The Warrior Apollo: Volume Two // Issue Four // May 2020

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T H E WA

A APP

O R RRRRIIO R

LO L O

VOLUME TWO ISSUE FOUR MAY 2020


T

HEWAR R I O R

submissions policy The Warrior Apollo accepts all art, literature, music, fashion and photography submissions by all current Westside students and publishes them in a magazine format. Students and staff may submit as much work as desired. If you wish to submit your work by paper, stop by the journalism hallway, rooms 251-253, and give your work to either the Editors-in-Chief, Vinny Nelson and Elliot Evans, or journalism advisers Jerred Zegelis and Timothy Kaldahl. The Warrior Apollo does not accept any work that may be considered offensive and reserves the right to reject and edit content for any reason. Please direct any questions to the Editors-in-Chief. Submit digitally at thewarriorapollo.com.

staff


table of contents Letter from the Senior Editor........................................04 Art by Paul Nelson, Design by Vinny Nelson

Behind the Scenes at “The Crucible”..........................06 Story, Photos and Design by Vinny Nelson

“The Scar”......................................................................08 Short Story by Zola Madson, Design by Elliot Evans

Portraits..........................................................................10 Art by Drawing and Painting II Students, Design by Natalie Gill

Shepherd’s Snapshots..................................................12 Story and Design by Elliot Evans

Cyanotype Gallery.........................................................14 Art by Photography I and II Students, Design by Vinny Nelson

Crochet Crazed...............................................................16 Story and Design by Elliot Evans

Beauty in the 402...........................................................18 Photos and Design by Natalie Gill and Vinny Nelson

Thanks............................................................................22 Words, Graphics and Design By Natalie Gill

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04


Dear reader, t’s hard to put into words the loss that the Coronavirus outbreak has brought the class of 2020. For some seniors, it’s the spring sport season. For all, it’s graduation and prom. For me, it was being able to print and distribute my final issue of The Apollo to Westside’s student body. When I say it out loud, it sounds petty and privileged. It’s not like I need to print The Apollo to feel special. I already feel lucky enough to have gotten the chance to print four issues of The Apollo prior to this issue and also to have the chance to publish this issue digitally. In this new normal of self-quarantine, it’s not as if there’s a digital option for spring sports, DECA competitions or prom. Chances are, graduation will be live streamed, and even then it’s not like that will feel normal, either. Since I began The Apollo junior year, I have always loved producing this magazine. Over the past four years, I have dedicated so much of my time and effort to Westside’s journalism program, and with this being my senior year — and my final issue — I’ve really struggled to complete this. I’ve found it quite challenging to focus on anything related to school, because it’s hard to ignore what senior year could have been. However, as challenging as it has been to complete this issue, it has been important to me that I publish what I can. Beyond the class of 2020, I feel that it is important to recognize that there is a greater loss that this pandemic has brought upon the world than just some school dances and extra curriculars. I feel that I don’t really need to go into the specifics of that, because, quite frankly, the news does a better job of covering the serious side of this pandemic than I ever will. As depressing as this letter has been, it’s also worth mentioning that during this time of sadness, art is a great tool to use to heal. Whether that’s drawing, photography, practicing music or writing, it all can be used to help one cope. For me, it has been producing this magazine. Since the start of The Apollo, but now more than ever, this magazine has been my creative outlet. I hope this issue of The Apollo brings you a sense of relief and happiness, even if it’s only a little. It has been a pleasure to be the editor of this magazine, and I will miss it greatly.

Your editor, Vinny, signing off.

05


BEHIND THE SCENES at “THE CRUCIBLE” JILL STARK, SENIOR “I’m in charge of all the costumes and where they go. It’s really fun. What’s nice about it is that you don’t have the stress of doing stuff on stage and acting in front of people. It’s cool to be behind the scenes. I’ve never done it ever, but it’s been really cool to do it and see everything from a different perspective. I’m grateful to be a part of it. It doesn’t matter what role you play, your part is important regardless.”

