The North Star student section poses for a picture during the boys bas etball and c eerleading senior night. The team played remont and won 67-61 to conclude the regular seson There was always great support shown by the students when attending sporting events
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This year's theme "All Mixed Up " was meant to signify the multitude of things that make up the North Star community; clubs , sports , theatre, the mixture of students and staff members that made up North Star, we all made one. Little did we know it would end up meaning so much more.
Everyday had the same schedule , get up , go to school, then continue on with whatever we chose to do after school, like , attend sports practices, work, go to a club meeting , or just go home and relax. We were used to having the same , ordinary schedule we followed everyday, when suddenly our "normal " was thrown off.
After spring break in March , the nation was thrown a huge curveball with COVID-19 , better known as the coronavirus. Everyone ' s ordinary was no longer "normal. " Teachers and staff members worked hard to allow students to get a little taste of their ordinary back with remote learning. This allowed students to review and learn new material in orde r to finish off the year
The Polaris yearbook staff didn ' t know it when we chose the theme in th e fall , but "All Mixed Up" ended up defining the 2019-2020 school year. This school year definitely impacted students and staff members who experienced their "normals"- being all mixed up.
•Junior Josh Brown shoots a 3-pointer during the game against Millard
Brown's favorite memory this year was the 'Chrsitmas in the Cage' game against Creighton Prep.
Senior Aubriana Wilson giv when being inducted Honor Society.
Campus supervisor John Banks checks freshman Barrett Goff's ID during the school day . Student IDs were required for every student.
South.
Mrs Gillotti's 6th period Pottery 1 class works on find ing ideas for their slip pots. Pottery students learned many different kinds of techniques during the semester-long class.
Students enjoy quiet time to edit their photos during Photography class. Photography taught students both the technical and artistic aspects of photography.
Sophomore Elizabeth Chhoueng created this piece in Digital Art. Chhoueng said it took approximately 13 hours to complete the piece.
Senior Kristina Nguyen designed the front cover to her notebook for Mrs. Gillotti's 6th period Pottery 1 class. Nguyen took four art classes her senior year
By Violet Foster
The Art program provided an outlet for North Star students' creative minds, allowing students to express their creativity in a variety of ways.
North Star had many classes to choose from like Pottery, Drawing, Digital Art, Photography, and Painting classes.
North Star's National Art Honor Society (NAHS) was a club where students could paint and create big pieces of art together. They even competed in art competitions with their work. Any student with a passion for art coud join.
NAHS also completed projects for the school, like creating the photo backdrop at the Homecoming dance to go with the theme.
Sophomore Elizabeth Chhoueng was a member of NAHS. "I got into art because it was the only thing I could fit into. I didn't have [many] friends in elementary and art was the only thing I could motivate myself to put effort into," Chhoueng said.
In Photography classes, Mr. Codr taught students how to use a camera, take a proper photo, and edit it to make it stand out. Becoming familiar with taking creative photos of objects or people and capturing action shots with an outcome of a great photo was a goal for students in the class.
Mr Codr's 3rd period Digital Art class works on shade coloring. While some students were working on the assignment, others were completing animations.
Digital Art students work on shading an apple and a banana. Having a clear pitcure made the process easier to see the shadows.
Junior Ashton Fleming, right, works on his Chromebook, while sophomore Lorenzo Villegas listens to instructions during Photo 1. Fleming and Villegas were in their football warmups for the game after school.
By Tatum Hilger
This year, North Star Business classes had a handful of new experiences and classes for students in order to get them more involved in the business field
Due to an increase in students, the number of Take Charge sections was increased to 20. classes were also offered this year, including Team Management taught by Mr Kobza. Team Management all o explore what it was like to be the manager of a team and the exact work tasks that come along with managing a team
Stude ts learned to breakdown game video, were introduced to data anal):_1:ics of specific game videos, and opp nent and self scouting strategies.
To elp learn these concepts, students worked with companies ho are own to be highly involved in the field. These companies consiste of the well known Hudl.
Bus·ness classes also had opportunities for teachers and students to interact with representatives from local companies, like Hudl. The ment class was able to take a field trip to Hudl downtown Lincoln.
Hellbusch said, "I really like being able to learn more and volleyball, and all the technical and behind the at goes on."
Bodie Duffy said, "We learned about specific resources , like how to use Hudl to help teams improve, and ings from a coach's stand point."
Madisyn Zeiger (11) listens to interviewer Noah Plan from UNL. The career fair was an amazing opportunity for students to meet people in the work force around them. Some students even went away with offers to apply for real jobs in field the interviewers represented.
Macy Howe (12) listens to Mr. Kobza as he -answers a question she had over class . Kobza taught many business classes and was also the sponsor of DECA, as well as the head football coach for the Gators.
Seniors Ali Al Jadawi, left, and Ja'waun Hurley-Washington negotiate an exchange of apples during their marketing class The Market Game was used to show students the ins and outs of buying and selling and how to make the best profits possible.
Above: Senior Dakota Glatkowski hides her card during a game of buying and selling. As part of Marketing class, Mr Kobza took students through a multitude of hands-on activities to help them learn what the mar,keting world is all about.
Junior -· , right, shakes hands with J the owner of JK Consult 11!PA~i-c me to North Star to help out with mock interviews for the Take Charge classes.
During Take Charge interviews , studen ts were asked a series ques •o at they may be asked in a real-life interview.
Take i::. ._,L..... wait patiently for their chance to interview with a representiitive from a handful of local businesses. At the Career Fair, interviewers consisted of representitves from the National Guard, Ameritas, UNL, Bryan Health, and many other local companies
Junior Payton Burkland talks with Jennifer Lymann from Grafton & Associates during her mock interview.
Above , freshman Zina Al-Jndo participates in an interactive class game of Kahoot on her Chromebook during Geography with Mrs. Popenfoose. Al-Jndo was born in Iraq and speaks Kurdish.
Senior Ashly Madrid Ramirez takes notes during a presentation in Lit. Studies. Madrid Ramirez was born in Honduras and spoke Spanish as her home language.
Freshman Camila Nunez Gonzales, left, and sophomore Christian Martinez Paramo work together as they complete a comic strip assignment. Both students' primary language was Spanish.
By Megan Vodraska
ftLLJ -
There are many different cultures and religions around the world. Just like how the United States's diversity is constantly increasing, North Star's is as well. The diversity at North Star was like none other The school held students from 40 different birth countries with 28 different home languages spoken.
Leaming a new language could be a difficult task to face on your own , but when you had help from teachers and peers it was much easier. This is why the English Language Learners (ELL) program at North Star existed. The ELL program was provided to students who came from non-English speaking homes and backgrounds. It allowed students to learn how to read , write , and communicate fluently in English.
With the many different backgrounds that were among these students , they had the opportunity to learn about other cultures and other students ' experiences
Along with being in the ELL program, students also had the ability to take other fun elective classes.
Freshman Alex Tatlbain said,"Photography is my favorite class because it makes people work together and get to know people."
Students were able to meet and make new friends with their peers and learned to communicate in different ways , all while relating it back to themselves and e ac h other.
Junior Diana Darweesh said,"My teacher helps me with my homework." The students also had the chance to build strong bonds with their teachers making it more fun and easier to learn.
Senior Nyok _ Kok takes a break during his Beginning Writing class. Kok was born in Sudan and spoke Dinka. He was also on the cross country team.
Freshman Rahma Mahmood completes a chart of notes about good writing during her class with Mrs. Mitchell. Mahmoods first language was Kurdish.
Sophomore Nelia Brychka uses her Chromebook to study during Lit. Studies. Brychka was born in Ukraine.
hanging the v1
By Kenzie Biven
English was one of the core classes
dents had to take in high school, no matter what. Since it was a nee ssary class, some of the teachers at North Star tended to take a mo e adventurous approach to learning.
Many different types of English course were offered to students, like Sports Literature, English 9 and 0, Senior Seminar, and caust Literature.
Engli teacher Cyndy addux was kno for her fun ideas during her freshma English clas In Englis 9, they read "The Hunger Games" and we out • e to Hooting arrows like the main character, Katniss Everdeen.
Another teacher who took teaching English to the next level was Kristy Kotik. In Senior Seminar, students created characters and wrote an analysis to go along with it. The project got the class engaged with each other. One of her students , senior Mason Miller said, "This class helps people become more open to the world and allows them to have a better understanding of the words around you."
Junior Virginia Burlingame said, "What I like about English class is that I'm always given tasks that are somewhat challenging."
Even if English was not in y ur ture career path, it was sure to play a big part in everyday life afte high school and teachers at North Star made sure we all had a fun time wliile learning.
Sophomores Lynden Bruegman, left, and their "My Favorite Things" presentation during English lOD with Mrs Turner. The entations caused plenty of smiles and laughs.
AP Language and Composition with were annotating Martin Luther King Jr.' Birmingham jail.
Senior Ariana Chapman works hard to complete her final project in Mrs. Kotik's Senior Seminar class The assignment was to complete a character analysis, while using paper doll cut outs to illustrate the characters' personalities.
West launches arrows ou addux's English 9 class. The demonstration of "the test of the m the ancient Greek poem "The Homer.
English teacher Bry Bamacl li stens as a student responds du ·n a ess on about interpre t ing body languag e in the context of writing in Creative Wri t ing class. Barnacle also taught English 11 and Literature of the Holocaust.
"It helps us correctly say words when e read things." - Dylan Hallett (9)
"I like it when we watch movies that are related to what we are focusing on in class."
- Owen Barrow ( 11)
"I love writing." - Reagan Harris (10) Eng.
erez ocuses on comp e mg er oxer shorts project before e end of the semester.
Nochebuena makes boxer shorts for her
Fres~men Angel Chumber, left, Lebee Sunday, center, and sophomore Te-Yanna Payne enjoy the cmnamon rolls they prepared during Culinary Foundations.
Sophmore Keech Strayer irons the red boxer shorts he made in Clothing , Textiles, and Design. Keech got to pick out the color and fabric he used.
By Cierrah McCulloug
One eat thing ortlll Star offi r ed ere Famil Co n sum e r Science (FCS) classes. These classes allowe d s t u dents to explo e different hands-on activities and find the · er at ive 0 lets in careers like culinary, early chil ood deve o ment, and interior design.
In Culinary Foundations, students started off wit basics, lik ing how to measure using measuri ng cups and spoons en, students got around to maki g snacks and meals, hich students loved because they were ble to ea t in lass. For some students, it pushed them tot new foods ey may not ave otherwise tried. •o Tyl e r Chapma said, "C in ary Foundations brings p eo ple togethe r to cook cl m e friends. Cooking is a n ins p iration for some and rings a future in their eyes."
In addition to cooking , st u dents could also ta e Clo thing, Textile , and Design class t o le how to s ew. One of the first things students made w e r e and ba gs with t h eir own styles. FCS teacher Jessica Me yers, who instructed the sewing class , taught students diffe rent techniques and patterns to use when design ing their items.
One of the unique things abou t ou r FCS department is the Food Prep and Presentation cla s s, better known as the Gator Gourmet Grill , or G3 , r es t au rant t hat makes meals for teachers during 6th period . In February, th e class catered a lunch fo r the Nebraska St a te Boar d of E tion, The Education Commissioner a ff. Nort Sfar s the only LPS hig ura.oVt~erien
an, left , and Mason Huynh roll out dough to m ake their cinnamon ro during Culinary Foundatio.ns.
junior Pat Bumrerr • works o n he project for Cloth in g, T e xtiles , a d DesigI! ass.
Paraeducato r Anna Harms , left , an d sp e e ch p a t h ologist Kimberly Co ffey, far right , help sophomore Azad Smoqi make Fra nkenstein Rice Cris p ie tr eats.
Seni or Benjamin Housh cuts dough that he and his gro u p m embers need for more cinnimon rolls.
Junior Maya Anthens works on her homework in her sixth period Pre-Calculus class. An thens played softball for North Star in the fall.
Senior Madison Frank works on homework problems for AP Statistics. Frank said she enjoyed Statistics because it was different from any other math class she had taken.
Freshman Alyssa Hellwege works on her homewor k during Geometry Diff. Hellwege said, "I enjoy math , because I find it challenging and it makes me think in ways that other classes don't."
Freshman Kade Seip completes a worksheet durin ~ his Geometry Diff class. Seip was involved in footba l and plans to try out for baseball.
Junior Kylie Shottenkirk works to fiW •out her un i circle worksheet. Shottenkirk had Mr. Leimbach fo Pre-Calculus.
~~9:,\>o° From A Different
By Shelby Lammers
Math was something many students struggled with throughout the year The r e were a variety of classes students could take like Statistics , Algebra , Calculus , and Geometry in which students hoped to improve their math skills, whether it was through hours of studying and homework , or clubs like Math Homework Zone. "I like math because there is always a right answer and multiple ways to get to that answer." said freshman Toby Lammers.
Math Homework Zone was started in 2011 by math teacher Kyle Schwaninger The goal of the club was to help students gain a better understanding of the concepts they were struggling with in their specific math classes. This helped students to do better on tests and quizzes , as well as finish homework assignments.
Each year, there was a consistent group of students who came each week. Math Homework Zone was every week on Monday , Wednesday, and Thursdays after school.
Schwaninger said, "One of my favorite parts about doing Homework Zone is getting to know the students in a more relaxed setting than a classroom. It shows their learning style on a deeper level ·and allows me to figure out the best way to help them."
Senior Brecken Schossow works on an assignment for her AP Calculus class Scho s sow took AP Calulus as well as AP Statistics .
Junio r T J Hood watches as Mr. Leimbach demonstrates how to do a problem. Hood was also on the varsity football team this fall.
By Alexis Thivierge
Most students spend years learning and mastering a skill. or some music students, it's instruments.
Some students love instrumental music for the challenge. "Performing solos or erfi nrung so s that are probably challenging for the o c estra," senior Caitlyn Gish said.
Instrume music students worked hard to rovide music during 1 ch times, Gatorwalks, pep rallies, evening concerts, and a etic events. They even traveled to elem ntary and mid e schools to share the music they learned. ey spent countless hours together and, in that time, made memo •es and
•endships that will last a lifetime.
Behind the stage and closed doors , students spent hours working on their next piece of music, learning to pla it to p rfection. Instrumental music classes offered this • eluded Symphonic, Concert , Marching and Jazz lasses Guitar 1 and 2, Percussion, Varsity Orchestra, Ch ber rchestra, and Wind Ensemb Sophomore Jason N ff favorite cl
participated in orchestra since 4th gfade and als played the viol"n and cello. When it comes t mastering an ins ent, Nguyen said, "It's 1 about practicing d using time to om advantage."
Students in North Sta s Pep Band play music before Swamp The Pep Ba d performed music in the Sw time outs for both volleyball and basketball contests.
rown's Guitar II class. techniques and were able to
Sophomore J as n Nguyen plays the bass durin ~ his Varsity rchestra class. Nguyen ha
their skills, sophomore Ryleigh Grove, front, an fresh an Kryton Bechtel practice the ma ba in t h e E wing . "I was able to learn ow to be a leader this year. Now, I'll be able to pass m s • 1s on to freshmen," Grove said about her xperience in Per cussion class.
At rig t, senior Harrison Guyton sticks to the beat during his Percussion class Guyt n participated in many music courses during high school, including Marc ing Band for four years. "I started my freshman year playing clarinet. Sop omore year, I started playing percussion after seeing Jake [Goertze (al n)] in a Gatorwalk It made me want to be part of the line." Guyt on joi ed the drumline junior year.
At left, Mr. Salistean's Chamber Orchest class epares for their next performance. Chamber Or estra was often asked to orm at community the scho
Sophomore Matt Devore, left, sings the "Hallelujah Chorus" alongside his grandfather , center, during the winter concert. It has become a North Star tradition that audience members are invited on stage to perform the song with the Concert Choir. "It was a really cool idea and I grew up going to [my grandfather's] barber shop concerts and it made an everlasting memory," Devore said.
Senior D'Shawn Scott prepares for swing choir's ne .> song during their winter concert . Scott said "M favorite part of choir was getting to know everyo n and becoming best friends with most of them " Sco1 had been in choir since his freshman year.
North Star's swing choir poses at the end of one of their performances during the winter concert. The swing choir was known for their traditional Val-o-grams during the week of Valentine's Day Students could purchase a Val-a-gram for their "special someone" and swing choir would pull them out of class with other students and serenade them with love-themed songs in the hallway.
By Alexis Thiverge
Vocalists sang their way through another unforgettable year. They worked hard, but also made sure they had fun and made memories. Vocal music classes made students feel comfortable and welcomed They offered a variety of classes like Women's Choir, Men's Choir, Concert Choir, and Swing Choir. Vocal music classes also included students from every grade. Students spent time preparing their voices for events like the winter and spring concerts. Each day they started class by warming up their voices through vocal exercises.
These classes also led to many new friendships. Sophomores Evan Roberson and Jenny Rios agreed that choir is like a family, even though they don't talk 24/7.
"Most seniors in my class are like mfbest friends. We've been friends for four years now," said senior Jave Renshaw. She had been singing in some kind of choir for nine years, including four years at North Star.
Over spring break, many choir and instrumental music students traveled to Orlando, Fla. to perform at Walt Disney World, a trip the music department organizes every two years.
This year, North Star was also selected to host the NSAA District Music Contest on Monday, April 20.
Erika Johnson (10), center, shares music with a family member while singing with Renee Gausman (10), left, and the rest of North Star's Concert Choir. "For me personally, being up there on stage made me less anxious and more comfortable with the people around me," Gausman said.
At left, Mr. Brown teaches his sixth period class, Concert Choir, some of the basics essentials when it comes to singing
Students in Concert Choir listen to Mr.Brown while he explains some basic music terms during class.
By Mikaela Lawrence
Physical Education and Health were classes students were required to take through their high school journey. Th e importance of these classes were sometimes overlooked, simply because they weren't full of tedious work and assignment s . Leaming to stay physically active helped students grow, and mature, and develop health habits that will follow them aft e • graduation.
Physical Education classes, like Fitness for Life, Team Sports, and Weight Training , helped students learn the importance : exercise , the continuous benefits of these activities, and were a place students got a brain break from the loads of wo rlthroughout the school day.
Senior Carly Dembowski said, "P .E. classes have given me an opportunity throughout the years to do what I enjoy, even i' I've had a bad day. I think P.E. is important, because it helps students stay in shape , and learn how exercise is important."
At North Star, there were multiple classes to help engage students during the school day.
Weight Training offered student athletes an opportunity to gain off-season strength and gave students an opportunity t l tone their bodies and gain strength in general. Lifetime Sports and Team Sports gave students the chance to participate in fu.1 games and bond with amazing teachers. Dance 101 helped students pursue their passions in the arts, while Intro to HealtJ Sciences taught students important skills like taking someone's blood pressure.
