Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • 3
Time to ‘carpe diem’ as you enter world By Alex Williams Indianola High School senior
C
ongrats, seniors! We survived. We survived three high school bomb threats (or bom treats), numerous fire and tornado drills and managing to eat lunch after the nationally mandated Healthy Kids Act. We have INDIANOLA survived the 2012 Mayan HIGH apocalypse and SCHOOL not having 11:35 a.m. monthly dismissals. We have survived for 18 years now, and it is finally time to show the world who we are. As we disperse into the world, we will not forget who we were in high school — we have all the Facebook
posts and tweets to remind us how important everything was at the time. There have been times in our lives that we have not only survived, but thrived. This senior class has contributed to the school state championship debate team, state champion softball team, the football team’s first six-win season in a long time and the chamber orchestra’s best in center at contest. We have believed and we have achieved! This does sound rather cliche, but it has been said before for a reason — it’s the truth. We seniors cannot escape the truth, because we can always look it up on our cellphones. Let us use the “carpe diem” expression for our graduation hurrah! And let us remember that we have thrived before and we will certainly thrive again.
Indianola High School senior Joe Kotz paints the window of the Indianola Vision Center with other members of the National Honor Society on Sept. 9, 2012. Painting homecoming murals on the windows of businesses on The Square is an Indianola tradition. FILE PHOTO
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • 17
Indianola High School Commencement: 1 p.m. Sunday, May 19, Blake Field House Class flower: Purple rose Class colors: Purple and black Senior speakers: Chloe Crain, Tommy Goodale, Zach Heater, Dan Rozga Faculty speaker: Dr. Trent Grundmeyer Student body president: Jordan Schulze Student body vice president: James McConnell Number of students: 248 Class motto: “What you do today can improve all your tomorrows.” Ralph Marston
MartensdaleSt. Marys High School Commencement: 2 p.m., May 19, MartensdaleSt. Marys High School gymnasium Class flower: White rose tipped in blue Class colors: Blue and silver Senior speakers: Cassidy Phillips — valedictorian Faculty speaker: Dean Furness — parent of graduate Student body president: Cassidy Phillips Student body vice president: Katie Schrodt Number of students: 45 Class motto: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go...” Dr. Seuss
18 • Wednesday, May 15, 2013
MartensdaleSt.Marys Class of 2013 Megan Lynn Ameigh, Alexander Jacob Behounek, Danielle Sherri Broadbent, Tyler Eric Brown, Brett Alan Corrigan, Jerett Jensen Crowell, Christopher Joseph Darr, Elizabeth Nicole DeLong, Erin Katherine Deming, Kayla Marie DePauw, Kelsey Ray DePauw, Katrina Jewel DeVore, Elizabeth Marie Douglas, Kimber Leah Ercse, Tanner Wolfgang Erwine, Emma Ginette Ferin, William Allen Frondle III, Taylar Frances Furness, Gage Michael Gavin, Garrett Joseph Gehringer, Elizabeth Darlene Gerdes, Troy Brian Harding, Cody Joseph Harvey, Hannah Marie Hill, Kelly Marie Hoffman, Devin Thomas Alawishes Kelly, Carli Adrienne Kenyon, Madison Christine Kim, Megan Gail Krumme, Russell George Lester, Garrett Joseph Lies, Marshall Haglan Lynch, Sarah Brenn Noel, Cody Christopher Olson, Cassidy Kay Phillips, Chelsea Ann Purcell, Tyler John Reindl, Kaitlynn Marie Rinkert, Katelyn Marie Schrodt, Courtney Elizabeth Scovel, Austin Robert Streyffeler, Matthew David Streyffeler, Trent Wayne Verwers, Abigail Christine Wetzler and Megan Jean Whitson
High school is just the jumping off point By Maddie Kim Martensdale-St. Marys High School senior
T
his is a realistic summation of the past four years of my life. Five percent. That is the amount of time that one will spend in high school. The average person in the United States will live to be about 80, so what exactly do these four years mean in the big scheme of things? We might define our high school careers by M-STM our G.P.A.’s, our athletic HIGH abilities, our sports team SCHOOL wins versus losses. We might define ourselves by our heart break and tragedy, the betrayal and the drama. We have all taken the same core classes, and achieved different grades, which we often take as a direct measure of our intelligence. We care not at all, and we care all too much. We might have said we spent our entire time in high school with our heads down, planning for tomorrow, planning on what colleges we wanted to go to and what we wanted to do for the rest of our lives, only having the highest of expectations for adult life. We are becoming young adults, functional and active parts of society.