LILY CASTELLAN, SENIOR “My job is to make sure that all the costumes stay clean. I check them in and out during and after the show, and if there are any malfunctions, I deal with that too. Putting on a play is really fun, and the relationships you build while doing so are really special.”

GABBY HUERTA, SENIOR “I play Betty. I pretend to be bewitched and possessed in this play. The [theatre] family is just so loving and I’ve made some of my best friends. I’m definitely sad that this is my last play. I’m going to miss so many people next year.”

KATE AVERY, SENIOR “I’m the head of makeup, so at the beginning of the show production I designed how everyone’s hair and makeup would look for different scenes throughout the whole show, and I also do the hair and makeup. I love theatre at Westside because it’s such a good community, and we’re all equally passionate about it. I probably wouldn’t like it as much if it weren’t for the group of people. Sometimes theatre isn’t very fun. It’s very stressful, but at the end of the day the people make it way more enjoyable.”


DELANEY WETJEN, SENIOR “In this play I am acting as the character Elizabeth Proctor. Compared to past shows I’ve done, this has been a little bit more challenging just because it’s very serious and dark. It’s pretty heavy, so it was hard to get into the mindset of the character. I had to put a little more work into that than I did in previous shows, but it paid off in the end and it really helped bring the show together. The whole process is so much fun. We’ve all gotten really close at rehearsal after school. It’s so cool to see us put on an actual show because we worked so hard for this. I’m really thankful for theatre because it’s given me a second home at Westside.”

KARI CHATMON, SENIOR “I play the character that is first accused [of witchcraft] and I’m like the start of ‘the devil this and the devil that.’ Theatre has impacted me in so many good ways. Everyone [in theatre] helped me with a lot of personal things without them even knowing it. It help me to find myself, to understand people more. It helped me to find a place of my own and discover things that I didn’t know were possible. Everyone should give theatre a try. Even if you feel like it’s not your thing, give it a try. It’s so real and authentic. This here is something that just can’t be found. This is a home to any and everyone. We’re so open, not judgmental, and everyone is different in their own unique ways. It’s just amazing.”

OWEN DE LA CRUZ, SENIOR “For this show, I am the stage manager and the assistant technical director. So during show week, like we’re at right now, I stay on headset and I call the show through cues, so every single transition, light change, sound change, all those types of things. During the rehearsal process, I am in charge of making sure that everybody is staying on task and pretty much just all of the day to day maintenance of the show. For my other job, assistant technical director, I help with set construction.”

JOHN PEKULA, SENIOR “For this play, I’m the assistant director. I applied for this position because I wanted some directing experience before Project 66, and it’s really helped a lot. The people are amazing, and I like working with them, but also I like being focused on something and having to work as hard as I do for this program. I’m going to college for [directing] and I started doing it in high school, so [theatre] showed me what I want to do with my life.”


The Scar Zola Madson

oming back home in the early hours of

surprise her at work with sweet things like

the morning, I prepared myself for the

chocolate or flowers. Megan was a manager at one

day to come. Straightening my deep red tie, I

of the newest tech startups in the city. She was the

stared at myself in the mirror, something I rarely

dream woman really, intelligent beyond her years,

did anymore. My lie was a big, pink, rough patch

ambitious, and kind. She was too good for me and

of skin stretching from my left temple to my right

I knew it.

ear. It started as no more than a paper cut, but

The problem arose when the company really

over the course of two months, it grew. Lies are

started to get big. She would be at the office,

fickle like that, they twist and turn and change.

working away until long past night, only to get

That’s why criminals don’t get caught right away.

home and immediately fall asleep. With the

The lies can take any amount of time to appear,

lack of her presence at home, I found myself

and in any place.

beginning to slip. That’s when I made the big

Because the lie was so gruesome and in such a visible place, nobody wanted to hire me. It wasn’t their fault though — who would want

mistake. I found solace in her younger sister, Isabelle. Isabelle was everything that Megan was not.

