowed in school?

Since the 1990s, food from a fast food restaurant or other providers have been available in the very back of the cafeteria. The pizza may seem to be unhealthy, but the process of securing a provider and the reasons behind it suggest otherwise.

“Our goal is to provide a branded pizza option to our students at a reasonable price,” the director of food services, Ms. Sue Sucha, said.

At one time, the PLHS cafeteria offered sandwiches, but now, branded pizza is the most popular option for schools in the area.

“When the nutritional standards of the National School Lunch Program were tightened, it was going to be very hard to get that sandwich product to fit within our overall nutritional profile,” Sucha said.

To obtain this particular option for students, the school goes through a bidding process. Qualified vendors bid with not just the lowest price they can give, but also good delivery service and flavor variety.

“Godfathers submitted a bid that met the requirement that the cheese meet reduced fat guidelines, and

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The

that the pizza have a lower sodium content,” Sucha said.

Sucha noted that any restaurant that serves during lunch must meet nutritional guidelines for calories and protein as well.

The Godfather’s Pizza slices are more expensive than what is served in the main lunch line, but according to many students, it is all worth it.

“I usually get a Godfather’s Pizza and on occasion a bag of chips,” sophomore Marissa Saldivar said,” It’s only a couple quarters more.”

There are, however, plenty of students who do not prefer to use the extra option.

“There’s usually a line,” sophomore Isabeau Pusch said. “I don’t really want to wait for it. I usually just go for fries.”

Although it is a little less healthy than other foods served at lunchtime, it may be beneficial in less obvious

BY JOANNA WALTON PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS AND JULIA HARKER

ways.

“I feel like if they just had all healthy food, everyone would just pack a lunch of junk food,” Saldivar said.

The variety of food also encourages students who do not usually eat lunch to do so. Getting students to try new and different things is another major priority when considering lunch meals.

“We know that students will always have their favorite entrée or vegetable, but we also know that they will never try anything new unless it is offered to them,” Sucha said.

Godfather’s Pizza is a vital part of making lunches more enjoyable experience at school. Whether this option stays for a long time, or a new one finds its way in, we will always have something delicious and fun to sink our teeth into.

PHOTO: JOANNA WALTON Pizza is served at the back of the school cafeteria. The school has served it since the 1990s.

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OPINION

ENTERTAINMENT

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T I M E L E S S T U N E S

From the raw chords of classic rock to the innovative tones of today’s music, many contemplate which of the two reign superior.

OPINION BY KAYLEN MALTAIS PAGE DESIGN BY PEYTON COSE

In this corner we have the greats, the classics of before. In the other corner we have the new, the naive, the capable. Let’s get ready to rumble!

Two unruly opponents duel in a battle of wits over what can only be described as a generational power struggle. With every new advancement made by the millennials, the past shoots back with accusations of being repetitive and fake.

This brawl between the new generation and the doubtful generations of before has been a constant grapple throughout time.

As young adults we can more easily see this strife in music, the infamous old-versus-new music fiasco. In a beat down breakdown, we can see that the core argument is which music era is superior over the other and how.

Some believe that the billboard hits of the past reign over the practically identical tunes of today because they hold more depth and meaning than their shallow counterparts.

Sophomore Paulina Mendez expresses the difference of meaning between the classics and the up and coming artists.

“The music I listen to, when it comes to old music, just has a lot of meaning to

NOVEMBER 2016

it and you can listen to it over of the rivalry because both bring and over and not get tired of it,” different attributes to the table.

Mendez said.

Old school music may Until recently that was my excel in depth and meaning, but opinion as well, but upon further new school music also brings thought and an unexpected forth innovation and change. epiphany I realized that one day In other words, if we truly our music will be the classics detest the direction today’s passionately defended against music is heading, we have the whatever our descendants create. opportunities and the means to If that’s the case, then why are change it. we so critical of the music of Generations may squabble today? about social change and Many say that the music economics, but one argument on the radio is very repetitive we should put to rest is past and studies even show that trends versus present ones most use the same formats and because in the end every era has fundamental styles, but that is its weaknesses and strengths. also discounting all the music Especially with the constant that is not on today’s Top 40 development in music, there radio. Likewise, we forget how really is no certain way to these “identical” albeit catchy determine a verdict. songs make us feel.