The world we are going into is something that some may have not cared about until just recently. Others have had the epiphany that this is the world that we are creating for ourselves and our future children. They are finding that caring about it is rational, even though it may not seem to directly affect us as individuals right now. We have different ideas of what we want to come next in our lives. She got a perfect G.P.A.; he received a 32 on his ACT; they both got accepted into Iowa universities. He is moving away; her graduation party is next weekend; our sports team won the state championship title. Congratulations. We have experienced high school. Now what? High school is often glamorized and glorified, and students who know what they will do for the rest of their lives at age 17 are considered to be successful. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that we will change our minds about a million times between now and college, and between college and the years after that. We did our homework and played sports. We made the honor roll and played on the varsity basketball team. What matters after all of that is what
we go on to do after. Whether it be going to college or starting a family, because success is relative to the individual. I was not the typical high school student in the sense that I was not actively involved in sports. I never was, what some would consider, obviously book smart. This gives me the opportunity to witness my classmates and watch them grow and evolve into the people they are now. Like any other high school, our freshman year was scary and experimental. By our sophomore year we should have been starting to look at colleges. By our junior year we should have taken the ACT. Entering our senior year, everything became nostalgic, and we are asking ourselves where the time went. Adults always tell us that these are the best years of our lives, and if that’s the case, I am absolutely terrified. These are the years spent planning, and with that comes stress. We are told that if we fail in high school, we will in turn be considered failures. That is paralyzing. It took me a long time to realize this, but what matters is here and now. Not yesterday. What does it really mean to be a senior in high school? It means that we
have done what most of our parents and grandparents have done. It means that tomorrow is actually here; we did it. We are going to college, getting jobs and becoming adults. It means we can choose to move away, or we can stay close to home. It means we have just seen the tip of the iceberg. Being a senior in high school means that we have suffered and accomplished. What happens next is the really beautiful part. What happens next is real life. Congratulations. We have experienced a small part of our lives, and for those of us who had a rough time, it can only get better. For those of us who had a nice high school career, it gets better, too. Once again, congratulations, our lives are just beginning. “Martensdale doesn’t have a fence around it,” my dad always told me. “You can always come back home.” And then he encouraged me to go out and experience life after high school. We can always come back home. Be proud of what you have done and what you have become, but don’t let that define what you will be for the rest of your life. Being a senior isn’t about your grades or your sports performance, it’s about having fun and realizing there is more to life than just this 5 percent.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • 19
Seniors leave mark on school
Southeast Warren Class of 2013
By Bobbi Lawton Southeast Warren High School senior
W
here has the time gone! It seems like just yesterday we were beginning our journey as high schoolers. Many of us can say we have come a long way but it has only been four short years and it is crazy how fast time has gone. We always heard this but we never expected it to happen. When you start freshman year you just want to become a senior so you can do all of the fun activities and graduate, but it is a lot more responsibility than what some people show. It is also a SOUTHEAST ton of fun; you have the excuse to have class campouts, random field trips, and WARREN you earn lots of leeway from your HIGH favorite teachers. SCHOOL It’s probably something all of us will take for granted until we start college and have none of that. I would’ve never imagined being the valedictorian and class president all in the same year. All of us have these accomplishments we never even expected when we were starting high school. Yes, we have made our fair amount of mistakes, but we have learned from them! High school is something a person can never forget, I believe it’s where you learn the most about yourself and how to act, not just educational lessons. You also learn a ton about your peers, who you can trust and who will always be there. We will all go different directions in life, but we will never forget the good memories we made together. We have left our mark on our community and school district. Hopefully one to remember! Everything we have experienced the past 17 or 18 years will carry on through the rest of our lives. We will learn from the mistakes we made and learn many more life lessons. We are proud to graduate from Southeast Warren High School. We hope to continually leave our mark wherever we go.