to hire somebody with a secret this big? Even

Isabelle was fiery and wild and would never

walking down the street, passerby crossed to the

say no to an adventure. I spent the mornings

other side of the road. After a while, the strain

with Megan, living a domestic life, cooking her

became too much, and I sought out some more

breakfast and kissing her on the cheek as she left

… nontraditional methods. Yesterday, at dusk,

for work. As soon as I completed my own day at

I found my way into a back alley of the city, and

work myself, I would slip out and find Isabelle,

that was where I got the advice of how to remove

knowing that my fiancé wouldn’t be back until

my scar.

after midnight.

With the instructions ringing clear in my

Our favorite spot to meet was at a bar

head, I took one last look in the mirror and slowly

downtown. It was easy to be with Isabelle when

made my way out the door of my apartment and

I had alcohol in my system. It burned away the

into the bustling city.

guilt. After having a couple drinks one summer

I knew the way to Megan’s office building. Back when we were still engaged, I would always

night in June, she got in her car to drive home, with the promise of me going to her apartment in


a few minutes. Watching her car drive away, it was only a few moments before I heard a sickening crunch as her car ran a red light. Running over there as fast as I could, I tried to pull her out of the wreck. Thankfully, there was a hospital close by, but not close enough to

I stared at her blankly. Her voice sounded no more than static. “I’m sorry. I just — I need to figure out how to live without Isabelle before I can figure out how to live with you.” Megan had silent tears rolling down her face.

save her. I stayed in the waiting room as Megan

She looked at me to say something, to beg her to

arrived. She looked like a disaster, red puffy face

stay. I didn’t put up a fight. I didn’t say a single

from crying, her hair in knots, and her clothes

word of protest. I just turned my back on her and

crumpled beyond ironing.

walked out the door. That’s when I felt the first

“Did you know where she was going?” Megan’s voice was scratchy. “No. I was just at the bar drinking with some friends. I went outside when I heard the loud noise.” There it was.

sting of the scar appearing on my forehead. A reminder that I caused this. My undoing was my own fault. That was where I stood now. At the door to her office. One hand coming up to open the door.

The magnificent lie.

She was working now. I watched her schedule

Megan nodded carefully, no hint of doubt

for weeks.

that I might be lying.

It was a pitiful thing that I was about to do,

After that day, everything became quiet.

but I’m sure Megan would understand. She was

She stopped working for a while, but our house

always a big advocate for trusting your instincts.

seemed even more empty than when she was

Of course, I still cared about her, but the future

gone.

of my life mattered more. I wasn’t the same

Exiting my thoughts for a moment, I pushed

person I was before. After Isabelle was gone,

open the door to the building Megan worked at.

life felt nothing short of a blur. My scar ruined

I quietly rode the elevator to her office on floor

everything, and now I was finally going to take

23. When I got out, everything looked the same

my life back. I was going to finally get rid of the

as it had two years ago. Cream walls with those

hideous mark.

copyright free images hung in frames. It was the same hallway where Megan finally ended things with me. I was going to take her out for

Pulling open the door to her office, I saw her sitting at her desk. My mind was empty except for the

lunch, a nice surprise. But it was she who had the

instructions I had to follow in order to remove

surprise for me.

the scar.

“James, I think we should break up.”

Eliminate the person you lied to.

