October 2022

SAINT MARY’S HEROES

CARVING

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Hello SMCHS Student Body!

OUR EDITORS

OUR WRITERS

LAYOUT

OUR MISSION

Here at Messenger, we love to see the groups of people huddled around our paper, the proud smile when students read articles about themselves, and the slight laughs as students make fun of our bad attempts at jokes. Our mission at the Messenger is to produce a quality newsletter that provides insight into SMCHS by featuring our own students and their accomplishments and goals.

Daniel Wojciehowski

Hannah Koch

Kylie Aus

St. Mary’s Heroes:

Get to know our Janitors and Cooks!

It takes so many people to keep our great school going every single day. From teachers, to admin, to our janitors and cooks, there are many moving parts. It is a well known fact that SMCHS’s kitchen and janitoral staff is the best around. However, there are probably a lot of things you don’t know about them. Here are two exclusive interviews from two beloved, hardworking members of our SM family. Hopefully through this article you can get to know some of our SM staff a little bit better and become inspired to continue to get to know

We are so lucky to have our awesome, kind, janitors at our school. The team includes Greg, Scott, Jason, and Fernando. You probably see Greg and Scott all the time throughout the day, and run into Jason and Fernando during after school hours playing their tunes throughout the hallways. They do so much hard work for our school and are amazing people with really cool stories. Here is an interview from Greg.

MESSENGER: How long have you worked at Saint Mary’s?

MR. GREG: 10 years in January.

M: What is something students should know about you?

G: God puts you in places that you don’t expect. You might not like it but you know that that’s where you’re supposed to be. So you do what He asks you to do. Sometimes you might not be happy but it is what it is, and you do it. He has a purpose and you don’t know what it is. Someday you might find out what that purpose is.

M: How has working here affected your faith?

G: I’ve always had a strong faith but here you can see it lived through a lot of the people you work with and are around everyday. I see it in the kids, I see them growing in their faith. I also really see the faith in the guys that I work with and that makes a big difference.

M: What is your best piece of advice for students?

G: Go through life, have no regrets and when you make a decision, look at what that decision is and what the consequences are, bad and good. Know that if you open your heart up, God is going to put you somewhere and you leave it up to Him because He will take care of it.

| Bella Sletteland

Our Janitorial Staff

“If you open your heart up, God is going to put you somewhere and you leave it up to Him because He will take care of it.”

Every day these awesome ladies make and serve us our school lunches, and keep a la carte stocked with all of your favorites. Sanna, Rose, Tracy and Yvonne keep the SM kitchen running and we are thankful for it everyday. They are such fun people and I love getting to chat whenever I get the chance, and I highly recommend getting to know them throughout your time here. Below is an interview from Chef Sanna.

MESSENGER: How long have you worked at St. Mary’s?

MS. SANNA: About 16 years.

M: What is your favorite thing about working here?

S: It’s a family. That’s how it’s always felt. I love the students and it’s a great atmosphere to work in. The relationships between students, teachers, and administrators feels like one of a kind. It feels special. Also, blue is my favorite color.

M: What is something you would want students to know about you?

S: I really like making stained glass. It’s so fun, I make all kinds of things. I make them with Nadine who used to work here. I’m hoping to make a stained glass Jesus and Mary to donate to the next Saints Ball auction… if time allows me to do so. I also want students to know that I feel so blessed to work with Rose, Tracy, and Yvonne because they are a great team and they truly care about you students and this school.

M: What is your favorite kind of music?

S: I listen to everything. Most of the time if you are in here you’ll notice we are playing music. Lots of 80’s, but I can only handle bluegrass for about 20 minutes and I try to avoid heavy rap. Other than that I like variety all the time.

M: How has working here helped grow your faith?

S: I was raised Lutheran, we’ve always gone to Church and being in this atmosphere is so nice. I love morning prayer and seeing the big crucifix while I’m sitting at the tech desk. To have the faith all around you everyday, you can’t help having it strengthened.

M: What is your best piece of advice for students?

