PLHS Scepter November 2015 by PLHS Scepter

NOVEMBER 2015

ISSUE 2 VOLUME 53 WWW.PLPULSE.COM

T HE

SCEPTER A PUBLICATION OF PAPILLION-LA VISTA HIGH SCHOOL

TABLE OF CONTENTS HAPPENINGS

45 67 89 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21

ACTION Strength from the Sidelines

22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Community Matters

Get Revved Up for Robotics

Fans Take the Loss

They ‘re Hot & They ’re Cold

In The Locker Room

Who’s On Your Ballot?

The Sports You Don’t See

Hablan Espanol?

Diving In Together

SPOTLIGHT

A&E

A Lending Hand

Thanksgiving

The Journey to Find a Job

Pit-iful Stereotypes

Horoscope/Look Again! Keep On Truckin’

OPINION

Trumping the Polls

The Wild Cards Twinning

Junior Sean Ryan and the Monarch Men perform at the Embassy Suites. COVER PHOTO: ZOE BRINK COVER DESIGN: CAMRYN BOWERS

The Scepter is a school-sponsored publication of Papillion-La Vista High School, 402 E. Centennial Rd. Papillion, NE 68046. The Scepter’s office is located in room 307. The Scepter is printed by aPrintis. The Scepter is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association. The Scepter is a school-sponsored publication and therefore recognizes its responsibility to stay within the boundaries that the school administration sets. The Scepter will therefore inform its readers using a high standard of morals and ethics. The Scepter encourages readers to respond in the form of letters to the editor, which can be sent to room 307. The Scepter’s editorial staff reserves the right to edit the letters for grammatical errors and to remove any profanity. The editors also reserve the right to exclude letters that are false in their statements or accusations. The Scepter will not accept advertisements that promote activities illegal to minors. Advertising rates are available upon request.

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Editors: Ally Sargus & Sam Laughlin Writers: Emily Lingelbach Megan Krabbenhoft Kassidy Brown Kaylee Penry Trevor Kalal

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Kayla Schreck Video: Alina Cook Kassidy Brown

Editor: Will Synowiecki Writers: Cal Mathison Megan Krabbenhoff Lauren Lafond Nathan Gendler Raina Dodge

Editor: Brena Groeper Photographers: Cameron Houser PLPulse Writers: Trevor Lewis Hailey McGuire

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Editor: Emma Dargy & Trevor Jurjevich Writers: Brendon Boatwright Hayley Piatkowski Cal Mathison Dylan Nicholson Hannah Cahill Marissa Newman Nathan Gendler Pi Moore

Editors: CJ Curry & David Chavarria Webmaster: Jake Zink

PHOTO: LAURA KRAMER

Editor: Laura Kramer Designers: Camryn Bowers Christina Fisher Jordan Murphy Melanie Amweg

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Editor: Lindsey Lafond Writers: Jonathan Greenfield Alexa Busby Claire Neil Faith Workman Gabby Tingstad Hunter Pombrio Julia Harker Lauren Lafond

Editor-in-Chief: Christa Rahl Scepter Editors: Kelley Ryan & Nicole Ludden Ad Managers: John Nelson Alina Cook

DESIGN

PLPUL

Editors: Angela Bober & Brittany Kellner Writers: Alexander Strehle Andrew Hampton Elliott Wolbach Hannah Im Raina Dodge

OPINION

PHOTO: BRENA GROEPER

What’s your story? H

ow can one five letter word have so many different meanings? So many diverse definitions and explanations when asking one person to the next? The word? Story. Your story begins the moment you are born. Your parents and other family members contribute in shaping this story. Then as you grow older, the decisions you make ultimately impact how your story goes. No, you can’t control what happens to

NOVEMBER 2015

you, but you can decide how to react to the situation. With that in mind, it seems impossible to ever have a bad day; however, we are just people and people make mistakes. Since everyone has such unique stories and different perspectives, it is important to not judge one another. You don’t know what might be happening in that person’s life that has them acting out. They say you don’t know someone until you walk a mile in their shoes. This only happens in the

PHOTO: LAURA KRAMER

movies, so we have to do our best to understand their situation. Some base their story on the 365 days of the year with each day representing a new page. Others talk about a trauma that made them stronger and made them who they are today. Our goal as a Scepter staff is to share your story. Whether your story is published or not, there is always time to revise, rewrite, and keep on writing.

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Community Matters

apillion -La Vista High School could do a lot with $1.3 million dollars. They could refurbish the building, fill the technology carts, and still have money left over for next year. This year, our school district has lost that sum to a piece of legislation called LB 1024, better known as the Learning Community. The Learning Community, while beneficial in concept, costs our school a great sum of money. The plan, first taking effect in 2007, takes funds from eleven school districts in the Douglas and Sarpy counties. These funds are then redistributed from the common levy and allocated for schools in need and student transportation. However, other schools, like PLHS, lose funds each year. “There are four school districts [Omaha, Westside, Millard, and Ralston] that are winners in the formula, and the rest of the school districts are losers,” said assistant superintendent Doug Lewis at a recent community meeting. This loss of funds can be felt throughout the district. PLHS has only one custodian, and every department is feeling the strain of budget cuts. Even cherished traditions are on the line. “They’ve looked at Outdoor Education, and it was almost cut last year,” Mrs. Margaret Skradski said. “It’s a travesty to our kids.” As an English teacher and mother of three, Skradski knows both sides of the budget issue. She sees the strain both in the operations of the school and the quality of instruction her children are receiving. “I feel like we are missing out and losing out,” Skradski said.

HAPPENINGS

The Learning Community is costing PLHS millions.

BY RAINA DODGE

“We don’t have as much money for technology. There’s money that could be used towards that, and we’re losing it.” Students can feel the effects of the plan on their clubs and activities. From football to fine arts, every group is forced to raise more and more of its own money each year. “The amount of money they give to fine arts is abysmal,” said Sam Cacy, senior member of Concert Choir and Broadcasting. “I feel that our school doesn’t get enough funding.” The money that this school is losing is meant to improve diversity and achievement in schools. However, this money is going to districts with low poverty rates, like Millard. Even within

PLHS, there is no concrete evidence to suggest that the Learning Community has improved anything. “The achievement and the success that we’ve had in our district have been solely due to the work that we do,” Lewis said. Lewis calls the plan’s structure flawed. Not all of the money goes to high-need areas, and its effects on achievement cannot be proven with statistics. The Learning Community plan has taken over five million dollars from Papillion-La Vista, and yet there is no change to be seen. The Community may be advantageous to other schools, but Papillion-La Vista sees little to no benefit. “If everyone else is making money off of it, we should too,” sophomore Emmanuel Musonda said.