9


Brittany Hernandez

Senior

Portraits by

S t u d e n t s

S t u d e n t s

Pa i n t i n g 2

Pa i n t i n g 2

Pa i n t i n g 2

Pa i n t i n g 2

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D r aw i n g &

D r aw i n g &

S t u d e n t s

Portraits by

D r aw i n g &

Portraits by

D r aw i n g &

S t u d e n t s

Portraits by


Eisley Yuipco Junior

Natalie Gill Junior

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around in the car, so we would do that for three or four hours at a time. I would take my camera and we'd drive all over the place. I'd see something I'd want to photograph, so I'd tell him to pull over and I'd take a few pictures. Then, around 7 p.m., we'd return to the nursing home. I'd help her get into bed and rub her neck until she fell asleep and drive back to Omaha. After school started, I couldn't go as much, but I'd still go down twice a week and we'd keep the same routine. She wouldn't talk on the drives. I'm not sure if she even knew where she was, but my brother and I talked about anything and everything. She passed away in October, and I am so thankful that I had that time with them.” Shepherd shared how her hobby helps her stay healthy during stressful periods. “[Being creative] helps me deal with stress because it's something that I love and it makes me feel happy,” Shapherd said. “When I'm in the middle of taking pictures, I'm not thinking about what's stressing me out. I kind of just get lost in the process. It's a great way to focus your mind on something that's calming and soothing. Plus, the product that comes from the process is good also. I feel like I've done something just for myself.”

Shepherd’s

ue to the COVID-19 crisis, Apollo has been seeking stories about the creative side of our community members to inspire our audience to create in a healthy way. Sally Shepherd, Westside Health and Physical Education Department Chair, reached out to us via email with her story to share her photography and how it coincided with an important life event. Shepherd told us how she originally got into photography. “I started years ago, before digital cameras,” Shepherd said. “I have always loved the outdoors, so capturing the beauty of it appealed to me. When I got my first digital camera, I just started playing around with settings and such. I experimented A LOT!” Although her start in photography was years ago, it had a big impact on a recent event in Shepherd’s life. “Last spring, my sister-in-law suffered two strokes and ended up in a nursing home in Lincoln,” Shepherd said. “It was a huge stress on my brother, so all summer I went down there every other day to help him with her. She loved to drive


napshots

Because a lot of people are facing various hardships due to COVID-19, we asked Shepherd if her experience with her sister-inlaw holds relevant lessons for today. “Yes,” Shepherd said. “By being there for my brother and sisterin-law, I felt better about my own problems. The time we spent together really helped us get closer. My being there helped my brother feel like he wasn’t alone. Whenever I felt like it was stressful for me to be going down there so much, I thought about his stress and it helped me keep it all in perspective. Nothing is forever, and by supporting each other we’ll all get through this better than we were before.” We were also curious about what advice Shepherd has for the community, as a health instructor, to maintain good physical and mental health, and if creativity should play a role. “Make sure to get outside daily for at least 30 minutes,” Shepherd said. “The fresh air and sunshine can really make a difference. I know it sounds too simple, but it really is true. Focus for a bit on your breathing, slow deep breaths in and out. The worst possible thing anyone can do is sit around and wonder about what's going to happen. Control what you can control and don't worry about what you

can't control. Turn off social media every day for a while and give yourself a time-out. Absolutely, creativity should play a role, not only in how you handle homework and daily life every day, but also for learning and creating. Working with your hands, whether it be knitting, cooking, woodworking or jewelry making, can be so good for your soul. Now is a good time to do those things that make you happy and can fuel your creativity. Is there something you've always wanted to learn to do? I'll bet you can find an instructional video on Youtube for it.” Shepherd also shared other ways to use this newfound time. “Kids could be using this time to learn more about their parents, because they weren't always parents,” Shepherd said. “They had a life before children, they were kids once, they went to high school or college, they had their hearts broken, they had plans that didn't work out. They had friends and did things they shouldn't have done. Everyone has a story. Now is a great time for families to share their stories. Just be together and share with each other. You'll learn a lot about each other, and it will help both parents and kids relax and share some laughs.”

13


cyanotype gaLlERY

14


The Cyanotpe proceess Students used digital cameras to photograph their subjects, edit images in Photoshop and turned the images into black & white negatives. Light-sensitive material was painted onto the paper surface, negatives laid on top & a photographic image was made when sunlight exposed the light-sensitive for 20 minutes. The images were developed in a tray of hydrogen peroxide.