Our school is blessed to be full of such fun, kind, and hardworking people. We are so thankful for everyone who helps us throughout the day and those who work behind the scenes. Please remember to show your gratitude for our kitchen and janitorial staff whenever you can and always take the opportunity to get to know these awesome people!

S: Enjoy your time here. There is so often so much stress students put on themselves to be perfect and to get the best grades, and that is all very important and very noble but in the end if you are stressing yourself out and causing yourself to not feel well or having mental health issues because of it, 20 years from now that shouldn’t be what you remember. Do your best but don’t stress out.

Our Kitchen Staff

Trick or Treat: How Old is “Too Old?”

| Nate Letteer

Since the dawn of time, trick or treaters have had a burning question in their hearts. Philosophers have studied and pondered on it for centuries. This undying question is: How old is too old to go trick or treating? The answer to this question is actually quite simple: you are never too old; rather, you may be in the wrong situation. Anybody can and should go, but your role in this activity won’t always be the same. As a kid, you can always participate. Children are the ideal participants, as the secularized holiday was made for them. Once you get to be a teen/young adult it can be tricky because you may be seen as a potential threat by those handing out treats. This is where having a younger sibling or an easily accessible child is great. Offer to walk with them on Halloween. Their parents may not like it (as they too wish

to trick or treat), but if you can convince the child that they will have more fun with you you’re almost guaranteed to be chosen. After you’ve had your own kids, you’ll have an even harder time. Now, the competition is far more fierce. It’s not as simple as it was as a teen because now you have to compete with your spouse. The greatest marital strife: competing for your child’s love, attention, and candy, because what’s halloween without a couple Reese’s peanut butter cups? The last stage is partaking as a grandparent. Now, you can be the grandparent that stays home to keep an eye on the little kids that can’t go while watching It’s The Great Pump kin, Charlie Brown for the 57th time, but let’s be honest here. It is far more fun to go trick or treating and rake in that sweet, sweet reward.

Competitive Pumpkin Carving

| Nate Letteer

You’ve all heard of football, soccer, and basketball but there’s a sport just as fun and competitive as those that you probably haven’t heard of. Competitive pumpkin carving is a relatively new sport but it has helped people all around the world get into the Halloween Spirit unlike ever before. The tradition of pumpkin carving is believed to have started in the early 19th century in Ireland. The Irish originally carved turnips into grotesque faces to ward off evil spirits, as they believed Halloween was a time that spirits and other supernatural beings walked the earth. After the success of the story “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” in 1820, which depicted the Headless Horseman with a Jack o’Lantern placed on his severed head, carved pumpkins became a popular harvest season decoration. It wasn’t until the late eighteen hundreds that carved pumpkins became widely associated with Halloween. There is no exact date as to when it became a competitive event, but it has since become a popular October tradition. One of the most popular contests is the NASA Pumpkin Carving Contest. Pumpkin carving contests still aren’t widely spread in many parts of the world, but that can change. St. Mary’s could take the first step towards that change by holding their very own pumpkin carving contest. Not only would it be a fun activity to get all parts of the student body involved, but it would also allow for the entire Light of Christ community to get involved. For example, prior to one of the football games or any other major events, people could bring their carved pumpkins to be judged by a panel of judges and the winner could be given a prize during the halftime show. It could also be a fine addition to our expansive list of school organized sports. So how about it, St. Mary’s? What do you think about having a pumpkin carving contest?

Movie Reviews

| Eli Davis

The Jurassic series is one that has gone on longer than necessary, and the 2022 franchise finale, Jurassic World: Dominion, is proof of that. Fans were skeptical when the Jurrassic franchise was revived in 2015 with Jurassic World, but three movies later, it’s safe to say it was a mistake. Dominion is another nostalgic cash grab, as is made clear in the storyline and cast. The film uses old actors, sets, and storylines in an attempt to relive the glory of the original, but ends up feeling overdone and uninspired. Despite making over $1 billion at the box office, the film’s 29% on rotten tomatoes and poor critic reviews prove that this movie is one too many in the Jurassic series.