Coach Brian Lauck , a Physical Education and Health teacher, said student Health classes are important. "A lot of it com e , down to simply informing students about decision making, lifestyle choices, and the general aspect of health. Health class i important, because it teaches students habits to be healthy, and it also helps students become more aware of their bodies."
Sophomore Kennedi Leitschuck said, "Honestly, I don't know a lot of the classes available here, but the ones I do know a r Team Sports, Weight Training/ Advanced, Fitness for Life, and Health. I think it's crazy that there are so many other classes • didn't know about, like, Dance 101. It's cool that there are different classes for all types of hobbies."
Senior Bradyn Hasenpflug does a goblet squat while holding a 25 pound weight. Hasenpflug took a weight class for four consecutive years because he wanted to stay in shape for wrestling and baseball seasons.
Freshman Jonah Bard completes the barbell warmup. Bard had never taken a lifting class before and learned mutliple different lifts during his Fitness for Life class.
Senior McKinnon Egger kicks the soccerball during a game of soccer in Team Sports. Soccer was one of the activities played in first quarter of Team Sports
Senior Asim Ali squats with a resistance trainin g band around his legs. Ali said he did this to warrr up before lifting in order to prevent injury.
before her workout in her 7th period
"I decided to take a lifting class in order to help my body get more toned. This is my first year taking a lifting class throughout the school year this semester, but I attended summer conditioning last summer" -Senior
Senior Riley Kutschkau chalks his hand in order to enhance his grip to prepare for his deadlift maxout. Kutschkau used a lifting belt in order to provide extra support for hi s back during this heavy lift.
Sophomore Cooper W esslund works hard in his health class. W esslund finished taking notes on the skeletal system, and began to study the book.
Sophomore Bekka Allick stretches
lifting class. Allick enhanced her flexibility and prevented injury, by stretching before every workout.
Jadyn Nimetz
and signing Goblin Heads
for many years.
Ms. Whitman, 9th grade science teacher, stands on the sidelines during her Physical Science classes' rocket launch. Each rocket was personalized in order to maximize the altitude of their launch.
Senior Jayce Yung stretches out the pink "goblin snot" slime she made in AP Chemistry. This experiment was conducted to explore the change in the physical propeties of a polymer.
Junior Cardin Ngo signs his name on his classes' "Gobli n Head." Making
on Spooky Science Demonstration Day, in Chemistry , has been a tradition
Science teache i Mr. Nelson mixe ~ hydrogen peroxid E and potassiurr iodide .. to form c: solution that wi l make the pumpki r: "barf."
Junior Richard Adams holds fire in his hands during the demonstration of "Flaming Bubbles" made with Methane gas. "Flaming Bubbles" were a student favorite out of all the demonstrations performed
By Angelica Jaimes Uriostegui
Whether it's during a lesson or a lab , science had a way of grabbing our att e ntion.
Labs offered a hands-on approach to learning and gave students the ch an ce to explore different ways of learning Lessons helped us better understand the world around us.
North Star's science classes consist of your basics: Physical Science , Geos ci e n ce , Biology, Chemistry , and Physics . But if you chose a more rigorous route, these classes were also offered in Differentiated courses, which included Anatomy and Physiology or AP courses for Biology and Chemistry
Science classes tend to build off each other with each class you take , so you didn't want to miss a single thing. Plus , the labs done in most of these classes were experiences that you ' d remember for a lifetime.
Chemistry teacher Mrs McConnell said , "I really like to teach lessons that have direct corralation with things students see, do or wonder about, things like chemical reactions and intermolecular forces would be my favorite subjects to teach because of the applcations they have in your everyday life "
And as far as labs go, McConnell said , "There is a mutual enjoyment of the lab 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' where we tested the presence of metal ions and found that different metals will tum the flame different colors."
Senior Zahra'a Alwaeli said, "My favorite lab in Chemistry was the one where we crushed a can without physically crushing it. We had to go through trials in order to figure out how to crush the can, because there were no instructions and we had to explain why we did things the things we did in order to get our results And I liked having control over what we decided to test."
Junior Rueben Stepanyuk measures out vectors for a lab in Physics Diff. Students in Physics Diff. performed a lab where they test equilibruim , on an equilibruim table through trial and error
By Cristina Villa-Huerta
When he walked through the front doors of North Star on his first day o f high school in 2007, a young Eric Eickhoff had a beaming smile on his face Mr. Eickhoff, a social studies teacher for the past five years , attended ort Star, graduating in 2011.
After having ~emorable eachers who influenced his passion for histo ry and education, Eickhoff decided to pursue a career in teaching.
"I knew it was something I wanted to do," Eickhoff said. " I immediately went to college so I could earn my degree and start teaching right away and then got hired right back into LNS after graduating from UNL in 2015 "
"It's hard to come back to teach at the school you were a stude n · at,"Eickhoff said, "lots of things have to fall the right way, but as soon as '. saw the opportunity of the job opening at North Star, I knew I would b E extremely lucky to come back and teach alongside with my form ementors."
Eickhoff credits two teachers specifically who have changed him and h i: teaching significantly, Mr. Quattrocchi and Mr. Bock.
"I had Mr. Bock for AP World History my sophomore year and he w a : the best teacher ever. He had so many stories that made history s c interesting," said E~khoff.
"I had Mr. Eickhoff as a student and a basketball player," Social Studi e department chair Tony Quattrocchi said. "Now that he's gotten into th i: profession and is my coworker, I've benefitted and learned as much fro n • him as much as he's learned from me."
"I had a great experience as a student here at North Star ," Eickho f said."North Star really feels like home; it's shaped so much of my youth a rn
I continue to grow up with all the people I know. I wouldn't want to b f anywhere else."
Mr. Eickhoff listen to his students as they share their plans for the upcoming weekend. Eickhoff taught World History
and Criminal Justice.
Junior Johncarlo Vinson-Granillo discusses with his classmates in AP U.S. History about President Woodrow Wilso Vinson also played soccer.
Freshman Caron Caldwell laughs with his classmate in Geography Caldwell's favorite part of the class is his teacher , Mrs . McBeth
Junior Taylor Cum lidge speaks with her teach , in AP U.S Histo r Cumblidge was also in Student Council and soccer.
Above: Seniors Brecken Schossow, left, and Kamrin Feely talk about their unit questions in AP Government and Politics Schossow and Feely were on the same team for the "We The People" competition in January against other Lincoln high schools.
Right: Seniors Aakash Desai, left, and Josh Graves work on their presentation for AP Government arid Politics . Desai and Graves were both in Track and Field.
Junior Ian Vondrak laughs with his classmates in AP U.S. History. Vondrak played the trumpet in Marching Band.
J unior Katy Koch presents about the Womens Rights Movement of the 19 20's in AP U istory Koch was also in the CNA program at The Ca r eer Academ y.
eac er man a oo Her students had previous the first year Power Mech
Seniors Lucas Belk, left, and Colin Brannan work together to draw out a design for a wood project in their Intro to Woods class. There were multiple porjects students could do with designing and sculpting their pieces.
Sophomore Amaun Johnson sands a piece of wood in preparation for a future project in his Intro to Woods class.
Junior Kaden Alobaidi pieces together a lifting device in Mr.Free's third period REM 2/3 class.
7 eckdcJ ~ .
By Ella Bonesteel
Out with the old and in with the new.
This year a new curriculum was put in place to improve the STS classes offered at North Star.
Skilled and Technical Sciences, or STS, classes teach students learning experiences in various areas of industry, occupation, and life skills.
North Star was the only LPS school who added the courses Launch Aviation and Power Mechanics to its offerings. These classes were meant to give students experience and knowledge in basic aviation and mechanic skills.
Launch Aviation was a project-based course that introduced flight theory and the history of aviation. Through this class, students developed skills like problem solving and collaboration.
Power Mechanics was a hands-on course that focused on the operation principles of small internal combustion engines. Students had various opportunities to safely dismantle and reassemble engines according to industry standards.
Freshman Dalton Schmidt said his favorite part of Power Mechanics was " tearing down engines and learning about the parts that make engines."
Students who participated in select aviation pathway classes by teacher permission were able to apply for a competitive internship at Duncan Aviation as a junior or senior. During a field trip, students were able to explore departments they may intern in.
This internship was a goal for many students including Schmidt. Schmidt said Power Mechanics helped a lot with nis goal because he's now "more familiar with engines, and how they work."
Besides the internship, STS taught young students many other strengths like positivity, strategizing, and communication
Students and teachers look forward to the new classes that are coming next year.
Teacher Scott Lued left, and Kaiden H period Intro to Woods class.
Freshmen Kade Seip, left, and Hayden Nagel plan out measurements in Mr. Luedtke's Intro to Woods class.
Senior Kal -e l Santos starts the engine he and his teammates built in Ms.Woodward's Power Mechanics class. Santos wants to work id this class helped a lot with that.
4 CULTURES
By Lyndsey Roth
One of the most unique aspects and something North Star embraced is how diverse the student body was. Many different cultures were represented throughout the school.
As students, we had the choice of taking a World Language class, learning either French, Chinese or Spanish. By taking any of these courses we not only learned the language, but also about what kind of culture people acr ss t e world from us have.
Freshman Hayden Nagel took Chinese 1 and said, "I decided to take Chinese bee use I thought it would be an interesting experience and I would like o travel to China someday."
Leam·ng an entirely different language could be challenging but was also a re ly cool, real life e1'Perience to go through.
unior Matthew Kopplin had been taking Spanish since freshman year d was in Spanish 3}4. Kopplin said, "Taking Spanish and learning it will a ply to the real world and my future. Spanish was the most popular l guage students chose to enroll in.
:J ior Madison c.dy, who took French 3/ 4 said, "I had just been enrolle • it. I realiled after being in the class that I really like the language and t ach that I had.
Junior Madisyn Zeiger completes a warm up during her French 3 / 4 class. Students in the class did daily warm-ups to practice perfecting French.
Freshman Haden Nagel learns how to write characters during Chinese 1. His teacher, Mrs. Su was the only Chinese teacher at North Star.
From left, juniors Jason Miller and Mindy Huynh wor l on a coloring activity during their Spanish 3/ 4 clas s During the Spanish holiday El Dia De Los Muertos , o Day of the Dead, students taking Spanish di e holiday-based activities.
Junior Madison Cady works on her assignment during Mrs Pinley's French class. Practicing writing French was one of the biggest parts of learning the language.
Sophomore Janessa De La Concha receives help from Dr. Jami Holbein Swanson during a verb activity in Spanish 2. Holbein Swanson was named the 2019 Spanish Teacher of the Year by the Nebraska International Languages Associati tn ~----~
Senior Ethan Hunt reads a book written in Spanish during class. AP Spanish students were able to choose their own books to independently read throughout the semester.
Above: Althetic Director Mr. Simmerman wears a Krispy Kreme hat as he talks to athletic secretary Allison Elliott. Simmerman has worked to change the culture of Gator athletics and activities since coming to North Star five years ago.
Right: Intructional Coordinator Mrs. Bethune watches over students while at lunch. Bethune was an English teacher at North Star last year.
Asst. Althetic Director Mr. Renter , right, and security guard Matt Lickliter watch over students in the Bayou during lunch. These two work together to keep students safe and out of trouble.
Assistant Principal Mrs. Klng works during lunch to make sure students are cleaning up their tables and disposing of their trash King was in charge of the Star*Bucks student incentive program.
Running the
Principal Mr. Zabawa rings the cow bell before the softb c I Gatorwalk. Zabawa started a tradition last year of dressing 1,;
for each sport that is in the Gatorwalk.
Assistant Principal Mr . Weatherholt works on his computer to coordinate a fire drill at North Star. Weatherholt's main job is to coordinate the safety of our school.
By Hanna Roth
At North Star this year , the admin istration had many of the same familiar faces, but with a couple of additions.
Added to the administart ive team were , assis t ant principal Mr. Weatherholt and instructional coordinator Mrs. Bethune , who was an English teacher at Nort h Star last year
Mr. Weatherholt , who was an assistant principal a t Northeast High School last year, said his favorite memory of North Star was from the first football game. "The s tu dent section was big and loud."
North Star's culture and its staff helped Weathe rho lt t ransition from Northeast to North Star. "I enj oyed being a Rocket, but I am a Gator now It affirms my be lief in thi s district that there is great teaching and great students at every building in the district ," W eatherhold said.
When Mrs Bethune walked into North St ar last year , she immediately felt the community and compassion people have for the students and families
Before Bethune came to North Star in 2018 , she was p rincipal at a private school for four years. While at the private school, "I was the only memeber of the administrat ion team. My favorite thing about North Star is being on a team. I love working on a team where I have so many opportunities to share ideas and grow professionally," Bethune said.
While the job can be hard at times , there are many things administrators love about their job.
"I love getting to go and watch the sports teams compete, Asst. Athletic Director Mr. Renter said. "I also like helping people on academic support helping them get their grades up."
Mrs. King said, "I love working with teachers and students in the classroom , it's really fun to see them improve and learn."
Para Kolbi Stahl, right , poses with junior Jafar Al-Abij before heading to lunch. There were 12 paras at North Star this year.
Nutrition services worker Kim Biven fills out the lunch board with the menu or the day. The nutrition staff prepared for lunch by setting up food sta n
cleaning appliances, and making meals.
Nutrition Services worker Lisa Ford checks to make sure junior Iyshia Breazile has the correct lunch All students were required to have one food from three food groups, including one fruit and vegetable.
Attendance technician Dana Tucker checks stud e t information to make sure all tardies and absences a = accounted for. Tucker had worked in the attendance offo since North Star opened in 2003.
Campus Supervisor Eric Williams high fives senior Shelby Lammers before Lammers goes out for lunch. Williams said, "I love my job, because I get to deal and interact with such fun and fanstasic young people of all different backgrounds and ethnicities."
Custodian Rodger W emer checks to make sure all the food and trash is correctly placed into the bins. This was the first year North Star started the compost/recycling program during lunch.
nurse
points out helpful information about a student.
had been the school nurse for seven years.
Technician Donna
up information about a student before proceeding with the needed care
MORE
•Campus Supervisor Jon Banks takes senior Shelby Cain's pass before lunch. Banks monitored the school by walking the halls and scanning who came in and out of the building.
InBy Averi Ford
They were the unsung heroes of the school. They fed us, picked up after us, and didn't always get recognized for all they did The nutrition staff and custodians were some of the hardest working people in the building. They were at school sooner than most staff and didn't leave until their duty was done.
Members of the nutrition staff, aka the lunch ladies, focused on serving a healthy and balanced meal for 1,100 to 1,200 students daily. Along with North Star's lunch, they made food for six other schools, elementary and middle school, everyday. They made sure everything was cleaned, served properly , and prepared in the three hours combing all lunches. Some struggles that came about were not having enough food that kids enjoyed or running out of an item completely. Also, sometimes the produce came in old or unpresentable, making it a hassle to figure out how to display what they had. They were always looking for new ways to make the cafeteria more welcoming and enjoyable for students.
Head cook Cindy Noel said, " As head cook, our goal is to have enough food for all of the students. With a variety of food that we have, getting it all prepared correctly in the short amount of time that we have is a test that we go after everyday. We have to also cook for satellite schools which means we have to prepare enough food for LNS and six other schools as well. This really puts us to the test. Being a lunch lady is definitely hard work."
The custodial staff cleaned up messes and made sure everything was stocked up on a daily basis. They were at the school constantly. In the morning, they prepared for the day and continued working late into the night cleaning up after games and other events .
Custodian Dan Decker said,"I love seeing all the smiley students everyday and feeling like I am making a difference in people's lives. Student Council and administration do an excellent job recognizing and supporting our staff."
School
Sheryl Woodward
Woodward
Health
Barnes looks
By Kenzie Biven
The boys on the varsity cross country team set a new normal for our school.
From taking first at all but one of their regular season meets, to winning the title at districts , this year seemed different than all the others.
This year there was a fire beneath the team. Team members knew this would be a good year. The effort level between each member during each race was higher than ever. The practice season truly got our team going.
Starting the season with returning Class A State Champion junior Liem Chat gave the team a push Qualifying to run in the state meet can be hard, but not for our boys. Not only did Chat qualify indivudually for state by winning districts, multiple members of the varsity boys team qualified as well.
Junior Ethan Zaborowski said, "It was super fun running at state. There are so many people cheering you on and the competition is intense. You just feel like you're running for your whole school , not just for your team."
Along with the boys qualifying, one of North Star's girls individually qualified. Freshman Jaeden Webb earned her spot to shine at State.
Webb said, "Going to state my first year of high school was very eye-opening and made me fell really confident in myself and teammates."
As a whole, state was good for the Gators. In the end, the Gators had two boys finish in the top 15 and Webb took 36th place for the girls. Chat was the state champion for the second year in a row and the boys took 3rd.
Johnson, Ethan Hallett, Alexis Simmons, Savannah Toplica, Coach Matt Musiel; Third Row: Elizabeth Maxfield-Stdt
Lana Huetson, Mason Pair, Truong Dinh, Tien Le, Aden Bourassa, Matthew Montes, Elijah Bakenhus, Nathan Neemann, Josh M, :1eld, Jadeon Maxfield, Kobe Wiley, ~ohn Pham, Richard Phan, Lexi Thompson-Stdt Mgr, Coach Tony DeGrand; Fourth Row: Coach ~ 1nny Hower, Maddie Davis-Stdt Mgr, Avery Brost, Owen Frink, Daniel Pierce, William Bernal, Brooklyn Hanks, Luke Hellbusch, Asim Al i Cade Probst, Xavier Hoferer, Dominic Ferraro, Kaitlin Hellbusch, Franci Dinh, Olivia DeBrie-Stdt Mgr; Fifth Row: Coach Brian Wa n diak, Rosendo Herrera, Zacchary Collins, Carlos Bautista, Sebastian Henning, Grant Wasserman, Nathan Miller, Liem Chat, Ruot Kier , M, hew Dunaski, Zakary Muir, Owen Kluck, Noah Schroeder, Mario Ortiz Rodriguez, Coach Mitch Bern
Junior Liem Chot pushes to get passed a So runner. Chat took the lead and won by 4.86 se c west J s.
First Row: Eren Renteria, Jaycee McFadden , Natalee Keodouangdy, Bobby Le, Ruaa Osman, Carlotta Gaiani, Aubrie Johnso n ngel Ortiz-Gaytan, Jada Sems, Johana Mucito, Brianne Travis, Mindy Huynh, Arely Velasquez Perfecto ; Second Row: Gabby Mary ot J ake Quevedo, Marisol Manzo, Peyton Osmond, Jaeden Webb, Cardin Ngo, Jackson Quevedo, Kyler Hahn, Jimmy Nguyen, Jeremy Bo n il Ben
Mgr, Melissa I rcia,
The varsity boys team takes off from the starting line during their championship race. This team gave it their all throughout the race.
the other.
