Breaking Barriers

The day started out as it always did, with senior Hannah Bond helping elementary school students out with their assignments and answering their questions. Then she met a fourth grader with learning disabilities. Bond thought she could handle this student like any other who asked for her help, but she soon discovered that the student was mute. “He wanted to talk but he couldn’t,” said Bond.

At first, the student was shy and a little standoffish, but that didn’t stop Bond from trying her best to help him. Bond realized communicating with this student would be harder than with the other students, but she was determined to help him succeed. That’s when Bond noticed a breakthrough in Johnny’s behavior. He had begun to trust her, and they were even able to communicate.

As a teacher’s assistant, Bond would go to Breen Elementary twice a week or more to help out. “I appreciated all those days with Johnny but that one specific day where he could trust me, that was my favorite,” she said.

out for awards, Messina knew that everyone there was among the best in her division. Starting with 10th place, they worked their way down to the top five. Messina’s heart started to race as she thought about how long she’d wanted this.

The judges got to the top three, and Messina’s team still hadn’t been called. “At this point most of the team was crying tears of joy,” she said. They stood as one of the top two teams in their division. As the judges announced first place, the team started to cry — they had just won the World Championships.

Messina had achieved one of her life-long dreams. The team was thrilled to know that they had finally done it, that the countless late-night practices that often ran as late as 10:30 p.m. had finally paid off. “There are 19 people on our team and I love being with them because they’re fun people to be around,” said Messina. “I love how they always push me to do my best even when we’re dead tired at 10 o’clock at night”

Mr. Pappas angrily stormed into Video Production, saying, “Is there a James Turner here?” The mostly quiet class was now dead silent. Mr. Pappas took Turner out of class, walked him in front of the cafeteria and pulled out a transcript with Kayla Nguyen’s name on it. “Do you know her?” said Mr. Pappas. “Yes,” Turner replied. Mr. Pappas’ demeanor changed, and he asked, “Do you want to go to Sadies with her?”

Kaleb Donets loved nothing more than the feeling of being in the water, the rush of adrenaline that came with every stroke and the satisfaction of scoring a goal. The water polo season was the highlight of his year, and he relished every moment spent with his team.

One of his fondest memories was from a tournament in Clovis. Donets and his senior teammates had their own room, and they spent the week bonding and getting to know each other even better. They shared stories, played pranks on each other, and even stayed up late discussing their futures.

But it wasn’t just the off-the-pool bonding that made the trip so special. The tournament itself was a thrilling experience, with each game filled with intense competition and heart-pounding moments. Donets and his teammates had to push themselves to their limits.

Coaches Scott Bergemann and Kristin Hamm played a huge role in shaping Donets’s character and instilling a sense of respect in him for the program and for his team. They encouraged him during workouts and drills, but they also took the time to offer guidance and support. For Donets, their mentorship was a vital part of his success both in and out of the pool.

Looking back on these past four years, Donets couldn’t help but feel grateful for the community that water polo had provided him. It was more than just a sport — it was a way of life, a tight-knit group of people who shared a passion and a bond that transcended words. And he knew that no matter where life took him, he would

This was Nguyen’s master plan. The night before Sadies, Nguyen wanted to ask Turner to the dance. After giving it some thought, she had the idea of having Mr. Pappas ask for her.

After all the laughs and embarrassment, Nguyen and Turner never ended up going to Sadies. Instead, they spent their night going bowling, and to this day, they are still really good friends.