In that case, do not look at “You can use [the songs] music as old versus new. Look for various things for like hype at it as change, a change that will songs for football games or pep continue for decades to come. rallies to get everyone hyped for the big game,” senior Logan Palumbo said.

There will always be tension between Have Go to an the past and present, lunch with Aerosmith but we must Beyonce concert always remember or dine or receive that in the grand every new with every scheme of life, Drake album Rock and times and trends for free?

Roll Hall of are constantly Fame? changing. What is favorable now could potentially be cringeworthy in the future or vintage chic, which is why we shouldn’t disregard either side

Would You Rather...

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The Truth About

MEDIA

The separation of our society is something that most people claim we have overcome, but the media has taught us otherwise.

OPINION BY FAITH WORKMAN

Freedom of speech is mostly something we see as good. It shows how important individual thinking is in a time where bad trumps good, and beliefs are contradicted for being different from society’s standards.

While it is something that is often thought of as uplifting and courageous, it is also something that seems to be harming our culture lately.

Media has the strongest hold on the minds of so many people. It is impossible for it not to be when it is everywhere we look.

Even in the halls of our high school there are television sets that deliver news of the debates and the creepy clowns that somehow take priority in 2016. The biggest problem of all is the encouragement of fighting and separation.

In a perfect world we would know how to address problems appropriately, and it would not be so

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destructive; but since that is not the case, mayhem sweeps the streets in a matter of seconds after a newscast.

It is sad how much we have let a simple channel on a glass screen determine our alliances and beliefs.

The murdering of an unarmed black man, we divide. One church in one rural town blasts the LGBT community, we divide. We form our protests and we fight each other on every opinion that, realistically, no one is allowed to have.

Whether you speak on your opinions of feminism, Black Lives Matter, gay rights, creepy clowns or even what kind of dressing you take on your salad, the solution that everyone somehow comes to is hate.

The biggest question I have is how we let it influence us to the point of violence. Why we somehow let a TV decide what we felt about each other, why we formed gangs of the

blacks versus the whites, the Trumps versus the Hillarys, and the Ranch dressings versus the vinaigrettes.

This world has become all about separation even though we pretend that we have overcome it. All it takes is a news anchor and a script to divide our country when we should be sticking together, now more than ever.

The media has its own reasons for spreading the separation of our people and the hate of differentiated opinions. However, it is not an excuse for us to divide, bully, and separate our country when we could do so many amazing things with each other’s unique opinions.

The main thing to understand in such a disconnected society is that the media does not control us. It does not determine how we feel about each other or our country. Respect one another and be apart of the change, not the hate.

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MISS PEREGRINE’S HOME FOR

Review BY CAITLYN THOMAS

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

Excitedly waiting for “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children” to start, you have high hopes after just finishing the book. However some say it strays far from expectations.

The plot wanders far from the original written words, and while you sit there fuming over the adaptations, people around you praise Tim Burton for his expertise.

The thing that is different about this series though, is how the author, Ransom Riggs, uses pictures to provide detail for characters and scenery. The movie gives a pristine image of casting, and the look being conveyed throughout the entirety of the movie.

“I loved how the pictures in the book were integrated into the story and how it made it so much more alive,” sophomore Zoe Timberlake said.

While major characters roles were switched, and important details were left out, the movie kept the overall theme of the book pretty well.

“It showed the acceptance of peculiarities and how it is okay to be different,” Timberlake said.

Putting aside the book, the movie was action packed and fast paced, with a bit of a love story. The major plot and the characters being well established

throughout the story kept people engaged.

“I liked the movie, it kept my attention and I wanted to see more,” sophomore Alex Hamilton said.