* * * * *
Freshman Brianne Travis makes sure her place in the race is solid. She was dominating the hill at Pioneers Park.
Junior Cardin Ngo sweats along the race as he tries to pass the people in front of him. Ngo raced for the junior varsity team.
Junior Noah Schroeder, left, and freshman Jake Quevedo pace themselves as they start to head down a hill. The two teammates tried to push each other's limits, trying to beat the time of
out for wrestling and baseball this year
Junior Colton Reed (12) carries the ball during the game against Grand Island. Reed ran for 13 yards on the carry.
Right: Freshm~n Sanford (20) receives a pass in the freshman game against Fremont. Sanford plans to try
Sophomore Jace Elliott (86) gets tackled in the endzone by a Nortl latte defender Elliott played wide reciever for the Gators . .
Thunderbolts defensive line as sophomore Jaiden Hernandez runs the ball. Hernandez suited up for varsity as well.
Junior DJ McGarvie (8) runs the ball during the varsity football game against North Platte. McGarvie was North Star's starting quarterback this year.
Freshman quarterback Davis Jones (16) looks for an Jen receiver to throw a pass to during a game against Fre n mt. While North Star lost the game, they had big wins a g st Northeast and Southwest.
By Shelby Lammers
From August to October, many students looked forward to football games on Fridays. Creating memories and new experiences, as well as supporting Lincoln North Star "a s a whole, was a big part of The Gator Way .
By showing up to cheer for the Gators , students created a positive atmosphere and community. North Star fans built a family around the team.
"The atmosphere around us is unreal ," said senior Riley Kutschkau. "Playing under the lights with your team , and being able to look to the sideline and seeing the endless support from the students and fans just gives you that jittery feeling. "
This year, the football program chose to focus on Grit, Accountability, Thankfulness, Opportunity, and Respect , aka GATOR.
"The second I step onto the field everything is forgotten," said junior Jake Seip. "It's my time to play the game I love and achieve everything I have worked for. In that moment, nothing else matters except for my teammates."
The varsity football team had 16 seniors who helped lead the team through the season.
Senior Riley Kutschkau said, 'Tm really going to miss strapping on the pads every Friday night. Seeing the game I love and have played since I was eight come to an end is really sad "
Junior Justin Gruber (5) blocks a receiver in the varsity game against the Grand Island Islanders. Gruber played both offense and defense this year.
G- Grit A- Accountability
Varsity football players huddle around Coach Trevor Birdzell to discuss plays during a game North Star played Lincoln Southwest to kickoff their season.
First Row: David Givens, Adrian Haynes, Angel Hernandez, Roberto Gonzalez, Lance Kopecky, Markel Ree v e Baker, Davin Sysomphone, Ami Nguyen, Brandon Beck, Suliman Tuhir, Oscar Beltran; Second Row: James Si ze1 Hernandez, Jaden Merkel, Carson Nagel , Isaiah Mata, DJ Root, Colby Lutz, Austin Fish, Mathew Siegel , ( Boerngen , T J Hood, Avery Hanson, Marquis Davist, Dominic Brazda, Jayric McDonald ; Third Row : Korey John s o1 Reinsch, Parker Beyer, Sheldon Isom , Hunter Towle, Junior Lavilay, Dallas Wright, Curtis Thompson, Ethan ( Layne Haller-Hergenrader , Thiep Nuot , Marcellus Moore, Dalton Hansen, Jervon McDonald, Jace Barlow , Mas o· Lorenzo Villegas , Kaleb Anderson, Peyton Holloway; Fourth Row: Emily Ripp-Stdt Trainer, Justin Gruber , l\ Wolfing, Rojelio Puentes, Cole Coffey, Zachary Fredenburg , Matthew Kopplin, Jake Kinghorn, Trent Defruitt.. Roberson, Jerhett Meyers, Caden Lill, JJ Lowe, Ryan Bajc, Ashton Fleming, Zerik Johnson, Colton Reed, Adria n Zoie Fitzsimmons-Stdt Mgr; Fifth Row: Melissa Blair-Stdt Trainer , Caden Steiger, Lynden Brugemann, Kade n Nathaniel Fredenburg, Jake Seip, DJ McGarvie , Dominic Coleman, Andreas Dittman, Ken Piyotem, Jordin Wats o, Kutschkau, Riley Kutschkau, Isaiah Donaldson, Tyler Schur, Jace Elliot, John Cameron, Rochelle Bose-Stdt M Row: Maddie Isabell-Stdt Mgr, Coach Joel Schindler, Coach John Goodwin, Coach Trevin Ball, Coach Alex Peim ar Tim Amen , Coach Jordan Lauterbach, Coach Brian Lauck, Coach Tony Kobza, Coach Trevor Birdzell, Coach Sco tt Coach Davis Ball , Coach Brett Freitag, Coach James Thompson, Coach Jake Froscheiser, EmmaLee Grant-Stdt M g ,
i stian Aiden n dall, Jl iller, emus Evan
First Row: Adrian Haynes, Suliman Tahir, Ami Nguyen, Carlin Baker, Mathew Siegel, Jaiden Hernand~z , < Boerngen, Markel Reeves, James Sizer, Brandon Beck; Second Row: David Givens, Aidan Reinsch, Lorenzo Kaleb Anderson, Rojelio Puentes, Curtis Thompson, Zerik Johnson, Ethan Crandall, Parker Beyer, Colby Lu t Merkel; Third Row: Coach Joel Schindler, Coach Trevor Birdzell , Jace Elliott, Lynden Brugeman, Evan Roberso r Meyer, Dominic Coleman, Jake Kinghorn, Tyler Schur, Caden Steiger, Zachary Fredenburg, Coach Jordan Laute rl-
First Row: Brandon Beck, Adrian Haynes, Carlin Baker, Jaden Merkel, James Sizer, Marquis Davist, Carson Nagel, Jaiden Hernandez, Markel Reeves , Lance Kopecky; Second Row : Colby Lutz, Kaleb Anderson, Dallas Wright, Curtis Thompson, Marcellus Moore, Lorenzo Villegas, Parker Beyer, Aiden Reinsch, Mathew Seigel, Roberto Gonzalez, Ami Nguyen, Oscar Beltran; Third Row: Coach Joel Schindler, T J Hood , Marcillus Wolfing, Colton Reed, Zerik Johnson, Zachary Fredenburg, Rojelio Puentes, Cole Coffey, Adrian Aguilar, Layne Haller-Hergenrader, Theip Nuot, Isaiah Mata, Avery Hanson, Jayric McDonald; Fourth Row : Coach Jordan Lauterbach, Christian Boerngen, Justin Gruber, Ryan Bajc, Matthew Kopplin, Jake Kinghorn, Caden Steiger , Lynden Brugemann, Jace Elliot, Evan Roberson, Caden Lill, Ashton Fleming, Austin Fish, DJ 1 Root, David Givens ; Fifth Row: Coach Trevor Birdzell , Ethan Crandall, John Cameron, Kaden Meyer, Jake Seip, DJ McGarvie, Andreas Dittman, Dominic Coleman, Caleb Kutschkau, Isaiah Donaldson, Trent Defruiter, Tyler Schur, Dalton Hansen, Suliman Tuhir
Row: Toby Lammers , Chris English, Jack McKeown , Barrett Goff, Dustin Piper, Mason Louthan, Ryder Carlson, Ayman Malaka, Jordan O'Connor , Preston Nicholls; Second Row: Braylen Morris, Nickolas Henning, Jake Sanford , Sam Michal, Clayton Sim, Kaden Perez, Ryder Nebesniak, Callen Hauschild, Fredrick Harper; Third Row: Jaxon Maas, Terris Linderman, Dylan Hallett, Drew Nevitt, Collin Lewis, Kennauri Singleton, Cole Stroud, Luis Rodriguez, Will Brown, Brody Anker, Broe Turner; Fourth Row: Zavier Bahr, Corbin Eisenbarth, Dallas Paxton, Xzavier Fitzsimmons, Mikyle Stabler, Kade Seip, Davis Jones, Jadyn West, Antonio Pantoja, Brandon Renaud;Fifth Row: Kayla Blackson-Stdt Mgr, Josie Hilkemann-Stdt Mgr , Amara Botti-Stdt Mgr, Coach Brett Freitag, Coach Davis Ball, Coach John Goodwin, Coach Alex Peiman, Coach Jake Froscheiser , Khiamonie Sidney-Stdt Mgr
First
Footb
•
By Violet Foster
The lady Gators had a great season this year and had a good sh O\\ii ng at districts in Kearney.
The girls had a great run at the Lincoln Northeast Invite in Se p t Ember , finishing 3rd place overall, with three Gators placing in the top 15 ;e nior Brecken Schossow placed 3rd, junior Katelyn Osmond placed 7th, an d unior Cassie Niemann placed 12th .
"Golf is a compromise between the people you play with and the w , you play the game ," Osmond said.
e team pla at the LP ip at Highlands Golf Co ur and ches rm Miles and S o riesen were oud of how the girls comp e t. l and e excited for the future of North Star Gi s Golf.
"This year we made great strides in records. We look forward to another Niemann said. and improved on our p t ;onal ar as one big happy f 1ily, "
Coach rin Miles (right) gives junior Katelyn Osmond some a vice before she steps up for her next shot.
At ri ht, Brecken Schossow (12) goes str
t for er shot, trying to stee clear o the sand. "Being on e golf team was a great experience. It ave me the oppo unity to challenge myself and meet new peo le," Schossow s • Schossow was the only senior on the team this ye
First Row: Lilly Hanley, Bro Nels on, Katelyn Osmond, Ca ie Niemann; Second Row: -Kyli e Hood, Brecken Schossow, G1 ~e Rathman, Rayna Pylik, Coa d Scott Friesen; Not pictured: C ach Erin Miles
d Coach Erin Miles watch Lincoln High tee off on ady to hop up next for her first hit off the hole.
Junior Cassie Niemann swings back after lining u shot at Highlands Golf Course •
Katelyn Osmond ( 11) starts her first swin competing against other varsity golfers Norfolk.
Coaches Erin Miles, left , and Scott Friesen, right, talk to senior Brecken Schossow, center, while they wait for groups ahead of them to finsh the hole.
Sophomore Brooke Nelson gets ready to start the fourth hole at Mahoney Golf Course. The wind had picked up, but Nelson's swing was not affected.
7th in Nebraska Class A Rankings
Team Batting
Average: .380
Living In The
By Macy Kistaitis
The North Star softball team dedicated their season to living in the moment. As each week went on throughout the season , J ach
Brittany Hansen had the team focus on different objectives.
"I want this team to leave everything they have on the field and to have no regrets," Coach Brittany Hansen said.
Trust was their word this season and being able to have faith in your teammates, whether it was on offense or defense, w r very important.
At the beginning of the season, the team had a sit down to discuss their hopes and goals. A few team goals they created in Augm Nere to host districts and get first place, which they accomplished, win HAC, and win two games at state.
Coach Hansen had a huge goal to be in the state championship game.
This year there were five seniors on the team and each one had a key role.
Senior co-captain Carly Dembowski said, "We had a very successful year, winning the most games we have ever had in the la · four years with 28 wins. As a senior moving on, I'm excited to see the traditions and the state appearances continue."
Sophomore Alexis Hubbard was one of the starting pitchers and had a very good season. "Gator softball is something special a l our team has a very close bond. North Star is known for our cheering and energy, and being in that environment is exciting to be apart My teammates have turned into my second family and I wouldn't want to take the field with anyone else," Hubbard said.
Over the years, softball hasn't been the biggest sport for students to come out and support, but in the past four years (and three t J S to the state tournament) the student section has grown tremendously. The team feels the love and support from their fans and they h t ) the team get hyped for each game. The softball talent continues to grow each year and the team, parents, and fans hope that, in the near
they can hang that state championship banner in North Star.
Students and the varsity softball team pose for a picture after beating Elkhorn South 16-0 in LPS Invitational championship game. Tons of students came out to support and celebrate the win.
Senior Carly Dembowski, left, and juniors Abby Krieser, center, and Lyndsey Roth celebrate an RBI bringing in another run. The Gators won 19-5 against Lincoln East.
Junior Kylie Shottenkirk catches the ball to try and get the first base runner out. Shottenkirk was also a part of the girls basketball team this season.
Sophomore Danielle Hood strikes a batter out during a game against Southwest. Hood also played shortstop on reserve throughout the season.
prepares to catch a fly outfield
was also apart of the reserve che~rleading squad.
Sophomore Kenne di
The varsity team stands in line listening to the National Anthem before their game against Millard South. The Gators ended up losing 7-6 after a grand slam by Millard South .
Leitschuck
Senior Hanna Roth swings during the first state game against Marian. Roth loved the atmosphere that surrounded her during state this year
Junior Kyrah Haba-Dailey hits a bomb to left field.
Sophomo r e Alivya pumps her team up from second base after she hits a double Bollen has been on varsity since her freshman year .
Junior Lyndsey Roth catches a strike at the state tournament.
Sophomore Olivia Ledin focuses while playing second base. Ledin played on the reserve team.
Jeff Coufal,
Toni
Mike Roth, Stdt Mgr Macy Kistaitis
Brittany
• First Row: Hanna Roth, Taylor Coleman, Emerson Thompson, Madison Frank, Reece Sullivvan, Lyndsey Rot h Anthens, Carly Dembowski; Second Row: Halie Gibson, Mikaela Lawrence, Aubriana Krieser, Kylie Shottenkirk, Haba-Dailey, Alexis Hubbard, Alyvia Bollen, Abby Krieser, Kennedi Leitshuck; Third Row: Stdt Mgr Jeffrey N on, Coach
Coach
Closner, Coach
Hansen, Coach Sarah Mcmanaman, Coach Jana Beche r , oach
First Row: Lily Skrdlant, Anna Sumner, Lexie Gibson, Taylor Coleman, Addie Going, Maya Anthens; Secon d ow Adriana Andrade, Morgan Hightshoe, Kennedi Leitschuck, Alaina Novacek, Reagan Harris; Third Row: Coach Mike l ath Coach Jana Becher, Danielle Hood, Kylie Shottenkirk, Aubrianna Krieser, Coach Toni Closner
Senior Mikaela Lawrence said, "It was great creating bonds with all of the girls on the team. I'm going to miss softball, but I'm excited to see all of the amazing things my teammates will be abl;e to achieve." From left seniors Mikaela Lawrence, Carly Dembowski, Maddie Frank, Hanna Roth, and Halie Gibson.
JV /Reserve
First Row : K::a en McCoy, Jason Phan, Alex Nguyen, Max Kobbernick, Josh Mikus, Cooper Wesslund , Tan Pha
Second Row : Coach Matt L. ckliter, Ethan Mustard, Nolan Haney, Evan Kocian , Owen Jensen , Noah Ingwerson , Coach Nie ·ehn
First Row : Hayden Nagel, Zayd Husein, Giovanni Nieto, Andrew Olsen
Second Row: Zayd Lieske , Justin Nguynen , Travis Vo , Isaac Johnson , Tf Mandachit
Third Row : Coach Matt Lickliter, Evan James, Tyler Dragoo , Tristan C eland, Conn r lahn, Coach Nick Wiehn Not Pictured: Coach Lincoln Chamberlin
Tennis
Sophomore Max Koebem ic k ows the ball up to serve it. Ko e ! n ick played JV this year
Freshman And r ew Olsen ' 1 eys the ball back ov r the ne t. ' s en played for reserv this year.
Junior O en Jensen prepar e hit the all at a meet at W c Ten 1s Cemter. Jensen w a s ne city champion at 1 single s
By Hanna Roth
This year the North Star boys tennis team had a very good season. All of the hard work they put in the off season really paid off.
Coaches Matt Lickliter and Nick Wiehn pushed the players to be their best by running laps around the school and practicing other conditioning drills.
The boys tennis team also had good leadership on the court and in the clas room. "[Seniors] Josh Mikus and Ethan Mustard provided great leadership for the team,", head coach Matt Lickliter said.
The varsity team finished 14th at state in team standings. Senior Ethan Mustard and junior Tan Phan at 1 doubles, senior Josh Mikus and junior Evan Kocian at 2 doubles, and sophomore Cooper Wesslund at 2 singles, were all seeded at the state tournament. Wesslund placed 8th at state and was the only sophomore in school history to place at the state tournament.
To add to the success seen by varisty, the JV team showed great growth and competitiveness They were the first team in North Star history to win the LPS City Championship. Junior Owen Jensen got first place at 1 singles and 1 doubles partners junior Nolan Haney and sophomore Kaden McCoy got first place. Sophomore Max Koebemick placed third at 2 singles and doubles pamters junior Alex Nguyen and sophomore Travis o placed 3rd at 2 doubles.
The reserve team also had a winning season. They showed a lot of up and ming talent and growth on the team.
t left, Cooper Wesslund (10) focuses on rutting his backhand to return the ball. Wesslund played 2 singles or North Star's varsity team and got 8th place at the taJillllrnam.e:nt.:in October.
this year for varsity.
Junior Evan Kocian waits at the net to volley the ball back to the other team. Koican played 2 doubles with senior Josh Mikus.
Senior Ethan Mustard, left, and junior Tan Phan go for the ball to make sure it gets back over the net. They played 1 doubles
Senior Issac Johnson waits to return the serve. 'Ibis was Johnson's first year playing for North Star.
By Lyndsey Roth
Senior Audrey Scully put her final season a ~:i"W-J .W
" From my four years at North Star, this w y far our bests n e grew a lot as a team and accom • several of our goals by; the end of the season. "
By the end of ason, the record they ended with didn't show how muc accomplished together. As a team they grew closer, play: or each other, made memories and bonded as a family. ne of the bigest takeaways the players noticed were the bonds th y made with theb' tearmnates. Sophomore Morgan Smith said, "I got to meet and become close with the girls and most of those rel •onships have lasted for a long time." tching aD the levels play in their gam s showed they would never give u as they played through adversity. "It was really furi to play, e I lmow that we would never give up no matter what is happening," Smith said.
Some changes were made on the coaching staff when both the N and reserve teams got new coaches. Fonner Gator Katie Hitz became the new N coach. Another former Gator, Lexie Gardner, became the reserve coach.
Overall, the season was a success. Sophomore Kinsley Ragland said, "We learned how to grow as a team, and I feel like we definitely became more of a bonded family. We grew, not only as players, but as individuals."
Sophomore Bekka Allick wanns up with passing drills befo : game. E~ry game the Gators had the same wann up in orde ready to play the game.
goes up for a ring the game vers u ~ Jius second year pl on varsity.
