STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WILLIAMSBURG INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS
WHS Theater Department sees shakeup in director, fall play
By Lilliana Mosley Sophomore
The Williamsburg High School Theater Department recently saw some big changes. Chief among those changes is a new teacher, Mrs. Robin Root, who also brings a new directing style. Another notable piece of the shakeup are the group’s plans for their annual Christmas performance.
A warm welcome to Root, who is also a preschool teacher in the elementary school. Root recently spoke with The Buzz about taking on the additional responsibility with the theater,
where she shed more light on her prior experience in that area. According to Root, she taught theater for many years.
“I would do two productions each school year— one in the fall and one in the spring. Usually regular drama, no musicals,” said Root.
With the theater group’s currently hard at work planning for next month’s performance, it will be Root’s 32nd year at the helm of a theater program and her 54th production in that role. She described how she prefers to conduct rehearsals for each show.
“We would practice in the fall for six weeks and in the spring for ten weeks,” said Root.
Jackets fall in round two of playoffs
The Williamsburg High School Football team strolled into Pikeville on Friday, Nov. 14 with hopes of toppling the Panthers and moving another game closer to the Class A KHSAA State Championship. Coming off an impressive 24-8 win over the Paintsville Tigers on Nov. 8 during the opening round of the playoffs, the Jackets first win over Paintsville in over 35 years, Williamsburg was poised to continue to make history. However, a punishing passing performance by Pikeville kept the Jackets on their toes all game, eventually falling to the Panthers 56-18.
The group didn’t have quite as much time to prepare this time around, which required a pivot in planning. Root said that for this year’s Christmas production, they are focusing on a couple of smaller skits instead of a full play.
The skits, titled “Bob and the Silly Reindeer” and “The Colours of Christmas,” are currently expected to be presented primarily for the elementary grades and middle school classes.
They are expected to be put on sometime during last week of school before Christmas break. In the spring, Root is hoping to put on a bigger show with a variety of emotions and actions being put into it.
UC Mentorship Program providing vital support to middle school students
By Marissa Meadors Sophomore
In a world where students face growing pressures in and out of the classroom, being able to connect young people with supportive adult role models is important.
Williamsburg Independent School is providing students with that connection through a partnership with the University of the Cumberlands that allows college students to mentor middle school students.
Starr Thompson, defensive coordinator for UC’s football team, recently spoke to The Buzz about the mentorship program. According to Thompson, who is also part of the mentorship program, the initiative originally began with the football program, but has since grown into more.
“We started the mentorship program about three years ago—my first season at the University of The Cumberlands. It’s basically a group of guys that we have a lot of trust within our football program that we think can invest in the youth and the Williamsburg community and come over and do a lesson. We usually tie that lesson to some form of physical activity. We talk about how they can become better men, leaders, members of their community, and hopefully put them on a better trajectory for life,” said Thompson.
By building relationships with these kids through mentorship, it gives the students in the program an opportunity to be better individuals and provides a support system that not all kids have at home. They do this by being these kids’ biggest cheerleader, to help them develop into great humans for their future.
By Kara Moses Freshman
The media center at Williamsburg Independent School has an event for all children in first to fifth grade: an Epic Party.
Mrs. Kassie Lowrie spoke to The Buzz during the most recent Epic Party on Nov. 7, where she explained how students can take part in the event.
“We are having a monthly competition with our online reading platform called Epic Books, and what I do is I run a report at the end of each month, and I see how many books have been read by each homeroom,” said Lowrie.
October’s winner for the party was Mrs. Ashley Brooks’ third grade class. The class has 19 students, and during the month of October they read 990 books all together.
The party is celebrated with ice cream and a variety of toppings. Kids can have their pick, then they come in, eat their ice cream, play games, and of course, pick up or drop off some books.
Kids may also pick up their own free book during the party. Every child may take one book and pick up a board game to play with their friends as they enjoy a sweet treat.
Some important key factors are building these kids confidence and their emotional well-being by pumping them up to build them up not break them down. Another thing that they do is develop essential life skills by teaching them skills like problem solving and decision making.
Thompson noted that the players that they have in mentor roles are guys that really want to help.
“We’re very fortunate to have a pretty good group of guys, so we don’t have to be super selective when filtering them out,” said Thompson. “We open it up to guys to let them know what it is and to see if they are interested in being apart. That is the most important thing: the guy has to have an interest and a passion for it where they can be committed to it.”