Movie trailers can often times be deceiving with the mystical setting, bright colors and cheerful characters.

Do not let this fool you. With the antagonists being horribly grotesque monsters, this is definitely a movie aimed for teenagers.

To fully grasp the concept of what the movie is, it is smart to read the book, as the movie is rushed at some parts and can get a bit confusing.

“The movie was directed nicely, but at some parts it was hard to follow,” Timberlake said. “If you have read the book you should go see it, if you have not read it then it will be hard to follow.”

In the end, it is an overall fantastic movie, spawned from an even greater novel that teaches how it is okay to want to be different, and that’s what the movie is trying to convey.

“You might think you are just a regular person but you really have something special inside of you,” Timberlake said.

Cast: Asa Butterfield Eva Green Ella Purnell Samuel L. Jackson Judie Dench

Jacob Portman Miss Peregrine Emma Bloom Barron Miss Avocet

NOVEMBER 2016

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M RE Than Just

Days Students discuss their different experiences in advisement.

Juniors Courtney Nuss and Rayna Rorebeck pose in advisement. Their class often has food days and plays games together.

BY LAUREN DOMINELLO PAGE DESIGN BY PEYTON COSE AND CAMRYN BOWERS

The first day of school carries many different stresses, including new classrooms, a new schedule, new teachers, new clothes, and the fear that you did not do your summer homework quite right. But there is one thing every returning high school student can always depend on: advisement.

Whether you love or hate your advisement, it is a constant within the school day that can give that muchneeded breather between morning classes. Some students use advisement for homework, some for socializing and some just for sleeping.

However, there are a few advisements that take this fifteenminute break to the next level.

“Typically we have food days, or Ms. Dyrdal frees up an aux cord to let the class jam to music,” junior Austin Neece said. “The best part is that every month we have marshmallow fights.”

Advisement teachers play a

big part in determining how exciting or boring their class will be.

“Over the past three years, Ms. Dyrdal has shown so much love for her advisement,” Neece said. “She involves everyone so nobody is left out.”

Students see each other four days a week for four years in advisement, so inevitable bonds are formed.

“People I hadn’t talked to much before I can now have conversations with comfortably,” Neece said.

Advisement can be a great place to just hang out with friends and get a break from the four AP classes some students take every day.

“We laugh a lot and everyone gets along great,” junior Emily Malotte, a student in Ms. Wittrig’s advisement, said.

Out of the realm of possibilities, friendships and food days seem to be the favorite aspects of

advisement.

“Wittrig helps us plan food days and sometimes lets us get Jimmy John’s, which is great,” Malotte said.

There are also a lot of games and unique activities students will start up to pass the time.

“We do a lot of silly things like play baseball or hangman,” Malotte said. “One time someone decided to dance to ‘Juju On That Beat,’ which was fantastic.”

These classes have found ways to spice up their advisements, using activities like dance parties and games, and of course food days, which can never hurt.

Advisement is four days a week for the entirety of high school, so everyone does their best to have fun and get some food out of it. Plus, they never knew what kinds of new friends they would make by just saying hello, but they sure don’t regret it.

Juniors Davis Showell and Hayden Pudenz engage in a marshmallow fight in advisement.

These fights occur a few times a semester.

Ms. Wittrig’s junior advisement poses for a photo.

These students have grown closer together throughout high school.

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PHOTO CREDIT: MEGAN KRABBENHOFT

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The Art of

Saving Money Is the art of saving money dead? Spending and saving is one of the most difficult things to accomplish, so how can you become better at it?

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Businesses will put premium items near the entrances

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Businesses will make carts bigger for more sales

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Healthy items are located out of eye level

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Carts usually stick to the right, so pricey stock is put there

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Bakeries are always open to make more sales

BY: KENNEDY SAUTTER

Money is the root of all evil, right? To most, it is what makes the world go around. Others think it is not necessary. And yet to some, it is a major problem.