Where’s the money?

SPOTLIGHT

Source: Papillion-La Vista Schools Learning Community presentation, October 21, 2015 ACTION

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OPINION

Budget cuts have impacted all aspects of the school, from academics to activities and athletics. Principal Jerry Kalina estimates that the school’s budget has been cut by ten percent since the Learning Community’s inception. PHOTOS: PLHS JOURNALISM

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Getting Revved Up for

The PLHS robotics club is preparing for this year’s upcoming competitions.

he whirring of motors and wheels, the sound of gears turning, the shrieking of metal on a grinding wheel and chatter fill the air. The students in the PLHS robotics club are coming up with some ingenious robots to complete this years’ VEX robotics competition. The club is made up of seven students. Even though the club is small, they are doing some big things. “There are to two teams [402a and 402b] that are competing in this year’s VEX competition,” senior Anna House from the 402a team said. Together the two teams use VEX parts in order to build unique robots for competitions. VEX is a company that manufactures metal and electronic parts that can be used to build robots. “This year the competition that we are participating in is called ‘Nothing but Net’” senior Mike Bosiljevac from the 402a team said. “Nothing but Net” is played out on a 12 by 12 foot playing field. On this field there are two goals that serve as the main way teams can score. Alliances can score points by shooting foam balls into these goals. An alliance is a pairing of two teams that work together in order to try and score the most points. “There are 94 green balls that we can use to score during the match,” Bosiljevac said. “Also, there are ten orange bonus balls that are worth double the points than a

HAPPENINGS

Robotics

BY ELLIOTT WOLBACH DESIGN BY TINA FISHER

This is the robot that team 402a will compete with. The students built this robot over the summer, designing and building it themselves. regular ball if scored.” The regular green ball are scored in the low goal are worth one point. If a ball is scored in the high goal, it is worth five points. Making a bonus ball into a low goal is worth two points, and a high goal is worth ten points.

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

“Another way that we can score points in matches is winning the autonomous mode [10 points],” House said. “Also if one of the alliance’s robots is lifted up four inches in the lifting zone, it is worth 25 points. If it’s lifted 12 inches it is worth 50 points.”

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OPINION

Robots must be smaller than 18 inches cubed

Rules for Nothing but Net Robots can only be in possession of four balls at a time

To do well in this competition, teams need not only a properly functioning robot, but also a well thought out game plan. “Our robot is done and now we are just working out small bugs that are still in the system,” Bosiljevac said. Team 402a’s robot is 18 inches cubed (the maximum size a robot can be) and it can shoot the balls from up to 8 feet away from the goal. It picks up balls in the intake system that the students built and they are fed into a launching system that propels the ball out into the

NOVEMBER 2015

Green balls are worth 1 pt. (low goal) and 5 pts. (high goal)

Orange balls are worth 2 pts. (low goal) and 10 pts. (high goal)

goal. As of right now, their robot is not going to pick up others to get the lifting points. Instead they are focusing on scoring by shooting the balls into the goal. “One thing that is unique about the robotics competitions is how fast paced the matches are,” House said. “We only have two minutes to score as many points as we can.” These two minutes are filled with split-second decisions and plenty of adrenaline. Teammates have to be perfectly in sync with each other to increase their chances

Robots can only lift other robots in the last 15 sec. of a match

of winning. The two teams representing PLHS have their next competition at Millard South on Jan. 30, 2016. Both teams have a chance to go on to the state competition. The students in the PLHS robotics club are working hard to make robots that will lead them to victory and maybe go on to win it all. “We are all excited for the upcoming competitions,” Bosiljevac said. “We have a good chance at making it to state this year.”

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they’re

HOT&COLD

Teachers and students experience temperature changes throughout the school.

BY ANDREW HAMPTON

DESIGN BY TINA FISHER

ne odd preparation that some students don’t realize they need to do to survive a class is to dress appropriately for the weather. The weather they’re dressing for is not the weather outside; it’s for the weather inside. Different classrooms in the school experience fairly extreme temperature changes. Ask any student and they will likely say that, for the most part, the rooms are the same temperature. However, there are some rooms that everyone can agree on that are colder than any of the others. Students and teachers may complain about the temperatures of the rooms, but Mr. Jerry Kalina, head principal is aware of the problem. “We do the best we can when it comes to [heating and cooling] the school,” Kalina said. Try as they might, there are rooms that are hotter for different reasons. Some of the reasons are airflow, sunlight, problems with the equipment, and even as simple as the body heat building in the room over the course of the day. “The band room is the worst because it is hot, and there is no way to cool off during the 50 minutes I’m in there,” senior Ethan Maas said.

HAPPENINGS

There are several sensors throughout the school. They are designed to monitor the temperature and alert someone if the temperature rises or falls below preset limits. “It’s all controlled by computer,” Kalina said. “We’re able to control individual rooms and large areas such as the cafeteria and auditorium.” The district employs Mr. Dale Mitera to make sure the HVAC system keeps on running, not only for this school, but others in the district, without a problem. Mitera is

SPOTLIGHT

in charge of repairing any problems that might happen to the school. “Everything at all of the buildings is controlled by my computer,” Mitera said. Through the computer and sensors scattered throughout the school, Mitera and Kalina manage the temperatures of the rooms and keep them within a tolerable range. Mitera and Kalina work hard making sure that everyone is comfortable, but Kalina warns to bring a sweater just in case the rooms are not to your liking.

Junior Kaylin Murcek braces for the cold in Mrs. Benders classroom 313. Although not usually cold, the classroom was that day.

