A Big "Welcome Back" From The Talon Staff
Table of Contents
Introduction: Page 1
Journalism Staff Bios: Pages 2-4
“The Dead of Night” Short Story Part One- Page 5-6
Worship Funds- Leah Thomas- Page 7
Welcome Back, Eagles! We are so incredibly excited to introduce this years Journalism Staff! In this special 'get to know you' issue, our Journalism shares about who they are, about their passion for writing, and a little bit about their goals for the class. The goal of our class is to inform, highlight, and entertain the staff and students at Immanuel. As we kick off this school year, we are praising God as He has provided a class full of students to produce our school newspaper this year. We will be covering a variety of stories, we will attempt to keep you up to date on current events, and provide a sense of entertainment! We are also open to ideas from staff and students for what we should cover. If you would like your class, club, sport, or activity, contact any of The Talon Journalism Staff, or Mrs. Kodman at kkodman@immanuelschools. com
Maintenance Interview- Bethany Minor - Page 8
Floyd Interview-Ava Fedor- Page 9
Retreats- Sydney Friesen -Page 10
Barbenheimer - Charles Going - Page 11
New Teacher Interview- Isabelle Johnson- Page 12
Charles Going
Charles Going is a senior and is a part of Journalism this year. You can expect many odd articles from Charles, as well as a couple of close insights into some of the sports teams. He joined Journalism to express himself a little more and be able to connect with the school better as a whole Some of his interests include getting hit by big people in football, rolling twenty-sided dice with friends, and constantly watching the packages he ordered on Amazon that got delayed for some reason and seems to be making him mad. Either way, he is happy to be a part of the team this year. Go Eagles!
Ava Fedor is a senior who loves many things. She's planning on majoring in environmental science and minoring in forestry. She previously volunteered at a wildlife rehab and trained under master falconer and wildlife rehabilitator, Kathy Bolen After high school, she plans on returning to pursue wildlife rehabilitation and falconry. Ava enjoys beading, painting, retro fashion, and participating in the school's performing arts.
Ava Fedor
SYDNEY FRIESEN
Sydney Friesen is a senior in high school
This is her second year at Immanuel High School and is grateful for the experience She enjoys taking part in the chamber choir and is excited about the upcoming musicals this year!
Sydney has gone to Thailand and the Dominican Republic for a mission trip with her church and Immanuel. She loves to travel and hopes to do it more when she graduates Some of Sydney's hobbies include sketching, reading (occasionally) watching an unhealthy amount of Gilmore Girls, and beading with the gals
Ava's Cat, Dotti
Charles, Eve, and Kevin
ISABELLE ISABELLE JOHNSON JOHNSON
Isabelle Johnson is a freshman this year, and is so excited for her first year as a full-time Immanuel student! She loves anything related to words, specifically reading and writing, and is also involved in performing arts. She was in both The Lion King and The Little Mermaid in junior high. She is also a member of the girl's tennis team and women's choir. In her free time she enjoys obsessing about fictional characters, playing with her cats, and rocking out to cheesy songs from musicals She has two younger siblings, who will never be able to read any book in the world without already having had it spoiled for them. She also has a concerning amount of shirts with nerdy quotes on them.
Simone Light
Simone is a freshman at Immanuel High School. She has been in two of the school musicals and hopes to be in many more. She is part of the Immanuel Freshmen Women's Choir and the Journalism staff. Her interests include reading at ungodly hours of the night, crocheting until her fingers fall off, buying yarn with her non-existent money, and obsessing over birds. She loves writing and is so excited to be part of the publication of the Talon. When she graduates, you will find her living underneath the Reedley Bridge asking people riddles for passage across.
Photo courtesy of Kristy Johnson
Bethany Minor , a determined , trustworthy, and opinionated person... is on this year ' s talon staff , woohoo! Her goal this year is to help make the talon interesting, fun , and entertaining. She is hoping to put her ideas to work and express her opinions. A few interesting things about her is that she plays the drums , she rides a skateboard and is currently learning how to do cool tricks , and lastly she has been hit by a car. That's random but hopefully interesting...