Schaefer
Junior Madison Lanum (left) subs for sophomore Morgan Smith during a game
Both Lanum and Smith were on JV.
Sophomore Kinsley Ragland attacks the ball for
Senior Audrey Scully sets up the ball to her teammate for a point during the game. Scully has been apart of the program since her freshman year
ow: Jaidyn Wa
nd Row: Dakarai
d Row: Coach Lex ·
h Shayla Sylveste
First Row: Haley Bourassa, Morgan Smith , Zoe Fisher, Shaun-Quitah Campbell , McKenna Varlack , Olivia Pospisil , Kayla Deist
Second Row: Coach Katie Hitz, Madison Cady, Kahlin Brown , Gabby Notter, Reagan Meier , Reece Towle, K2 ence Leiser, Madison Lanum
Second Ro w: Coach Shayla Sylvester, Greta Za s tro w, Pi per Haen , MiKayla Ray , Rylee Hotopp , Taryn Poulsen, Rahni
Beye r s , Ha lla Looky
Max Koebernick (10) wanns up with a layup in preperation for his game.
Kwat Abdelkarim ( 11)
Luke Juracek (12)
Freshman Kade Seip goes in for the shot during a game against Northeast. Seip was also a part of the varsity football team.
Senior Logan Edwards drives to the baske t dl 1g a game against Millard South. Edwards was pa r t the North Star basketball program for four years.
Senior Zane McGarrell goes up for a warm up layup McGarrell also ran track for North Star
Sophomore Matthew Dt. 1ski crosses up a defender agains t ast. Dunaski was also involved i;:i b a
Sophomore Jace Elliott dribbles the ball down the court against East. Elliott's favorite college basketball team was North Carolina
Freshman Antallah Sandlin'el drives to the basket against Northeast.
Junior Josh Bro wn shoots a jumpshot during Gra n d Island. Brown ha s been on varisty for two yea rs.
By Shelby Cain
Boys Basketball
Going into the season, the North Star boys basketball team had the vis ion of making it to state once again. Unfortunately, they had some setbacks
Before the season starte e •o onovap Williams had tom his AC L the previous spring and freshman B ennon Clemmons fractured h is tibia during a pre-season game, ending his season. The team was go ing into th season with two key te mates not being able to contribut e.
North Star had a promising start to the season go ing undefeated in t e Early Bird Classic with starters Luke Juracek (12 , Jared Lopez (12), Kwat Abdelkarim (11), Josh Brown (11), and DJ McGarvie (11). The team's mindset had to be positive. McGarvie said, "We knew it was going to be tough, but we knew we could win a ainst anyone with or without them."
This mindset helped the team during some of their more challenging games like Kearney, Bellevue East, Elkhorn South, and Lincoln East which all resulted in wins.
North Star played two of the top teams in the state during regular season. Losing 91-88 against Bellevue West and 69-67 against Millard No rt h, North Star showed they could compete. · The 2020 Nort h Star basketball team set a new school record for points per game , averaging 68.3 points. The team also set a school record for made free throws in a season, making 400. The team led the state in made free throws, making 37 more than any other tea m.
Senior Do n ov an Williams scored over 1,000 points in his career, along wi th br eaking a school record for points scored ·n a single game of 50. Senior Luke Juarcek broke the school recor fo r most 3-point ers sc ored in a single game, scoring 32 points.
Unfo rtun ately , North Star did not make a return trip t o the state tournam ent, losing to Gretna during the first round of di tricts 46-42. Senior Dono v an Williams said, "The s eason didn't e d the way we wa ted it o o , b ut I'm glad I got to e perience i ast season with my brothers ." p~P'A 68.3 400
Lopez jumps for tip off against Lopez's favorite memory from this season as the environment when they played Milla d North.
Senior Dua s p during the game again mas's favorite NBA player ho was killed in a helicopter crash in January 020.
Rojeli o --• Pu entes (10) defends against a Northeast player. Puentes also played - • • --" • football for the Gators.
• • th-Stdt Mgr ; Seco
red Lopez , Jake S
ach Matt Gerber , ch Jerem Woo
First Row: Cooper Wesslund , Cole Coffey , Lynden Bruegman , Ivan Karpyuk; Second Row: Coach Nick Wie h r Elliott , Owen Jensen , Jake Seip , Matthew Dunaski , Jack Elliott
First Row: Hamzah Fakhruldeen, Kaden Perez, Isaac Alexander, Garang Deng, Tavian Lewis; Second Row: Maurice Reide , Davis Jones , Kade Seip , Antallah Sandlin 'el, Kalev Allick, Kaiden Huebert, Coach Jeremy Wood
Junior Kylie Shottenkirk looks for a pass during a home game against Papillion. Shottenkirk was a starter on varsity
Junie lor Schaefer jumps for the tip off during the e against Southeast. Schaefer also played volley this year for the Gators.
Freshman Jwana Hajee dribbles the ball up the court. Hajee was on the reserve team
Freshman Halla Looky pl ay: .:i efense against a Lincoln High opp
le Krieser
Josie waits to be thrown to her during warmups before the start of
A DASH OF
man Dyvine season assists, and g had a great season bre season 3-point make steal on 3-point attempts, and e Krieser broke the career points and
'We vercome a lot of obstacles this year," head coach Ellen Jorgenson 1 "Our JV and varsity squads suffered from several .injuries and we had to rely on a lot of young players to step up in difficult situations."
The team had no seniors this year, making it a young team. Juniors had to step up for the captain positions , but it helped the team as a whole.
"It was definitely different that we had no seniors, but we still had tons of experience. Having no seniors is really nice, because we have the same people b ack next year," Shottenkirk said.
Whil e the team finished the season 9-16, eight of the losses were by 10 points or less. If the team would have won half of those close games, they would have had a better record than last year, putting them in a totally different spot for districts
"Our record tells us we are right there to be a very good team, especially nearly beating the defending state champions, Milla rd North, and beating Fremont," Jorgenson said.
The coaching staff is excited for the upcoming season and hopes the athl etes will commit to playing other sports in the off-season so they can build upon what they started.
Sophomore ya dribbles past a defe during a JV game against Northeast.
The varsity basketbal team poses o a picture during a team bonding. They had several team bondings during the season to make the1 am connection stronger.
First Row: Angel Chumber, Iyshia Breazile, Jaeden Webb, Josie Hilkemann, Aleana Loyd; Second Row: Coach De e 1 Reiss, Cardin Ngo-Stdt Mgr, Alakiir Garang, Sammy Leu, Rasheedah Phillips, Cassie Niemann-Stdt Mgr
The girls huddle around each other on their bus ride to the swim meet in Kearney. During this bus ride was the girls' tum to sit in the back of the bus. The boys and girls always faught for the back of the bus when it came to traveling to away meets.
~aki rt g I A SPLASH
By Violet Foster
At left , sophomore Natalee Keodouangdy focuses on her dive during a competition in the North Star pool. Keodouangdy also participated on the Cross Country and Trac k and Field teams.
North Star's swim and dive team had a great seaso n , ·th a total of seven swimmers and two divers making it to state Junior Rylie Morse was the only girl to qualify for
swim meet and competed in the girls 100 butterfly. Along i e he were Tyler Akins (12) and Alex Schadt (11) Akins qualifi ec th boys 50 freestyle and boys 100 freestyle , while Schadt s the SONE boys 50 freestyle. Akins along with senior J ~ks o Quevedo, and juniors Dominic Ferraro , John Pham , a nd Ia son Pair (alternate) qualified for state in the 200 freesty le telay Sophomore divers Lauren Foutz (10) and Jordan Kramer (' ) also qualified.
For some, this season would be their last time swim g fo North Star. This year ' s seniors were Tyler Akins , aitli Hellbusch, Hunter Kinnaman, Owen Kluck , Jackson Q1 r edo , Alec Ripp, and Emily Ripp
Reagan Harris (10) supports the Gator swimmmers in her own cap and goggles. This was Harris's first year managing the swim team after shoulder surgery sidelined her for the season.
50.9 rds 1e o
Both Akins and Morse broke school records this seas or , \ki ns set a new record in the boys 100 freestyle with a tim e seconds and also broke the boys 200 IM and 50 freestyle I Morse broke the record in the girls 100 butterfly with a 1:03:66.
Senior Tyler Aki n~ im the 100 butterfly ring senior night. Aki m ,rake multiple records • rin his years swim m; s for North Star and q! li fted for state multiple t es in various events ..
Swim & Dive Team 2019-2020
First Row: Salwa Hasan, Theresa Fetterman, Jaycee McFadden, Eve Mattson, Kaitlyn Wessel, ReAnne Isom, Alyssa Pair; Second Row: Brianne Travis, Keyri Rodriguez, Ella Bonesteel, Jenna Miller, Avery Anders , Karah Barnes, Lauren Foutz, Jada Sems; Third Row: Mandy Castaneda, Violet Faster, Abdullah Al Mafrachi, Lilly Hanley, Samantha Fox, Hunter Kinnaman, Hayden Nagel, Emily Ripp, Finn Flaherty; Fourth Row: Tatum Hilger, Sage Michael , Mason Pair, Rylie Morse , Nicholas Hakenkamp, Avery Brost, John Pham , Baqer Al Mafrachi, Jackson Quevedo, Karissa Faust ; Fifth Row: Dominic Ferraro, Alex Schadt , Kaden Al Obaidi, Tyler Akins, Nathan Miller , Jordan Kramer, Yossef Al-Samawi, Alec Ripp , William Bernal, Reagan Harris, Rylee Hotopp , Coach Johnny Hower, Coach Jace Ahlberg , Coach David Crosby, Ashley Marino Vega, Tina Tran
A group of Gators huddle together right before the Kearney swim meet. Before each meet, they would touch heads to transfer their postitive energy to one another.
Owen Kluck (12) goes into a back dive while working to maintain good technique. This was Kluck's first year diving for North Star.
Mix Of Student
IBy Cristina Villa-Huerta
Unified Bowling had another great year and brought
l home several wins. North Star beat Southwest and Northeast, got third place at Districts, and lost to Lincoln High. With an overall successful season, members of the team were excited for next year.
Sophomore Renee Gausman has been a member of the team for two years. "I enjoy the sport a lot, I've been bowling since I was 6 years old and Unified Bowling was a great opportunity to meet new people and bowl more."
Gausman also saw good progress in the team and said, "There were some flaws this year, but we definitely grew more as a team and we did compete really great at districts." Gausman is excited to see where the team goes next season, and can't wait to compete even more. "My favorite part is hanging out with friends that I've met, and getting to work and get lots of activities done together."
Coach Leann Boerema has also spent a lot of time with Unified Bowling, being an assisstant coach since the first
year the club began. "We finished third at Districts and they
had a blast. Our goal for them is to meet new people and
compete for their school. We're bringing back our top athletes next year, so hopefully we can have a district champion team with them and new students we're getting. The kids like being involved and feeling like a really cool and valuable part of the school, getting a chance to be on the announcements and involved in these sports allow them to do that," Boerema said.
Junior
DJ Root ties his bowling shoes before warming
up at the District competition. Bowling was one 0
Root's favorite pastimes.
Junior Skylier Yoder is congratulated by her team after picking up a spare. This was Yoders third year on the Unified Bowling team.
The 20 19- 2020 Unified Bowling Team : First row (1 t o r): Co a ch Ben Davis, As st. Coach Rebecca Slattery , Skylier Yoder (11), Zoie Fleming (10) , Al yr a Baxter (12), Marisa Casillas (12) , Ke vi n Me ints (10), Asst. Coa ch Leann Bo e rema ; Second row (1 to r): Renee Gausman (10) , Asst. Coach Tim Nathan, Virginia Burlingam e ( 11 ), Al e xa Solis (9), Julia Paca s (12) Thi rd row (1 tor): Isaac Skalak (11), Kloee Testa (9), Miranda Ro t h (12), DJ Root (11) , Kyle Funk (11) , Piper Hien (9)
:J.:~~9,;~[f~~~~-, r· At left, junior Isaac Skalak swings the ball down for a strike at Districts . Skalak, and senior Miranda Ro th, won Academic All-State awards and Skalak wants to become a professional bowler when he's older.
Junior Kyle Funk exclaims while watching his teammates in the stands. Funk attended a lot of different North Star sporting events.
Sophomore Renee Gausman watches the ball roll towa r d a strike. Gausman grew up in family who loved bowling and was an individual who scored one of the highest amount of points on the North Star t eam
By Ella Bo esteel
Th O19-2020 wrestling s ason was full oundbreakin moments for the Ga rs. Athletes focused a lot aving e ability to chain wr stle , feeling comfortable to scramble in different situations. Another thing the b ys focused on was mental preparation for competing, working on their pr match and practice ro tine daily.
This season was also full of growth. Wrestlers exceed goals p ysically and mentaly. C ach Jake "Fro" Froscheiser said, "I measure growth not s and losses, specially the younger wrestlers, but more their knowle ge of the sport by exe uting skills in practice. How they handle and compete during our ' Gator Day ' ractices."
Senio r played a large role on the team by being leaders both vocally and by teachi the younger wrestlers how to practice and compete, how to push themselv s when they were uncomfortable, and most importantly how to • ersity.
Five orth Star athletes qualified to wrestle at the state wrestling championships. Freshman Paxton Maynard, junior Ethan Hallet, and seniors Justin Yost, Angel Hernandez, and Sheldon Isom all got the chance to compete at state in Omaha. Fro said, "The greatest part of state as a coach is seeing our guys compete. The wrestling season is long and very demanding both mentally, emotionally and physically and qualifying is big in and of itself. State is the pinnacle of their career."
Isom placed 3rd in the state tourament, which was the second highest finish in North Star history.
Senio Angel Hernandez defends a b l. double during his varsity m a t ( Heman ez wrestled all four years a spent the last three years on varsit
Head coach Jacob "Fro" Froscheiser talks an athlete through his match at the state wrestling tournament. Fro had coached wrestling for 15 years and has been head coach for the Gators for 13 years .
nior Sheldon Isom hits a high C during his first m· t e day at state wrestlin som was a four-time 1 tter winner and a two- m state qualifier.
Wrestling T eam 2019- : First Row: Brody CallecLL'-',!.......-~by Lammers, Lucas Belk, Ethan Hall , Jack McKeown, Chris English , Jordan O'Connor , Paxton Ma , reston Nicholls, Ryder Car ; SeC!)ll(J ow: C en , Muhsin Younis , Callen Hauschild, Nelson Lopez , Sarni Mo, Dami Perez, Angel Hernande , icl{I Aclriliiilltervfiies-;-..J:hi.ud ow: Ho ichal, Sam Michal , Jake Sanford, Ryder Nebesniak, Ami Nguyen, Carsen Nage ndy Nguyen, Aden Bourassa, Truong Dinh, Jackaline eyes, Francisco Loredo, Kirsten Adamson , Marah Fullerton; Fourth Row: arley Kessler, Antonio Martinez, Zakk Smith, Hunter Towle, McManus, Lorenz o Villegas, eldon Spencer Leach, An w Henning, Isaiah Mata, Connor Dillavou, Colton Reed, Drew Nevitt; • h Row: Madi Campbel , Ashley Yost, Kay Bratrso , Mason Goeschel, Jaberise Hinds, Nathaniel Fredenburg, Austin Kiefer, Fitzsimmo , allas Paxton, Justin ost, Z k Johnson, Taylor Bargmann, Maddie Isabell; Sixth Row: Gavin Lott, Irving Salinas, Zach Frede g, Coach Jesus Cisnero , Coac Kevin Prai, Coach Jake Froscheiser, Coach Austin Lenhoff, Coach Trevor Birdzell, Tore Austyn Dougherty
Senior Harley Kessler tries to tum on top during an exhibition match on senior night.
Junior Isaiah Mata works for a t spent the last three seasons with the Gator wres mg team
A Burst Of J
Spirit
was vibrant and full of spirit. The cheerleaders nn:i~ -,.+-,frry sporting event, as well as pep rallies , Gatorfest,
At cheer camp in June, they had a giant pep rally with a circus theme. Each squad dressed up as different things you would find at a circus There were a lot of games, handstand contests, races, and activities throughout the spirit rally.
st. Coach Elizabeth Kant , who man and reserve squa said the best thing she witnessed was, "The gro in technique and abilities f the cheerleaders thr ughout the camp. Many the cheerleaders that I wok with come to cam with ve,:y little cheer e erience and it's so cool to s e them learn new skill • e stunting. The eerleaders take camp very se ·ously and work so hard to be t ey can
All eer squads were very hardworking , supportive , and added so c s1tivity to the school. The cheerleaders did so much for North Sar and spread positivity in as many ways as they could In Sept. 27, the ch rleaders hosted their annual Cheer-ios Camp for students in elementary s ool. The cheerleaders taught the Cheer-ios a cheer that they performed at t e varsity football game with all squads.
Senior cheerleader Averi Ford said the best part of cheering was , " eing able to cheer with my friends and cheer for my friends playing the spo . I made a lot of memories "
Senior Mikaela La~ence cheers during Homecoming football game against No rt Platte. Lawrence said "Cheer brought me out o · my shell, and exposed me to extraordinar experiences as a high schooler."
JV coach Abigail Kut s 1 1er , left varsity head coach T , for Schaeffer , center, md freshman/r 1ch Elizabet Kontor pose a pictur: before the Che gam . "I love to see how [the cheerleaders] e toget er as a squad J e becom a close knit squa 1 1at encourage d motiv t tch other to be their best."
n a said she c , s r the next
cheerleaders pose for ph ot o after ecognized on senior night. Megan Vodraska said the best part of being a high school cheerleader was, "going to camp, bonding with my teamates, the enviroment of games and cheering with our ther teams."
Re serv e cheerleader Morgan Smith ( 0) talks to a Cheer-ios partici pant before the game begins. Smith said the most fun thin g abou t Cheer-ios was, "getting to work with the young girls. Che ering i my favorite because of how many memories you m ke ... with your team."
The JV cheer team cheers at a home football game in the fall. Maddilyn Mertes-Haase s d the best part of Cheer was , "getting to make close bonds with your teammates and making friends that will last a life time!"