Jurassic World: Dominion

Top Gun: Maverick

One of the most highly anticipated and successful movies of this year is Top Gun: Maverick. The movie is a sequel to the original 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, which has been hailed as one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s. Maverick capitalizes on what made the original Top Gun so enjoyable, (fast planes and 80s bops) and improves upon it in almost every way. The cast consists of original members (Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer) as well as some newer actors and actresses (Miles Teller and Glen Powell) to keep the movie feeling as youthful and exciting as the original (not that Tom Cruise has aged much). Receiving a significantly higher rating than its predecessor, Top Gun Maverick is a prime example of how to do nostalgia right. The film received a 96% on rotten tomatoes and made a whopping $1.454 billion at the box office so far. It is clear that Top Gun: Maverick is easily one of the most popular and successful films of this year.

Short Story:

| Marie Wilson

Anna

Once, there was a teenage girl named Audrey. She lived in a small town where everyone knew who everyone else was. Additionally, everyone was always willing to lend a hand wherever it was needed.

So when Audrey’s neighbors asked her to babysit their daughter, Anna, on Halloween night, she accepted.

That night, at around 7:30, Audrey made her way over to her neighbors house. Anna’s parents greeted her at the door to lay a few ground rules for the night.

“Anna needs to be in bed by 9:30 tonight, and she is allowed only one treat before bed,” Anna’s mother said. “You don’t have to worry about taking her trick-or-treating at all, and you can shut off the outside lights too so that the other trick-or-treaters don’t bother you. If you have any trouble, you have our phone numbers. Have a good night!”

“You too!” Audrey said. “Anna and I will have a fun night, so don’t worry about a thing.”

And with that, the parents left.

Audrey and Anna played games until it was 9:00. At 9:00, Audrey asked Anna what she would like for her bedtime treat.

Anna tipped her head to the side and declared, “I want some ice cream!”

Audrey smiled at the adorable little girl. “Alright,” she said. “Where is the ice cream?”

“In the basement!”

So Audrey told Anna to sit at the counter and wait while she got the ice cream, then headed down the basement stairs.

There was no light switch at the head of the stairs, so Audrey did what any reasonable person would do and turned on her phone flashlight. There was a light switch at the bottom of the stairs. When Audrey flicked it on, she saw a few shelves of canned soup, spices, and various snacks, and at the end of the room was a freezer. Around the top edge of the basement were those half windows that some older houses have that allowed you to see the ground outside.

Audrey went to the freezer and dug out the ice cream. As she closed the top of the freezer, she glanced outside and saw a little girl through the windows. The little girl had a mask on, one that was covered in red and black markings with green and yellow eyes and fangs as long as knives; not a normal costume for a little girl, but it was Halloween after all, so why not. Audrey shrugged and headed up the stairs.

“Here’s your ice cream, Anna,” Audrey said, dishing it up.

Anna looked at Audrey, then down at the ice cream, then back up at Audrey.

“I want some chocolate syrup,” she said.

Audrey sighed. “Alright Anna, where’s the chocolate syrup?”

“In the basement,” she chirped.

Audrey sighed and went down to the basement. The chocolate syrup was on the shelf, high enough so Anna couldn’t get to it herself, so Audrey grabbed it and turned around to go back upstairs. As she did, she looked out the window again.

That strange little girl was closer.

Her mask gleamed in the moonlight and Audrey could see something in her hand. Probably a prop or a bag for treats. Audrey shrugged in annoyance and headed upstairs.

‘Some parents need to keep a closer eye on their children,’ she thought to herself.

“Alright Anna, here’s your chocolate syrup.”

Anna looked at Audrey, then down and the chocolate syrup, then back up at Audrey.

“I want some sprinkles.”

Audrey sighed. “Let me guess. It’s in the basement.”

Anna nodded solemnly. “In the basement,” she whispered.

Once again, Audrey went down to the basement and brought up the sprinkles. Again, she glanced out the windows.

The girl was RIGHT THERE and Audrey could finally see what she was holding. It was a knife. It dripped with red liquid, and Audrey noticed with horror that the fangs on the mask were also dripping with that same liquid.

Audrey spun around and ran upstairs, closing the basement door firmly and breathing hard.