Love it or hate it, money is here to stay, and most people want to get as much of it as they can. But how does one do that? The old “get-rich-quick” scheme is usually a failure, so what can the average high school student do to get that extra dollar? Thankfully, the art of saving money has not been lost to the mists of time.

Saving money in high school is one of the hardest things for students to do. Scooter’s is around the corner, and technology is becoming more and more expensive. In addition, supermarkets and convenience stores are hard at work making the shopping experience as devious as possible.

“I know that stores put stuff like gum and cheap candy near the counters,” junior Riley Beacom said.

“Some stores also put more expensive stuff near the entrance.”

Stores employ a multitude of different tricks to earn more sales.

Arranging the placement of items on

BUSINESS TRICKS the shelves and hiding dairy products in the back to make people cross the aisles are two common tactics used.

“I try not to buy things I don’t need,” junior Brandon Baratta said.

“It usually adds up, so I ignore the small purchases.”

Frivolous purchases often rack up the sales, and 99-cent candy bars seem like a great deal. However, supermarkets and convenience stores change prices to make purchases harder to compare. So people end up buying more expensive items in the long run.

People tend to budget money which helps with the money saving process. Most high school students budget their money to save for college, or a new car for first-time drivers.

“I try to budget my money,” Baratta said. “I usually only allow

myself a quarter of my paycheck.”

The best way to save hard earned cash is to make lists of things that are really necessary and ignore impulse buying, such as a coffee in the morning or the newest phone.

Ultimately avoiding these things and shopping at familiar stores will keep that wallet or purse full.

Saving money is both easy and hard; it is just how you use it. Saving money is up to the willpower of the individual to ignore impulses. Having these skills will allow anyone to have a strong bank account. Even if money is the “root of all evil,” we still need it, and it’s here to stay.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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Caught Our Eye PAGE BY LAUREN LAFOND & TREVOR KALAL

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3 Photo Credit: Brena Groeper

Brad Noble and Jackie Negrete help Delaney Van Briesen line up the perfect bowl at Unified Bowling.

2 Photo Credit: Julianne Plourde Senior Hannah Molinelli uses hair spray to prepare for “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

3 Photo Credit: Heather Sluga Mrs. L’Heureux instructs the Serendipity Singers at a choir concert.

4 Photo Credit: Megan Krabbenhoft

Kat Dritt plays Jean Louise in “To Kill a Mockingbird”.

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5 Photo Credit: Meggan Bottass Junior Madi Wilson experiences the court room through Mock Trial competition.

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Photo Credit: CJ Curry Juniors Josie Andersen and Maddie Hyda sell T-shirts promoting breast cancer awareness.

7 Photo Credit: Heather Sluga Freshman Samantha Stuck holds a doll in preparation for the Fine Arts haunted house.

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Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover

A The lessons we can learn from summer reading and school book assignments are often under appreciated and taken for granted.

BY HANNAH CAHILL PAGE DESIGN BY PEYTON COSE

Summer reading. The most dreadful combination of words that can send even the most schooloriented students into a frenzy.

Summer book assignments are old, boring and pointless. The hours of annotating and bluffing through tons of questions takes away from a fun and eventful summer. Homework is the rainy day of good summers. But it’s not all gray skies and raindrops.

Summer reading, though tiresome, has its perks.

“1984,” “Their Eyes Were Watching God” and “The Scarlet Letter” are just a few of the books that can make students cringe. These classics, though sometimes difficult to understand, are beneficial to a student’s development and impacts lives beyond high school.

Unfortunately, the important lessons portrayed in the books are often overlooked and taken for granted.

NOVEMBER 2016

“Classics in general are underappreciated,” English teacher Carly Sire said. “They are considered to be old and boring, but students don’t realize that they are timeless.”

There is a lot more to a book than the silly story of talking animals.

The deeper meaning behind these classics are relatable, even to the current generation.

“Many [books] point out the flaws in society and many of the conflicts are things they can relate to in their own lives or to important moments in history,” Sire said. “They open students’ eyes to things they were ignorant about before.”