First Row: Averi Ford, Caitlyn Gish, Kylie Newkirk, Megan Vodraska; Second Row: Ashley Alvarado, Chloe Ijo rr Nguyen, Kayla Enfield, Stephanie Jepson: Third Row: Shelby Lammers, Mikaela Lawrence, Kylee Barnes, Jenna Mi
First Row: Jennifer Calixtro-Sanchez, Ruaa Osman, Ellla Bonesteel, Lexi Weber, Jada Rohlmeier; Second Ro w My, Codgill, Virginia Burlingame, Madison Cady, Jordan Joyner, Blake Millsits, Kenzie Biven, Maddi Haase
First Row: Rachel Crouse, Amya Brown ; Second Row : Kendal Mullen , Macy Juracek; Third Row: Rahni Beyers, Trinity Fuller, Alyssa Hellwege, Kayla Diest
Dazzling the Crowd
otball and basket all games do not know that the Dazzlers did more than just halftime pe:rformances. The North Star dance team may have danced at halftime, but they also performed at rallies, fundraisers, such as Girls Golf in the beginning of the school year , and the Nebraska State Cheer and Dance competition.
This year when our very own Lincoln North Star Dazzlers took the floor at state they were able to perform for judges two times. Since the Dazzlers have been part of the Gator Spirit squad , they had never before pe:rformed two dances at State. With this new experience, the Dazzlers worked their hardest to get two dances State Competition ready. They competed with a Hip-Hop piece for the second time in Dazzler history, and a Jazz piece.
Their first dance this year was a contemporary jazz piece called "Empires," choreographed by Stephanie Murray. For their second dance, they decided to do a hip-hop piece title "Motivation," also choreographed by Murray.
With this being the first time performing two dances it set the st dard for future years of the North Star dance team.
All the hardwork paid off for the Dazzlers, as they came home th a 6th place finish in Hip-Hop.
S nior Halie Gibson h ts a ruby during the Dazzler state jazz r untine. The girls had th oppurtunity to pe orm for basketball fans, in order to prepar for the state audienc
Lexie Gibson (9), left, and Brecken Schossow ( 12) pose for a pic ture together. Gibson said her favorite thing about being a Dazzler was ". spending time with each other."
Madi Witcig ( 11) kicks during a sideline at a basketball game Dazzlers had a series of sidelines they got to perform for the student section before games and pep rallies.
Daz zl
At right, sophomore Dazzler Claire Baker dances during the North Star Homecoming pep rally. The Dazzlers performed for students , staff, and parents at many events
At left, junior Madi Witcig , center , and the three sophomore Dazzlers get the crowd pumped up during a football game During home football games the Dazzlers perform sidelines the majority of the game to keep the crowd pumped ~~~:.;;I up and on their feet.
pose the
performance. Dazzlers performed during halftime at every home gam e for football and basketball. Fo r football games they had the opportunity to perform two times, during pre-game and halftime.
left, senior •Brecken Schossow hits a
Dazzler
Freshmen Amaya Brown, left, and Kendal Mullen cheer during the Freshman First Day Pep Rally. Cheerleaders perform ec 1 the ight song and cheered to u p the crowd on their first day of high school.
Deja'nae Smith (9) learns all about her new Biology class. Smith got to meet her future teachers for the semester.
Freshman First Day
Freshmen Lexi Gibson, left, and Macy Juracek enjoy learning about the school. Students got to walk through their schedules and learn where their classes would be located.
Kalev Allick (9) participate s 1 a relay at the pep rally. "I enjo yE the experience and the intensity \ the race," Allick said.
By Reagan Harris
On Tuesday , Aug. 13, the Class of 2023 officially began their journey as high school students.
Freshman First Day was an oppo rtunity for freshmen to get oriented to their new school and expe ri ence new things without upperclassmen around.
When the freshmen arrived , they went to the auditorium and had an introduction to high school , its new expectations, and watched the annual "Shining Star " performance by the staff English teacher Allison Couch said , "I think all the teachers were excited to act ridiculous ."
Students then had time to meet their teachers , find their classrooms, and meet new people during an abb reviat ed schedule.
During the modified schedule , students learned about the different sports, clubs, and activities they could participate in during high school. At the tables , a coach or sponsor was available to answer any questions the freshmen may have had.
At the end of the day , the freshmen had their very first GatorW alk. They were led out of the main gym by the band and cheerleaders. Teachers made a path for the students to walk through as the GatorW alk d the school day came to an end.
y (9) gives a eacher a high five as she ou during the atorW alk.
Freshman Avery Swanson explores different activity options. Swanson was on the freshman cheer team.
Spreading Spiri~ qoi:o,,Fea ·I
This year, returning students mi setting. different compared to previous years The difference ew
GatorF est was held outside , inst d of in the gym. 'This change caught m ny students by surprise, but it's not the first time Gat , es was held outside.
When North Star opened in 2 03, GatorFest was always held outside. But, because of the crazy weathe in Nebraska it was r: ve inside in approximately 2012 .
Since GatorFest was outside, the was a lot more room for cheerleaders d the band to spread out over the open field in fron t ·the flagpole.
Junior Dazzler Katy Koch said, "I liked p
Being outside also allowed easier access to o e, a .,......_e..,-pretty amazing, and my favorite part was the food trucks. "
ays performing on the floors." y s. Sophomore Francis inh said , " was
Although it was great to get GatorFest out into some fresh air , attracti National Guard , was no longer present. like the inflatable ob course , sponsored by the Nel ::iska
Students who attended Gator Fest loved the new outdoor placement. ey had a lot of fun wat • performances from cheerle iers , Dazzlers , and band.
GatorFest helped spread school spirit by introducing the Gator comm ·ty to coaches and their arts, and encouraging stu d e :s to come out to games during the fall season to support and get their classmates up to play.
At left, Brittney Hansen ad r ses what the softball team plans do T<R._Qa.___,,. season and how school spirit will help. Many students showed up to the softball games throughout the season , including the State tournament in Hasting
The Dazzlers perform a camp hip-hop dance t GatorFest. During the summer, the girls to a week to go to UDA camp in where they ble to learn new dances and
Volleyball Head Coach Jessy Denker, along with senior Miranda Roth, speaking about their upcoming season. During GatorFest, all fall sports are represented and coaches and players were able to take time to talk about upcoming
e while performing at GatorFest. During school events, the band got students, parents, and fans pumped up for whatever the event may be. They played a key role in Gator spirit and getting students more involved in games and rallies. Gator Fest
for eir grade vel on Thursday. The junior class was assigned e colo lack.
Math teacher Jerem dresses up for Neon Day continued his Flannel i day tradition by wearing a mnel under his neon attire.
By Mikael
Homec p1
ool got the opportunity to come together and demonstrate school spi ri s an entire student body.
This week was ·mportant to help encourage and increa school involvement atf North Star. Students and staff showed their en ivi ty in the outfits they ore each day.
Senior Sheldon Isom said, "Spirit Week is v ant because it's a way for the school to nrepare f~r the upcoming Hom e c ning football game an to show school pride."
This year , the ys included Lazy Monday, rendy Tuesday , Class Color Wednesday, Beach Thursday , and Neon Friday Th • ' lass colors included mar on for freshman, navy for sophomores , black for juniors, white for seniors, and staff wore their Gator gear. T ' one day that was new wa Trendy Tuesday.
On Trendy Tuesda students dressed as things trending in today's world. One popular trend students followed wer e itfits regarding the social media , VSCO . is app was very similar to other social media apps like Instagram , but one popular featu re the typical , VSCO girl. A VSCO gir a when an individual wore a large t-shirt, multiple scrunchies , and had a Hydro Flask. Freshman Lexie Gibson was very excited to dress up for spirit week, "For my first spirit week, I thought it was very fun to dr es 1p. I dressed as a VSCO girl , because my friends and I wanted to participate together, and this was a popular trend. "
Seniors Angel Jimenz Hernandez , 1 and Macy Howe are all dressed up These students wore their pajamas t week.
ebekka Gei~ is a scubba ctlv e or eist dressed m or prit week.
From left, juniors Jake Seip, Lyndsey Roth, Saylor Schaefer, Ashley Alvarado, Kylee Barnes, and Kyrah Dailey dress up
JIii
Math teacher Jason Leimbach dresses in neon for Neon Day. Leimbach wore a rainbow wig all day.
Seniors ven or , om e t, e y am, Macy st1tas , and Shel for Lazy day. These seniors were excited to go "all out" for ther seni
Seniors River Hegel , le and Asim Ali dress up as "VSCO Girls" complete with multiple Hydroflask waterbottles, and scrunchies. These seniors were excited to dress up for this day because it was a chance for them to wear something they normally don't wear
Chemistry teacher Rebecca McConnell wears a stuffed gator, connected by magnets, during Class Color day. Staff was encouraged to wear gator gear.
Zoie Fleming (10) dresses up for Lazy Day on Monday Fleming loved to wear her lazy -clothes to school.
Morgan Smith (10) dresses as an E-girl for Trendy Tuesday. Smith was very excited about this day because she could wear g
A Night of
A group of friends dance the night away at the Homecoming dance. There were a variety of songs students danced to .
From left, sophomores Reagan Harris, Alyvia Bollen, senior Megan Vodraska, and sophomore Kenzie Biven take pictures during the Homecoming dance.
Juniors Ahn Le, left, Payton Burklund, center, and Amy Le take a picture in the photo booth provided by Student Council. The photo booth also had props students could use for photos.
Seniors Averi Ford, left, Macy Kistaitis, center, and : lby Lammers pose for a quick picture. The seniors enjoye d rery moment of their final Homecoming
Junior Quaneese Campbell, center, dances with he r ·ends The dance was filled with songs that students loved.
By Cierrah McCullough
Homecoming 2019 will forever be embedded in the minds of the students who attended the dance. To go along with the Neon theme, members of Student Council handed out glow sticks to light up the night.
Junior Nyajaack Ruach said, "I thought it was fun . They had good music. I was told Homecoming wasn't going to be fun, but it actually was."
Students went crazy to the songs "Act Up" by City Girls, "The Git Up" by Blanco Brown, and "Suge" by Dababy. The DJ even played throwbacks like "Teach Me How to Dougie" by Cali Swag District, "Cupid Shuffle" by Cupid, and "Cha Cha Slide" by DJ Casper.
"I thought it was super hype, mainly because I was involved ," freshman Kalev Allick said . "I was so hot I had to step out of the crowd a few times."
The dance lasted from 8-11 p.m. and a total of 810 tickets were sold. Student Council had also donated 100 of those tickets to the school to be sold as part of a Flash Star*Buck sale.
Student Council member Sarah Omar said "With the short time we have, the dance and spirit committee is responsible to plan each day to prepare for homecoming. With help of StuCo we are able to decorate the Bayou on time. Each HoCo is unique and a lot of work, but the end results make it all worth it."
2019-2020 school year and
events.
Senior King & Queen: Donovan Williams and Halie Gibson
Junior Prince & Princess: Brooklyn Hanks and Kyrah Daily
Sophomores: Justus Le and Jada Rohlmeier
. Freshmen: Davis Jones and Avery Swanson
Students dance to the "Cha Cha Slide ." When the song came on, every student at the dance participated, covering the Bayou floor.
Sophomores Max Koebemick, left, and Caiden Steiger show off their matching white Croes at the Homecoming dance.
Croes were a popular shoe during the
were worn at many
By Violet Foster
The Marching Band represented the Pride of the Bayou at North Star·High School.
Joining Marching Band wasn't just joining an activity at school , you joined a big family. Depending on what you played, each section had their love/hate relationships with each other Each section had their own personality. From drumline and saxes being crazy, to the trumpets and tubas trying to play the loudest, to the delicate playing of the flutes and clarinets, Marching Band intertwined with each other playing their music , all while dodging the Color Guards flags.
Marching Band members weren't the only ones who made the band flow so smoothly Directors Joe Albright and Vincent Siomodynes and parents helped in so many ways.
Band parents fed students during trips to competitions and helped the band get ready with uniforms before games and competitions.
Directo r Joe Albright , always excited to start the season said , "Marching band is where you can enjoy the sunrise and sunset with your favorite 100 people , multiple times in the same week."
Albright , who never gave the band as many water breaks as they wanted during band camp , helped with music and visual direction. Assistant director Vincent Simodynes gave the band critical feedback on visuals and helped out by nitpicking on the practice field every school day at 7 a.m.
Marching Band students were sometimes multi- sport athletes too Many of the band members also played sports, like cross country, football , and volleyball, during the marching band season.
This year's band had five seniors: Anna Bryan , Josh Cline , McKinnon Egger, Harrison Guyton, and Kayla James.
A special thank you to Greg Thimgan for taking amazing pictures of our band
Juniors Ian Vondrak, left , and Max Kvittem play side-by-side during competition. Vondrak and Kvittem have both lettered in band.
Members of Marching Band tum to perform during
competition of the season in Columbus The band earned
Superior 1 rating at the competition.
The North StarMarching Band lines up to walk in the Co 1bus parade
The band takes off their hats and plumes after their pe rfo . mce and walk to the sideline to watch awards.
Junior Nolan Thimgan gets exiced for the band's first parade in Columbus. Thimgan also played the Bari sax in Concert Band.
Morgan Smith (10) marches during halftime. Smith also participated in cheer and volleybaff during Marching Band season.
All of our Band seniors are loved and will be missed.
Anna Bryan was the Band's only Color Guard senior. Bryan not only participated in Color Guard, but Theatre too. "If you're not in Marching Band, join it," Bryan said. "Try out for jazz band and Electrophonic. Go to Spring Fling and Husker Parking. It'll be more enjtlyable." There is so much to do in band than just play music Bryan also played the flute in Concert Band.
Harrison Guyton played the snare drums, but also played the clarinet freshman year. Guyton had many great memories in his four years of participating in Marching Band.
Josh Gline played the alto sax and was the section leader of the saxophones. Cline had been playing alto sax since freshman year. He was also part of the jazz band.
McKinnon Egger was the drumline section leader. He played the tenor/ quad drums. Egger said he had an amazing season with the drumline, not knowing much of the band, he still loved being involved and playing all four years. Egger also liked to participate in baseball.
Kayla James was chosen to be Drum Majo r and stood in front of the band and directed them at each game and competition. James became drum major junior year and said she absolutely loved it. Before she became drum major, she played tenor sax in both marching band and concert band.
The Color Guard works with their red silks giving a pop of color to the halftime show.
Pete Pall
By Reagan Harris
This year , North Star theater presented "Peter and the StarCatcher " as their fall play . The show told the story of how a young boy became Peter Pan.
The show was very challenging. The tech crew started working on the set the first week of school and were still putting on the finishing touches right up until show week. They were building , painting , and moving for two straight months.
The cast and crew put a lot of time and effort into this production . They stayed many long hours and dedicated nights working hard to make sure everything was perfect.
Senior Emma McCormick, who played the boy who becomes Peter Pan , said , "This play was so much different than anything we ' ve ever done before. It was a storytelling show , so we needed to ask the audience to imagine a lot. We had a foley box (live produced sound), an amazing set, and used cast members as walls and doors. Our cast, crew , and directors put so much work into this show , and it was so incredibly worth it. "
In addition , the show was longer than most of their previous fall shows by about 30 minutes. Broeker said , "A scene that is "chaotic" actually is meticulously planned so that we are always in complete control. It took so much rehearsal time to get through a single scene ."
Kody Robinson (12) , left, as the Fighting Prawn and Soph i, 2 o ( 11) as the Hawking Clam scare away the Lost Boys durin g x t Star's tion of "Peter and the Star Catcher." The y rer
land.
Senior Abigail Rosenthal as Smee plays the ukulele sings to attract the Lost Boys to Mollusk Island. Rosenthals portrayal of Smee drew many laughs from the audience.
Cast members sing the mermaid song "Mermaid Ou t Me" at the beginning of Act Two. The costumes fo r t year's fall production were very creative and detail
lay e
Cast of "Pete r and the St a r Catcher" perform the closing song of Act One called "Sing On."
Duri ng the production , m wo uld often act as part effect. Brody Vesely ( 11) Tran (10) , center , help E a McCormick (12) , p laying Boy , han g out o
Black Stache, le ft, (play ed b y sophomo re Noah
Trumb le), lai n hi s p lan to Lord Aster , center , Junior Seth Messersmith, le , playing Mrs. Bumbrake, teaches M y about the essentials of young woma ood. Molly was played by soph om or eveah Beam.
by junior C er Bennet) and Smee lay ed by senior Abi gail Rosenthal) after t mg Aster in the cabin of the ship
J ace Alhberg d iscu e mittee about possible een eness did multiple ev ise
Justin ru er ( 11 ), from center e Omari (12) , Madison Burback (10) , ( 11) pose for a picture with former far left, and Jarrell Roach who convention. Van Arsdall was a gradu former campus supervisor.
ge , Aakash Desa , ish , Justin Gruber , Brittney Huynh , Linda K , Marissa Mendez-Santiago , Brooke Nelson , Christian N Olberding , Sarah Omar, Layla Omari, Mariana Opon-Pere Zainab Ridha , Zein Saleh , Lexie Shum , Joseph Slattery , K Tran , Cristina Villa-Huerta , Madisyn Zeiger.
In alphabetical order: Reem Ahmed , Z~e Kouther Al-Ghanemi , Fatima Ali , Christ Naomi Chamberlain , Taylor Cumbli Jalalzai, Israel Kouakou , Anh L
Hamdi Mumade, Anh Nguye Omar , Mariana Opon-Per Ridha , Zein Saleh, I •
son Bi athy Ho , sa Mendez- Sa arlotte Olberd in g goc Pham Nguye n , ems , Joseph Slattery , D, adisyn Zeiger
emi , ack, 1ran go , i.rah tn ab 'nae t est j lls , dlls .
e and diection other feeling like it.' As fo 'following' skills ...I've le a n
really listen and I leam e < th at it's okay to ask for he lp ven when being in a leader p o ion. ~ Sophomore Bekka Alli ck
senior e onven tion ed for being grade out of the
Sophomore prepares Food Drive posters to hang around the school. Nelson was a member of the Community Outreach commitee.
Caitlyn Gish ( 12)
As student council president, senior Aakash Desai concentrates on the council's goals. Desai's focus was to improve school spirit and increase student council's presence throughout the school.
&'~
Kyle Soto (11)
Zein Saleh ( 10)
Na i oume
By Averi Ford
The Student Council execut ive board selected the best candidates for this year's council. The most responsible, respectful, and those who could bring the best ideas and insights to the council were chosen. The executives focused on improving work ethic and increasing motivation throughout the council. The focus was to serve as positive role models throughout the school.
The council's biggest events were school dances and pep rallies. They worked to improve student involvement by continuing activities and performances during the rallies .
This year's Student Council made multiple charitable donations to organizations like Make-A-Wish and the Special Olympics. They also gave a lot back to North Star, $2,000 to be exact. The Blood Drive was a big event for the Community Outreach committee with students , staff, and community members donating blood.
