Common Sense Volume 23 Issue 1 September 30, 2022

Common Sense

Never tardy to the Patriot . . dance?

It is now Millard South’s turn at cracking down on students for their tardies and failing grades, with new guidelines introduced by administrators that will disallow students from attending dances that are not in “good standing” with the school.

The guidelines released in August stated that in order to purchase tickets and attend Homecoming or Prom, a student must pass a minimum of four classes, attend school 90 percent of the time, and have fewer than 10 tardies to school or classes.

“I feel like the rules are a little harsh,” sophomore Jameson Rayner said. “I know a lot of kids who have a hard time making it to school, maybe because they get sick a lot or do a lot outside of school. I know some good kids who have a hard time passing classes too.”

That sentiment was something shared by many members of the student body, as more questions arose about the specifics of these new rules. When asked why these new rules were applied, Assistant Principal Michaela Wragge said, “Our good kids don’t cause problems, but the few that aren’t doing what they’re supposed to be doing ruin it for everyone, and that’s unfortunate,” she said.

The notion that school dances in our building are a privilege rather than a right seemed to be enforced, with Wragge adding, “We don’t have to have our own homecoming dance. We don’t have to have our own prom dance, and we want those that are there to have an amazing time and have fun. And so again, like what we’ve talked about with the hall pass, those that follow the rules will have no problem,” she said

Regarding the reasoning for the exact number of days we are allowed to miss,

Wragge said, “We counted down the number of days from Aug. 17 to the homecoming dance, which is Oct. 8, and that’s 33 days. And we said you could miss four, so we rounded up, just because I wasn’t looking for 3.3 days, which kind of falls really nice, because anything over four for attendance purposes anyway, you’re supposed to have a doctor’s note for it to be excused. So if you are really sick for four days in a row, obviously there’s something going on. And I think it comes down to that communication piece, but also for passing classes. Again, that’s why we’re here, for your education,” she said.

The General Election, specifically

Ben Jackson and Dylan Wiese Online Editor-in-Chief, Sports Editor

While there are elections for homecoming royalty in October, there is a more important election coming up: the 2022 November midterm elections. More specifically legislative elections around the Millard area. These include the District 12, District 20, and District 31 special election due to the passing of state senator Rich Pahls.

District 12’s incumbent Steve Lathrop has hit his term limit, so Robin Richards and Merv Riepe are running to take his place. Richards is currently a member of the Ralston Public School Board and Riepe was a state senator in District 12 for one term from 2015 to 2019.

John S. McCollister also has hit a term limit, so Stu Dornan and John Fredrickson are running to take his spot in District 20. Dornan is currently a board member on the Nebraska Education Service and Fredrickson has not held former office.

In general, unexcused absences and tardies are the main targets of the guidelines, so excused extracurricular activities, long-term sicknesses, and other reasons for missing school that are communicated to administration will not count against a student.

On tardy logistics, Wragge brought up the fact that anywhere from 400 to 700 students get to class on time with no tardies that are invited to the Patriot Party, and that “We’re not saying no tardies, because we get things happen in the parking lot or on the way to school, but hopefully, by the time people get into the building, they’re on time.”

Wragge acknowledged that absences are easier to calculate than tardies. “The tardy part is going to take us some time to really look at because we pulled before school tardies, but then we pulled during school tardies, and they’re two completely different reports. So it’s a lot of data digging on our part, but we really do feel it’s valuable.”

Wragge said a successful dance is one that feels like a reward for each student. “...It’s beautiful, I mean, you guys spend hours on homecoming, and JCB spends hours on prom, and we just want those events to be as special as they really are and memorable, and I think this is what we’re hoping to get from that.”

In the District 31 special election, where Millard South is located, Kathleen Kauth who was appointed by Governor Ricketts to take the empty seat is running against Tim Royers. Kauth is the incumbent and Royers is the president of the Millard Education Association.

State level elections into the unicameral(our only legislative body) are extremely important for setting state laws. The body of 49 writes, debates, and passes laws into action. By voting for your legislator you have a say in what laws get passed.

We also have higher level elections this year. One for governor and one for congress. For governor, Jim Pillen(R) is running against Carol Blood(D). Pillen played for the Nebraska Cornhusker football team, was on the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, and is a hog farmer. Blood was on the Bellevue city council and was the state representative for District 3.

For Nebraska’s 2nd congressional district the incumbent Congressman Don Bacon is running against State Senator Tony Vargas in one of the closest congressional races in the country. Bacon was a brigadier general for the U.S. Air Force and Tony Vargas was on the Omaha Public Schools Board and is the state representative for District 7.

For more information about you local elections visit ballotpedia.com and to find your state senator go to nebraskalegislature.gov.

Page 2

Pages 6-7

Patriot student section fights to push the Patriots to the playoffs.

Photo by Ally Seevers.

Page 4

School tests e-hall pass program.

Cartoon by Anna Gurciullo

Page 10

Student rehearsal of One Act Play That Goes Wrong. Photo by Charleen Darra

New art curriculum. Pictured: Junior Ethan Hopkins and Julia Gilreath.

Photo by Doube Geek

Lauren Rayner Managing Editor

A student recieves a tardy pass from the front office security desk. Photo by Alexa Amick.

A student uses the Synergy ID at the morning tardy check in line. Students can only have 10 tardies to school and classes in order to maintain good standing to attend Homecoming. Photo by Alexa Amick.

Art program

Teachers go back to the drawing board to create new curriculum

Zoey Buthorne Staff Reporter

The art curriculum in Millard Public Schools will be changing in the coming 2023-2024 school year. This change follows the hard work of art teachers across the district.

The Art department has been long overdue for curriculum renewal. In an ideal world, the curriculum gets rewritten about every six to eight years, the current art curriculum has been around for longer than that. So, it’s safe to say that this rewrite is an exciting and positive change for the district.

“The idea was to do tracks going forward…. so we will have the 2D track which will be more of your drawing, painting, and digital arts, and then we will have a 3D track [more of sculpting and pottery],” said art teacher Melanie Mitera.

Next semester when students sign up for art classes, the courses will be different. Instead of starting at Art Foundations, there will

but also allows them to get a step ahead in college especially if they think that art is something they’re going to pursue in the future. Rewriting any curriculum does however come with a few hurdles; the art curriculum is no exception.“One thing about rewriting curriculum… It’s a lot of compromises. One compromise here at Millard South… that we weren’t crazy about making was switching our advanced studio class [to AP 2D art]. The biggest change between those two is that advanced Studio students could do both 3D and 2D projects… and so now it is just 2D art. So that was hard for some of our students who like doing both,” Mitera said.

said. Sophomore Ethan Heidzig agrees that the tracks are a good idea but feels that the addition of “so many new classes” makes the art department “way more complex.”

be two other intro classes: Intro to 2D Art and Intro to 3D Art. If you have already taken Art Foundations, rest assured you will not have to retake an intro class. You should be able to go into the newly available classes whose prerequisites will be Intro to 2D Art or Intro to 3D Art.

In addition to the new tracks, the new art curriculum will also add an AP art class, allowing students to earn college art credit, an opportunity not offered in the current curriculum. Offering an AP art class allows students to not only learn and improve their art

For those students who enjoy doing 3D art, students will be able to retake Advanced Pottery and Sculpture for repeated credit with teacher approval and if there is room in the class, Art Department Head Theresa Hoag explained.

Many students are excited about the new tracks. “I think that it’s smart to separate into the two tracks because then people can focus on what they want to do,” junior Zoe Oehlertz

While registering for art classes next year may be a little more confusing than in prior years, people are working to make the transition easier. “We’re hoping that we [Art Teachers] will be available to anyone interested in Art Classes next year and we’ll talk to counselors as well about what classes that students should be in based on what current classes students have already taken,” Mitera Said. The new curriculum will certainly be a big adjustment for art students and teachers, however, it is a beneficial change that will further the art department.