PHOTO: BRENA GROEPER

ACTION

A&E

OPINION

MAPit OUT Watch out! These rooms in the building experience the most dramatic temperature differences

INFOGRAPHIC BY LAURA KRAMER

HOT 75.2

@ 10:00 a.m. ON 10/28/15

73.9

@ 11:00 a.m. ON 11/05/15

62.7

@ 11:00 a.m. ON 11/05/15

63.3

@ 11:00 a.m. ON 10/28/15

59.0

75.7

@ 11:00 a.m. ON 10/28/15

COLD

@ 3:00 p.m. ON 10/29/15

NOVEMBER 2015

THE SCEPTER

Who’s on Your Ballot? Senior Thomas Cahill encourages students to vote. PHOTO BY: ALEXANDER STREHLE

PLHS students give their political views because many upperclassmen will be voting for the first time in the 2016 presidential election.

BY ALEXANDER STREHLE

pick your party

In regards to the 2016 presidential election, with which party you more identify? Democratic

42%

INFOGRAPHIC BY LAURA KRAMER

58% Republican

*Twitter poll; 163 votes*

illary Clinton, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Marco Rubio, and more are all running for the presidency in 2016. Campaigns are already in full swing even though the actual vote isn’t until Nov. 8, 2016. This election impacts many upperclassmen at PLHS since it will be the first time they will be able to vote. Students are eligible to vote if they turn eighteen on or before Election Day. “Everyone who can vote should,” senior Thomas Cahill said. “It’s going to be the person leading the country.” Since voting for the first time can be confusing, it’s a good idea to research the candidates so you can vote for a candidate that shares your political ideas. According to a poll on realclearpolitics.com, Donald Trump is one of the clear frontrunners

HAPPENINGS

on the Republican side. Trump is running with the slogan of “Make America Great Again!” He is leading because he has confidence and resilience. “Other leaders have a lot of better views [than Trump]” junior Maddie Krajewski said. Krajewski isn’t the only student with strong feelings toward the election. Since many are voting for the first time, they truly care about who will be running the country next year. According to another poll on realclearpolitics.com, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are leading in the Democratic polls. Sanders has won the hearts of many students with his campaign slogan, “A political revolution is coming.” “[Sanders] is focused on the

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

youth and who his presidential term will affect,” senior Carina Campbell said. “He is [also] passionate about the Black Lives Matter movement.” Ben Carson, another popular Republican candidate, is running with the slogan of “Heal+Inspire+Revive.” Even though many students have their opinions, others are undecided and will use the upcoming months to help influence their vote. “I don’t know who I’ll vote for,” Cahill said. “I haven’t researched them. I will look up their stances and decide accordingly.” Students still have plenty of time to decide who they are voting for, but they should start preparing now, since they are deciding the future of America.

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OPINION

¿Hablan

The new Spanish class means new challenges for Spanish speaking students.

BY HANNAH IM

Fluent Spanish speakers enjoy a food day in fourth hour Spanish class. PHOTO: BRENA GROEPER

culture full of new sights, smells and tastes may seem worlds away, but it is closer to home than ever thought. According to CNN.com, the US currently has the second greatest amount of Spanish speakers. The number of fluent speakers in the US is only predicted to keep increasing, eventually becoming the highest population of Spanish speakers of any country. At PLHS, about three percent of students speak Spanish as their main language. Half of this group is taking a new class created this year; a Spanish class for Spanish speakers. The pilot program class, taught by Mrs. Joslyn Darling, highlights Hispanic culture and history. In addition to this, the class also builds basic vocabulary knowledge.

NOVEMBER 2015

“When we work on vocab it is AP level vocab,” Darling said. “We focus on skill building activities such as reading and writing.” For one student, it is a chance to learn about what it means to be a Spanish speaker. “It’s fun and interesting to learn about my history and who I am,” sophomore Jennyfer Maldonado said. The class provides an enviroment that is not only academic but also social. “Another reason I took the class is to be with other Spanish speakers,” Jennyfer said. But not all Spanish speaking students have decided to take this class. “Since the class wasn’t AP or honors, I decided not to take the class,” senior Eva Maldonado said.

News of a possible higher level class for Spanish speakers may not affect seniors, but it will impact sophomores and juniors. “We’ve put up a proposal for a second level of Spanish speakers class,” Darling said. “Then they would move up to a Spanish four course.” Overall, the class for fluent Spanish speakers seems to have gotten off to a great start and all signs point to another year. “I’m very excited to have been given the opportunity to do this, and glad that Mr. Kalina has been such a huge supporter of this [class],” Darling said. Spanish may be a way to fill schedules and look good on college applications to some, but for others, Spanish is more than just a language.

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A Lending Hand Liam Thornhill and Joe Scalise take time out of their day to lend a hand to special needs students in P.E. and at lunch.

BY GABBY TINGSTAD

DESIGN BY LAURA KRAMER

hen the thought of a teenage boy comes into mind, carelessness, yelling, and immaturity are thoughts that may follow shortly after. However, senior Liam Thornhill and junior Joe Scalise defy these stereotypes. Both boys take time out of their days to help students with disabilities at PLHS. Beginning in 7th grade, Thornhill and Scalise have been involved in helping with special education students.

HAPPENINGS

“The school counselor chose me to help because she thought I would be good at it, and I’ve done it ever since,” Thornhill said. Every day during 4th period and lunch, Thornhill and Scalise do a variety of different activities including playing kickball, basketball and dodge-ball. “Whatever disability they have, there is always a way they can contribute to which ever activity we are doing,” Thornhill said.

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

Thornhill and Scalise have both helped make a difference in their community, and they have learned from the experience as well. “I’ve learned how to be more patient with people,” Scalise said. “Overall, it has helped me grow as a person.” Knowing that they are making a difference is enough for Thornhill and Scalise. “It’s awesome going to class each day and knowing we are the

A&E

OPINION

highlight of their day,” Thornhill said. Over the past five years, the students have created bonds that are unlike anything else. “Mauri and I have been partners since I started doing this,” Scalise said. “He listens to me very well and I enjoy helping and talking to him.” Both students see a future in

the special education field, and feel as though they could succeed in this area. “Everyday there’s something new,” Thornhill said. “I’ve enjoyed working with them throughout both junior high and high school.” Although negligence, shouting, and acting childish, may come to mind when first thinking of a stereotypical teenage boy, there

are exceptions. As for Thornhill and Scalise, they care for those with disabilities, and push the average high school experience to the side to focus on what really matters.