Other accomplishments were when senior Layla Omari was named District 6 President. District 6 is comprised of Lincoln and Lancaster County schools. Each district had to reach a specific amount of community service and this year at state, District 6 was one of the only districts to win a service award for the work they put in towards raising money for Make-A-Wish and volunteering. " e biggest secret to having a productive team is communication. We did this by having meetings every month, using our group ia, and by physically talkin g to one another to ensure our goals were met and we were able to create a change for the "Running over 30 schools seems like a handful, but keeping everyone in the loop is how we were able to get •nvolved in their own councils as well." ention on Oct. 19, North Star Student Council was named as a National Council of i,tQ;lil1!!!-:Ql~ ebraska earned the award. Sophomore Naomi Chamberlain was also awarded .-d
Sophomore Noah Trumble, playing the role of Doctor Frankenstein, unveils his beloved monster, played by junior Brody Vesely .
Hair and Makeup crew members freshman Lauren Vogel, top, and junior Tobie Schaad, bottom , apply makeup to junior Brody Vesely , which would take over an hour before every show. This was both Vogel and Schaarl ' s first year on hair and makeup.
Cast and crew members of "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein " ' e group p~oto at rehearsal before going to State. The cast an ~ re1 members of this year's One Act production worked tirel e s { t put on an amazing show for their audience and judges
Juniors Carter Benett , left , and Alex Nguyen perform du ri n th opening scene. Benett played the roles of Percy Bysshe St. le and Henry Clerval , while Nguyen played the role of Lord Byr 1
Ma ry Shelley's Fran kenstein Oce71a
By Ella Bonesteel
This year, the play "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" was North Star's One Act performance. This play, taking place in the 18th century , told the story of the young scientist, Victor Frankenstein, who created a monster from an unorthodox science experiment. The foule creation brought a great amount of tragedy to Frankenstein's life.
The role of Victor Frankenstein was played by sophomore Noah Trumble and the monster he regretfully created was played by junior Brody Vesely. Trumble and Vesely previously had the opportunity of acting together in last year's One Act production of "Orphan Train, " as well as other performances produced by North Star
One Act was most commonly recognized, and stood out from any other production, because of its time constraints Students had to construct their sets on stage in 7 minutes, perform the play in 30 minutes, and had another 7 minutes to tear down the set and get it off stage, otherwise they would have points deducted from their overall score.
Sophomore Anh Tran said the best part of this year's production was ". getting to know every one and bonding with the cast and crew."
This year's One Act won their district competition in Kearney and trave led to Norfolk for State and performed at the Johnny Carson Theatre The Gators placed 6th at State. •
Senior Moriah Benes helps put up the set during their public performance. With such limited time, it was crucial that crew members setup and tear down their set in an organized, but efficient, manner.
Se nio r Anna Bryan gets her hair curled before their public performance at North Sta r. Bryan played the role of Agatha ·
By Mandy Castaneda
This year, the North Star theater performed " or their spring musical. The cast brought together a beautiful set and performance as they embraced the magic of young Matilda.
The show performance intrigued the audience with amazing pro use, from a magical sink wig change to a disappearing chocolate cake. The performance was full of magical moments that had the audience on the edge of their seats .
Director Brenda Broeker said, "Our veterans did an awesome job of teaching our new participants how to navigate something as big as a Broadway Musical and our new cast and crew truly stepped up and pushed themselves every day. The group did. a great job of working together. "
The cast and crew made a multipurpose set that brought magic to the stage. They had many giant props made by crew members that served many purposes throughout the performance. They even had a magical chalk board that wrote out a message to the evil headmistress Ms.Trunchbull, performed by junior Brody Vesely.
"The best part about my role was finally being able to play the bad guy or girl in this case," Vesely said. "I had always wanted to be the villain of a production."
oved every second of perform i1 on stage, overcoming each ob a cle , and truly becoming Matilda ave all, I loved working along s i< our incredible directors and in cr j ibly talented and phenomenal c a '. and crew."
Senior Emma McCormick p a scene as Matilda. McCorm i r les in many productions o pas four years. She safr enjoyer1 - .n-110--r:ul!'t-i::I" ecause, " 1
Trunchbull, played by junior Brody V£ Jy, d Miss Honey, played by s nior nd, have a heated convers tion Matilda and her learning abili
Freshman Mia Voge r makeup before a perfo "Matilda was such med so much. I It was ge wi rted me an ut life and
Leah Bryan (10), left, an Cailey Wills (12) perform during "Matilda." B an said, "As the cake tray rolls out , I would tas e some of the chocolate frosting left as a p rt of my character and that was such a sacrifice because Addie Going's hands had be r it and so many other people had been touc ·ng it. It tasted so bad, I can't express that en ugh ."
Sophomore Noah Trumb e gets out in the DUNCE cap by Mrs. Trunchbull. Trumble perform ree roles in Matilda, "I s constantly on my feet and nstantly stretching my ability as n actor , switching through a variety of characters so fast and constantly," Trumble said.
cast and crew of "Matilda" pose for a group photo after one of many dress rehearsals. "Matilda" was perfo in February.
North Star teachers are recognized with awards , voted on by students , during the winter pep rally
Eric Samuel Timm presents his finished gainting to students. Timm spoke about adversity and overcoming obstacles during his presentation in the fall.
Junior Kyrah Dailey cheers in victory as the junior team wins the annual relay race during the Homecoming pep rally.
Seniors Halie Gibson Mustard perform a partner flip during the Spirit Rally during the winter pep rally .
So homore Gabby Notter plays the . dun a Lunch Jam in the Bayou, pro ' ·nment while students ate.
A Mix Of School Spirit
Pep
Vodraska
ghout the year, North Star as a whole, cam~ together for pep rallies and different school assemblies. These were just a handful of that allowed students and fa ulty members to show their school spirit and get involved. new assembly this year as artist Eric Samuel Timm, who spoke to students about ho wn, to help visualize w at he was saying. jazz band was also abl to perform during Lunch Jams. Thes Lunch Jams provided stud all three ch periods.
Along wit a b 1es, there were also school-wide pep rallies. At eve pep rally, Student cil created mini games, including a race, that students from every grade could participate in. Sophomore Willi Be ' y favorite game I participated in was cup pong, because I met new people, even though I was bad at it."
One big part of the spring pep rally was when the Dazzlers and varsity cheer team j oi n e together for the Spirit Rally Each chose t senior as their partner This year, with just two weeks of practice, they managed t o put on an unforgettable performance for everyone to enjoy. Senior Zacchary Collins said, "It was great to get the leaders of the senior class tog ether o last time."
ound prize during one of the games during the winter pep rally Wesslund had participated in multiple games in his two years.
version of the Pong . Kluck es won the
part in t ss the gym floor
Freshmen R ag an Klein, left, and Anna Pham partici ate in a Tik T k dance
The Gourmet Gators culinary team holds thei award from the 2020 Nebraska State Pro S Competition. This year's team members includ Gabe Ramirez (12), Kiera Lococo (11), Nyamal
and
This yea(s Culinary team, coached by FCS teacher Camelle Ki nn ey, had a great season full of delicious entrees and delectable desserts
North Star's team competed at Metro Community College in Orr m a, where they won Best Dessert, and had their state competit io at Southeast Community College in Lincoln , where they won Best E 1 ree Plate.
"The Gourmet Gators had a fantastic season," Kinney said. "' 1ey worked really hard and came together as a team. The menu 1ey prepared this year was very much restaurant inspired because w e 1ad the opportunity to work with Chef Dan Watts from Sysco. It is a l, fun to see how the menu, and the team's execution of the menu e \
Left: The team's entree plate, tht a them the Best Entree Award at thei r I Nebraska State Pro Start Cu l Competition was Manhattan Strip . pan-roasted potatoes, blistered to m Jes and a scored trumpet mushroom w 1 a mushroom pan sauce.
at the 2020 Omaha Metropolitan Community College Cul i 1ry Competition.
Lytle (12),
Issac Skalak (11).
Issac Skalak ( 11) gets ready to plate the team's entree during the 2020 Nebraska State Pro Start Culinary Competition. The team won Best Entree at the competition.
Right: The dessert Browned Pineapple
Yuzu Juice Foam, garnished with freeze-dried pineapple and orchid blossoms, won Best Dessert
co, n ssac a a wor to prep t e t £ m' petition.
right
By Alexis Thivierge
Boys and Girls Club (BGC) was the organization that ran North Star's Community Leaming Center (CLC) every day after school. Any student who attended North Star was able to participate in the fun and welcoming en~ronment, surrounded by friends and trained staff.
Club members participated in fun activities, like • football and board games, received homework help , and advice on what to do after high school. Students who participated in BGC were more likely to finish high school, volunteer in the community, and were more likely to go to college.
The BGC was run my Mr. Joe Morrison . "The year for the Boys & Girls Club was very successful in many ways. Our participation in the Boys & Girls Club at North Star almost doubled from our first • year," Morrison said. "It was amazing to have so many LNS students be a part of what we're creating. What not only made this year successful, but what separated North Star from the other high schools was the involvement in differ ent c ommunity events. The Boys & Girls Club had students volunteering on evenings, weekends, an • even over Spring Break.
"I love working with the LNS students because each one has been able to connect in a different way with myself, the BGC, and LNS They all have had a hand in shaping the BGC program with their passions and creativity."
Sophomore Kade
Probst looks over his novel before beginning his homework in the Media Center. Boys & Girls Club was a great place to hang out with friends after school and get homework done.
From left , freshmen Kryton Bechtel , Finn Flaherty Shan Tung, and sophomore Dimor Eba deh Ahwazi study together during Boys & Girls Club afterschool in the Media Ce nter.
Left: Sophomores Hector Gonzalez Zepeda , left, and David Nava look at playlists on their phones to find the
music to listen to while they work on homework during Boys & Girls Club.
Right Sophomores Adrian Ramierz-Mena , Kaiden Hart , Declan Rutt, and Lucio Villarreal relax and talk during Boys & Girls Club after school in the Media Center.
senior Miranda Roth, sophomore Abrar Mohamed, business teacher Tony Kobza, junior Trista Armstrong, and senior Cristina Villa-Huerta celebrate with a photo at the DECA convention. Nebraska DECA attended the Central Region Leadership Conference in Minneapolis in December.
At Right: From left, Abrar Mohamed (10), Nyakuoth Tuach (12), Sophia Cox (11), Cristina Villa-Huerta (12), Lyndsey Roth (11), River Hegel (12), Kylie Shottenkirk (11), and Macy Howe (12) attend the Fall Leadership Conference in La Vista, Neb. This was the first DECA event of the year occurring in September.
By Cristina Villa-Huerta
This year , DECA enjoyed its secon d ye ar at North Star. Formerly known as the Di st ri b utive Education Clubs of America, DECA is n ) W an international organization for high sc h o ul and collegiate students around the world, foc w : g on leadership and marketing of all business as p <'"' t s.
Sophomore Abrar Mohamed was intro d ·, e d to DECA through its advisor, Mr. Tony Kob za in her World of Business class. "My favorite p an about DECA was how different it was as a :: lub ," Mohamed said. "DECA has helped me the business road in a different light and has m e vated me to do better in school and my com m u ry, to make positive change for a better future. "
Junior Sophia Cox ran a campaign fo r state officer position this year. With the m o ation gained from her educational experience , l her success through DECA competitions, in 1ding qualifying for the International Career Dev el ment Conference in Orlando her sophomore y e Cox was inspired for the 2019-2020 school y e , "My favorite part about DECA is how muc h 1e am every time I come to an event. I learn 1/\/ to handle myself in professional situations an w to communicate my ideas effectively. DECA h e: 1ade me a better leader and has inspired me t ake more initiative in my every day life," Cox s a "My favorite part about DECA is the opportuni ty t to travel, going to Florida for ICDC was incre di
North Star DECA plans to expand its pter again next year, to tackle bigger projects , a 1 elp Nebraska DECA grow collectively and succ e 1lly.
Members of North Star's FBLA club take a moment before trick-or-treati ng for canned goods to help the Food Bank. The group collected 400 pounds of food during the outing. Pictured from left to ri ght, starting in front are Make nna Christensen (9) , Abby Dragoo (9) , Al y ssa Hellwege (9), [second row] a dvi so r Maggie Burke , Layla Omari (12) , Mehre t Habtu ( 10), Nyamat Ruach (9) , Sage Michael (9) , Brody Anker (9), [third row ] advisor Davis Ball, Sam Bu sh (12), Dalton Hellwege (12), Abriana Wilson ( 12), [fourth row] Davis Jones (9), Will ' Brown (9) , Kade Seip (9), Alex Nguyen (1 1), c:n d Payton Kirstine (12),
By Cristina Villa-Huerta
Future Business Leaders of America is a national club for high school students interested in the world of business. North Star had a successful year in competition, volunteer projects, and community involvement.
"FBLA inspires and prepares students to become community-minded business leaders in a global society through relevant career preparation and leadership experiences," with its motto in mind, North Star's FBLA students reflected on the 2019-2020 year. Freshman Abby Dragoo enjoyed participating in FBLA. "Everyone in FBLA has a duty that needs to be fulfilled. It interested me not only for the amazing advisors , but because of the people that were running it. They made it super welcoming and made it very exciting. It got me more interested in being involved with my school. Everytime they say 'we need volunteers,' I'm always willing to take on the job," said / Dragoo "Before coming to high school I wanted to be
an orthodontist, but now I would like to own my own p r actice after seeing the business side of things."
Seniors Dalton Hellwege and Josh Mikus were co-presidents this year and they've had the plan for • their presidency since their first year of FBLA. "My goal to grow the FBLA chapter this year was to increase membership by a lot, but not to a point where we impede on the ability to work as a team .I wanted to get more people involved from the North Star community and I think we've introduced many students in what it looks like to be an active member of North Star," said Hellwege "FBLA is a very fun and competitive environment. It is also a great place to network with others across the state, and that's why I like it so much."
The FBLA chapter has a promising career of volunteering and fundraising for the future. With a strong foundation created this year, the chapter is ready for another great year to make an impact on North Star.
Members of FBLA volunteer for their high way pick-up proj ect The club had several volunteer projects thro u gh out the y ear fo r the community.
At Left: Seniors Layla Omari, from left, Dalto n Hellw e ge , Ahmed Darfur, and freshman Alyssa Hellwege celebrat e with the ir awa r ds from a competition at the University of Nebras ka - Omaha Al l the students had been preparing their projects for m onths
By Shelby Cain
National Honor Society's (NHS) main focus this year was getti ng the student body involved in clubs, as well as the community.
Members planned a community wide movie night with gam e s an d face painting for elementary and middle school families whose scho ols ~e e d into North Star.
NHS led multiple different projects around the school throug h o : [h e year like t-shirt and sticker sales, as well as the annual student-faculty l ~s ketball game.
This year's officers were President Layla Omari, Vice Presi d e Hellwege , Secretary Shelby Lammers, Treasurer Hanna Roth , an d Averi Ford. This year's NHS had a total of 55 members along wit Ms Katherine Hill and Mr. Matthew Harris.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, some of the activites di d happen like the student-faculty basketball game and the CLC C Fair.
NHS was blessed to be able to serve North Star and have th e o to be good represetatives of the school.
lwege lights uction Cere
, ll ects her ckers sales
Senior Cristina Villa -H u e
Dalton is t orian dvisors get to munity rtu nity
Seniors Zahra'a Alwaeli, left, and Dalton Hellwege prepare to offically induct Alwaeli into NHS dressed up during the s enger hunt.
'a cas
From left, seniors Brecken Schossow, Carly Dembowski, Av e ~ord, Emma McCormick, Paige Howland, and Megan Vodraska c t ) rate after winning the scavenger hunt during an NHS bonding event.
By Reagan Harris
SkillsUSA is a n ation al o rganizat ion that has many career relat ed ac t ivi ties I including backi ng, robotics , and we lding. Robotics is one of thos e areas that has become popular at No rth Star in rece nt years.
There are man y car ee r events that have sent SkillsUSA stud ents to st a t e and national compet itio n s , including dro nes and multi-media producti on. Th e club was started in 200 4 b y now retired STS teacher Charm Statree.
Junior Kaden Al Obaidi's favorite p art of th e club was, "Working on my robots has been r eally fun and I was ab le to learn a lot. Th e people are r e ally fun and approach able. "
The club had a fun dr aiser where t h ey made and sold cutting boards before winter break. "I bough t t w o to give as gifts," journalism teacher Christina Nevitt said . "My hu sba nd and brother lo ved them." They had also planned a fundraiser selling 3D keyc hains , but it was cut short due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The club works t o rai s e money fo r materials and competitions They were preparing for their VEX and state Ski ll s USA competitions in April, but those were cancelled due t o the pandem ic as well.
•
Above: Kaden Al Obai di (11) wo rks on a robot. Al Obai di not only participated in SkillsUSA and Robotics, but was als o o n the swim team.
Skills S4
Champio o rk ~
Juniors Caden Versch-Marroquin, left, and Logan Elliott work together to complete their robot.
rught: Junior Dylan Ives works on hi s robot. SkillsU SA cl ub members wer e preparing for s t at e competition in Ap ri l. Unfortunatel y th e competition was cancelled du e th e the coronavi rus pand e mic
SkillsUSA team members included (fr om left) : Kaden Al Ob aidi, Dalton Dailey , Dre Mimick, Caden Versch-Marroquin , Brady Sc hil tz , Gavin Dexter-Guy , Cole Filbert, Dylan Ives, Kal e Eliers , and sponsor Ms . Amanda Woodward
out with friends Luke Greisen ( 1 the East High Deb am. The e event.
lhaj practices her rebuttal during her first round during the Millard North Debate Tournament. semifinalist in her event where over hundreds of chool students from all across the country came to ete at the February tournament.
. . Speech/ Deba
By Cristina Villa-Huerta
Senior Azza Elhaj , pre iden tne Deb at, team this year, was a member of the te a m al four years and experienced a lot of ch a ge through her debate career. Along wi h direction and the administration of this ear' new head coach , Colin . ike, the debate t ean had major reconstruction regar i g the t un' functionality and success
"My favorite part about debate is my t arr We have so much fun together. We ' re a ll , oo friends and it makes the activity much 1or enjoyable ," Elhaj said. "Debate teache s 1 1e lot about ongoing real world implicati OI l has also made me more aware of injustic e ~ :i n motivated me to further my educat irn b planning to go to law school. " Elhaj er dit much of her success to debate and ho p t pursue her debate career on a collegiate le I.