For countless students, the deeper meaning behind the classics isn’t noticeable until later on in life.

Some have already figured out the rewards that can be reaped from the rich literature and lessons that every classic holds.

“When I first read ‘1984’ and ‘Animal Farm’ I didn’t understand their full meaning,” senior Amanda Lewis said. “But now I understand that they apply into the real world and politics.”

The classics all are based on real world problems. They have even begun to emerge in modern movies, plays and other forms of art.

A reoccurring classic is the story of

Romeo and Juliet, which has been retold over and over again in different ways. Even more recently, “The Scarlet Letter” has become a large topic of the arts.

“They are classics for a reason,” Sire said. “Look at the movie ‘Easy A.’ Many people are rewriting [‘The Scarlet Letter’].”

With the help of the modern arts, and a little push from the English department, students are able to learn important life lessons, sometimes without realizing it, through books that were relevant in their respective times and still remain relevant today.

“I value the lessons I’ve been taught because in the books, the struggles and problems that occur are actually happening today in society,” Lewis said.

Although our friends aren’t getting drafted for war, and girls don’t actually have to wear dresses and underskirts constantly, we could all take a page from Lewis’s book and apply the free advice to our own lives.

“No matter what is put in front of you, words are power,” Sire said.

“Take each as an opportunity to grow and critically evaluate things thrown at you rather than being ignorant about them.”

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Honoring our Past to Inspire the Former Monarch Athletic Director Chuck Johnston looks to respect the acheivements of former Nebraska high school athletes as he works as Executive Director at the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame.

BY DEVIN VETTER PAGE DESIGN BY PEYTON COSE

Many different sports have their own Hall’s of Fame to honor their athletes past achievements.

For example, there is the Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, which holds Nebraska native Guy Chamberlin, and the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., which holds Nebraska native Bob Gibson.

However, one may ask: where are the honors for athletes of a younger generation?

In Nebraska, the honors and achievements lie just north of Haymarket Park in Lincoln inside of the NSAA building.

This building contains the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in which all of the premier high school athletes from Nebraska are honored for their acheivements.

“Its mission is ‘Honoring our Past to Inspire the Future,’” Executive Director and former Monarch Athletic Director Chuck Johnston said.

A few athletes that came from PLHS are recognized in the hall.

For example, softball player Peaches James, volleyball player Allison Weston, and diver Jodi Janssen are featured in the hall.

Janssen, in her time, was the only four-time state champion in diving.

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Future

James graduated in 2000 and Weston graduated in 1992. They are both featured at the entrance of the hall.

There are also administrators from PLHS in the hall.

“We have Dennis Smith who was our principal back in the day, he’s one of the original contributing members of the Hall of Fame,” Johnston said.

“Coach Suhr, he was our football coach.”

The hall also recently recognized a Papillion sport for its acheivements.

“We also just had our softball dynasty recognized this past October for having 23 straight years of qualifying for the state tournament,” Johnston said.

Johnston knows that there are more schools to honor outside of just Omaha and Lincoln.

“Nebraska is a unique state; most of the population is in the eastern third of the state,” Johnston said.

Johnston wants people in small towns to be able to look at the past history of their towns and the people that lived in those towns.

“Athletics is tied into the fabric of their communities,” Johnston said, ”and for them to go there and see what is sort of a memory for them, I think it’s important for them to see.”

Many prolific athletes are from PLHS are featured including Peaches James, Jodi Janssen and Allison Weston.

The hall features hundred of student athletes from the eastern and western sides of the state. The hall features over a dozen students from PLHS as well.

In order for a person to be up for consideration in the hall, they need to have been out of high school for at least 15 years.

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Restoring

Royalty

The 2016-17 basketball team looks to finish business this year.