(Bottom Left) : Liam Thornhill helps Mauri pick out the food she wants during lunch. (Top Right): Joe Scalise and Thornhill take a break during their time while helping in the gym. (Bottom Right): Scalise and Mauri approach the balls during their game of dodgeball. PHOTOS: JOHN NELSON

NOVEMBER 2015

THE SCEPTER

Pit-iful

Stereotypes

Several students are breaking out of the status quo. BY FAITH WORKMAN PAGE DESIGN BY MELANIE AMWEG

hen there is a school full of kids who each have unique and individual personalities, it’s often easy to get into those stereotypical cliques seen on TV. There are the so-called popular kids, the fine arts group, the athletes, and many others. No one is saying that is a bad thing; many people hang out with the people they have most in common with. But they have more to their stories than just a clique, more than just a group of students one passes going to class. Normally during the day it isn’t hard to pass the pits, whether it be on the way back from lunch or heading home. There one will find a tight knit group of students who deem the pits as their hangout spot. But what is so great about the pits? “We hang out in the pits almost every class period,” sophomore Caitlyn Pyle said. “It is a great place to meet with our friends.” Many other students who hang out in the pits agree that it is their signature hang out spot. They know they can go there anytime they are in need of a pep talk. “I hang out in the pits before, during, and after school,” junior Kendall Henn said. “It is a good meeting spot so if I need to talk to someone I can just text them to meet me there.”

HAPPENINGS

Although the pits are a great hangout spot, they are also a place of stereotypes and namecalling. According to some, the stereotypes of the pit kids can get quite annoying. “Personally I think stereotypes are wrong because we are all different,” sophomore Caitlyn Pyle said. “We are all going through our own stuff no matter our background, and ultimately we all need to learn how to step outside the box and make friends outside of our cliques.” This school is full of creative and inspiring souls with great stories to tell. It is important to value the talents they offer in our school. “I do show choir,” Pyle said. “It helps me to get out of my comfort zone and do things I have never done before. This is my first year and I have already learned so much about team building and performance skills.” Henn is also involved in show choir and has a lot to say about stereotypes and tags given by fellow peers. “I don’t like stereotypes at all,” Henn said. “People are all people and they shouldn’t be called out or listed as something. They should be able to be what they want

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

to be and not what other people think that they are.” As teenagers it is easy to get wrapped up in the gossip and not realize that some actions can be pretty destructive. Whether it be in the hallways or even the classroom, it isn’t that hard to hear the hurtful words about fellow friends. Most people agree that opinions should not affect the way you feel about them. “We come from different backgrounds and have different beliefs, but the one thing we have in common is that we all want to make school a fun place. We have each other to lean on and that’s what I like most about the pits,” Pyle said. “But even though we have our cliques, we should try making friends with others, and maybe if we were more inviting, school could be a better place.” These are people of Papio. They’re people who haven’t really gotten the chance to express themselves other than “the kids who hang out in the pits.” Cliques help students find friends to learn the importance of feeling comfortable in a group, but they should also help students to get out there more and make new friends. It might just change the way they look at things.

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OPINION

PLHS students enjoying company from friends and doing homework in the pits PHOTO: BRENA GROEPER

“

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“

People are all people and they shouldn’t be called out or listed as something.

Maybe if we were more inviting, school could be a better place.

KENDALL HENN

CAITLYN PYLE

THE SCEPTER

KEEP ON TRUCKIN’

The group commonly referred to as “Redneck Row” opens up about who they truly are.

BY LAUREN LAFOND AND CHRISTA RAHL PAGE DESIGN BY LAURA KRAMER

ou know who they are. They are at school early and stay beyond 3:20. You hear them rev their engines and watch them screech their tires. They are arguably the most well known group in school, you likely know them as “Redneck Row.” You might see them as country boys from the back parking lot who always wear camo and cowboy boots, but to them they are just another group of friends. They may be the only group of people at school that proudly do burnouts in the parking lot, but aside from the slight differences, they are just typical high school students. “These guys gave me a group

HAPPENINGS

to hang out with,” senior Dylan Knutson said. “I have the best times of my life with them.” According to senior Brandon Pearson, when they are not sitting in the beds of their trucks waiting to be “forced to leave,” they enjoy showing off their continually renovated trucks. “My truck is never fixed,” junior Austen Rudol said. “Every time you fix one thing, something else breaks,” Junior John Szolek owns a 1995 Chevy Silverado 4x4, with a 3-inch lift kit, that is easily identified by its multiple shades of green and blue. He has proudly named it

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ACTION

“Big Bad Blue.” Before he started fixing it up, anyone could have “called it a piece of junk,” but now Szolek would argue that he “made it beautiful.” A unique aspect of this group is that everything Pearson and his friends drive are “built not bought,” However, the trucker stereotype does not fit everyone involved. For example senior Jayce Cervantes (a.k.a “Bean Dip”) drives a 5-Speed manual Honda Civic. It would seem that he would be an outcast in the rows and rows of rusty Fords

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OPINION

and Chevys from the ‘90s, but sophomore Liz Johnson claims that “everybody loves each other and no one judges.” This is especially true for freshman Roman Sturtevant who was accepted into the group when he finally found classmates that accepted him and his family. “They love my family,” Sturtevant said. “That’s why I’m here.” Somehow this school seems to have the idea that they are always up to no good, but senior Dan Slowik believes the opposite to be true. “They made me a better person,” Slowik said.

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The way these people were raised has affected the way they choose not only their trucks, but also their friends. It’s important to freshman Jace Neuhofel that “no matter what, [they’ve] got each other’s back.” Most students enter high school with entirely different friendships than they graduate with, but the self-proclaimed Redneck Row have been friends since junior high and doubt that it will change anytime soon.

THE SCEPTER

The Wild cards

Similar to the popular blog,“Humans of NY,” the Scepter takes a closer look at the people of Papillion-La Vista.

BY HUNTER POMBRIO

PAGE DESIGN BY MELANIE AMWEG

Not your typical

“mates”

igh school identity can be found in many ways: joining sports, getting active in clubs, or just trying to cruise by without anyone noticing. This is not the case for sophomores Shawn Palmer and Harley Rosser and junior Greyson Erickson, who carry around Scalemates, a creature from the popular web comic, “Homestuck.” This tight friend group has taken the liberty of hopefully kick starting a trend at PLHS one step at a time. Students and teachers have taken notice of the sudden rise of Scalemates in the halls, but almost all of them do not know what they are or how they started appearing. “One of my friends brought one to school and we all liked it so we all started getting them and bringing them to school,” Palmer said. It still causes great wonder why someone would bring them to school, but Rosser would like to debunk the many rumors about why they are fans of doing this. “I think it’s cool to show our individuality in addition to them being a form of stress relief for me,” Rosser said. Seeing such an out of the ordinary thing in the halls can draw the occasional stare, but that does not get into Erickson’s head.