Zein Saleh (10) has been a member frn w years and was excited about all th e e, :\11~.~~~...ij) e chapter started this year. "Df at e better understand issues wit hi1 m ommunity, and world. It mad e a~ ans easier and gave me a e, ive when doing school work ," le ,.D bate soon became a construc ti v fu something I was passionate c with my friends. Debate made me a ') I outsp6ken and a passionate speaker. " : le plans to take over the execut ive boar d year and start new recru itment processe s The biggest goal for the team every ye ai ; t get its members to qualify and compete c tr National Speech and Debate tournamen t. 'it team members qualifying and compe ti r • previous years, the experience from the ir iI acts as motivation for the teams e 1 1 Unfortunately this year , the coro n pandemic cut the season short .
le ft, he ad coach Alison Cou ch, Kouther Al-Ghanemi (9) , Reem Ahmed (10) , Charlotte Olberd ing (11) , Pat Bumr aj (11), and assisstant coach Claire Manans ala take a celebrato y p o ai Northeast Speech Tournamen t. Ahmed qualified r the National Speech To urnament and Al - Gha nemi received he first b1 to the Nati on a l Tournament.
By Cristi n a Villa-Huerta
Th e Speech team had another successH....,..,....OMl,l-...1,.'-!,,8!•"- ,.,..,.11i1 fo r ens ic s c ommunity , with head coach Alison Cwcni,mDDna chapt e r for th e North Star Speech team . TH awai t ing th e new challenges that come with a So phom o re and speech team captain Ree to lead the te a m into a new year. "My fav has t o be the t h e friendly environment and !:M't-''1"1-el ~n from all ov e r Nebraska because of Speech Every welc oming and it' s a pos itive community to compete in , said. "Aft e r beg inn ing my freshman year I had no idea what kind of • extracurric ulars I w oul d want to join or were right for me . After being in Oral Co mm un ications , my teacher recommended I j oin the team becaus e I liked the class I had no idea what Speech was , but after getting mor e info rma tion I realized 'it sounded like something I would really like t o d o. "
Junior Charlo tte Olberding had been in Speech since her freshman year and had invested a lot of her time in her • extracurricular acti vi ties , especially Speech . "Speech has helped me become m ore motiv ated , manage my time better, and teach me that when you put in effort and care about what you're doing , your end product will b e great," Olberding said . "Speech changed me by • improving my commu nic a tio n skills and by showing me that when you're a part of produ ctive communities filled with passionate people, so many amazing and wonderful things can happen ."
With the hel p of the Competitive Forensics class , the team had dedicated scho ol t ime t o prepare for competition , and the hard work paid off. Sop h omo r e Reem Ahm ed qualified to compete at the National Speech an d Debate Tournament and freshman Kouther Al-Ghanemi r e ci eve d a bid , meaning sh e qualified one of two t imes necessary t o qu alify for t he tourname nt overall
Unfortunately, like many spring activites , the season was cut art by th e c o ro na vi us pandemic , leaving the National tournament in question.
.. From left, freshman Kouther Al-Ghanemi, sophomore Reem Ahmed, and junior Charlotte Olberding pose for a picture at the Northeast Tournament. Ahmed and Al-Ghanemi were in the Informative event and Olberding was in Poetry.
s
, and
,
From
Sophomo r e
Re e m Ahmed
left
Naomi Chamberla in h old the trophy for th e North Star Tourname nt. North Star hosted • its biggest tourname nt ev e r t hi s year
African A111erican Caucus
In alphabetical order: Alexis Blackwell, Shaun'Quitah Campbell, Manny Choat, Jakobe
Cooper, Destiny Daniels, Garang Deng, Azza
Elhaj, Michael Francis, Mehret Habtu, Isaac Johnson, Alyssa King, Aleana Loyd, Peter Mengelkamp, Kianna Parker, Satchel Redl, Maurice Reide, Antallah Sandlin'el, Lily
Front Row: Suong Tran, Hanna Tran, Mercedes Bright, Zainab Ridha
Back Row: Laura Bui, Sierra Allen, Ang e Le, Trish Nguyen, Hajer Al-Eid
Sponsor: Chun-Yi Su
Front Row: Mehret Habtu, Sam Elliott, Karah
Barnes, Mary Kate Boyle, Joel Henson, Asst.
Coach Ben Lampman, Sarah Omari •
Back Row: Cristina Villa-Huerta, Layla Omari, Zeinab Albusharif, Azza Elhaj, Zein Saleh, Linda Kuku
Not Pictured: Head Coach Colin Dike, Asst.
Coach Morgan McGee
Front Row: Dre Mimick, Dalton Dailey, Kamron Bienka, SRO David Nelson
Back Row: Logan Elliott, Shan Tung, Bra e Schiltz, Sponsor Janice Beard
Drone
Gator Athletic Leaders h i p Association
Hannah Allick, Brody Anker , Kyle r Hahn, Just in Gruber, Kaden Meyer, Bekka Allic k, Jake Se ip , Dominic Coleman , Kade Seip , Ka itlin Hellbusch, Will Brown, Taylor Cum b lidge , Kinsley Ragland, Preston Nicholl s
Sponsors: Kevin Simmerman & Christina Nevi tt
HOSA
Front Row: Noor Al-Robaie , May a Martinez , Nuhad Khan, Preston Nicholls , Miamieen
Al-Maleki, Fatima Alharaz , Dunia Al-Robaie
Back Row: Sponsor Nicole Binderup , Jayden Le, Dion Duong, Beneen Al-Sayagh , Im an Rauf, Hawa Rauf, Katy Koch
FCA Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Sponsor John Hower, Patnck Maradiaga
Doblado , Liem Chot , Kaden Meyer , Sponsor Cody Goerke, Sage Michael , Karli Young
Front Row: Finn Flaherty, Rebecca
Davidson, Kryton Bechtel , Devlyn Down , Sponsor Susan Frack
Back Row: Nico Perez, Logan Sovereign , Matthew Prestwich , Tremaine McGhee, Zander Kuta
Back Row: Mauricio Perez Villacana, Ana Reyes Padilla, Ian McBeth, Alexis Mendez Santiago, Miles Martinez, Joncarlo Vinson Granillo, Brandon Gonzalez Cruz
Middle Easter n Club
Front Row: Bneen Al-Hirez, Ian McBeth, Hawa Rauf
Back Row: Sponsor Dawlat Rauf, Fatima Alharaz , Beneen Al-Sayagh, Iman Rauf, Dunia Al-Robaie , Madena Al Haraz
Key Club
Sponsor Caitlin Wolfe, Olivia Maryott, Jenet Le, Trish Nguyen, Angela Le , Ngan Cu, Laura Bui, Carlene Nguyen, Lilian Nguyen, Angelica Jaimes Uriostegui, Amy Dang, Kelly Vo, Emma Leifert, Madison Lanum, Anh Nguyen, Nancy Nguyen
Front Row: Antwan Ho, Sofia Yeates, Grace Ring, Haley Regnier, Rose Tuttle
Back Row: Sponsor Falla Halsey, Ashlynn Livingston, Kiana Wieneke, Nick Filbert, Hunter Varejcka , Connor McAdams, Felicity Henderson, Mia Ross, Sponsor Amanda Woodward
NAHS
National Art Honor Society
Sponsor Brooke Gillotti, Caylie Anker, Ami Nguyen, Elizabeth Chhoeung, Lana Huetson, Hamdi Mumade , Alya Polfus, Madison Butler Not Pictured: Kyrah Haba-Dailey & Gabe Ramirez
NHS
National Honor Society
Front Row: Rha Rha Rasho, Vanessa Weers, Melia L) Boko, Brittney Huynh, Tammy Nguyen, Angelic a Uriostegui, Umayah Murad, Jervon McDonald; Mi d c Advisor Katherine Hill, Nathaniel Fredenburg, Ow e1 Caitlyn Gish, Emma McCormick, Macy Kistaitis, Ha li e Audrey Scully, Averi Ford, Dalton Hellwege, Layla Om a Kuku, Anna Vu; Back Row: Emily Ripp, Shelby Lamm e n Roth, Mikaela Lawrence, Shelby Cain, Macy Howl Enfield, Cristina Villa-Huerta; Not Pictured: Zeinab All Asim Ali, Zahra'a Alwaeli , Moriah Benes, Kayla Bra t Zacchary Collins, Olivia DeBrie, Carly Dembowski, Aakash Desai, Samantha Grove, River Hegel, Kaitlin Hellbusch, Paige IMerdie Mandungu, Jenna Miller, Ethan Mustard, Tammy Nguyen, Julia Pacas, Breanna Rittenhouse, Brecken Schossow, Le xi Alexis Thompson, Helena Tran, Megan Vodraska, Cailey Wills, Abriana Wilson, Advisor Matthew Harris
Passport to Manhood
Ladu Ladu, Anthony Rouch, Sponsor John Banks, Ke'sean Cunningham, David Givens
, Irving Sali livia Chapa =, Aya aimes Row: !(luck, ib son , Li nda -!a nna Kayla ') h arif, ,vsky, _; la nd , ,h um,
S lant Poetry
Sponsor Melissa Eichinger, Tofun mi Ejembi, Aya Boko, Luci Beltran , Reanne Isom, Coach Bianca Swift
Not Pictured: Zahra'a Alwaeli, Sch y lar Collins, & Coach Saddiq Dzukogi
Fron t Row: Jenny Nguyen, Lina Nguyen, Anh Nguyen, Kelly Huynh, Kim Tran, Nancy Nguyen
Back Row: Lilian Nguyen, Angela Le, Tyler Tran, Lucas Nguyen, Paul Mai, Jenet Le Sponsor: Dawalt Rauf
Front Row: Alexis Solis, Nick Filb ert, Rose Tuttl e, Sponsor Diana McBeth, Ashlynn Livingston, Dimor Ebadeh Ahwazi
Back Row: Persephony Tobin , To fu n mi Ejemb1, Sponsor Melissa Pilney, Sponso r Emily Vesel y, Savannah Bright, Rebecca Davids on, Mike Ross , Kryton Bechtel
Young i:>entocra ts P hoto Unavailable -
Caden Hester , Dalton Dailey, Dre Mimick, Logan Elliott , Sponsor David Travis
Azza Elhaj, Gaby Gonzalez Rosales , Ri v e r Hegel, Layla Orrtari, Cynthia Perez Rodriguez , Zein Saleh, Maab Shogar, Nyakuoth Tuach, Cristina Villa-Huerta
In alphabetical order : Parker Averill ,Chaige Baker, Gabby
Betz Notter , Josh Cline , Joshua Henning , Kayla James , Ryan Jensen , Aidan Klein , Reagan Meier , Nolan Thimgan , Jesus Worth, Nazariy Yefimchuk
In alphabetical orde r : Sierra Allen , Mennah Al-Turfa , Sora Al-Zubeidy , Teia Artman, Rahni Beyers, Zara Bryan, Laura Bui, Madison Cady , Rion Castro, Bailey
• Hernandez , Peyton Holloway, Cassandra Howland, Jadyn Jorgensen, Gracyn Jozsa , Phillip Kishchun , Owen Kluck, Em r ue Kondratyuk, Kiera Lococo , Tori Lococo , Sydney Lorenz, Blake Milisits, Jason Nguyen , Lina Nguyen, Tammy Nguyen, Grayson Nie l son Mariana Opon-Perez, Cassidy Patterson, Matthew Prestwich, Alex Quible, Emily Reese, Eren Renteria , Adriana Reyes, Ana Reyes F i illa Stephanie Rodriguez , Abbey Steager, Anayeli Terrazas, Persephony Tobin, Anh Tran , Hanna Tran, Rose Tuttle , Estrella Uribe v, gas Stephany Uribe Villegas, Lauren Vogel, Erica Vollbrecht, Cassidy Warta , Lindsey Wiegert , Kylee Woizeski , Anna Woodshank
In alphabetical order: Elijah Bakenhus , Jerika Bakenhus, Destiny Daniels, Rebecca Davidson, Sam Hanson , Isabela Hutter, Reanne Isom, Evan James , Harper Johnson , Nuhad Khan, Miles Martinez, Preston Nicholls, Angel Ortiz-Gaytan, MiKayla Ray, Izabel Rivers, Billy Smith , Hailey Smith, Le Tran , Ragan Urwin, Elvis Vo , Sahara Williams , Director Joseph Albright
In alphabetical order: Nichole Aldridg e , abt Betz Notter , Annaliese Brosman , N· Use Butler , Elizabeth Chhoeung , Chloe C blE Margaret Eisenbarth, Nicholas Euter , I 1m . Farr, Alezandra Fernandez , Dominic F ra r Caitlyn Gish , Hannah Gish , Samanth a -ov Joshua Henning, Natalee Keod m. tgd Angela Le , Jenny Nguyen , Lilian Nguy 1 T Nguyen , Breanna Rittenhouse, Cassidy art Yasmin Worth, Director Joseph Albrigh t
In alphabetical order: Christophe r Alvarez, Elvert Alvizures, Alexiah Anderson, Parker Averill, Nolan Benbow, Carter Bennett, Morgan Blayney , Anna Bryan , Leah Bryan, Josh Cline, Ava Cowan, Anna Crane, Paige Eilers, Rylie Eilers, Josie Erickson, Trenten Estell Andrew, Elizabeth Fleming , Eleanor Frye, Trinity Hamilton, Mindy Huynh, Kayla James, Ruot Kier, Matt Kirchhoff, Wyatt Kroeger, Caiden Kuta, Max Kvittem , Justus Le, Kalen Levich, J.J. Lowe , Miguel Manzo, Olivia Maryott, Evan McCarthy, Reagan Meier, Seth Messersmith, Shauna Moran, Paige Myers, Nathan Nee mann, Alex Nguyen , Ami Nguyen, Alyssa Parson, Seanna Patterson, Mia Ross, Mathew Siegel , Morgan
Smith, Tony Smith , Abigail Tabe r, Abagail Terry , Daniel Teten, Nolan Thimgan, McKenna Varlack, Vicente Vela, Lucio Villarreal, Jacob Vollbrecht, Ian Vondrak, Haleigh Welshonse , Directors Joseph Albright & Vincent Simodynes
alphabetical order: Hannah Amberg, Christian Beto, Christian Boemgen, Tina Cao, Marisa Casillas , Frankie Curren , Maddie Davis , Matt Devore, Wes Erickson, Collin Fisher , Rose Fleer, Alison Francisco , Renee Gausman, Avery Hanson, Grace Hemmerling, Sebastian Henn ing, Kaidynce Hickman, Paige Howl and , Stephanie Jepson, Erika Johns on, Emma Langomas , Antonio Martinez , Jairo Martinez, Nevaeh Martinez, Emma McCormick, Seth Messersmith, Kaitlyn Michaelson , Dre Mimick , Alexander Mistoler, Cassie Niemann, Jadyn Nimetz , Satchel Redl , Jave Renshaw, Jenny Rios , Emily Ripp, Evan Roberson, Abigail Rosenthal , Chris topher
Rose Tuttle, Shelby Urtel , Brody Vesely, Kelly Vo, Samuel Vogt, Jaeda Walter, Vanessa Weers, Nalani Wheeler, Madi Witcig, Alexis Yochum, Ashley Yost, Director Kirk Brown, Accornpamst Jennifer Vandyke
Front Row: Jaeda
Walter, Jayden Nimetz; Middle Row: Maddie Davis, Emily Ripp, Stephanie Jepson, Abigail Rosenthal; Back Row: Grace Hemmerling, Brody Vesely, Shelby Urtel, Antonio Martinez, Paige Howland, D'Shawn Scott , Frankie Curren; Director Kirk Brown, Accompanist Jennifer Vandyke; Not pictured : Jakobe Cooper, Satchel Redl
Front Row: Alex Nguyen, Emily Ripp, Margaret Eisenbarth, Paige Meyers, Seanna Patterson; Middle Row: Sydney Lorenz, Persephony Tobin , Samantha Grove, Mariana Opon-Perez, Jenny Nguyen; Back Row: Nolan Benbow, McKinnon Egger, Kayla James, Ryleigh Grove, Lilian Nguyen, Angela Le, Kelly Vo
Sanchez Alcala', D'Shawn Scott, Hail ey Smallwood , Abigail Taber, Mary Jane Testa,
Kayla Alta Bratrsovsky
We are so proud of what you have accomplished! Can't wait to see the next chapter of your life. You have dreamed big and we know you will go far.
Love, Mom, and Dad
Behind You
All your memories Before You
All your dreams Around You
All who love you Within You
All you need
We are so very proud of you and can't wait to see what your future holds .
agu1rre
Alexandra,
We are so proud of the young lady you have become and all that you have accomplished. Never give up! Follow your dreams!
Love you,
Mom, Dad, Xavier, Pinky, & Family
We are so proud of the young man you have become
Pursue your d r eams ; your adventurous spirit , dedication and drive will lead to man y opportunities. May God gu ide your heart!
Love, MOM & DAD
Congratulations Aidan!
We are so proud o f you ! You amaze us at ev ery tum - from your ded ic a ti o n to work and sch ool to the kindness you sho w others.
Your quick wit and sen se of humor have always kep t us o n o ur toes. We love you and can't wa it t o s ee what the world has to offe r you
Love , Dad , Mom , De vin & Katelyn ol be
Con gr a tulations .=ameron!
We are ve1y proud of you and can 't w ait to see where your drea ms and hard work take you in the foture.
Love, Da d , Mom , and Jared
"I a m ready to face any chall e nge that migr t be foolish enough to face me."
-Dwight Schrute, \ "The Office" ; l'
We are so proud of y o u!
Always remember to take pride in all you'v e done , have faith in how far you can go, and enjoy the journey!
Love, Mom, Dad, Makain, Grandmas and Grandpas
Austy n Dougherty
Austyn, Befor e you were born, we drea med about who you woul d become. You have far suc ceeded our best drt:a ms. We are so e xt r emely proud of your a cc o mplishments. We ca n 't w a it to see what the future h olds for you!
Love you so much, Mom, Dad, and Carter
We were truly blessed the day you came into our lives! We are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished . Remember you can do all things through Christ. All our love!
Mom, Dad , Tyson, Jarrek , Nicola and Mason
Halie Gibson Congratulations Halie!
Behind you, all your memories.
Before you, all your dreams.
Around you, all who love you.
Within you, all you need.
We love you and you make us proud, Dad, Mom and Lexie
Peyton aollo-wa y
"I am what time, circumstance, history , have e o me, certainly, but I am also so much more th r that So are we all." ~James Baldwin
You are so much more! Congratulations Pey n! Love , Your
Fan y
Chloe Ijoma
Congratulations Chloel
rm so proud of you and all that you've accomplished! You are everything I could have asked for in a daughter and more. You are smart, kind, independent , and beautiful. You are capable of amazing things and I'm excited to see what the future holds for you!
Love, Mom
Collin Persons
Congratulations Quadel
Whatever you decide to do in life, wherever it takes you, always know that your family loves and supports you .
Love , Mom , Dad, and Kala
AbbeyR
Can't wait to see where the future takes
So very proud of you!!
In everything you do, we see the amazing pers on you are becoming!!
Congratu1ations and good luck in all that you hop e to achieve in the future!