BY NATE GENDLER PAGE DESIGN BY JULIA HARKER

PHOTO: NATE GENDLER Monarch basketball players Ed Chang, BJ Deng, Isaac Hiebert, Ayo Akinwole and Peyton Priest study up for the upcoming season. The five hope to bring back a state title to Papio. To get there they will need wins against Papio South on Saturday, Dec. 10 and Omaha South Tuesday, Jan. 24.

It was a March night, and the 2015-16 Monarch basketball season came to a stop in the state tournament semifinals. They fell to a familiar foe, Omaha South. South went on to win the state tournament, following the hard-fought win against Papio.

Although a young team, the Monarchs proved their talent and hard work through a fantastic season.

They finished 21-4 with that semifinal appearance.

This year, almost all the starters are back and ready for action. Familiar names will dot the Monarch roster, inspiring Monarch Nation to finish business this year.

“My expectations are for us to be as good as we can be,” junior Ed Chang said. “We just need to stay level-headed the whole season.” If the Monarchs can do this, they can go a long way.

“We have the potential to win

state,” Chang said. “We just have to keep working hard in order for everything to fall in place.”

The Monarchs run through a series of harsh conditioning workouts in the months leading up to the season, preparing them for the year ahead and their talented opponents.

“Our main competitor this year is everyone,” Chang said. “Everyone has a target on us and everyone wants to beat us. We just have to take it day by day and trust the process.”

Along with his fellow teammates, Chang looks to compete everyday, and get better each time he and his teammates hit the court.

“This could be one of the best teams in Papio history,” senior Ayo Akinwole said. “We all will step up and adjust to our roles.”

As a senior, many players look to Akinwole as a leader on the court and in practice. Their practice process

has really shaped the team’s sense of chemistry.

“We start early and work out together all summer and fall leading up to the season,” Akinwole said.

“This builds chemistry and helps us come together as a group.”

If the Monarchs come together, focus day by day, and rely on their training, this season could effectively finish business and the team could arrive at the state championship game.

The Monarchs will tip off on Nov. 26 against Gretna. The following week the Monarchs travel to play a tournament in Norfolk, and then the season is on its way.

The student section and team are ready to take on every opponent and watch history unfold before their eyes.

This team has the potential; it is all about putting it into place.

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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l l o R t s Ju ith It W

ed Unifi to have h c r ona m looks r.

M e a a Th g te l first ye n i l w Bo ssfu cce N u s DDE a LU N RYA OLE C Y I E OS

BY N

BY J IGN S E ED PAG

Senior Jonathan Nissen had a look of excitment on his face. A nervous look took over but faded away as he looked at his opponent.

Then it happened: the scoreboard highlighted his name and it was finally his turn. Walking up to the lane, he was careful not to cross the line. He went into his wind-up, and bang, the pins fell, making it real: Nissen had just competed in his first competition.

Nissen loves competing and his favorite part of bowling is getting strikes, but without the new program, he might not have had this chance.

This is the first year for Unified Bowling. The Nebraska School Activities Association partnered with Special Olympics Nebraska to make it a sporting event that any school can participate in, opening up opportunities for everyone to get involved.

PLHS has about 50 students participating and they are led by coach Megan Loberg.

“Unified Bowling brings together those with intellectual disabilities and those without to compete in practices and matches,”

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Loberg said.

Members of this team not only bowl, but help others to bowl and have success. Bumpers aren’t allowed, but students that can’t bowl in the traditional way can use ramps. Some members of the bowling team are involved, and they, with other peers, help the students bowl.

One peer involved in this program is junior Jackson Speece, who plans to connect with a lot of the members of Unified Bowling. Not only does he want to meet new people, but he is excited to compete.

“I am personally thrilled to just compete in matches and tournaments against other schools,” Speece said.

Senior Megan Warrior is also involved, with only one year to participate in this new program.

She plans on taking advantage of this opportunity by setting goals for herself.

“My goal is to get a score of 200,” Warrior said.

Warrior knows she will have to practice, and with the help of others, she believes she can reach this goal.