Slam poetry club snaps back for another season

Shelby Neeley Opinions Editor

Af-

ter last year’s defeat in the first round of finals, the members of Slam Poetry Club are excited to be back in business.

When asked about the differences between last year and this year, the sponsor, Amber Wormington, said, “ [Something] new about slam poetry this year is that we have returning members, so it’s not as much of a building year as it has been in the past. We’ve also got the same outside poetry coaches from last year, so we’re building a tradition. We’re starting to really build a team.”

Sophomore Sage Moore agreed. “I’m really excited to see all the new faces in the group! It’s really nice to see our little squad expand,” they said.

Another exciting addition to Sam Poetry is the addition of the Litfly Club. Litfly is the school’s literary magazine.

“It collects the poetry, the writing, and the art of Millard South’s students and publishes them. One of the most exciting differences this year is that Slam Poetry and Litfly are teaming up, to get more art and poetry out to the student body on a more regular basis,” Wormington said. “We’re gonna shoot [to release a litfly] every two weeks. Litfly will be distributed similarly to how the newspaper is distributed, so at the doors in the morning.”

Students may have already received a copy of the first Litfly, which was distributed on Aug. 30.

Seniors Mackenzie Kresl and Lucy Knopck work on Art Foundations project, a class that will be replaced with Intro to 2D Art and Intro to 3D Art for the 2023-2024 school year and beyond. Photo by Alexa Amick

The idea was to do tracks going forward, so we will have the 2D track which will be more of your drawing, painting and digital arts, and then we’ll have the 3D track.

-Art teacher Melanie Mitera

Junior DJ Gutirrez carefully shapes his ugly jug in Melanie Mitera’s Art Foundations class. He is shaping his ugly jug to make it look scary, based off of its original purpose of scaring off evil spirits. Photo by Mason Steinhoff

Art teacher Julia Gilreath shows junior Ethan Hopkins the kurinuki technique for carving out a container. Hopkins is in Pottery and Sculpture class. Photo by Doube Geek

Students from Slam Poetry club and Lit Fly pose for group picture. Photo by June Jud

Patriot Pantry still going strong

Every Friday, the Millard South Student Council opens the Patriot Pantry. The pantry is a no- question free food and hygiene pantry.

It all started in 2016 when the student council recognized a need within the student body for food and hygiene products.

“I think that this is one of Millard South’s brightest ideas,” a sophomore student who uses the pantry said. “This is just really helpful for my family and I’m sure it is helpful to many families too.” “What I usually look for is ground beef and bath and body work supplies,” she said. “I look forward to seeing if there are any snacks or things my parents would definitely need.”

The pantry is stocked up every week with supplies that are donated from the patriot families. These donations are a huge help. Some items that are donated include food products, hygiene, and menstrual products. Right now, the pantry is short for menstrual products and baking supplies. Shelves are stocked up with green beans, which are also the most popular item that is donated. The pantry does not need anymore, but they are always looking for baking materials and fresh produce. Everything is organized into its own little section. The pasta and cereal are in one place, then the body care and hygiene are in another separate area. Then the cabinets with miscellaneous things in them and any refrigerated products are kept in the three fridges.

Patriot Pantry isn’t just available for students on Fridays after school, but it is also

open to any Millard family on Patriot Family Nights. Patriot Family Nights are on Tuesdays, where families are welcome to come to the pantry and get any supplies that are needed in their homes. It starts from six to seven p.m.

The Patriot Pantry is run by Phoenix Nehls and Kyrie Nehls, the sponsor of Patriot Pantry. Donations are coming from partners, students and staff. These donations are then collected, then are taken up to the pantry in carts. Students Council then stocks up the shelves where the products are then reorganized often to best accommodate the needs of the students and what is the surplus of that day. The pantry is always open on Fridays so that students can take those items to their families over the weekend. Unfortunately, there was a time when the party had run out of supplies. During the pandemic, Student Council donated the entire stock to the Heartland Food Bank, but the outstanding community members had doubled the stock in the annual drive Cram The Van.

“As long as there’s a need, we’ll be here,” senior Phoenix Nehls said. “We should be free from need, especially in education. You cannot learn on an empty stomach. We hope to help in any way we can.” The Patriot Pantry isn’t just an announcement that happens every Friday at eight a.m. in the morning, but it is something more, something important. It is here to help any student. As far as we know the pantry is not going anywhere and is staying for even more years.

New yoga club is in for the long stretch

Right now, a little rest and relaxation is something everybody in the school could use. This is a commodity conveniently offered by the yoga club. The yoga club, which meets every other Wednesday (A days) in the library, is a growing club that focuses on more than just stretching, but strength and balance as well. With a growing group and great leadership, the club has been able to provide a safe space for yogis around the school to gather and practice what they love.

The yoga performed at these meetings is probably not what you would expect, however, considering there is a lot less silence than in normal yoga. While every meeting ends with Savasana, or corpse pose, during which the room is silent, most of the meeting is still filled with friendly banter and its fair share of yelling “chaturanga” (A common yoga pose). Most yogis leave the room sweating as well as laughing about some of the more challenging poses that the club is working toward achieving. The club provides yoga mats, blocks, straps for stretching, as well as any other yoga equipment they might ask you to use, or misuse during a meeting.

The experience of the club can best be described by senior and club secretary Nate Braun when he says, “Yoga club is a really exciting way to stay healthy and have fun.” He recommends joining the club at the next meeting.

Social Studies teacher Merl Zadina, the club sponsor, has put

a lot of work into getting the word out by hanging up posters and getting the club in the morning announcements. She says the club is, “A fun opportunity for all students to come and release some tension, work up a good sweat, and take time for themselves.”

Zadina said she also understands a lot of the worries high schoolers might have about attending Yoga club, but she says she would highly recommend it and that, “Yoga is good for everyone: it has many benefits and is for all body types.”

In the last year, the club has gotten a lot of traction and gotten a lot more members. Yoga club frequent Nikolas Kueser said he strongly recommended joining the club and says yoga club has become a very important part of his life, and he considers it a great way to spend his time.

The members and Zadina have enjoyed many things about the club so far, whether it’s specific poses, like downward dog or chaturanga, or just the overall enthusiasm the group seems to have for this activity.

Interested students can talk to Zadina or the activities office about when the next meeting is, and see if this club is calling out to you.

Junior Nik Keuser and seniors Gavin Lovett, Will Cameron, Wessley Earhart, Aden Williams, and Jonathan Hynes practice yoga poses. Photo by Charleen Darra.

Phoenix Nehls, pantry head, organizes shelves before the pantry is open on Friday. Photo by Charleen Darra

Charlene Darra Staff Reporter

William Cameron Contributing Reporter

If your family is in need of any food or hygiene supplies, please feel free to come down to the Patriot Pantry (room 229) after school on Fridays.

Yoga is good for everyone: it has many benefits and is for all body types.

-Club Sponsor Merl Zadina ”

School tests e-hallpass program

April Reiss News Editor

Love them or hate them, it seems e-hallpasses might be the new ticket to bathroom trips for students. The new e-hallpass system this year makes it so students must receive permission and sign out via an online system.

The system notifies teachers, security guards, and administration in the building of every student’s hallway whereabouts. Students get three passes a day and are able to be gone from their classes for 10 minutes before the security desk is notified of a student absence.