LeahThomas
Leah is entiring her senior year at Immanuel. Leah has been apart of thirteen of Immanuel’s performing arts shows and musicals and is also going into her second year of worship fundamentals. Needless to say, her hobbies include music, theatre, softball, Mario Kart, thrifting, beading, and drinking coffee. Leah loves animals and nature and her ideal future would be spent with her dog, Mookie, in a van traveling the world.
The Dead of Night
by Simone Light
Anita paced around the sitting room, anxiously wringing her hands. She turned to the lean, darkhaired man lounging in a large leather armchair, smoking his evening pipe
“How much longer until the police arrive, Robert?” Her voice came out shaky. She tried to steady her stance, breathing deeply.
Robert released the pipe from his teeth and sighed. He stared out the window into the evening light. “They were phoned twenty minutes ago They claimed it was a hectic night for them Although I can’t imagine something more important than a murdered man.” A sniff sounded from the dark side of the room. Robert made a huff of annoyance and turned slightly in his chair. “Marilyn, you must pull yourself together ”
“Robert!” Anita reprimanded “Her husband has just died. Have some sympathy.”
Robert rolled his dark eyes. “At this rate, we will get nothing done. Marilyn is the one who knows the most about her husband, and supposedly could know what happened to him ”
A petite, blonde woman rose from the loveseat she had spread herself across. Her clear blue eyes were rimmed with red, and tear stains streaked down her blotchy cheeks. “I have already told you Robert, I know nothing of James’s death.”
“Of course,” Robert remarked passively. “Other than the fact that your deceased husband was one of the richest men in England. He was known for his wealth, in fact. So why would his wife, who is nearly twenty years younger, not want to kill him for his money? It would be so easy to feign innocence in the face of grief ”
“Don’t be daft,” Marilyn’s eyes had narrowed “Why would you ever think that I would want to k-” She choked on the word, but regained her composure quickly. “Kill my husband. I loved him. No matter what you may think.”
Robert scoffed, taking a long draw on his pipe Anita shook her head, auburn ringlets of hair bouncing against her shoulders.
“We cannot place blame at this point. For all we know, the man could have just had a heart attack.”
“That’s possible,” Robert murmured. “But a heart attack doesn’t just jump upon a man of his stature and health.”
Before Antia could protest, a loud ringing echoed throughout the vast three-storied home. “That’ll be the police ” Robert rose from the chair, sliding the brown tweed coat he had shed earlier over his shoulders.
Anita and Marilyn tread close on his heels murmuring between them. The house was eerie with the thought of the dead body lying in the second-story guest bedroom Faint lamps lit the long entryway to the great carved oak door that Robert had proudly installed the year before. Despite how little time he spent residing inside, he had lavishly decorated his home Robert spent his life searching the Congo for new species of animals. Those that he had brought back, he had cruelly displayed in glass cases in his library. Anita was sickened by him, but Robert didn’t seem to mind, no matter how many times she had protested.
Impatient rapping sounded against the door before Robert swung it open. A portly man stood in the doorway Snow dusted his broad shoulders, his fat face pink with the bite of the wind. A thick mustache rested across his upper lip like a grotesque caterpillar “Harris residence?” His eyes were wide and popped out like a bug, his voice a mixture of squeaks and low rumbles that Anita couldn’t make sense of.
Robert extended his hand to him “You must be the police.” The man shook it roughly glancing over Robert’s shoulder, at Anita and Marilyn standing in the shadows. He released Robert’s hand and motioned for entrance into the house. Robert moved to the side allowing the man through. He brushed the flurries off his shoulders, surveying the entryway with curiosity.
The man removed his mustard yellow hat, revealing thin mousy brown hair underneath. He spoke short introductions to the two women and stepped back to address all three of them. “I am Detective Martin Glenn.
Pleased to meet you all Even if it is under undesirable circumstances.”
“You’re a detective?” Anita asked skeptically. The man looked like a door-to-door salesman for vacuum cleaners.