Austin Agan, Jackson Baumgarten, Madison Beck, Aaron Coffman, Chase Dickman, Kane Ellenwood, Mayra Escobedo, Mark Funderburk Jr., Madison Hall, Zachary Hart, Cody Higgins, Macey Hommer, Carter Horton, Sadie Jackson, Virgil Jackson, Joseph Johnson, Collin Judkins, Bobbi Lawton, Shelby Majors, Dana Martin, Tiffany Mason, Destini Miller, Taylor Mills, Melanie Philavanh, Shawn Piel, Heather Reed, Nikole Schnathorst, Addison Spear, Dallas Stanger, Sawyer Steenhoek, Brett VanStrien, Shaylene Willett, Amelia Williams, Lauren Wilson and Bret Yeggy.
Southeast Warren High School Commencement: 6 p.m. Saturday, May 18, Southeast Warren Jr./Sr. High Class flower: Jumbo spider gerbera daisy Class color: Caribbean blue Senior speakers: Bobbi Lawton, Shawn Piel, Amy Williams Faculty speaker: Delane Galvin
Student body president: Amy Williams Student body vice president: Jackson Baumgarten Number of students: 34 Class motto: “Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he has overcome by trying to succeed.”
20 • Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Norwalk Class of 2013
Brianna Adams, Sarah Adams, Sharlett Allen, Nattilee Anson, Katherine Appel, Caleb Ayala, Harley Backer, Taylor Bair, Nathan Balk, Amber Baugh, Bethany Benes, Lauren Bennett, Samuel Bergan, Dana Billingsley, Zachary Bissell, Michael Bockholt, Madison Breckenridge, Hayes Breeser, Marcia Brenizer, Holly Broadbent, Kendra Brockman, Roxanne Brooks, Samantha Brooner, Devin Brown, Sky Bussanmas, Trey Castle, Matthew Cavalier, Kyle Chapman, Lily Clark, Megan Cook, Logan Cooper, Madeline Cornish, Aaron Coughennower, Jordyn Cox, Samantha Cretsinger, Riley Crook, Abbey Curry, Sara Dahl, Kaleb Dammeier, Peter Davidson, Tiffany Delker, Nicholas Dohlman, Bradley Dougherty, Megan Downing, Nathan Drake, Benjamin Elliott, Zachary Ellis, Zakari Eshoo, Anthony Fath, Kaylee Fee, Nicole Feikema, Samantha Feller, Caitlin Ferden, Kenneth Floyd, Mackenzie Foetisch, Darian Forcier, Jordan Ford, Sarah Forget, Allison Forsythe, Kayla Fraizer, William Freeman Jr., Rosibel Gamino, MaKenzie Gebhart, Samuel George, Austin Gibson, Austin Golay, Nicholas Gordon, Cassidy Gornick, Kolby Greenslade, Raymond Grimm, Natasha Grubb, Todd Guzel Daduryan, Breanna Hansen, Malia Hansen, Emily Hargin, Jennifer Harper-Mumm, Taylor Hayes, Hannah Hendricks, Amy Hill, Kami Hilton, Alec Hogan, Isabella Hosier, Taylor Houchin, Ross Hraha, Dylan Hudson, Kym Janelle, Cameron Jensen, Brady Katschman, Jacob Kaul, Coady Keller, Alex Kerr, Raven Kimmel, Emma King, Keaton Klocko, Tasha Knickerbocker, Haley Knight, Paige Lammers, Austin Lancaster, Abigail Landis, Paige Landstrum, Marcia Lane, Elizabeth Lear, Halie Legler, Jaclyn Lewiston, Devan Loffredo, Karisa Longcor, Jessica Lowe, Kaitlyn Ludlow, Katherine Luzier, Courtney Maher, Brandon Mahlstedt, Jenna Manatrey, Trey Mateer, Grant McBee, Amanda McCleery, Jordan McKenzie, Estanis Melendez, Carson Miller, Zachary Minyard, Cameron Mockobee, Abigail Montgomery, Joshua Mulvihill, Katlyn Narber, Sierra Nelson, Britani Nguyen, Becka Ober, Nicholas Olson, Chase Onken, Christian Ostrander, Christopher Ouimet, Gaige Palmer, Michaela Pearson, Bailey Peters, Elton Peterson, Brandon Pevestorf, Kathryn Phillips, Timothy Phillips, Austin Pierangeli, Jordan Pomeroy, Abigail Pritchard, Marie Putbrese, Gabriella Ramos, Blake Raymond, Evan Reynolds, Tanner Riccelli, Melanie Riordan, Brandie Robson, Jacey Rodemeyer, Tayler Rogers, Benjamin Rush, Megan Saddler, Sarah Sarlat-Pool, Courtney Saul, Tucker Saxton, Zachary Schamel, Austin Schulz, Breanne Schwechel, Bailey Scott, Alexi Seely, Erin Sharp, Jacob Sharpe, Colin Shaul, Andrew Sherer, Jacob Simpson, Aspen Slagg, Blake Smith-McCormick, Kes Smith, Kaylyn Spieker, Zachary Spurr, Shannon Stephany, Jamie Stoffel, Kaitlyn Swisher, Ramsey Tabatabai, Allison Taylor, Calyn Thompson, Ashley Thronson, Cody Torgerson, Adam Urlis, Tyler VanGorder, Hali VanVelzen, Jennifer Villegas, Erich Voitel, Sidney Wagoner, Ryan Walker, Stephanie Wallace, Elijah Waters, Mallorie West, Megan Westhoff, Brooke Westphalen, Amanda Wilken, Gary Worden, Taylor Zimmerman and Sierra Zuffa.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • 21