“To know if it’s [e-hall pass program] been successful is how many minutes students are out of the classroom,” said Dean of Students, Lynn Hill. “Knowing that students are in the classroom means that they’re successful,” she said.

Data given by Lynn Hill shows that the busiest bathroom on an all-day timeline is the 200s bathroom, closely followed by the 100s bathroom. The average time recorded on a bathroom visit is 6 minutes and 38 seconds.

New advancements in the e-hallpass system might be coming soon as well, following other Millard high schools.

“They [other Millard high schools] actually approached it a little differently. There are a lot of bells and whistles that we actually aren’t using yet,” Hill said. “We can also have passes for a nurse visit, counseling visits, passes for library visits, passes for main office visits.” The administration has decided they ‘just wanted to start with restroom passes’. Hill says that the other two [Millard] high schools “went all in with all passes” and that Millard South might “ease into that in the future.”

Teacher accommodation is a factor too. Hill says teachers think the process is “slick” and the e-hall pass system has “worked out smoother than they originally thought it would.”

“I don’t know if it’s [e-hall passes] easier but it is more efficient,” history teacher Donald Osborne says. “The best benefit would be if something happens in one of the restrooms and

art by Anna Gurciullo

you [students] can prove if you were in there or not.”

Students, being the most affected by the new system, have some thoughts on the new change.

“It takes more time to get out your computer, have the wifi working than to actually just use the bathroom,” junior Susanna Kastl said. “I feel like the idea behind it is good… it’s more organized,” she adds. Kastl also said that she believes that the e-

hallpass would be successful by saying that if only one person is allowed to leave class then the time limit could be lower to make a better “flow” to and from the bathrooms.

“I think 10 [minutes] is probably way more time than what you need to just go to the bathroom and then come back.”

I feel like the idea behind it is good... it’s more organized.

-Junior Susanna Kastl

graphic by Brayden Schmieding

Staff editorial: Being tardy means no Patriot party

It is easy to dismiss the typical uproar of displeasure from students over a new rule to whining, but they may have a point when it comes to the new Homecoming and Prom guidelines. A new rule will require students to have fewer than 10 tardies, attend school 90 percent of the time before the dance, and be passing at least four classes in order to attend Homecoming or Prom. Having fewer than 10 tardies is attainable, as is passing four classes, but attending 90 percent of school days is less so. There are 33 days between the release of the guidelines and Homecoming, which means that students can only miss four days. On their 5th absence, they fall out of good standing. While it was made known to students that 90 percent means 4 days, that clarification was relegated to a Synergy good standing report. One would like to believe that every student is upstanding and would check their Synergy messages, but we live in reality where most simply do not read the fine print.

Absent is a vague term that can apply to a multitude of things. Initially, administration clarified that unexcused absences AND medical parent excuses (MPE) would count toward the four-day limit, making a doctor’s note is necessary if you felt a little sniffly. However, administration has now decided their guidelines may have been too harsh, removing MPE days from the list of absensces that count against good standing. Positive covid tests, college visits, and verified school activities continue to be outside of the four-day limit.

It is reasonable to expect that a brand new rule in which the stakes are so high would be accurately and transparently explained to students. The amount of uncertainty within these new regulations can be attributed to the necessity to have the rule morph and change with the different amount of

days between the start of the semester and a dance. One year the amount of days before homecoming could be 33 and the next 53. Another uncertainty is whether “days” actually means full days or the culmination of all of your absences period to

Many students who typically wouldn’t be on the chopping block are expressing worries about being left in the dust. Homecoming and Prom are not a right, but many students that are not problems now find themselves on the line of being blocked from attending. The main goal of these new rules is to make sure that the kids that would cause problems and ruin the dance for everyone cannot attend, but innocent students could get caught in the crossfire.

Bringing this into context is important. Millard North already has a system very similar to ours. North put their new rule into place last year, but South decided not to based on the turbulence of the last couple of years. Other metro area schools have also published their good standing guidelines.

Attending Homecoming and Prom is not a right and guidelines should be put in place in order to encourage attendance and good performance, but that requires clear and transparent rules. In comparison, Millard West has no rules regarding homecoming, and never has.

art by Ella Erickson

period. It has been confirmed that it is the latter, but there have been conflicting messages in recent emails on the difference between days and total absences. It is understandable that the percentage works the best in this instance especially with the clarification of cumulative absences by period rather than day, but it remains difficult for students to easily check their status on their own and must wait for a couple of mass messages.

The problems with this brand new system are fixable and can be done in time to prevent mass hysteria among the student body. Extending the number of days that one can be absent by incorporating MPEs into approved absences was an admirable fix to help calm down worried students. The next step is clear communication from the start, which should be easier for Prom now that we’v been through it for Homecoming.

Either way, rules are rules and whether they change or not is out of our control. If you have any questions or concerns about the new guidelines or your good standing status, talk to your grade level assistant principal.

Chronic absenteeism from school a statewide problem

In all my years of high school, I’ve been sick at the beginning of the year and have missed a lot of school. One year it was pneumonia; another year it was a severe migraine. Then my grades suffer and go down to a failing grade because it’s the beginning of the year and there’s not a lot of stuff in the gradebook. It’s a whirlwind of a mess and trying to get caught back up is not that easy.

Usually, when students are absent from school, it is for the typical thing like being sick with the flu or being at a doctor or dentist appointment. There are some other things that students can miss school for, like weddings, funerals, or college visits (mostly applying to seniors). What schools don’t want students to have absences for are birthdays or work; anything that can be done after school hours.

Anytime that a student will miss a day of school, the parent or guardian has to follow a simple guideline; Call the school in the required time frame and give information why the student is absent. If they fail to do so, the student will be marked as unexcused. The Dis-

trict also reserves rights to require verification of medical appointments when absent.

You might be wondering about the policy for make-up work in Millard. According to the school board policy 5200.1. students have a minimum of 1 school day to complete work and if not completed in the timeframe, then they will not receive credit, but it is up to the teacher’s satisfaction. It also means that teachers need to provide weekly lesson plans and assignments.

If a student is not present for an amount of days, a notification will be sent to their guardians. Under the policy 5200.1 , if a student is marked absent for eight days, a written notice will be sent. Another letter is to be sent when the student reaches 15 days. When reaching 20 days, the attendance officer may file a report with the county attorney and the District will notify the family before referring.

Surprisingly, despite my numerous absences last year, my parents never received a letter detailing what the consequences would be.

Last year alone, I was absent for 50 percent of

the school year. It was all for medical reasons. I’m not the only one with a lot of absences. In fact, in an article by Bridget Fogarty in “The Reader” on March 14, 2022, she writes that “In the 2019-2020 school year, about 33,000, or 10% of Nebraska students, were chronically absent.” She also discussed how Omaha South High School addresses chronic absenteeism. According to the article a freshman had a routine to come to one class, be marked present, leave school, come back to school for lunch, and then leave again. After six months the parents got a call from the school informing them of the freshman’s absences. It did little to nothing motivate the student, and they later started stealing and got assigned to a parole officer.

This is a problem that is bigger than itself. It’s causing students to become at risk. It doesn’t matter if the student is struggling with chronic absenteeism or truancy, it will affect their grades, graduation status, and maybe even get the law involved.

Common Sense

Common Sense is the official publication of Millard South High School 14905 Q Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68137. School district guidelines determine the suitability of advertising content. To place an ad or inquire about rates, call (402)-715-8363.

Common Sense is a monthly publication produced in Room 130. Common Sense uses desktop publishing hardware and software: Apple computers, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, and Google word processing software. Printing by White Wolf Web in Sheldon, Iowa.

Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed with the student’s first and last name, grade, then submitted to Mrs. Kaldahl. Unsigned letters will not be published. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for grammar, length, and clarity. Letters of profane nature or other infractions of school or district policy will not be published.