“Alright Anna,” she said, trying to calm down. “Here’s your sprinkles.”

Anna didn’t respond. She had her head down on the counter.

“Anna,” Audrey said, exasperated. “Wake up. You need to eat your ice cream.” Audrey poked her. Anna’s body slid slowly to the side, a knife sticking out of her chest.

So, Audrey did what any normal person would do. She screamed and locked herself in the bathroom. In seconds, she was dialing 911 and the police were there in minutes. They asked her about the details of what had happened and called Anna’s parents.

When Anna’s parents arrived at their house, they saw Audrey sitting on the steps and rocking back and forth.

“What happened?!” they asked.

Audrey sobbed as she told them everything, including her multiple trips to the basement and the strange girl outside the windows.

When she finished, Anna’s parents looked at each other, then back at Audrey.

“Umm… Audrey?” Anna’s dad said. “There are no windows in the basement. Only mirrors.”

Secularization of Halloween

| Margaret Kathol

It’s rare to find a tradition that hasn’t been taken over by commercialism these days. Halloween is a huge one, with candy companies making around $10 billion in sales as of 2021. Hallloween’s roots are said to lie in pagan celebrations, specifically Celtic festivals. They celebrated the end of harvest, lighting bonfires and wearing costumes to ward off ghosts. While many traditions may be based off of this, Halloween specifically came from the Roman Catholic church. In ages past, it was common to hold large celebrations the night before a solemnity. For example, people used to throw parties the day before Ash Wednesday and have food, drink, and dance. On Christmas Eve, families got together to have fun before Christmas the next day. This was tradition for All Saints Day on November 1st, which is a major feast day in the Church. All Saints Day is also known as “All Hallows Day”, so this is how “All Hallows Eve’’ came about. (“Hallow” meaning “holy”.) Hence, the shortening to “Halloween”. All Hallows Eve was held on October 31st, the celebration the night before a big feast day.

The common traditions of Halloween came from various different countries. Trick or Treating came from Ireland, when poor children would go to rich people’s houses and receive a ‘soul cake’ in return for praying for the rich person’s deceased loved one. Jack O’Lanterns came from Irish Catholic children carving turnips and putting candles inside, representing the souls in purgatory. Dr Marcel Brown of the Alcuin Institute for Catholic Culture in Tulsa said “When we think of Halloween, I think we often think of ghosts and goblins, and ghoulish faces. But even these, in the Catholic tradition, are supposed to be reminders of death and of the last things”. Of course, America has secularized this holiday into what it is now—a horror in itself. With thousands of tons of plastic and food being wasted and the never ending production of really cringy horror movies, Halloween has taken on an enormous (and reprehensible) commercial aspect. Compared to that, the Catholic celebration of Hallows Eve is looking to be a much better option.

MESSENGER: What was your favorite moment at Saint Mary’s so far?

MR. LYSNE: My favorite moment was the very first day of school when I saw all of the students coming back to their classes and their excitement.

M: What are your goals as the Dean of Students in the school?

L: I want to be visible, to show much I care, to be kind, and somehow, in some way, I want to show that I’m a faithful person.

M: Do you think you could take Mr. Doll in a fight?

L: Absolutely not.

M: What drew you to work at St Mary’s?

L: That it was a Catholic high school, that was number one. And then I think working with a smaller population of students, to get to know them better, than I was able to in a giant high school. It was all about that. As Mr. Doll said, you get a chance to encounter Christ everyday.

M: What do you think is the most important aspect of your job?

L: Getting to know the students as more than students of St Mary’s high school. Like getting to know who they are as people instead of just students who go to a school.

M: What’s the funniest moment you’ve witnessed during the school year so far?

L: Probably just the constant goofiness of Mr Doll with his music and antics before and after school.

Mrs. Griffin

MESSENGER: What motivated you to become a teacher here at SMCHS?

MRS. GRIFFIN: I grew up in Catholic Education (Kindergarten-College) and have always found such peace and joy to teach the total person in the school setting. Being able to share my faith in my classroom is such a gift, and I am so grateful for that opportunity here at SMCHS.