High school minutes fly by in a blink By Bethany Benes Norwalk High School senior
A
s I walk through the halls of Norwalk High School for one of the last times, the memories that shaped my four years here flood my mind. I study the walls in each hallway as I pass through, noticing the clocks spread around the school. I knew where every clock was located in each class. I would check it every so often and whisper to my neighbor, “What time do we get out?” NORWALK waiting anxiously for HIGH the bell to ring. SCHOOL In some classes, it seemed like the time dragged on and on. It’s funny how I thought the time passed slowly then, because now, it seems like high school went by in the blink of an eye. Flashbacks of my shy, timid, freshman days replay in my head as I reminisce and reflect. The high school seemed so big to me then, and walking the halls was like getting lost in a sea of people. Graduation was years away, in a distant future that I couldn’t even see. I looked up to the seniors that would be
graduating that spring and wondered if I would ever be like them; wondered if I’d ever be as cool and collected, as smooth, and as confident as they were. A different attitude shaped my mindset in those days. The most valued thing in my class seemed to be whether you were popular or not. It’s when I looked back on that attitude and mindset that I realized just how far our senior class has come since those awkward freshman days. Maturity has sprung throughout our class and changed the outlook of life for many of the seniors here. As I’m about to leave this place forever, I wonder what my mark on the school has been, and I discover what this school has marked on me. I had always envisioned high school teachers as scary authorities that loaded piles and piles of homework on your plate. That’s why I was surprised when I discovered how fun and lively most of my teachers were. Not only did they make school more tolerable, but I could tell they really cared about me and my future. As I walk by the classrooms I once inhabited, the lessons that really stuck in my brain were the ones of hard work and determination. I may
never use chemistry for anything in my life, but I know I will use the persistence and work ethic that it required. As I continued my high school journey, I was faced with several obstacles and roadblocks. Some decisions I was unsure of and some friends I had to lose. The people who sat at my lunch table gradually began to change until only a few of them were recognizable anymore. The shy, timid freshman girl I used to see in the mirror had disappeared, too, and shaped by the mountains she had to climb was now a more confident and independent young lady. As my friends had their own uphill battles, I stuck with them and the strength we developed together is one of the things I treasure the most about my high school experience. Classmates that were once strangers soon became friends as senior year approached. Our entire class grew closer as football season arrived and we all joined together to support our school. A football game at home was just like the movies, especially after we got our brand new field my junior year. Music echoed through the stadium as the players warmed up, and the smell of walking tacos and other concessions