Editor-in-Chief Ally Seevers

Managing Editor

Lauren Rayner

Online Editor-In-Chief Ben Jackson

News Editor April Reiss

Sports Editors

Dylan Wiese

Olivia Ellison

Features Editor Alexa Leiting

Opinions Editor Shelby Neeley

Entertainment Editors Riley Palma

Dillon Stice

Social Media Editor Lawal Ali

Distribution Manager

Hilary Lawson

Staff Secretary & Social Event Coordinator

Zoey Buthorne

Graphic Designers

Kevin Oregon

Faith Wehrspann

Staff Illustrators

Ella Erickson

Anna Gurciullo

Photographers

Kevin Oregon

Alexa Amick

Charleen Darra

Staff Reporters

Terrance Jackson

Faith Wehrspann

Hilary Lawson

Zoey Buthorne

Charlene Darra

Kevin Oregon

Ella Erickson

Lawal Ali

Adviser

Christine Kaldahl

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Upcoming

Student Section Themes

Pushin’ Pats

Senior leads the way in creating a Top 10 student

Ben Jackson Online Editor-In-Cheif

Fall is great for many reasons, but for senior Braytn Nespor, fall means football. Braytn has taken the lead in organizing the school’s student section.

The history of Millard South’s student section leaders is a continuous line of Millard South’s most spirited. Each year, certain students stand up and take the helm of the student section leadership. This year’s senior class has multiple leaders, but Nespor has separated himself from the rest.

These leaders of the student section have decided to take a new direction in organizing this well established tradition, in order to compete against a specific green school to the west, by creating a group to plan and coordinate student section activities.

“I guess you could say like, Millard West has this huge thing about it. And it’s all planned out,” Nespor said. “They have an organization around it and they receive funding. I just kind of wanted to have a little bit of that,” he said.

Millard West of course has their own formal organization of students that plans and coordinates student section actions. With their more organized group they have grown their student section into one worthy of being featured on ESPN.

Nespor’s first attempt to organize a united front was to create a Google Classroom with the help of the nearest teacher. Students aren’t allowed to make classrooms by themselves, but with the help of a teacher they can.

“I was like, what teacher checks her email on the weekends and most remembered Meduna. So I just emailed her,” Braytn commented. The following day

a Google Classroom entitled “Millard South Student

This strike of genius was short lived though down within a few days due to procedural issues.

Braytn recalled his experience with Mr. Throne, the activities office to talk to Mr. Throne and he man, Google Classroom. It’s not really something doesn’t really use it himself.”

With only a few days until the Millard West game, pivot. In the Google Classroom’s final moments, for students to migrate to for information on the

There is no more important game of the season players and the student section. The war on the between the crowds. From getting newspapers to for kickoff, Nespor estimates that a total of 10 hours

“My favorite thing was having the beach balls,”

against Millard West.

Despite a few losses along the way, the student strong in support of our Patriots.

“Having a crowd at each game can definitely to the Patriots,” Nespor said. “If we can get as many I believe we can push the Patriots into the playoffs.”

Senior Conlin Grady waves the flag as the student section rallies together at halftime. Photo by Ally Seevers

The Patriot Powerhouse celebrates a big-time, 3rd down sack by senior Lance Rucker. The Patriots put up 7 touchdowns and lard West Wildcats 38-14. Photo by Ally Seevers

If we can get as many people to the game as possible, I believe we can push the Patriots into the playoffs.

-Senior Braytn Nespor

and a field goal to defeat the Mil-

Pats

Student Section” was created. as the classroom had to be taken issues.

Throne, “I went all the way down to was cool about it. He’s like, ‘Yeah, something we can regulate too much’ and he game, it was necessary for Nespor to moments, Nespor created a Twitter account the student section. season than Millard West for both the field is compounded with the war to show disdain or rolling streamers hours went into preparing for battle. balls,” says Jacob Sunde, a senior who attended the game. “I also liked the newspapers. I enjoyed how the entire student section came together to show how disinterested they are in Millard West.”

The leadership from Braytn and other seniors was evident as they ran up and down the rows of students to get them prepared and excited for every chant. The new organized approach seems to have paid off well with Millard South handling Millard West 38-14 and Millard West has officially lost the title of best student section in the state.

Senior tight end Lance Rucker said, “It was one of the best student sections I’ve ever seen”

student section has continued to stay be an X factor that will be valuable many people to the game as possible, playoffs.”

Fired up for Fall Sports

Junior Rylee Anderson goes up for a kill in the game against Westview. Anderson served the whole third set, winning the game 25-0. Photo by Ally Seevers

In the game against Lincoln North Star, sophomore Adam Pugh defends against the Gator offense. The Patriots defeated North Star 49-10, moving their record to 2-3.

Photo by Ally Seevers

Senior Catelyn Rodenbiker run downs the line during starting line-ups in the game against Lincoln Pius X. Playing for the Patriots all four years, Rodenbiker has a .345 batting average.

Photo by Ally Seevers

Junior London Dixon cheers in the annual Fall Pep Rally. The pep rally was the first indoor pep rally since before COVID-19. Photo by Ally Seevers

Senior Colin Correz winds up to hit a forehand in the doubles match against Benson. Photo by Ally Seevers

State championship title marks the end of an era

With the swing of a bat and the roar of the crowd, it seemed like Millard West had ended the Patriots’ run to a back-to-back state championship title. Little did they know, they became the catalyst that propelled them to their first American Legion state title in over 20 years.

“Losing in the final was a big motivation for our guys going into the summer,” head coach, Greg Geary, said. “It was a tough loss. I know it was hard on them, but they set out on a mission to come back.”

While the team couldn’t finish what they set out to do in the regular season, they turned their heartbreak into motivation, pushing one another to become the best they could be.

“After that loss against Millard West, we decided as a team, ‘Let’s stick together. Let’s all play Legion baseball and go out there and win a championship,’ ” senior Cam Kozeal said, “and that’s what we did.”

The team went 28 and 9 during the summer to earn their spot in the American Division final. There, they defeated Elkhorn North 6 to 5, punching their ticket to the state final against Creighton Prep.

“Going into the game, I definitely felt nervous,” senior Conlin Grady said. “They [Creighton Prep] had gotten the best of me before that game, so to go out there and pitch good, it put a lot of confidence into our play. They felt like a rival by the end of the year, so to get it done, especially on the biggest stage, it felt great.”

With strike-outs at the mound from both Grady and fellow senior Grant Renken, combined with a two-run double into left field from Braden Cannon, now a freshman at Wayne State, the Patriots outscored the Bluejays 4-3 to bring home the 2022 American Legion State Championship title.

“Winning that game felt amazing,” Renken said. “Being on the mound and throwing the last pitch, then getting to celebrate with my team, it felt good. We worked so hard the whole summer to get there, so to win and have the opportunity to play at regionals made all the time we put in worth it.”

Along with the title of Legion state champs came a spot in the Central Plains Regional Tournament. At the tournament, the Patriots won their first two games, but then lost to Creighton Prep, who also qualified for the tournament. After barley surviving past the St. Micheal Mikes, the Patriots needed to defeat the Jr. Jays twice in order to win the regional championship.

“All of us were very confident in our abilities going into the final,” senior Max Heard said. “We knew what type of team they were and we knew what we were capable of. Going into that final game, we had the momentum coming off that first win. We thought we were going to take it home, so to lose, it was hard.”

With a perfect performance at the mound from Cannon, the team defeated Creighton Prep 9-3 to push the Jays to a winner-takes-all game, but Prep prevailed, defeating the Pats 7-3 to win the title.