HAPPENINGS

“I get some stares and weird looks from people but I do not care about them because it is my life,” Erickson said. What most do not realize is that there is a ‘system’ of how the Scalemates are taken care of and that there are a numerous amount of people in that system. Palmer said that they ‘adopt’ each others’ Scalemates for a day, which consists of treating them like their own and taking great care of it, making a bonding experience he recommends everyone to try. Just like a dog or cat, each Scalemate has its own name and identity. “They are all named because they are like pets, but with all the shuffling of them it’s hard to keep track of all the names,” Rosser said. With expressing their individuality to the whole school, there will be a select few who will judge them

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ACTION

for who they are. “I do not worry about what others will think of me because I do not care about what others think of me,” Erickson said. “However, some of my friends do.” There has been a buzz around the school about this friend group being Satanists, but Rosser would like to tear down this rumor down. “People exaggerate, we did make a circle with our Scalemates, but we did it as a joke and did not mean for it to be blown out of proportion,” Rosser said. Misconceptions and judging someone without knowing them can cause rumors to spread and tear down someone’s reputation. Almost every student knows how it feels to have misconceptions about him or her. This unique group ignores them and knows to live their life in their own way.

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OPINION

Living

Compact

hen someone thinks of reducing their budget, they debate not buying soda and eating out less frequently, but especially not living in a bus. Senior Adam Moats wants to achieve his goal of living in a school bus to save money and travel the country. Thinking of how to save money can become a tedious action since there are so many factors and drawbacks of living so compact, but recent television shows, such as Extreme Cheapskates, have caught Moats’ eye. “I came up with the idea of living in a bus to be as frugal as

possible,” Moats said. Buying a school bus can be a challenge even for the most thrifty of people due to the price of gas and the bus itself. Moats plans to receive donations and save as much as possible to achieve his goal of saving an immense amount of money. As of now, Moats is focused on finishing high school and is not too concerned about his dream. “Achieving this goal is going to take a long time,” Moats said. “I think I will achieve it in 10-20 years.” Once Moats achieves his dream

of owning a old school bus for the price of less than $10,000, he plans to do as much as he can immediately. He plans on going vacationing around the country and living life to the fullest while maintaining a cheap living. As one can see Moats wants to live an alternate lifestyle and travel as his heart desires around the United States. People might question his dream and pick out all the negatives about it, but for Moats he is just a boy with a unique dream.

We know the music not the name

ou’re standing at your locker, wondering if your day can get any worse. The crowded hallways feel strangely muted. When all of a sudden “Ms. Jackson” by OutKast starts slowly approaches your ears, and your day comes together. Senior Dylan King has been playing music out loud in the halls of the school for the last year, gaining many wandering eyes, or ears, along the way. Casually walking through the halls can be a truly unique experience when a normal day turns into walking to class listening to old school hip hop, but most people do not know the reasoning

NOVEMBER 2015

behind it. “To get around the no headphones in the hallways I started bringing speakers,” King said. “I do not care what others think of it.” Of course, with the loud noise radiating through the hallways, there is bound to be trouble when someone tests a rule. “There have been a few problems with the administration,” King said “I almost got suspended one time.” Whenever the music is heard, it is never the same, but it is always a hit song most people know. King said he likes to play some

rap or some good hip hop, but he also likes to switch it up and play the occasional country song. The question everyone is wondering is, how long will he keep this up? “I will continue to play my music through the halls until I graduate or the administration forces me to stop,” King said. King has found a new and entertaining way to brighten every student’s day, and loves when his music brings smiles to the crowded hallways.

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TwinninggninniwT Monarchs talk about their lives as twins.

BY CLAIRE NEIL

PAGE DESIGN BY MELANIE AMWEG

ouble the trouble, or double the fun? Monarchs are seeing double as twins are all around them in the halls. Abby and Jessica Williams are senior twin sisters, who are enjoying each other’s company through high school. “It is great seeing her every day because we are really close and I tell her all of my problems that happen during the day,” Abby said. “It is really like a free therapy session.” Teachers Mr. Chris Curry and Mr. Scott Curry are another set of twins at the school. “Along with having your best friend in your corner, you also have competition every day,” Chris said. Sophomores Jonathan and David Kawaula are going through high school with a “built in best friend.” “It becomes routine to wake up and see him, and I take it for granted,” Jonathan said. Most people don’t have a person that they can tell everything to, but twins have a sibling that is going through the same things at the same time. “We are brutally honest with each other,” Jessica said. “She is definitely my better half.”

HAPPENINGS

Along with sharing problems and conversations with a twin, they also have to share most objects. “In high school, we would fight over who got to drive the car,” Scott said. When the Williams were younger, they would trick their baby sitters. “We would sleep in the other’s bed to mess with them,” Jessica said. Besides tricking people at home, some students also did this at school. The Kawaulas and Currys would switch seats in class when they were younger. “In third grade, we had different teachers. We would switch classes, but we got caught because Chris wrote his own name on his paper,” Scott said. Having a twin is a lot different than a normal sibling. “People think that we have to have different skills, so they think that if I am good at one thing, she must be bad at it, and vice versa,” Abby said. “Once a guy asked both of us out on a date at the same time like we were a package.” The Currys, Kawaulas, and Williams all agreed to having most of the same friends as their twin. They also agreed that both twins must be invited to a party. Why? “Twins are

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

fun people,” Chris said. “If we were to not both be invited somewhere, we would both come anyway,” Jonathan said. Along with having each other, the Williams also have twin brothers. “I think having a twin is more fun than a regular sibling,” Jessica said. “They were always there to play with and they are usually going through the same things.” The Currys have a younger sister and an older brother. They also agree to a twin being a great sibling. “We see eye to eye because of the experiences we have,” Chris Curry said. The Kawaulas don’t have any other siblings so they don’t know any different. Being a twin has its perks, but it can also get confusing. “People get our activities mixed up,” Jessica said. “Last year people would come up to me and ask about Abby’s volleyball, so I would just answer like I was her.” The Currys and Kawaulas said that people do get them mixed up, but not close friends or family. Twin day has been a popular dress up day since elementary school… but for these Monarchs everyday is twin day.