“Best in the business, ma’am ” Detective Glenn shone a toothy smile at her Anita nodded silently, her lips pursed.
The detective set her on edge. He didn’t seem very well-versed in his supposed area of expertise. He did a half-turn to Robert, “If you wouldn’t mind, I would much appreciate being led to the body.”
Robert nodded and led his way upstairs to the guest room where Mr. James Thomspson lay dead. The room was plainly decorated. Robert rarely had guests and was not inclined to start at this point in his career. The air felt thick, making it hard for Anita to breathe A white sheet was pulled over the form of the man who resided there for now
Detective Glenn stepped inside and peered around, craning his neck to see every nook and cranny of the room. “Have you discovered the cause of death?”
“No, sir,” Marilyn was shaking. Her hands were held against her chest, as though she were trying to keep her heart inside “There are no visible wounds, and I couldn’t bear to stay in the presence of the corpse for much longer to search more thoroughly.”
The detective lifted the sheet, glancing underneath before replacing it back in perfect serenity. He examined the mess of books cluttering the side table Photographs from James’s younger years were spilling out of a toppled box. He turned back to the confused grievers. “What is your relationship with each other? And with the victim?”
“We’re siblings,” Anita offered. “Robert and I are twins, then Marilyn Marilyn is married to James ” “The rest of you married?”
“No,” Robert interceded. “I never wanted to marry and Anita is too unsightly to catch anyone’s eye.”
Marilyn let out a shaky laugh and Anita slapped Robert on the shoulder. The detective stared at them bizarrely “I would rather get this over with sooner than later All joking must be left for my absence ” The three nodded, embarrassed. He turned back to the victim. “Is there anyone else in the house?”
“No one other than the caretaker, Lottie ”
The detective turned back to Robert quickly. “Does Lottie prepare drinks? Would she bring you a glass of water if you called for her in the dead of night?”
“Of course,” Robert snarked. “That’s her job. I’m not paying her to lay around all day Why does it matter?”
The detective bent down and lifted a glass that had rolled underneath the bed. He ran his finger along the inside and inhaled the watery residue.
“We have the murder weapon right here.” The three stared at the glass and detective questioningly. He cleared his throat, his moment of grandiose fizzling to nothing. “Cyanide poisoning. He would have been dead in moments from the excess amount that was inside,” He pointed at the side table where the box was spilled. “He tried to catch himself on the table on his way down and spilled these pictures I would suspect that they’re not much of importance No container has any residue from the pills left, meaning that he did not enact it upon himself.”
Marilyn whimpered. “Well, what do we do now?”
The detective grinned, inserting the glass into a plastic, sealable bag He wiped his finger on his pants before placing the bag into his pocket “Robert, could I speak to our dear Miss Lottie?”
WORSHIP FUNDS WORSHIP FUNDS WORSHIP FUNDS
By Leah Thomas
I’m Tobin Moshier, senior. I’ve been in Worship Fundamentals since my Junior year. I’ve been playing the piano for about 10 or so years at this point. I’ve been playing on and off, but I haven’t really taken a break at all in the last 3 years. Prep for me really has changed since last year. I used to be able to set up my keyboard and pound out any songs I needed to practice Now that I’m using software, it’s getting sound patches set up on the laptop for the sections in each song Practicing transitions between them, and troubleshooting whenever the laptop goes ahead and decides not to work. It’s definitely a change, but it’s been rewarding seeing what tonal colors I could bring out for chapels. My favorite artist I’ve been listening to is probably Duke Jordan. Chet Baker, Gerry Mulligan, and Herb Ellis are some close seconds. If you enjoy instrumental jazz, I’d recommend listening to them I don’t have a single favorite artist who writes worship music, I just enjoy almost all worship music
Worship Fundamentals is a class in which students have an opportunity to practice their musical abilities in a setting that is Christ and worship focused. There is opportunity for musicians, vocalists, and technology savvy individuals to advance their trade and actively use them every Tuesday and Thursday. Hear what some of the worship band has to say to get a closer look at the little details of your chapel band…
My name is Leah Hansen, and I am a sophomore. This is my first year being in the band so I would say that I have been a part of it for a few months I have been singing my whole life, but I have also been learning guitar and drums recently For set prep I spend a lot of time listening to our songs. To help with memorization, I will write down the lyrics. It also helps me to pray about the songs to understand what it is talking about and ultimately what I would be singing in front of the student body Some of my favorite artists right now are Lyn Lapid and Laufey.