Although the Patriots weren’t able to continue their run, they walked away with a state championship title and an experience of a lifetime.

“The trip to regionals was super

fun,” Grady said. “Being with my teammates for a whole week, playing with last year’s seniors one last time, it is something I will never forget.”

With the finishing of the summer season comes the end of an era as Brian Duensing has decided to step down as the sponsor for the 52s. After 10 years as the Omaha Fifty-Two’s Patriots, the team will hang up their jerseys one last time.

“I can’t thank Brian and his wife enough for their support over these last 10 years,” Geary said. “Having them as our sponsor, I know we all took a lot of pride in wearing the P52 on our chest.”

The Patriots will now be called the Pat Hagge Patriots in honor of Pat Hagge, who has had a great impact on the Millard South Baseball community.

“Duensing was a great sponsor for us,” Heard said. “It will be sad to put on a new jersey, but I’m excited for a new beginning.”

New Football Coach Brings Wisdom

Ally Seevers

Editor-in-Chief

With a dad for a coach and a mom for an educator, new head football coach Ty Wisdom always knew he wanted to be a coach, but his path to where he is now wasn’t what he dreamt up as a little kid.

After graduating from Lexington High School, Wisdom went to Nebraska Kearney to play. But when he was injured, he was forced to the sidelines, allowing him to shine in a new position.

Wisdom’s journey then led him to Millard South, where he was an assistant for the team, but when he was offered a job down in Phoenix, his path took him somewhere different.

But after time apart from his family, who is based here in Omaha, and the retirement of longtime coach, Andy Means, Wisdom knew it was time to come back home.

“Being here before, knowing the atmosphere and the type of program that Coach Means built here, it was something I couldn’t pass up,” he said. “It’s historically

always been a really good program and one that’s like family to me. That was the biggest thing was that I wanted my kids to be around all our family. My wife’ family’s back here, my family’s back here, so we wanted our kids to be here.”

Even with his history as an assistant coach for the Patriots, a new head coach is always an adjustment for any program.

“Obviously it’s an

adjustment, but I think it’s been good,” Wisdom said. “Anytime you come into a new place, it takes time to build a relationship, build the trust, and not everything’s going to be easy. But we work on it on a day-to-day basis. If we can continue to work at it and trust each other, that’s what will make us successful.”

As the season progresses, Wisdom looks to strengthen the foundation of this program and build on the success it has seen in recent years.

“I want these kids to be so successful. And that’s it,” Wisdom said. “It’s more about the accountability piece on the field. And that’s why I love football so much. It is hard. It’s a hard game. These kids work their butt off, they’re in the weight room at 6:30 inn the morning, and we won’t get done with practice till 6:30 at night. It’s a lot, but it prepares them for life. We’ve got great kids here. We’re going to get this thing turned around and come out stronger together.”

Head Coach Ty Wisdom calls out to the defense in the game against Lincoln North Star. The Patriots won this game 49-10. Photo by Ally Seevers

If we continue to work at it and trust each other, that’s what will make us successful.

-Head Coach Ty Wisdom

The Millard South Baseball Class of 22 seniors celebrate their American Division State title over Elkhorn North. Photo by Ally Seevers

Senior Conlin Grady pitches in the game against Elkhorn North.

Photo by Ally Seevers

Ally Seevers

Editor-in-Chief

Red, White and New

Millard South Tennis Team gets new court and coach

Dylan Wiese Sports Editor

Red, white and blue uniforms are common amongst Patriot athletes, but never before have the tennis courts themselves featured the school colors.

For starters, the Millard South tennis courts have gotten a complete remodel. The old green court has been left behind for a brand new red, white and blue court. The players could not be happier about it.

“While I did like the old courts, the new ones are a great improvement with the new colors and better surface to play on,” junior Peyton Blue said.

The old Millard South courts had been cracked and destroyed but now the courts look completely new as the players can now play on a smooth clean surface.

“I think they are really good actually,” junior Marshall Gosney said. ”The old ones had a bunch of cracks in them and the balls just wouldn’t bounce right sometimes. They are overall just really good tennis courts for the program,” he said.

The courts took the entire summer to complete but the wait was well worth it as tennis players can enjoy the courts for years to come.

However, the courts are not the only new thing that came to Millard South over the summer.

In addition to the courts, Jamisen Goodell has become the new Millard South JV and reserve tennis coach.

The players have been giving positive feedback about the new coach.

“I really like what he is doing,” Junior Mitchell Gosney said. “He is giving the JV and reserve players a lot of opportunities to improve in the game of tennis.”

“He really helps people learn and grow in the game of tennis,” freshman Sawyer Andersen said.

Just because this year is his first coaching the Millard South Tennis Team doesn’t mean Coach Goodell is inexperienced. Coach Goodell played four years of tennis at Kearney High School, was a tennis coach at Omaha Bryan High School for five years and even coached two years at a high school in Utah. So Coach Goodell is not new to the game of tennis.

While the new coach has brought a new perspective to Millard South tennis, the goal for the Patriots still remains to try their best.

“My goal for this season is three parts,” Goodell said. “First is to have fun, second is to work hard, and third is to get better every day.”

The Patriots have gotten off to a great start this season and will look to keep that hot streak going. The last tournament for Millard South this fall season will be on Oct. 7.

Going for Gold

One World Class School, Two World Class Champions

Ally Seevers Editor-in-Chief

To win a world championship is something most can only dream of, but for seniors Joel Adams and Cam Kozeal, their dreams became a reality. The road to a world championship title started in Las Vegas for Adams, where he competed in the world team trials. Here, he dominated his field to earn himself a spot in the 2022 World Cadets Wrestling Championships.

“I was very happy to win trials,” Adams said. “It was a relief to win that last match, but I knew that wasn’t the end of the road. I didn’t want to just make the team, I wanted to win the entire thing, so I went right back to work.”

Once in Rome, Adams had a tough slate ahead of him, but his preparation for this moment gave him the upper hand advantage.

“One of the reasons why I won in the fashion I did was because of my preparation,” Adams said. “I was grinding my butt off every single day leading up to that point, but it was all worth it.”

Adams made it through each round at the tournament, leaving without a scratch. He defeated Switzerland 8-0, Japan 10-0, and Georgia 6-0 to get to the semifinals against Petro Shafranskyi of Ukraine. There, he put up 6 points against to secure himself a spot in the finals where he would face Ahoura Bouveiri of Iran.

“I get nervous before every wrestling match,” said Adams, “But walking out that day, I was extremely calm. I was motivated to win. With my preparation, everything leading up to this, I was okay with the path that I’d chosen to lead up to this. I knew I hadn’t messed up anything. I was ready to go out there and bang.”

And that he did. Adams went out onto the mat and finished his business, outscoring his opponent 6-0 to become the 65kg U17 World Champ.

“It was definitely a great experience,” Adams said. “Winning gold, I felt like I was on top of the world. I’m just so thankful for everyone who has helped me get to this point.” As for Kozeal, his journey began back in July, when he was sent an invitation to try out for the

trials team.

”When I first figured out that I was invited to tryout for the team, I was going to the zoo with my family,” Kozeal said. “When I saw the email saying I was invited to trials in Florida, I got super, super excited. It’s just an honor to be even invited, only the top 40 in the nation are selected, so I was just super excited.”

During the trials, the Vanderbilt commit focused on being the best on and off the field, prioritizing sportsmanship and his outlook on the game.

“I was doing really well down there. I was hitting really well off the best pitchers in the country and playing really good defense,” Kozeal said. “I always tried to be a really good teammate because that’s something they’re really looking for when they’re selecting a team, so I kind of put that number one and gave it everything I had.”