filled the air. Students screamed once the game began and the school spirit that surrounded us was like nothing I had ever experienced. Being a cheerleader during football season was like being famous in a small town. I got to see the action play out right in front of me, and encourage the players to give it their all. I’ll never forget the adrenaline rush that filled my veins as one of our players brought the ball into the end zone and we ran to the crowd to cheer them on. I can only imagine what that player must have been feeling as he felt the support from the community. I imagine the football players must have felt something similar to the feeling that came over me as I performed in show choir during my years at Norwalk High School. Whether you participated in choir, softball, dance, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, track, band or any other activities the school had to offer, it had a big impact on your life. It wasn’t only the hard work and effort required to excel in these activities that impacted the lives of the seniors, but the coaches and the teammates that stood alongside us the whole time. See NORWALK, Page 22
22 • Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Norwalk High School Commencement: 10 a.m. Saturday, May 25, Blake Fieldhouse, Indianola Class flower: Purple anemone Class colors: Purple and black Senior speakers: Melanie Riordan, senior class president Faculty speaker: Dale Barnhill Student body president: Cody Torgerson Student body vice president: Brad Dougherty Number of students: 193 Class motto: “Memory is a way of holding on to the things you love, the things you are, and the things you never want to lose.” The Wonder Years
NORWALK Continued from Page 21
There were times when we would win, and there were times when we would lose. In the moment, winning would seem like the main goal, but looking back on all the activities I participated in and all the sports I watched, I realize that the adrenaline rush and precious memories are what I will take with me — not the trophies or medals that collect dust on the shelves over the years. I’m about to walk through the doors of Norwalk High School for the very
last time. There’s no more whispering to my neighbor “what time do we get out?” The time is now. I’m not leaving empty handed, however. The memories and lessons learned lead me to my future. The clocks on the high school walls remain, always ticking and moving forward. I will never forget the minutes spent with wonderful friends, teammates and teachers. Whether it’s the memory of our principal dressing up as Santa Claus on the day before winter break, or the time we danced our hearts out at senior prom, these keepsake moments have left a mark on my heart, a mark that will remain forever.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013 • 23
Carlisle Class of 2013 Zachary Abdulrahim, Noelia Arellano, Danyelle Ault, Jared Bailey, Lyndi Baldwin, Rebecca Williams, Miranda Beck, Chance Becker, Nicole Benhart, Alexandrea Bernhardt, Courtney Black, Karina Burk, Benjamin Burnett, Brett Castle, Alexander Chanchom, Kaitlyn Clark, Madison Clark, Zachery Clark, Erik Coleman, Kristi Comstock, Kortney Cooley, Hope Cowman, Kaitlyn Cramp, John Crowley, Ashley Curtis, Caleb Cutler, Grant Davis, Brittany Dean, Darynne DeJong, Christopher DeJong-Casey, Justin Dillon, Cheyenne Dodge, Akol Dok, Joseph Ermler, Andrew Fanning, Je’Ann Farrell, Taylor Feauto, Hunter Fees, Kara Fetters, Brianna Flaherty, Anthony Flaten Edmondson, Melissa Free, Rebekah Frese, Dillon Fritz, Mitchell Garrett, Paige