Love , Mom, Dad , & Raiden
Megan
.Alec&Emily Ripp
From the first day of kindergarten through the last day of high school, we could not be more proud of everything you both have accomplished. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for both of you .
Love you!
Mom , Dad , Grandma & Grandpa
Vodraska
Megan - you made it, and we are all s o v ery p roud of you! Your hard work and de di cati on has p ai d off, and you are now a high school graduat e As you look back on these past 4 years fill ed with experi ences , both good and bad, just remember that they are what helped shape th e person you are today. The future m ay be unkown but it's nothing t o be afraid of. Grasp every minute with excitement and gratitude, and th e rest will follo w. We are very excited to se e where the next 4 years take you! We love you!
Mom, Dad, Ambe r, & Michael
Abriana Wilson
Congratulations!
We are so proud of you. •May you accomplish all your hopes and dreams.
Love, Mom , Dad, Amari, & Aolani
Polaris Senior Sta.£f
To my Senior Staff:
Words cannot express how thankful I am to have had each and every one of you on staff this year. Your creativity, dedication, organization, and character made this year special. I know the year didn't end how you had planned , but you persevered.
I wish you all the best as you begin to write many more chapters to your life's story.
~Nev
Macy Kistaitis Shelby Lammers Mikaela Lawrence
Cristina Vill a - 1erta
Jot it down now Seriously, right now. Record the mome nts that made your 2019-2020 memo rable.
HOW DO Y OU STREAM?
BApple AirPods
Analysts report Apple sold 60 million headphones in 2019 alone
TRENDING
What is your A-Z recap of M the most vi ra I content that filled your year?
The Mandalorian premiered with the launch of Disney+ on Nov. 12, 2019. The show sparked the now viral "Baby Yoda" meme trend.
TikTok
TikTok is available in over 150 countries and has more than 1 billion users. The ap p has been downloaded over 123 million tim e in the U.S. alone.
EDisney+
The streaming service has 28.6 million subscribers (as of Feb. 3, 2020).
Fanny Packs are so popular, they make up 25% of accessory sales growth in 2019.
PPlant- b ased Meats
• Top restaurant chains care se rvi ng plant-based patties developed by Impo ssible Foods or Be yond Meat. The Imp ossible Burger has been adopted onto menus in more than 17 ,000 locations, includin g Burger King, White Castle, Little C ae sa rs, Odoba, C he es ec ake Factory and Red Robin restaurants.
A new~!~~ med ia \\ / ~ · term is gaining V popularity, and it describes a lifesty le of reusable straws, hair scrunchies and ' Birkenstocks. #VSCO has over 198 millio n tags on lnstagram.
Photo credits: Shutterstock, Dreams ti me, Newscom
I .. UPDATE
Like, share, tweet, subscribe, #viral, post. Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. What trends did you follow?
favorite apps .
most followed
INSTAGRAM:
1. lnstagram (333m followers)
2. Cristiano Ronalda (204m followers)
3. Ariana Grande (175m followers)
4. Dwayne Johnson (172m followers)
5. Selena Gomez (168m followers)
6. Kylie Jenner (163m followers)
7. Kim Kardashian (160m followers)
8. Lionel Messi (143m followers)
9. Beyonce (141 m followers)
10. Neymar (134m followers)
TWITTER:
1. Barack Obama (113.3m followers)
2. Justin Bieber (11 Om followers)
3. Katy Perry (1 OB.Sm followers)
4. Rihanna (95.8m followers)
5. Taylor Swift (85.8m followers)
6. Cristiano Ronalda (82.8m followers)
7. Lady Gaga (80.9m followers)
8. Ellen DeGeneres (79.6m followers)
9. Donald J. Trump (73.1 m follower~
10. You Tube (72.4m followers)
source : www.brandwatch.com 02/2020
Did you get the new iPh one? What about the game everyone was talking about this ye ar? Take a second and share wha t your favorite new items were this year. What phone do you ha ve?
Photo credits: Shutterstock
By Averi Ford
Some seniors might say the COVID-19, or coronavirus, pandemic ruined their ch ce of experiencing their high school "lasts." Their last spirit week, last prom, last SJ )fts season, last performances, last banquets, and their last chance to say goodby e ;; ay goodbye to those teachers who made a huge impact on their lives over the la st Jur years, the friendships they made, or even just saying goodbye to the place whe re 1ey made the greatest memories of their lives.
Having to experience your last quarter of high school via online resources was n the ideal situation a senior wanted to experience. Due to the contagious virus, precau ) ns were taken to ensure students and staff were safe. This included closing the s c >ol, canceling spring sports practices and events, canceling performances, and lots of ' ~ :ial distancing .' The feeling of not knowing whether something you have looked forw a to since you started high school was going to happen was indescribable.
Many students had already made plans for prom. They bought .dresses, rented t . es, and were making plans, but on March 31, it was official. .. prom was canceled . ,he thought of something you loved and were looking forward to being taken away J m with no way of changing it, was nondescript.
You never truly know how impactful something is, until it is stripped out of yo m lfe. Seniors experienced their last day of high school without even realizing it.
The saying "we just have to wait and see" when it came to graduation w m 1ot something a senior wanted to hear. The past 1'3 years of hard work were suppo s E to lead to walking across the stage and accepting your diploma. As of our dea c 1e, graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2020 were tentatively scheduled for July 26
"This pandemic has affected my school life, the end of cheerleading, and work. Recently, my job had to close its doors to ensure the safety to the public. Almost immediately after, I got an email stating the cheer banquet was canceled. I feel as if everything I've known has been stripped from me. During this arduous time, I'm still trying to be postive and find ways to keep myself busy and healthy."
Kayla Enfield ( 12)
"The pandemic affected me the m ,t when it comes to getting into a th d rountinue. When the pandemic hi , it caused a panic and we are completely changing how we h a, to go about our schoolingt Payton Kirstine ( 12) •
"It sucks being my senior year that this pandemic had to happen. I feellike us seniors are missing out on a lot and we just want to be able to have these last experiences in high school."
Macy Kistaitis ( 12) •
Their
"I am definitely sad tha t my senior year isn't the way I planned fo r it to be, but I understand that the pre cautions being taken are needed to pre vent the spread of the virus ."
Kamrin Feely (12)
"It's really hard to cop e with the fact that everything I have lo oked forward to throughout my yea rs of school n1ay never happen. It's diffi cult to think about how I most likely h ad my las·t day of high school ever and I didn't even know
"t " _J
Caitlyn 1 Gi sh (12) -------------
"The Coronavirus ou tbreak was a very unfortunate way to end our senior year so abruptly. I can speak for most seniors that we wanted to finish out the se mester in the school we love, but don't have t hat option at this point. It will be a struggle to get used to the online classes, but we ha ve to adjust to the new system so we can ke ep ourselves and others around us s a fe. "
Dane Cramer ( 12)
Rt really sucks because we get to miss f out on all the big things like prom and graduation, but we also miss out on seei ng our friends and teachers everyday. i It also really sucks not knowing if we will : have a real last day."
Sam Bush (12)
"It's been tough for everyone having to deal wit h the coronavirus outbreak. For me the part t hat is the toughest is not getting to go to practice everyday and be with my teammates and caoches and just have a good time playing baseball."
Bradyn Hasenpflug (12)
"I knew leaving would be inevitable, but I'm spiteful that there is less time to say goodbye. All the fun activites that kept me going are now canceled or postponed. Knowing I may not be able to walk across the stage in front of my family to receive my diploma I've been working for since kindergarten wrecks me. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that any of us can do life when turbulence is thrown at us."
Jadyn Nimetz (12)
Cut It Down
Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powe ll explains the emergency interest rate cut established March 3. In a rare emergency move , the Federal Reserve cut rates a fu ll percentage point to reach 0.25%. This w as ,n response to increased threats to the eco n o m y and financial markets.
Watching the Market
A trader on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange tracks a historic nosedive caused by COVID-19 fears. The fallout from COVID-19 led to a wild ride on the stock market, including the Dow's nosedives on March 12 and March 16 that triggered a temporary halt in trading. The federal government quickly moved to implement economic stimulus programs. Additionally, the trading floor was closed, and traders worked remotely starting March 23.
Solutions for Relief
Stayin gPositive
Married celebrities Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson were among the first public figures diagnosed with COVID-19. During their quarantine in Austral ia, Hanks shared uplifting messages via social media like, "Thanks to the Helpers. Let's take care of ourselve s and each other." Other public figures to contract the virus:
• Actor Idris Elba and Frozen II actress Rachel Matthews
• Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
• Utah Jazz players Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell
• U.S. Senator Rand Paul
Federal Response
President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence walk from the Oval Office to the White House Rose Garden to declare a national emergency on March 13. The decision freed up $50 billion in federal resources to use to combat COVID-19. President Trump also announced he was waiving interest on student loans and purchasing more crude oil for the U S. strategic reserve.
Senator Cory Booker listens as Senator Kamala Harris shares their plans for legislation to ensu~e paid sick leave to deal with COVID- 19. Several impactful pieces of !egisl ation were proposed in the wake of the pandemic, including stimulus checks to Americans.
Testing Shortage
Richard Drurant waits in his car as medical staff run tests for COVI D-19 at a drive-up facility in West Palm Beach, Florida. Testing availability varied depending on time and placement, and the United States initially faced a shortage of testing kits. In areas hardhit by the virus, drive-up testing was used as a means for diagnosing COVID-19 while minimizing its spread.
Travel Bans
International travelers arrive at Los Angeles International Airport Starting in January, President Trump restricted U.S. entry of foreign nationals who had recently traveled to China, where the virus originated. Travel restrictions · were expanded to include Europe on March 13 and the U.K. and Ireland on March 16.
COVID-19 affected nearly every facet of Americans' lives, resulting in school closures from coast to coast and the cancellation of many major events
WASHINGTON - Jan. 20, 2020
The first known case of COVID-19 is reported in the United States in a 35-year-old man who had recently traveled to Wuhan, China
COVID-19 Pandemic Timeline
New York governor Andrew Cuomo ba ns gatherings of 500 or mo re people , causing many of the nation's most popular tourist attractions, including Broadway theaters, to shut their doors
City officials in Boston cancel the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade, and cities around the nation soon do the same. After initial resistance, the Boston Athlet i c Associat ion announced March 13 they would reschedule the Boston Marathon from April 20 to Sept 14.
The NCAA announces the immediate suspension of all Conference championsh i ps, resulting in the cance llation of the Big 12 Basketball Champ i onships i n Kansas City, M issouri. The organizat ion had already barred fans from attend in g games
The Kentucky Derby is rescheduled from May 2 to Sept 5, the first time since 1945 that America s longest continuous ly held sports ev ent won't occur on the traditional first Saturday in May
KANSAS - March 17, 2020
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly closes all K-12 school buildings for the remainder of the school year, order ing districts to implement re mote learning for students
The Grand Ole Opry closes to the public but continues to provide livestre amed concerts free of charge, a nod to its origins as a live radio broadcast
FLORIDA
- March 12, 2020
Disney and Universal Studios announce plans to close their North A merican theme parks, plus Disney 's park in Paris , France. Walt Disney World in Orlando, Flor i da, and D isneyland in Anaheim , California, announced they would donate all excess food to local food banks
Louisiana officials announce they 're reschedu ling the state's presidential p r imary vote from Apr il 4 to May 19. Louisiana was the first state to announce a delay in voting but was soon followed by several more states , including Georg ia and Ohio
FEB 29 The U.S. increases travel restrictions for South Korea, Iran and Italy. There are 85,000 confirmed cases
"8. 27 Australia's prime minister says a pandemic is inevitable
MARCH 11 U.S. rest ri cts travel from Europe , except Britain and Ireland
Cri sisAround the World
China
_
A barber offers Doctor Liu Zhiping a free haircut at the med i ca l team residence of Hankou Hospital in Wuhan on Feb. 24 to celeb rate Lon gtaitou Day, all while taking extra precautions for his health. The Chinese considered it good luck to have their hair cut on that day, so over 100 barbers volunteered their time and gave nearly 4,000 medical workers a haircut that week. Though the devastating outbreak started in China, their preventative measures slowed the spread of the virus.
Italy
Seven-year-old Pier Paolo refuses to let the quarantine in Rome ste al his joy, choosing to play his trumpet for neighbors. Musical flash mobs erupted in neighborhoods affected by the lockdown as a way to spread ch eer during the COVID-19 pandemic. Italy was one ofthe hardest hit nations, and their death toll surpassed China.
France
France becomes the first nation to close all of its schoo ls. The a ggressive measure was implemented as a way to flatten the curves of the outbreak; however, many parents were left with few options for childcare without school. As the effects of the virus worsened, France and other European nations took additional steps to stem the tide and assist residents impacted.
South Korea
Medical staff test for COVID-19 at a drive-through check post i n Daegu, South Korea The Asian country was initially one of the world's m ost affected countries, but the high numbers may have been due to the high rate of testing The country's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported more than 100 facilities were available for testing, which was free to anyone referred by a doctor.
MARCH 13 U S. declares a state of emergency Seattle and Ohio close sc hools Urgent care clinics in Hawaii offer drive-through testing.
MARCH 5 Congress passes an $8 3 billion emergency spending bill. Virus spreads to at least 14 states. Maryland is first state to declare state of emergency. Californ i a and Oregon waive cost-sharing for COVID-19 testing
MARCH 17 Total cases reach 198,000 with death toll at 7,900 U.S. has 4,660 confirmed cases and 85 deaths. All 50 states report having COVID-19. The White House urges citizens to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and calls for the closure of bars, gyms, restaurants and other venues Government proposes stimulus checks to be sent to each American. Shelter in place order issued in San Francisco Bay area, and New York promises to do the same.
1
T
MARCH 14 House of Representatives passes the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) guaranteeing free coronavirus testing, paid sick leave and boosting unemployment insurance and food safety programs.
M ARC H 1 6 Schools in 39 states are closed temporarily. Kansas is first to announce all K-12 schools will not return to the classroom this school year.
MA RCH 18 Border between U.S and Canada closes.
Photo credits: Newscom
lravel lurmoil
Halted Trips
All major cruise lines around the world suspend their operations in response to the COVID-19 outbreak. Attractions closed, and travelers called off their trips.
Airports experienced overcrowding as passengers were screened returning from spring break trips.
No Games
After initially planning to continue without spectators, sports from the major leagues to collegiate and high school teams cancel or postpone events for public safety. The N.B.A., M.LS., N.H.L., M.LB., N.C.A.A., The Masters and PGA golf tours, Formula One and NASCAR, The Miami Open and virtually all high school spring sports joined in the decision. The Tokyo summer Olympics also announced they would postpone.
Streaming Content
Isolation Games
With school closures, mandatory work-from-home p o i ci es and shelter-in-place directives during the pandemi c , g am ing engagement increases. Wireless carriers reported g ro h of 75% with overall online traffic increasing by 25%.
The most popular online games were Counter
. lobal Offensive, War Zone and the anticipated, soon-to- b e released, Animal Crossing by N intendo.
Sibling Support
With school and child care closures, older siblings help care for younger brothers and sisters when parents work.
Online Escape
COVID-19 impacts nearly every facet of life, includ i temporarily closing movie theaters, concert venue s, festivals, museums, libraries and other attractions. St digital content reached new heights, as performers flive performances and venues shared virtual tours si c ming ,t ed
Comcast NBCUniversal announced it would allow c ) mers to view new films at home through video on dema n e same day as its theatrical release.
Virtual Leaming
A growing number of the nation's schools shut down; millions of parents and students attempt to manage education from home.
Remote work varied, as some schools provided e-learning opportunities, teachers worked to share lessons and everyone sought to find resources suitable for chang ing the scope of the classroom.
Social Distancing
Bumping elbows becomes the new norm to replace handshakes and hugs as the CDC recommended against any gatherings of 10 or more people in an effort to contain COVID-19 Many schools, libraries, universities, churches, and sporting and cultural institutions also shut down.
These measures were an attempt to enforce distance between people, optimally a distance of six feet. Minimizing contact with people meant avoiding public transportation, limiting nonessential travel and skipping social gatherings.
Photo credits: Newscom, Adobe Stock
Big Business Gives Back
Facebook's COO Sheryl Sandberg and other Silicon Valley billionaires launch a $5.5 million Emergency COVID-19 Fund for Feeding Families. PBS Learning Media offered free e-learning to students in California; Adobe offen~d a free two-month subscription to Creative Cloud and Scholastic launched a "Learn at Home" website that contained daily at-home courses for students.
Virtual Field Trips
Many companies and popular travel destinations are offering virtual tours of places students can visit during their extended time at home. The Cincinnati Zoo offered free Virtual Home Safaris through Facebook Live, Google Arts and Culture made tours available to over 2,500 museums and art galleries, and students could travel to national parks such as Yellowstone National Park right from their own living rooms.
Toilet Paper Quarantine
Filling her trunk in West Palm Beach, Florida, on March 14, Tan iesh Simpson and Walgreens associate Luis DaSilva unload her cart of supplies for her to use at home, at work and to ship to her sister in Georgia. When United States citizens began testing positive for COVID-19 and the government began discussing the need fo r quarantines, the public purchased supplies in bulk. Face masks , so ap, hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, bottled water and even toilet pa p er flew off the shelves. Eventually retailers limited the number of to ile t paper packs that consumers could purchase :
Celebrities Step Up
Celebrities give back during the COVID-19 crisis. Many pledged substantial financial contributions, donated to local food banks to help feed their communities, and gave their time. These donations helped workers who faced unemployment or severely reduced hours due to canceled events or reduced patronage to the service industry.
Neighbors Helping eighbors
Volunteers pack food bags in W isconsin. As urgent requests to self- distance or quarant ine j eopard ized t he country 's most vulnerable cit izens, people stepped up. Ass istance was offe red through social med ia, by vis iting relat ives through nurs ing home w indows, de li ve ri ng food , shar ing resources and other sma ll acts of kin d ness
No Child Left Unfed
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the National School Lunch Program serves 30 million students lunch each day, with close to 22 million of those receiving free or reduced lunches, making it the primary source of nutrition for a plethora of students and detrimental to their health if school is not in session. New York City Public Schools, the country's largest school district with over 1 million students and an average of 900,000 meals served daily, provided grab-and-go meals for any student who needed it, which was mirrored by school districts around the country. Along with school districts, local restaurants, charities, churches and even teachers stepped in to make sure students did not go hungry by raising funds for grocery store gift cards and food banks, stuffing emergency food bags and even using buses to deliver food to those who could not pick it up from the school.
to cover the salaries )
#SunshineSongs to encourage students whose high school mus icals were canceled to perform online so she c o uld b e their audience.
pledged
of all Smoothie King Center , employees for a month following the suspension of the NBA regular season.