So when the name Cam Kozeal was called, no one was surprised to see him make the roster.

“My brain kind of went blank when I heard my name,” he said, “but when it sunk in, I was just super excited. To even have the opportunity to try out was an honor, so to make the team felt amazing.”

From that moment on, Kozeal’s life was changed forever. The team went on to defeat teams from all over the world, finally defeating the Chinese Taipei to become the 18U World Champs.

“When that last pitch was thrown and we became world champions, we were on top of the world,” Kozeal said, “so the only thing you could really do is dogpile. We all ran out there on the pitcher’s mound and just kind of hugged and shared that moment with each other, realizing we had just won a world championship title.”

In the tournament, Cam had 3 runs, 4 hits, and 3 RBIs, playing well at the plate and out in the field.

“It was definitely hard. You’ll step in the box and a kid from Japan or Taiwan will throw some weird pitches we’ve never seen before in America,” Kozeal said. “It’s definitely a challenge but it makes you a better player.”

As the high school season for both these athletes quickly approaches, many are excited to have the opportunity to watch these two continue to grow.

“It’s exciting times,” Activities Director, Steve Throne, said. “It’s just fun to watch them on a global scale. We get to see them on the local and state level, but to be able to see them go against some of the best athletes in their sport from around the world, it’s just awesome. It’s great to see our kids do well at all levels, but especially at that level, it’s truly special.”

Sophomore Noah Haakinson prepares to serve on brand new Millard South red, white and blue tennis courts. Photo by Ally Seevers

Senior Cam Kozeal steps up to the plate in the 18U World Championship tournament. Photo courtesy of Cam Kozeal

65kg 17U World Champ, senior Joel Adams, celebrates his dominant victory over Iran. Photo courtesy of Joel Adams

Drama successfully rehearses The One Act Play That Goes Wrong

Hilary Lawson Distribution Manager

There is a new show underway, and the drama department is working to make sure that everything goes smoothly. With the show being the first of the year, it is crucial that nothing goes wrong with “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong.”

“It is the funniest show in America right now, and I am super excited for everybody at Millard South to see it,” director Robyn Baker said. “We are the midwest high school premiere of this show…it’s actually running on Broadway right now,” she said.

Students involved with the upcoming play also shared their feelings about it. “This is like the biggest role I’ve ever had,” cast member Alexa Leiting said. “It’s my first time actually getting the lead, so I’m just really excited to be able to perform that role,” she said.

Kyra Fowler, the show’s properties manager said, “I’m definitely most excited about all the little tricks and stuff that happen backstage.”

Despite the fact that much excitement was displayed during the pre-production of the show, the entire preparation hasn’t been the easiest. “We’ve had a big set to build and paint, and it does all sorts of tricks, but our auditorium was closed all summer…so that’s been a challenge,” Baker said.

Fowler mentioned how the set is “a lot more complicated” to build compared to other shows because there are so many pieces and everything has to be integrated.

Leiting spoke about how rehearsing for the show can be somewhat difficult. She explained how a great deal of intricacy was involved in almost everything. She mentioned how she had to re block scenes many times because of something the cast forgot about a character.

“I think the biggest challenge would be just blocking and figuring out when you have to be out of the way so that the audience can see a certain thing that’s going on,” Leiting said.

Although there were some drawbacks, troublesome situations have not stopped the show from going on. The cast and crew continue to be hard at work. “I think everybody’s done really really well,” Baker said. “The cast started rehearsing in July and they got their scripts in May so they’ve been studying all summer,” she said.

Leiting gave some insight on how she studied her script, “I’d use voice memos to record myself saying the entire script and then I would just take a pause for my lines so I didn’t always have to have someone practice with me,” she said.

The play will be premiering at Millard South on Sept. 30 and

Oct. 1 at 7 p.m. One additional show time is Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. Student admission to the show at the door is $8 and online for the price of $7. Adult admission is $12 at the door or online for the price of $10. The show is approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes with an intermission in between.

Crew member Cole Hester shared his final thoughts on the show, “I actually have no clue of where it could go.” He also stated that he’s “just excited to see how it all turns out.”

Leiting explained that she wanted the cast and crew to feel like their hard work had properly been given back to them by the support they received from the audience.

“I just want the audience to enjoy the story, enjoy seeing their friends, enjoy coming with their friends,” Baker said. “I want as big a crowd as possible because it literally is the funniest show in America.”

A Marvelous New Line-up for Marvel’s Phase 5

Alexa Amick Staff Reporter

For decades, there has been one entertainment franchise that has managed to continually dominate the stage no matter the time. They have ceaselessly released content that, whether or not it is truly enjoyed by fans, has pulled an incredible feat of keeping their audience captivated, even with the movies or shows that may not perform as well as other ones. However, like many other things, the time has finally come for one chapter to close while a brand new one unfolds in front of our eyes.

The MCU, Marvel Cinematic Universe, first began in 2008 with Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr. as the charismatic main character, Tony Stark. At the time when it was first released, the success of the movie had not been anticipated as it garnered a gross of well over $585 million. On top of that, it had not been foreseen just how one single movie, of course, paired with other triumphant movies that also set the stage, such as Captain America, could open up such a tremendous story line that ultimately connected all together to end some character’s stories while simultaneously beginning different characters’ stories.

This method of storytelling was essentially the format for all movies and shows to come, following the release of Iron Man and other movies that revolved around the original Avengers (Iron

Phases, in terms of this shared universe, consist primarily of movies that all tie together to create one specific story plot in a given time.

In order, Phase 1 began with Iron Man (2008) and ended with the first Avengers movie. Phase 2, likewise, began with Iron Man 3 and ended with Ant-Man. Phase 3 began with Captain America: Civil War and ended with Spider-Man Far from Home, and finally, Phase 4 began with Wandavision and will end with Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, releasing on November 11, 2022. Although, with the ending of an old phase, it always brings the question of what could be next.

Well, on July 23, 2022, Marvel finally announced its plans for the newest phase of the MCU. This new phase, titled Phase 5, will consist of new movies and shows casual fans may not be familiar with unless they have looked more into the story of Marvel outside of the shows and movies. These new releases will include: Ant-man and the Wasp: Quantumania, Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3, The Marvels, Blade, Captain America: New World Order, Thunderbolts, Secret Invasion, Echo, Loki (season 2), Agatha: Coven of Chaos, and Daredevil: Born Again.

However, Phase 5 is not set to start until early 2023, with Antman and the Wasp: Quantumania on February 13, 2023, leaving

Man, Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, and Hulk). Although, the cinematic universe gave a specific name to these: phases.

Front: Matthew Qualseth as Inspector Carter, Alexa Leiting as Florence Colleymore, Aden Williams as Cecil Haversham, Alain Trejo as Charles Haversham, Jacob Rudloff as Perkins, Tranq Queral as Robert Colleymore Back: Zach Nelson as Trevor the Sound Tech, Phoenix Nehls as Annie the Stage Tech, Jonathan Spieler as Stage Crew.

Photo by Charlene Darra

‘The Rehearsal’ is comically captivating

Lauren Rayner Managing Editor

Following the niche but cult favorite series Nathan For You, the anticipation for Nathan Fielder’s return to television was felt passionately by many, myself included. The Comedy Central show not only provided some of the hardest laughs I have experienced in the past few years, but provided a springboard for where Nathan was headed next: somewhere darker, emotionally resonant, and more introspective. His new venture, “The Rehearsal”, delivers on that yearning I felt watching the less frequent but heartfelt Nathan For You moments, and especially delivers on the comedy front, with every episode causing me to laugh in a way I haven’t in a long time.