A&E

OPINION

What is the dumbest thing people ask about being a twin? Jonathan Kawaula: “Are you related?” David Kawaula: “Am I seeing double?” Jonathan Kawaula left, David Kawaula right.

Abby Williams: “A guy asked us both out on a date at the same time.” Jessica Williams: “People ask when Abby’s birthday is, and then they ask when mine is,” Jessica Williams left, Abby Williams right.

Mr. Chris Curry: “Do you think the same?” Mr. Scott Curry: “Do you feel the other person’s pain?” Mr. Scott Curry left, Mr. Chris Curry right.

NOVEMBER 2015

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SIDELINES strength from the

HAPPENINGS

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

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OPINION

Team members with limited playing time emerge as leaders from the sidelines.

BY PI MOORE

PAGE DESIGN BY LAURA KRAMER

team player can not only be the best player on the team, but the one that gives their all in practice and leads the team from the sidelines. The level of excitement and enthusiasm for playing under the lights is always at an all-time high. What most people do not realize is that the work put in by the “scout” team to prepare for these important games impacts the team’s overall performance greatly. “My part on the team is to play scout team and to make the team better, even if that means not playing on Friday,” senior football player Ryan Bell said. In order to be prepared for each

upcoming game, the scout team ran every opposing team’s plays, trying to simulate the team they were playing in the upcoming week. “My motive for the team is just to work hard and give it my all in practice to make my teammates better,” Bell said. Although the time and effort made by the players that are a part of the scout team may not have been seen by everyone, the outcome of every game is. “My main job is to keep the team believing that I still believe in them,” senior football player Travis Schwartz said. Each member of the group had something to bring to the table, whether it was ability or support. “I am an excellent leader and can help motivate others to play to the best of their ability,” Schwartz said. Scout teams can also relate to all other sports because each team has leaders that sacrifice playing

time for the betterment of the team. Kerri Wachholtz was a senior on the softball team. She took on the role of leading and encouraging other players. “Softball is a team sport,” Wachholtz said. “Our motto was ‘WBM,’ we before me. The team will always come first.” Being in such a stressful position, the thought of giving up is the only thing that starts to arise. Senior Ethan Anderson from the tennis team had doubts on whether or not he wanted to continue his tennis career. “I thought about quitting numerous times, but the other tennis players convinced me to stay,” Anderson said. For these athletes, the struggles faced throughout each season were beneficial in the end. “I still play because I love the game and everyone on my team,” Schwartz said.“We are family.”

2015-2016

YEARBOOK

$65

until Dec.

18th

SENIOR TRIBUTE SPACE AVAILABLE Order online at YEARBOOKFOREVER.COM or by cash or check in room 307

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NOVEMBER 2015

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fans take the loss Recent success for some professional sports teams give them an unacceptable rise in fan numbers.

OPINION BY DYLAN NICHOLSON PAGE DESIGN BY JORDAN MURPHY

wo years ago, when the Royals were a middle of the pack team, there was very little Royals gear roaming the halls of PLHS. Now after two good years, it seems like everyone and his brother has a Royal shirt. Some teams that have the most bandwagon fans are teams like the Golden State Warriors and the Cleveland Cavaliers in NBA, Kansas City Royals in MLB, New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks in NFL. Whenever a team starts having success, band wagoners storm to the stores to get T-shirts, sweatshirts and jerseys for their team of the month. I understand why people like to root for the best teams in each sport; it is fun to watch the team you root for win. Everybody likes to win. But along with that, I personally think that there isn’t a better feeling than when the team you have rooted for your entire life finally wins the championship for the first time. I can’t see how people can root for one team one year, and then switch to a whole different team the next year. If your team of the year won the championship every single year, it would get boring after a while watching the team win year after year. Yeah, it is hard watching

HAPPENINGS

your team lose, but watching them win outweighs the pain of them losing. There are several levels of being a bandwagon fan. There is the fan that accepts that they are band wagoning and just wants to root for them anyway. Those are the fans that I don’t mind. There’s nothing wrong with rooting for a team just because and admitting that. Then, there is the fan that roots very hard when the team is doing well, and falls back and doesn’t show much pride when they go into a couple off years. The fan that frustrates me is the fan that liked one team one year, and claimed to be a lifelong fan, and then the very next year they claim to be a lifelong fan for a different team. This type of fan will also start rooting for a team in the playoffs in

SPOTLIGHT

a sport that they claimed to never like. If you don’t like a sport, don’t pretend to be a fan for a team in that sport. As a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan, I have listened to years of people telling me the Cubs are horrible and will never win a championship. If I had a nickel every time someone asked when the last time the Cubs won the World Series, I would be rich. Now, as soon as the Cubs have a good year, everyone seems to have hopped on the Cubs bandwagon, and hopped right off as soon as the Cubs got swept. So to all the bandwagon fans in all sports, please pick a team and stay on that fan base no matter the ups and downs. It makes watching sports even more exciting.

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OPINION

What goes on behind the doors of the locker room can contribute to what is brought onto the court.

BY HANNAH CAHILL

ne of the most inspiring things about being human is the ability to keep going when you want to stop, to get back up when you have fallen. Being able to push through and have hope is an attribute all basketball players need. This hope is achieved when no one is looking, when the team is hidden from view and deaf to the roar of the crowd. The pre game locker room talk is crucial to a team’s success. “We all get ready and then listen to some pump up music for a while,” sophomore Lexi Harrison said. “Before we go out, the seniors usually give us a little pep talk, then it’s go time.”

It not only has to inspire the entire team, it has to be balanced enough that the team won’t get hotheaded or fearful. “You can’t go into a game thinking you’re going to lose or you won’t try your best. You also can’t go into a game thinking you’re going to destroy them because then you’ll play lazy,” Harrison said. In some cases, there is no way to prepare a team for what events will occur in the first half.