I am Grant Wilkins and I am a junior. I’ve been in the band since my first day of freshman year Our set prep takes place about a week in advance and we start out with a list of what we want to play and how That’s the basis of how we do it and the rest varies on the events we put on the rest of the week. I have been playing the drums for 11 years, since I was 5 years old. My favorite artist as of right now is Modest Mouse.
A Big Appreciation to Our Background Workers!
by Bethany Minor
When people think about a school or education, they think teachers, students, or maybe the principal. Although have you ever thought about all of the objects around the school, like the air conditioning that makes everyone comfortable at school? What happens when it breaks or malfunctions? Most likely you’re not going to be able to pay attention in class because you will be so focused on how hot it is, or how sad and depressing your life is that you have to deal with this! Of course a worker gets called in, usually the facilities director, and they figure out how to fix it. It's not just the AC, it's pretty much everything on campus that you can touch. From the sprinklers, drip lines, plumbing, new construction, grounds, all maintenance, transportation, etc., maintenance covers it all. To get more information on this area of work,
I interviewed the facilities director, Paul Minor. This helped to figure out more of his personal and work life.
What does this job entail?
“Pretty much every physical thing, physical material that supports immanuel. I make sure everything is “okay” (working). I fix things. Literally everything LOL.”
How long have you worked here?
“3 months”
What brought you to Immanuel?
“People were telling me I should work here. My good friend Dan Goetz left and told me I would be a good fit.”
If you were able to go to Immanuel when you were younger/of age would you have gone?
“I believe going to Immanuel would have gave me a steadier foundation may have prevented many shameful and regretful tears.
But I also seen such love and grace from God I may not have experienced so deeply from the path of life that I did take.”
What is the most difficult part of being a facilities director?
“Remembering that control is an illusion, can’t please everyone and that mistakes will be made.” What's hard about your personal/ home life as the person who runs things?
“The hardest part right now is waiting on God's timing in difficult matters that affect my heart.”
“Dealing with life on a daily basis at home and working with a heavy heart.”
Facilities Director: Paul Minor photo credit: Bethany Minor
The man, the myth, the legend
By: Ava Fedor
We all know the experience of going in or out of the school and being met with the familiar face of Mr. Floyd Hager. Despite this, many students don’t actually know anything about Mr. Hager, his past, or his personal life. In a recent interview, Mr. Hager spoke about his life prior to his job here at Immanuel. “I worked 24 years for the County Of Tulare, I started out as a Patrol Deputy in 1996, working in the Visalia area.” He further describes how he rose in rank from deputy to detective, patrol sergeant to jail sergeant, and eventually ended up being transferred to the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office as a Criminal Investigator. When asked about his time and experiences working in criminal justice he reports “There are a lot of interesting stories from law enforcement, unfortunately, most are negative, However, getting dangerous drugs off the streets was always rewarding.”
Mr. Hager has been married to his wife, Kristen, for twenty-three years; they have two daughters, Danielle and Claire who both attend Immanuel When asked about how God has provided for him, he responded by saying. “God has been working in my life since I was a child, and in my marriage for over twenty years. God helps me be a better husband and father God has protected me and provided for me I am that one sinner who was saved and am thankful for the blessings I have.” Mr. Hager goes on to reflect on his appreciation for the Immanuel community and the fellowship he has experienced in the past two years. When asked if there was anything he wanted to tell the students of Immanuel, he replied “ Be yourself, put God first always, pray because prayer works, have fun, get out of your comfort zone and help somebody, ask God to guide you and he will.” This will be Mr. Hager's third year working at Immanuel, and his dedication and presence on campus have not gone unnoticed Immanuel is truly blessed to have someone like Mr. Hager to point the students to a Christcentered life.