“The Rehearsal” is a hard show to describe. Although I have tried recommending it to several people, the only thing I can come up with to say is “Just watch it.” Going in blind however might not be a suitable path for everyone, and without any knowledge of Nathan Fielder’s uncomfortable comedic style, it might not even be the right show for everyone (Although you’d be missing out). “The Rehearsal” is an absurd social experiment in which Nathan tries to give everyday people the chance to rehearse difficult life events. In these rehearsals, elaborate, identical sets are built for each person’s scenario, and actors are hired to recreate these tough scenarios. People struggling with a confrontation, a dreaded conversation, or an event as life-changing as raising a child are showcased in Nathan’s docu-series.

The show starts with a perfect pilot that reels you in just enough, only offering a slight taste of the pensive chaos that ensues in the following episodes. Plotwise, this first episode, “Orange Juice, No Pulp” follows the simple, written-down premise of the series. Nathan sets out to help a trivia buff named Kor come clean about a lie to a friend. An exact replica of the bar where this confrontation was to take place was built, and an actress was hired to play the friend Kor was to talk to. The aim is that with days of preparation in this bizarre set, Kor would successfully be able to come clean about his problem with ease. Kor’s rehearsal attempt sets out to answer the show’s underlying question: If you had the chance to rehearse any situation in a world so unexpected, would you actually come

out more successful?

Throughout the seven episodes, Nathan invites more and more people into his boundless studio of sets, leading to hilarious exchanges and further inner turmoil on Nathan’s end as well as in some of the show’s recurring individuals. It is absolutely bizarre but totally warranted that a show this goofy sounding is

is the phenomenal culmination of the comedic elements of Nathan For You, and complex elements of human interaction, exploitation, and empathy.

It’s even crazier that this show was able to find some of the most interesting yet ludicrous people and put them on display as their authentic selves, just to test this mad mastermind’s goal of living out rehearsed fantasies. I can’t stress enough how endlessly fascinating and funny the whole show is. I could watch hours of it. I haven’t seen a show seamlessly weave comedy with a leading man’s examination of his own morals so beautifully.

Despite “The Rehearsal’s” brilliance, online discourse sparked up about the ethics of Nathan’s work and its exploitative nature. Actors being trained for the rehearsals and sets built are supposedly created without the subjects’ knowledge, except we, the audience, don’t necessarily know what the subjects know. I’d like to think the whole series was real, but some more absurd parts of the show, like the part mentioned previously, being staged wouldn’t bug me in the slightest. Without spoiling anything, some of the real people featured in the show start to question Nathan’s motives in the first place, which frankly, only seems to make the show funnier. It’s psychotic, but that’s the point. The show is almost about the morals of the show. Is it right or wrong to test every instance of your life this way? Is it wrong to put these vulnerable people on camera to make an HBO viewer laugh? The show psychologically unpacks whether Nathan is some exploitative villain. It’s hilariously nuanced and self-aware about the dangers of what it could be doing, which unravels in the best way possible at the end of the series. The finale is absolutely crushing, and perfectly furthers the spiraling lunacy of this long-winded, tumultuous set of rehearsals.

actually as existential as it is. Nathan has a gift for unraveling the human psyche, showing the insane lengths people will go to to be on television or what they will reveal to the masses when they come across his honest yet deadpan personality. “The Rehearsal”

‘Never Have I Ever’ Season 3 doesn’t deliver on the hype

Anna Gurciullo Staff Reporter

The long-awaited third season of “Never Have I Ever” was finally released on Aug. 12, and was overhyped tremendously. This new season had a lot of high hopes for more drama and romance between the two main characters Devi and Paxton but sadly did not see much of them.

This season was more based on the personal growth of Devi which was needed if she could grow more through the upcoming seasons. Devi had one main focus throughout this season which was improving her self-esteem.

She had always doubted that she would find love, and when she did she was always paranoid that she wasn’t good enough, and that fled out this season. She lost Paxton, and due to that, she realized her insecurities and later on how to handle them a little better.

Devi didn’t face as many embarrassing and angry moments as she had in the first two seasons, which I think a lot of the drama and funny snippets of the show feed off of her anger. At first, Devi had gone through it trying to get popular and get a high status at Sherman Oaks. She made a lot of mistakes but now since she had already been through the mishaps, she’s learned from them. Now, she is flourishing while handling her anger a little better. Besides her well-being, due to her new attitude, we really weren’t able to get as many laughs and drama.

Since Devi’s inner healing occupied most of the show, we couldn’t further many of the other characters’ storylines which I was looking forward to and was once again, disappointed. Although, there was more of a storyline for the characters Trent and Elea-

nor, which embraced their relationship since we didn’t get many details on it in season 2. But other than that, Aneesa never really got the chance to further her plot which was expected since she came in last season and didn’t get to have much of a shining moment. Nevertheless, we did get to see her shine some of her sexuality this season by kissing Fabiola, which shocked me.

Apart from the growth of all these characters, and sadly the little drama or romance we were given, we were able to get a little “bro-mance” between Ben and Paxton. With all of the drama from past seasons between the two and the mess of love triangles, it was very strange for them to bond. The only thing they had in common was Devi and that was never good territory but when Ben got sick from overstressing, Paxton was there. Hopefully, we will get more of this relationship in further seasons.

When getting prepared to watch the hyped third season, I was looking to start off with the cliffhanger of last season when Ben realized that Devi really did have feelings, but we really didn’t get much of any relationship between the two. I thought I would get to see Ben try again for Devi, and that would surely add the drama back again, but once again they did not deliver.

Overall, this season did not give what it was led up to give. Possibly now that we have gotten through Devi having a relation to her attitude may leave an opening for the drama and more screen time for the undermined characters. I do look forward to this show and will watch it even if it’s dull, so I do still look forward to season four while still holding on to hope for more laughter and shock.

I am fortunate there is at least one more season to come of “The Rehearsal” and fortunate we have a show this smart being made currently. Every episode exceeded the previous one and was ceaselessly entertaining while emotionally profound. A show this bewildering and funny deserves to be seen by everyone, as I genuinely never wanted an episode to end. The Rehearsal is not only setting the standard for modern comedy shows, but is breaking ground in its own distinct genre, and it couldn’t be more exciting.

It’s Saul gone for ‘Better Call Saul’

Riley Palma Entertainment Editor

“Better Call Saul” aired its final episode on Aug. 15. It wrapped up the iconic prequel story with a satisfying ending. This newest season was by far the best one. Each season is better than the last. It was filled with heart wrenching moments, action filled scenes, and nerve wracking moments. I often found myself on the edge of my seat. So many twists and turns. I remember being speechless after the episode ‘Plan and Execution’ ended, for minutes.

My mind was blown after some episodes. I truly believe it is one of the best shows on TV within the past five years, maybe even surpassing its predecessor “Breaking Bad”. I think “Better Call Saul” is more beautifully shot than “Breaking Bad”. A simple shot of a flower in the episode “Rock and Hard Place” seems normal at the beginning, but by the end of the episode that simple shot is so meaningful. However, they are two very different shows. They both have different tones and one is better written than the other. “Breaking Bad” has more action but “Better Call Saul” has more drama than action. “Better Call Saul” created so many incredible characters such as Kim, Lalo, and Chuck. Each a complex character with so much depth and growth throughout the series. It is tough to decide which is better because they are both so amazing. This show has some truly incredible performances from Bob Odenkirk, Rhea Seehorn, Jonathan Banks, and many more cast members.