Glasnapp, Corwin Grace, Daniel Gramowski, Danica Guthrie, Sashea Hensley, Kelsey Hockett, Devon Hopkins, Daniel Hupke, Jerad Johnson, Taylor Johnston, Dusty Jors, Shane Karas, Cody Keeney, Vanessa Khambanoun, Kate Kipping, Tyler Klages, Maria Knutson, Lauren Kruse, Elin Landgren, Lauren Lee, Brandon Littrell, Nathan Lo, Dallas Loney, Lisa Loomis, Felicia Lovan, Ashley Lumley, Angela Mahedy, Elemuel, Mayorga, Mikayla McCaughey, Samantha McDaniel, Tyler Millard, Brandon Miller, Nolan Miller, Colton Moeller, Jaclyn Montour, Justin Nash, Enrico Nicolei, Lyndi Niehaus, Madison Norrell, Alexis Oakley, Whitney Orndorff, Daniel Overton, Kelsie Parkins, Mallory Parson, Sara Pendry, Hunter Pennington, Joshua Perryman, Ashley Phillips, Dylan Pinckney, Austin Postier, Trevor Quang, Zachary Quick, Quinton Reed, Zachery Reeser, David Reid, Logan Richards, Cameron Richards-Mason, Kerra Roberts, Austin Ruppert, Daniel Schwartz, Taylor See-Palar, Shelby Silvers, James Skay, Cole Smith, Tanner Smothers, Brandon Springston, Austin Stansbery, Nathan Stickley, Alec Striegel, Amanda Thiravong, Brandon Thompson, Margaret Tish, Matthew Umphfleet, Abigal Warren, Hailey Warren, Jordan Westphal, Kristal Williams and Rebecca Williams
Carlisle High School Commencement: 2 p.m. Sunday, May 19, Carlisle High School Gymnasium Class flower: White rose tipped in gold Class colors: Red and gold Senior principals council: Savanna Greenfield, Nolan Miller, Alexis Oakley, Alec Striegel, Abby Warren, Rebecca Williams Senior speakers: Hope Cowman, Akol Dok, Lisa Loomis Junior attendants: Mallory Adams, Delaney Beier, Trevor Joiner, Steven Wiley Faculty speaker: Bill Fink Student body president: J.T. Crowley Number of students: 117 Class motto: “Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Muriel Strode
24 • Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Graduation day brings mixed emotions at Carlisle High School By J.T. Crowley Carlisle High School senior
O
n May 19, 2013, Carlisle will hold its graduation ceremony. Many students look forward to the day that they can say goodbye to high school, but graduation will be filled with mixed emotions. This ceremony is the last time that the class of 2013 will be together. Some friends will keep in touch, and people will get together for reunions down the road, but these
Carlisle High School moments won’t be the same as the time students spent together in high school. After graduation, students will go their separate ways. They will either start working, join the military or further their education. Kortney Cooley said, “My experience here at Carlisle was rough in the beginning, but it got 100 percent better. I will truly miss all of my friends and teachers here!”
High school wasn’t easy. There were many long night study sessions and early morning practices. The many activities at Carlisle have provided plenty of opportunities for students to stay busy. By staying focused and getting help from the wonderful teachers, students are able to succeed. Mitch Garrett echoed many students’ thoughts, “We may say we hate it now, but everyone will miss it someday.” It is not fun writing a 30 page paper, but students will look back and
see the value in their education. Most of all, students will cherish the times with friends. Whether those memories include tailgating at football games or joking around in class, students will always have many stories to tell. On a personal note, I would like to address Carlisle’s class of 2013 directly. Thank you for the wonderful friendships and memories throughout the years. Congratulations on making it to where you are today, and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.