In The

Positive peer influence, especially when it is a fellow teammate can really boost the confidence of a team and allow the team to play as one. “I try to inspire others by encouraging them and just being there for them. I also try to keep a positive attitude myself,” senior Jordan Long said. A positive role model and a good coach is a necessity to a team that has the desire to win. Without a coach, the drive to continue on and conquer would surely falter. “Our coaches are good at keeping our heads in the game, and staying focused,” Zurcher said. “There have been Powerful speech, no matter who many games in my life from, can be impactful to each and where my team and I every player. were down at half,” junior “I get goose bumps every Isaac Hiebert said. “The time from being in the circle, main force that drives a listening to how our team sees the comeback is the relentless game going,” Harrison said. “Those want to win.” are the games we play our best.” It takes everyone The most important on the team to change their mind set to a winning one ingredient that a winning team and work together in order needs is a team that has the capacity to keep going and to inspire their to change the fate of the teammates to keep pushing on, even game. when the crowd isn’t looking. “We all believe in each other and trust each other,” senior Johnny PHOTOS: HANNAH CAHILL Zurcher said.

Locker Room

Junior Rachelle Fokken and sophomore Alisa Anderson.

NOVEMBER 2015

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THE SPORTS YOU DON’T SEE Athletes of PLHS strive to be the best in high school sports and out of school for club sports.

BY BRENDON BOATWRIGHT

pecial breeds of student athletes walk through the halls of PLHS. These athletes spend most of their free time, or lack thereof, participating in both high school and community or club sports. They spend hours at a time practicing to be the best they can be. During both high school and club seasons, these athletes push past their limits and give all of the effort they can in order to help themselves and the team. However, the athletes themselves may have a favorite between club and high school.

“I like club more because I like going out of state to college showcases and tournaments,” junior soccer player Brian Marousek said. Marousek plays for the Omaha Futbol Club and is just one of the countless athletes who play both club and high school sports. However, other students may not agree with Marousek and believe that high school is better than club. “There is a more significant feeling of playing to represent the whole school,” senior swimmer David Cavanaugh said. “Also, you do not want to let your classmates down.” The differences between high school and club make it easy for these athletes to be opinionated. “The main difference between high school and club is the fact that in club there are more tournaments and more traveling,” PHOTO: JOHN MAROUSEK

PHOTO: ALISA ANDERSON

PHOTO: HANNAH CAHILL

HAPPENINGS

SPOTLIGHT

sophomore basketball player Josie Andersen said. Instead Andersen’s practices are three times a week for three hours instead of two hours each night for the Grizzlies. These athletes can acquire many beneficial perks while participating in both club and high school. “You get an edge on players who do only one or the other,” Andersen said. “Instead of just developing skill, in the sport’s season, you can improve all year.” Along with the edge over other players there are other additional benefits that playing both will give. “It keeps you in shape and helps push you to accomplish your goals all year round,” Cavanaugh said. He swims for the Sarpy County Swim Club. As always, with perks there are also disadvantages. Time is something that these athletes have to manage and have set perfectly in order to do what they do. According to Marousek there is a way to fit everything in, which is “organizing time” and allowing for a chance to get everything completed on time. The drive of student athletes is a powerful thing. For the athletes that participate in both seasons, the drive can be even be stronger. It is a yearlong effort that tests their will and everything they have in them to be the best they can be.

ACTION

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OPINION

DIV IN G In

Seniors Marissa Behounek, Jordan McCollough and Maddie Goetzinger and Junior Kat Keller pose for the camera.

PHOTO: PLHS JOURNALISM

Together

Two rival schools come together to form one united swim team.

BY ALEXA BUSBY

PAGE DESIGN BY JORDAN MURPHY

he cross-town rivalry between the Monarchs and Titans has been prominent ever since the infamous split. But athletic competition draws the line between this disdain of the two schools. The swim and dive team is a united group of students from both and Papillion South. The two groups of swimmers must combine to form one united team. However, with the MonarchTitan rivalry, some might think that it is difficult to do so. Sophomore Caitlyn Seidl has been swimming for almost five years and knows a lot of people from Papillion South. “I have Titan friends and they are all super nice,” Seidl said. Most people cannot tell the difference between a Monarch and Titan swimmer because they are considered to be one team.

NOVEMBER 2015

This year the team’s suits are blue, causing some controversy as most Monarch swimmers bleed maroon and gold. “I think that the blue suits are a good way to represent that we do have Titans on out team, but I don’t think that we should have a specific color because it makes Monarchs feel left out,” Seidl said. “We [should] represent both schools and not just one because we are all a team together.” Some non-swimmers don’t believe that Titans and Monarchs can get along on a team together. “I don’t think it’s okay,” senior Max Warnock said, “They should get their own pool.” Senior Billy Salber disagrees with Warnock because having both schools on the team helps Papio as a team.

“Titans and Monarchs get along very well,” Salber said. Even though some people may see a friendly relationship between the two schools, it is all but loving when the two face off against each other. “After a big game there is sometimes trash talk, but it is always good fun. They are my teammates but they are still our rival school, and I love a good rivalry,” senior David Cavanaugh said. Cavanaugh claims that he is a great trash talker. “I got into a fun debate over how we are Papillion-La Vista not Papio North, as many Titans would call us,” Cavanaugh said. It may be difficult to compete alongside an enemy, but it is easy to take in the newfound success.

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ERNTEDANKFEST

Ladainha

THANKSGIVING Ladin

I’Action de Grace

CHU-SOK

The foreign students at PLHS reflect on their Thanksgiving experiences and their reaction to the holiday.

BY KASSIDY BROWN

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

“

“Thanksgivng is more like Christmas in Portugal.”