Each season the show gets darker and darker as the main character Jimmy McGill falls further into the persona of the twisted Saul Goodman. He betrays people and scams people along the way. He gets mixed up with the cartel and gets in too deep until he cannot get out. He becomes fully engulfed in the Saul Goodman persona and hurts the people he loves, causing deaths along the way. With so many parallels to previous episodes and easter eggs to “Breaking Bad”, “Better Call Saul” takes it home with a perfect ending where everyone gets what they deserve. Leaving some viewers to wonder which of the two shows is better. I personally think both shows are masterpieces and I cannot decide which one is better.

Tracklist Storylines

Forgotten about, yet important to the creation of a great album

Alexa Leiting Features Editor

When you write a novel, in order to keep the reader interested, you are expected to create a solid and connected storyline. This is the same assumption for movies. However, for some reason, music albums do not always have the same expectation.

During the early stages of creating a new album, there is one critical opportunity for a good album to become a great album: the storytelling through each song. Kendrick Lamar does an excellent job of following a story through every song in his 2017 album D***. Although five years old, the album is still considered one of the strongest rap albums out there.

Throughout the tracklist, the theme of the duality of Kendrick’s life is presented multiple times. For example, songs like PRIDE and HUMBLE contrast and contradict each other.

PRIDE’s lyrics give listeners the hard, cold truth of the world and more specifically, being a celebrity in the world. This is presented in lines such as:

“A perfect world is never perfect, only filled with lies

Promises are broken and more resentment come alive

Race barriers make inferior of you and I

See, in a perfect world, I’ll choose faith over riches”

However, Kendrick then goes in the complete opposite direction with songs like HUMBLE. The artist is able to brag to his listeners and other artists in the industry with the following lines:

“If I quit your BM, I still ride Mercedes, funk

If I quit this season, I still be the greatest, funk

My left stroke just went viral

Right stroke put lil’ baby in a spiral”

Even though Kendrick just wrote about choosing faith over riches in previous lyrics, he now raps about earning copious amounts of wealth and fame. I bring up this contradiction not to make Kendrick out to be a hypocrite but rather a genius of lyricism. The way he is able to show this war inside his mind between weakness and evil v.s. happiness and good is incredible. This at its center is the core of the albums purpose. Every song on the album pairs with one of these fighting teams representing how the artist feels as a celebrity who came from nothing.

However, there is something special about the previously mention song, PRIDE. PRIDE holds the key lyrics and idea of this album as a whole. It takes the role of being the real truth of the album. PRIDE is figuratively (and literally) at the center of D***. This song asks the most important question of the artist:

“Happiness or flashiness? How do you serve the question?”

The lyrics reveal this inner-self war between the two sides mentioned. Lamar then follows with how he feels living in the present state of the world.

“See, in the perfect world, I would be perfect, world I don’t trust people enough beyond they surface, world I don’t love people enough to put my faith in man I put my faith in these lyrics hoping I make a band”

The artist explains why he is writing this album through these lyrics. He wants to be happy and have trust in the world. He attempts to find that peace and harmony through

2000 Album translates emotions into music

The 27 year old Brooklyn-born rapper, Joey BadA**, has been in the game for over a decade now, with his debut album ‘1999’ being released when he was just 17 years old in 2012. On July 22, Joey released his long awaited sequel, titled ‘2000’, to the classic album and it didn’t disappoint.

This new album by Joey truly shows his growth as an artist and as a person. In this album, Joey uses light and heavenly samples and vocals throughout the tracks and contrasts them in a harsh and dark manner with his tone and bars, combined with a heavily weighted and sharp drum kit. These contrasts create an environment in which it feels the music is attempting to collapse onto itself, but is unable too.

Each song from the album is beautifully produced, written, and performed, with Joey and each of the featured artists successfully holding their own. Joey, once again, successfully translated his emotions and stories into a raw and jarring artistic craft that is constantly provoking the mind of the listeners. Joey focuses and highlights on experiences throughout his life that relates to the harsh environment of Brooklyn and reflects on how each one of those experiences has molded him into the person he is today.

One of my favorite tracks from the album, and Joey’s career as a whole, is the song “Survivors Guilt.” The song is the 13th track on the album and is the second to last track

on the tracklist, and I think it’s one of the most emotional and jarring tracks on the album. The song is a tribute to his late friend, Capital Steez, and his older cousin, Junior B. He splits the song into two parts, with the first part being about Capital Steez and the later part being about Junior. In the first part he talks about Steez. Steez died on Christmas Eve, 2012, due to suicide, while Junior died in a serious car accident in 2014. He reflects on how he blames himself for the death of both of them, even though he knows it’s not his entire fault. This song is such a rough and harsh, yet smooth and delicate, track that encapsulates why I love this album so much. It lets us into Joey’s state of mind and who he truly is as an individual and as an artist. The song is beautifully written, performed, and produced, and the track has such a deep and complex message to it. Truly a masterpiece. My other personal highlights from the album are “The Baddest” (performed with Diddy), “Brand New 911” (performed with Westside Gun), “Show Me,” and “Wanna Be Loved” (performed with JID). This album is some of Joey’s best work and highlights some of his best qualities as an artist. Overall, this is one of my favorite recent albums from the past couple years, and I strongly believe that Joey has made a solid case for album of the year.

his music in order to connect with the people around him.

D***. is a musical masterpiece. In my opinion, music is the language of the world and should be produced as such. This album beautifully represents the storytelling and connection between truth, art, societal issues, tough decisions, love, and fame.

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‘Gemini Rights’ rights its wrongs

Social Media Editor

Gemini Rights is an Alternative R&B/Pop album released on July 15, and the sophomore record released by 24-yearold musician, producer, and singer-songwriter Steve Lacy. He originally gained recognition for his guitar skills when he was a member of ‘The Internet,’ an Alternative R&B band which was established in 2011 that is known for their rather high and emotional vocals and inflections.

The album follows Lacy’s debut album Apollo XXI. The lead singles for Gemini Rights were ‘Mercury’, ‘Bad Habit,’ and ‘Sunshine.’ The album itself

tic, or intimate partner. Many people who listen to this song can relate due to them also having “held back” from confessing feelings to someone, which is part of the reason this song has done so well. This song also displays some of Steve’s best qualities, such as his high and distinct vocals, his emotional and raw tone, and his masterful songwriting and production skills which have carried over from his days as part of ‘The Internet.’

Although each song on this record is well produced, written, and executed, they don’t truly reach the same level that

has thirteen songs and is a real display of Steve Lacy’s evolution and potential as a musical artist. Lacy’s typical rather high vocals blend well with the instrumentals utilized on this album. These songs focus on romance, and the feelings that come along with it.

Starting off, we’ll discuss the breakout single, and my personal highlight from the album,‘Bad Habit.’ This song has seen heavy success and is the most streamed song on the album, hitting number 1 on the Billboard charts. The song’s success was spurred heavily by the use of it on popular social media app, ‘TikTok.” In Bad Habit, Lacy is reflecting on his attraction to someone. The lyric, “I bite my tongue, it’s a bad habit,” describes the action of holding yourself back from confessing your emotions and feelings to a potential roman-

is displayed on track 5, ‘Bad Habit.’ Lacy’s evolution from his last record, Apollo XXI, is evident and profound. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to Lacy creating a record as a whole.

Steve Lacy is an artist that shines his brightest on singles. This is evident throughout his career with his hit singles, ‘Dark Red’, ‘C U Girl’, and his most recent breakout hit ‘Bad Habit.’ When Steve releases an album I think there are some excellent songs throughout but there are some noticeable fillers that lack the amount of creativity and emotional prowess that Lacy displays on his prominent songs. If every song had a deeper meaning and less filler every album would be more than just an ‘album’ but a story that evokes emotion throughout the whole record.

Dillon Stice Entertainment Editor

Lawal Ali