Mr. Hager Graduating from Reedley High School (1989)
3:23 Luke 15:7 1 Timothy 4:12
Verses Via Floyd Colossians
ROADTRIP! ROADTRIP!
by Sydney Friesen
Here at Immanuel we value fellowship among classes and encouraging new friendships to grow We think it's really important to get to know everyone so for the past year we have gone on retreats with our classes to get closer to one another. Last year the Freshman and sophomores took a day trip to the beach for some fun in the sun! The Juniors went to Forrest Home and the Seniors had a time on the island of Catalina. This year some locations changed and here is where everyone went! The freshman class went to Adventure Park for the day and rode go-carts, played in the arcade, and chased each other around in laser tag!
The Sophomores drove down to Snelling to enjoy some time at the Splash N Dash! There was kayaking, blow-up obstacles placed in the lake, and a giant blob that many people got launched off! “I think it was pretty fun. Whether you wanted to be in the water or not, it was still entertaining,”(Leah Hansen) The Juniors went to Forrest Home in Forrest Falls They stayed in log cabins, enjoyed the lake, played games in the “mud pit” and bonded as a class through chapel. Through talking to a few Juniors, one said that they enjoyed going on the zipline during free time and swimming in the lake Lastly, the senior class girls stayed in Cayucus while the guys were in Cambria. Both grew closer as a class through our discussion times and time at the beach. Whether you were antiquing at the local shops or tanning in the sand it was a total blast!
"Internet's Wild Mashup 'Barbenheimer' Raises Eyebrows and
Resurrects Double Feature Vibes"
by: Charles Going
In a digital world where dogs can be astronauts and memes rule supreme, "Barbenheimer" has strutted onto the internet stage, leaving jaws dropping and Twitter fingers typing at warp speed. This bizarre concoction mixes "Barbie," a comedy starring Margot Robbie on a quest for self-discovery, and "Oppenheimer," a three-hour documentary that's probably longer than Ken's ever talked about physics.
Double features, remember those? They haven't been seen since the days of bell-bottoms and disco balls, but "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" are out here trying to make them cool again. Critics and movie buffs are treating them like the new dynamic duo, evoking nostalgia for the days when you could catch two flicks for the price of one.
But wait, there's drama! "Oppenheimer" is all about the guy who cooked up the nuclear bomb, which, spoiler alert, didn't end well for Japan. The outrage has Twitter turning into a battlefield. Check out the hashtag "#nobarbieheimer" for a glimpse into the digital showdown between those who think this mashup is a stroke of genius and those who believe it's about as sensitive as the bomb itself.
In an era where the internet can make you a star or cancel you faster than you can say "action", "Barbenheimer" is that quirky ride you never knew you needed. It's like witnessing Barbie and Ken argue over whether nuclear physics is their idea of a dream date. So, grab your popcorn and your moral compass, because this meme-worthy madness is here to stay!
Photo Credit: @earthlintees on RedBubble
Photo Credit: Sean Longmore
Recently, I had an opportunity to interview Ms Young, Immanuel's new AG teacher She is an admirable teacher, role model, leader, and friend, and we are so excited to welcome her to our Immanuel community! Some of her goals this year include growing as an educator, and building positive relationships with students. She enjoys gardening, being a leader at her church's youth group, and playing pickleball. She graduated from Oklahoma State University in 2023, and majored in Agricultural Leadership She lives in Kingsburg Although she herself went to Kingsburg High School, she had always heard about Immanuel, and was eventually led to the school as an adult by the fact that it combined her love for AgEd and ministry
She first felt God calling her to Ag education in college, where she had originally planned to major in nursing. She had always loved learning, teaching, and being a part of agriculture in high school, as a member of FFA all four years of her high school experiance Now, as an Ag teacher, she's come full circle! We are blessed and honored to welcome Ms. Young into our Immanuel staff.
Ms. Young Ms. Young Meet:
by Isabelle Johnson
Photo courtesy of Conlee Arpin