HAPPENINGS

Thanksgiving or have nothing like it. “I didn’t really know what to think because it’s kind of more like Christmas in Portugal, but with no presents and we have nothing like it there,” Pinto said. Thanksgiving is one of the most praised national holidays and many foreign students love the holiday. “It’s a very important holiday because it’s good when people appreciate what they have and it’s necessary to have a day to show our appreciation,” Slyusarchuk said. We get to appreciate the things we have and be thankful for our friends and family, and let us not forget the food. Thanksgiving is loved all across PLHS and our exchange students are very excited to experience it.

memorable one. “Since we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving in Portugal, my dad’s friends came over and we had all the traditional food like turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and it was really fun,” sophomore Matlide Pinto said. Many foreign students here at PLHS will either be experiencing Thanksgiving for the first time with their host families, or they’ll experience the holiday once again. One of the many things students look forward to is the time off school before finals and winter break. “I’m excited for Thanksgiving because we don’t have it in Ukraine, and I’m excited to have three days off of school,” Slyusarchuk said. Other countries either don’t have holidays similar to

MATILDE PINTO

SPOTLIGHT

“

hanksgiving is the glorious holiday between Halloween and Christmas. Over the years, Americans have started many traditions like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, football and of course the food. The thing that gets overshadowed is some people, who are new to the United States, have never experienced Thanksgiving before. Some countries have days similar to Thanksgiving and others do not. “In Ukraine, the day before Easter, is the day of forgiveness and we prepare for Easter,” senior and foreign exchange student, Anastasyia Slyusarchuk said. For families who have lived in the United States for a while, their first Thanksgiving was a

“Thanksgiving gives us an opprotunity to thank our family.

ANASTASIYA SLYUSARCHUK

ACTION

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OPINION

THE JOURNEY TO FIND A JOB Follow this flow chart to figure out what job might fit you best.

BY KAYLEE PENRY

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

A job that would suit you could be at an

amusement

center. Junior Autumn Prante

works at Papio Fun Park and says that you need to be patient, be able to adapt to new things and learn quickly to work there.

YES

Start here:

DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH PEOPLE?

Y E S

DO YOU LIKE WORKING WITH KIDS?

Y E S

DO YOU WANT TO BE ACTIVE WHILE WORKING?

HAVING A JOB PROBABLY IS NOT FOR YOU

N O

YES

A job that would suit you might be at a recreation center, like the YMCA. Junior Maddie Higby works at the YMCA as a swim instructor and says that you need to be able to work with kids and be patient at this job.

DO YOU WANT TO INTERACT WITH CUSTOMERS YES

A job that would suit you is in a supermarket. Junior Matt Williamson works at Walmart and says that an employee needs to be able to follow directions, know how to multitask and be kind to people at this job.

NOVEMBER 2015

A job that would suit you might be fast food. Junior Ben Crnkovich works at Amigos and says that you need to know how to cook and work well with others for this occupation.

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S E P O C S O HOR BY JULIA HARKER

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

Read these horoscopes to learn what your next week will be like!

GEMINI

VIRGO

The devil is in the details. Make sure you pay attention to the small details. This will help you in the future.

LEO This wee k is yours to shine and you should flaunt it. Your alluring nature will convince peop le to flock towards you.

Make sure wh en you answer wh at you want, you TAURUS want it and no ARIES od t D o o n g ’t AQUARIUS b e too R thing g everyone else. adventurous w Some pen as lon Soon you will be CANCE ith ap n it. will h your money b thanked amply for ill soo it for ng Yo CAPRICOR w a w ec u ause o u N Y ur love ce as yo of pursui something good you it can get you in oman n s r i g e n v g d i a l a s owing. h A Inste ing, for trouble. Make have done. Be wise Either r life. h sure s t o e m in you will show e u e m s o o r n s u e yo with your r p u l i sa e k t ve l r i l e i it s a fo t r future you or le sm adm you lik once reward. rough e S someo AG times. you. I T you th gestures. T ARIUS ne T ambiti . Be h is week you nee O ous PISCES d LIBRA CORPI wards to stay positive S w A lt h i o t u h gh yo o t . ly h t u al ar i e rm s k . wor You are no Something bad ill a great follower might is If you ing, you w th , t if u b l, fu ce e pea h h u t appen, but wit yo e n i u le t m ad n o so s o m h e eone to b your it. C week you will blind optimism good soon, in hieve week to c a , yo le re tt u tu li rn A t fired up. you will receiv is nex he tasks at may be able to make h t t u e b , a on t t bad situatio fire is good something for focus d don’t ge n into a it t le n a don’t good one. your good dee hand distracted. d. destroy you. too

Look Again!

BY JAKE ZINK See if you can find the 10 differences between these two pictures.

1. Adidas logo on Central #33 changed from red to green 2. Nike swoosh flipped upside down on Monarch player behind Central #33 3. Bird added in bleachers 4. Cal Mathison’s #4 removed 5. Cal Mathison’s sock changed to blue 6. Central #66 gains an eye 7. Central #66 against wrist watch 9. Girl in bleachers removed 10. Riddell logo removed on Monarch helmet #50

HAPPENINGS

SPOTLIGHT

ACTION

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OPINION

Trumping

the Polls

illionaire investor. Hollywood Walk of Fame star holder. Host of “Celebrity Apprentice”. But President of the United States of America? That is one title that businessman Donald Trump should not hold. Unlike many presidential candidates now and in the past, Trump has been known long before his decision to campaign for presidency. When he first announced he was running back in June, I shrugged it off; it seemed like something someone as big-headed as Trump would do. I never thought he had a chance. I foolishly assumed that the citizens of America, the greatest country on Earth, had the common sense not to even consider supporting this lunatic. Now that it is autumn, the campaign is moving into a more serious phase, and Trump is one of the front-runners of the Republican Party! What happened America? Where are your heads? How can you vote for a man who claims that his plans for this country include things like, “build[ing] a great wall… on our Southern border... [that he] will have Mexico pay for.” He said this during an interview on August 20th. With ideas like this, Trump obviously lacks the basic necessary political knowledge to be in

NOVEMBER 2015

Despite some business accomplishments, Donald Trump should not be elected president

OPINION BY WILL SYNOWIECKI

legislature, let alone run a country. He has created quite a reputation for himself being known as bigoted, sexist, racist and just straight up rude. Despite this, I cannot deny that Trump is a successful businessman and knows the trade well. One of his biggest accomplishments being Trump Towers, buildings in multiple large cities which have luxurious hotels and shops inside. The past election of the first

black president, Barack Obama, was a huge step forward for ending prejudice in the states, and electing Trump would be an even larger step backward. “When Mexico sends its people… They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists… and some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said during his presidential announcement on June 16th. A man that says things like this has no right to be in a position to make executive decisions that affect the lives of hard-working Americans, whether they are immigrants or not. I can only hope, as the campaign trudges on, that more and more people realize it would be ridiculous to put a man in office whose famous punch line is, “You’re fired!” PHOTO: GAGE SKIDMORE/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

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