“I am excited for a new sport and I like seeing how other people bowl to

help me get better,” Warrior said.

Not only are the players excited, but Loberg is anticipating the many smiles Unified Bowling will bring.

“I am excited for our students to have another opportunity to participate in different activities,” Loberg said.

“It’s hard not to have excitement when you are around the team because their energy is contagious.”

With the number of students involved throughout the state of Nebraska, the anticipation for more unified sports keeps growing.

“We expect there to be more unified sports in the near future,” Loberg said.

Not only is the team hoping for more unified sports, but to have a successful season this year in Unified Bowling.

“I am really competitive, so I am ready and excited to win,” Loberg said.

The bowling season began in early October and, after their first two competitions, the team remains undefeated. They will compete in the district tournament on Nov. 29.

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[Bowling] calms my mind.

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Bradley Higgins

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“

“

Team

“

Meet

the

My favorite part is spinning the ball down the lane.

Ka’Veon Anthony-Foster

I was excited and happy when we beat the Titans.

Jonathan Nissen

Samantha Biggs

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My favorite part about bowling is getting spares.

Tierra Nissen

THE SCEPTER NOVEMBER 2016

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I like seeing my friends.

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#TEAM

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BURG U SPORTS

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G

Football player Brandon Steburg reassures us he’s on the road to recovery after his extensive medical care.

BY CHLOE GRIMM PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

It began in 7th grade at his first game. The feeling he wanted to experience for the rest of his life was introduced to him when the ball was kicked off and he ran it back for a touchdown.

In that moment, he knew that football was the one thing he wanted to work hard at and become the best he could possibly be, even if that meant hard practices and long games in the sweltering heat to the biting cold at the end of the season.

Senior Brandon Steburg played as a defensive end for the Monarch football team since his sophomore year, putting his full effort into the sport every Friday night. This season he suffered a severe head injury during the game against Creighton Prep on Sept. 23.

Steburg was admitted into UNMC. Soon his parents found out he had a subdural hematoma, a brain swelling where temporary skull removal was a necessary treatment.

After being in a medically-induced coma for six days, he woke up with tough obstacles in his way.

Even though the situation was critical, how he’s bounced back has served as a testament to his survivor’s spirit.

“I’m in physical therapy two times a week right now,” Steburg said. “Just working on balance, really, that’s pretty much it.”

Steburg currently wears a helmet when walking around just for safety until his next surgery when the piece of skull is put back into place.

“The next surgery is on the 22nd of November and they’ll have me there for two days then I’ll get to go back home,” Steburg said.

Although his upcoming surgery and recovery is the most important thing on anyone’s mind, school is the next thing to be concerned about.

As of now, Steburg goes to second period through fourth for the rest of this semester, and he will attend for six hours of class next semester. For now, he thinks he’ll attend a two year college but he’s not yet sure of what he want’s do.

“It just feels great to be back at school again,” Steburg said. “I love seeing everybody and all of my friends; the amount of love I got was awesome!”

When the news got out about the seriousness of Steburg’s injury, the community was very supportive.

People sold shirts and bracelets, and hosted a Pancake Feed. Cheryl Ripa, mother of senior Michael Ripa, started a GoFundMe to help raise money for medical fees.

“The community has definitely done their part plus three times over again, great support from them,” Steburg said.

Even as bad as the accident was, it doesn’t change the Steburg family’s views on football, nor does it change his fellow teammates and close friends way of thinking either.

“It’s like a car accident, one of those freak incidents that we’re never certain of happening,” senior teammate Clay Madson said.

With all the support and how quickly he’s healing, everyone has high hopes of a fast recovery. After his final surgery, not much therapy is expected.

“I’ve definitely healed a lot faster than anyone could’ve imagined,” Steburg said. “All of the prayers are the reason why I woke up from that coma.”

Steburg made it clear that through the highs and lows of the injury, his faith played a major role in his recovery and helped shape his optimistic outlook on the future.

“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength, Philippians 4:13,” Steburg said.