M: If you could use any word to describe the atmosphere of your classroom, what would it be?

G: Energetic.

M: What has been a favorite memory/moment you experienced with your students?

G: I love the moments when students leave class and tell me, “Mrs. Griffin, I feel so smart, I really get this” or “I slayed class today, didn’t I?”. I can see their confidence in mathematics and their abilities grow. These moments are especially sweet after struggling with concepts, as I get to see the fruit of their perseverance amidst trial.

M: What are you looking forward to at SMCHS this year?

G: I am looking forward to Catholic Schools Week and to being on the Teacher Side of all of the fun (and chaos) that it brings.

Mr. Lysne

School

2023

Mr. Nagel

MESSENGER: What were you doing before coming to Saint Mary’s?

MR. NAGEL: I attended North Dakota State University which is where I received my Bachelor’s Degree in Agricultural Business. After college, I worked a year for a bank in Mandan before pursuing the call to the priesthood. I then entered seminary for a year down in Denver, Colorado, during which time I received a beautiful grace from God letting me know he was calling me to something else. I always had a desire to teach so I was excited to hear that St. Mary’s had an opening.

M: What is a fun fact about you that the student body doesn’t know?

N: A fun fact about me is I will more than likely only eat a dessert if it has chocolate in it. I am also currently pursuing my Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Mary.

M: What is your favorite class that you teach?

N: My favorite class to teach is Entrepreneurship because of the variety of different topics that I get to cover during the class.

Fr. Magnuson Teachers!

MESSENGER: What were you doing before coming to Saint Mary’s?

FR. MAGNUSON: I just finished seminary formation before being ordained a priest on June 13, 2022. While I enjoyed my time in seminary, it is so much better being a priest!

M: What is a fun fact about you that the student body doesn’t know?

M: I have a twin sister named Jodi who is married and just had her first child.

M: Any hobbies?

M: My favorite hobby is golf. I also like to fish, read, and relax with other priests.

M: What animal best describes you and why?

M: I would say a black lab, not only because I wear all black every day, but because they are generally calm and good listeners. I also like black labs because I had one growing up and she was a great part of my childhood.”

M: If you didn’t decide to become a priest, what career would you have?

M: I wanted to be a civil engineer when I was in high school and had plans to go to NDSU. However, God intervened before I went to college and made it abundantly clear that I should go to seminary directly out of high school.

M: Favorite memory at Saint Mary’s so far?

M: My favorite memory of St. Mary’s so far was the homecoming mass in Our Lady of Victory Chapel. This was my first opportunity to be at Mass with the entire student body and it was incredibly edifying to worship together in that beautiful and sacred space.

Mr. Richards

M: What would you like to be doing/teaching in 10 years?

N: I would still like to be teaching 10 years from now. I enjoy teaching business, but if I had to pick to teach something else, I would like to try teaching a religion class. I also would like to continue to become more and more involved on the farm with my dad as the years go by.

M: Any hobbies?

N: My hobbies include hunting, watching and playing sports, spending time in prayer with Jesus, spending time with friends and family, and farming with my dad. I am a big Denver Broncos fan so they are my favorite NFL team to watch.

M: What animal best describes you and why?

N: I would say that the animal that describes me right now is a dog because they are friendly, hard-working, and they like to have fun with other people.

M: Favorite memory at Saint Mary’s so far?

N: My favorite memory so far has been getting to know the students in my classes as well as being able to be around all of the great teachers at St. Mary’s.

MESSENGER: What was your favorite moment at Saint Mary’s so far?

MR. RICHARDS: My favorite moment was seeing my students have success on their second test of the year.

M: What adjectives would you use to describe your presence at the school?

R: I hope I can be seen as honest, encouraging, and helpful.

M: What drew you to work at St Mary’s?

R: I had heard a lot of positive things about Light of Christ schools and wanted to get out of public education.

M: What do you think is the most important aspect of your job?

R: I think the most important aspect of my job is to be a positive role model for students.

M: What’s the funniest moment you’ve witnessed during the school year so far?

R: The funniest moment was seeing Mr. Schon rap at the Pep Rally.