C d

a ze

he COVID-19 crisis has opened up a lot of time for some students to pick up forgotten hobbies or try something new altogether. Junior Grace Roberts began crocheting long before the pandemic as a creative pastime to share with her family. Over time, however, the school has witnessed Roberts parlay her talent into sales. “I decided to start selling my stuffed animals at the end of freshman year,” Roberts said. “I had made a dino for a friend of mine who was graduating. Then another friend wanted to buy one like it from me. At first, I was doing orders for just friends here and there. Sophomore year I tried to do the Westside Craft Fair, but they were booked and the lady that I talked to referred me to the Dragons

et cr

c o h r

Closet. That was when I decided to take it a little more seriously.” It was when she started selling more animals that Roberts said she saw an opportunity to do more for her community, as well as earn service hours towards her diploma. “I have done two craft fairs for the Dragons Closet in Gretna. I earned a few service-learning hours from it by donating some stuffed animals to Project Harmony, [whose] goal is to end child abuse and neglect in our community. This year, I used it to raise money for SkillsUSA and Louder Than a Bomb. Every Friday during some of the lunch mods I would set up my table outside of the cafeteria and sell dinos, jellyfish and more.”


n @Croc het_ thi

g

tuff d_s n a s_

Since she won’t be able to sell her items at school anymore, I asked Roberts how the virus has affected her hobby. “COVID-19 has given me more time to work on my projects and get stocked up on my products,” Roberts said. “It’s given me more time to work on things that I just don’t plan to sell. I’ve started making a few things that I plan on donating to Project Harmony again. I also hope to write some patterns that I can sell soon.” Despite monetizing her pastime, Roberts still enjoys being creative. “Crocheting is a great hobby,” Roberts said. “I enjoy making something that people get joy out of. I like selling my creations because that means they're doing something

besides sitting in a box. I like to please people, so sometimes it's stressful when I don't want to make something [and] I keep getting requests for it.” Still, Roberts recommends any way of getting creative. “Creativity is a good distraction,” Roberts said. “If you can stick with it, it's a great hobby that you can use to make things that you are proud of. When you get invested in a project, time flies, and at the end of it you have a product that you can be proud of. Though it can cause stress, [crocheting] is generally a huge stress reliever for me. Creativity… gives me something productive to do. I enjoy making things that have a purpose. ”


Blair, NE

90th and W Center Road

Carter Lake

BB ee a a uu tt yy in the

402 18


Hummel Park

120th and Pacific Street

Go outside and take some pictures, dude!

Malcolm X Memorial

Downtown Omaha

19


84th and W Center Road

Big Papio Bike Trail

20


Downtown Omaha

21


Elizabeth Hough Art Department

Sarah Schoenrock English Department

Dana Rose Art Department 22


he 2019-2020 school year was The Apollo’s first year as a printed literary magazine. Throughout the year, this publication has been able to keep printing because of our contributors. While at first gathering art and literary submissions was an uphill battle, Elizabeth Hough, Sarah Schoenrock, and Dana Rose were some staff members who helped The Apollo from the beginning. As a publication, we are so grateful for their consistent help. The Apollo also has endless thanks for our advisors, Timothy Kaldahl and Jarred Zegelis. They put faith in three kids to make something we’re passionate about. And of course, this magazine wouldn’t be possible without submissions. Thank you, thank you, thank you to anyone who allowed their work to be published this year. Nothing in The Apollo would be possible without you creative souls!

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you fo t k n h r a ! r ea

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orting o s up p or eeyo s

o y uf k n a adi e r

23

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work! t h


esto

M anif

lo ol

A e h p T a

Here at Apollo we pledge allegiance to artistic freedom, To giving students a creative outlet, To thinking outside the box, To experiencing emotion through art, Because what makes Apollo special Is its contributors and staff, And the love each issue is made of.

N ata

ov l C e

A rt

By

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