With faith in his heart and a full recovery in sight, he assures us that he’s back and here to stay.

(Left) Brandon Steburg jokes with a friend at the pancake feed fundraiser on Oct. 23rd.

PHOTO: CASSIE LINGREEN (Far Left) Brandon Steburg celebrates with teammate David Richardson at the Millard North game.

PHOTO: JESSICA HALSKI

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The State of Domination

Fall athletes work hard all season, preparing themselves in order to dominate state competitions.

BY BRENDON BOATWRIGHT

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After months of training, multiple athletes and teams made it to the state competition where they duked it out to be number one. For the first time in school history, the girls golf team brought home the state title.

“My favorite moment of the season was when I walked off my last hole at state knowing that we had won the team state championship,” senior varsity golfer Spencer Roach said.

Roach did very well in the state outing, placing third after the two days of golfing. She scored a 79 on the first day and an 81 on the second day.

“I played pretty well my first day considering how windy it was,” Roach said. “The second day I did not play as well as I would have liked but I was still happy with my scores.”

After an incredible season there is not much more that one could ask for. Winning the state title

is the supreme goal of every team.

“I honestly would not change anything,” Roach said. “We got the results we wanted and had fun doing it.”

The softball team also did especially well during the season, holding the number one ranking for most of the season. They were over .500 all season, finishing with a record of 33-5.

“The season went amazing,” senior varsity softball player Gabby Delos Reyes said. “We did not finish the way we wanted to, but there were so many highlights. We were the underdog coming into this season, but we were able to prove ourselves and had a successful season.”

There were many parts of the season that stood out to Delos Reyes as top notch. Her favorite occurred during the state tournament.

“I hit my first high school home run, which was a walk-off grand-slam

SPORTS FEATURES

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9 during the first round of state against Lincoln East,” Delos Reyes said.

In softball the state tournament is double elimination; so after the team’s first loss against Millard South the girls had to win their way back into the finals. The softball team won the state runner-up title, losing to Millard South in their final game of three.

“If I could change anything pertaining to the season, I wish we could replay the last state game,” Delos Reyes said. “I also wish we could have gotten lights on our softball field.”

Boys cross country also had a very successful season, sending two runners to state. Senior Tyler Williams was one of the boys who qualified for state after an incredible season.

“I qualified for state and got seventh place in districts this year,” Williams said. “I also placed in every meet this year except Metros.”

Runners know that they should be in their peak performance at the end of the season. This is so they can do their best and compete for the state title. Williams did just that in state.

“I ran a PR (personal record) of 16:36.06 and got a place of 22nd,” Williams said. “I was very happy with

how the season went.”

Varsity girls cross country was also successful in sending one person to state. Freshman Renee Thompson was that one cross country girl and she competed very well.

Varsity boys tennis also competed well in state. No. 1 doubles team, freshman Nick Ripa and junior Caleb Feekin, advanced to the second day of the competition.

During state teams need to stick together and play for each other. It is quite certain that it will lead to success, but it will unify the team, creating a bond that connects them as one, cohesive group.

“One of the best parts of the team is that everyone is loud and intense,” Delos Reyes said. “We fought till the last pitch and left everything on the field.”

Note: As of press time, the volleyball team had not yet competed in the state tournament.

Photos: Ally Richardson (1,2,7), Aidan cho (12), Claire Neil (5), Courtney Nuss (14), Dylan Nicholson (11,13), Heather Sluga (3,4,6), Schyler cruse (8,9,10)

NOVEMBER 2016

1 & 2) Varsity girls golf team 3) Junior Peyton Savington 4) Sophomore Mackenzee Holloway 5 & 7) Senior Spencer Roach 6) Senior Narcisa Gibson-Martinez 8 & 10) Senior Tyler Williams 9) Varsity boys cross-country team 11) Junior Courtney Wallace 12) Senior Gabby Delos Reyes 13) Senior Hannah McCarville 14) Varsity girls softball team

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