Thompson also isn’t the only UC Football coach that interacts with the students at Williamsburg.
“Coach [Shan] Housekeeper was here today. He helps out a lot. Lots of things that are talked about are philosophies and things that he has instilled with our guys in our program. He is a very integral part of this. All of the coaches help out and are so fantastic with these guys,” said Thompson.
The program isn’t just for male students that do sports, it’s for all teenage boys as a way to help them. The program is currently only for middle school boys, but they may be considering expanding the program for other grades as well in the future.
“Good luck, keep reading and next month it could be you,” said Lowrie.
Every elementary class has a chance of winning as long as they read their way to the top of the
Lowrie wanted to make sure to encourage all the little Jackets throughout the school to continue reading.
reading chart. So, to every elementary class, make sure you take your books to the library every time your class visits, and make sure to pick up some more for a sweet reward at the end of every month. Read on, Little Jackets!
Additionally, the mentorship program through UC has already grown, as it is not just the football team that provides mentors at Williamsburg anymore. They now have the volleyball team coming over to help mentor female middle school students as well. There are plans to further expand the program with the women’s basketball team, too.
This program is truly amazing for our school to have to inspire and to get kids someone to look up to like a big brother or sister.
Photo courtesy of Carrie Mattingly
Photo by Lilliana Mosley
Students from Mrs. Ashley Brooks’ third grade class enjoy ice cream during their Epic Party in the school’s media center on Nov. 7.
highlighting topics and events around the school
By Caleb Nichols Sophomore
Williamsburg High School’s First Priority program offers students the opportunity to incorporate faith into their lives at school.
First Priority is a student-led club that meets on Tuesdays and Fridays during Sting for both high school and middle school students, with assistance from Mrs. Rebecca Hamilton and Mr. Michael Dow. At First Priority, students read the Bible and engage in discussions that relate its topics to their daily lives.
First Priority provides students with a social network of individuals who can connect not just as friends, but also as brothers and sisters in Christ. First Priority’s group of students strives to demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ through their actions, time, and faith—prioritizing others above themselves.
The First Priority club does not just preach good work; it performs it.
The First Priority group has provided aid and gift boxes to individuals in need. Additionally, members of the club visited Williamsburg’s homeless shel-
ter to spread love to the residents on Nov. 6. First Priority’s work will not stop there, as further in the year, the club aims to meet with the nursing home’s residents also.
Mrs. Hamilton and Mr. Dow do an incredible job with their roles in First Priority. They work to plan the club’s actions and stay committed to their roles, as well as shining the love of Christ to others. They display what it means to love: truly wanting the best for someone.
Clubs like First Priority are exceptionally refreshing in today’s world, where social interactions are becoming less human-based.
Consider this: when you interact with someone online, do you always remember that you are talking to a person, rather than just a profile picture? It can become increasingly easy to forget that every person we interact with has their own life, unique issues, and health concerns.
First Priority is refreshing to see because it shows how today’s generation is capable of leading through service. Students in First Priority are vulnerable with each other but are also accepting. They demonstrate an ability to interact socially with others with respect and dignity.
Thanksgiving traditions can vary wildly from one family to another
By Marissa Meadors Sophomore
A family gathered around a table celebrating a holiday that is supposed to be about being thankful, but your cousins are fighting over the last piece of pumpkin pie. Your uncle is on the coach snoozing away after eating half the turkey. The children play and scream, running around the kitchen before the turkey kicks in. This is a stereotypical Thanksgiving for a family.
Everyone has a different way they celebrate Thanksgiving. Some families don’t celebrate Thanksgiving at all for various reasons, such as due to opinions or lack of money. Some typical traditions of Thanksgiving include family getting together to be thankful and enjoy some turkey, but not everyone has the same traditions.
This is intended as a joke about Thanksgiving traditions, not to poke fun at people. Maybe some should be poked, but that’s for you to see for yourself.
Some Jackets have different traditions, like one Jacket watches the Cowboys every Thanksgiving to watch them lose terribly. Some Jackets don’t even eat turkey because they think it is gross, which is ironic because it is literally the holiday of turkey.
Some people open multiple gifts on Thanksgiving, like a preview of Christmas. One Jacket plays spoons with their family. They said it gets heated when grandma and auntie start fighting over the last spoon, while their cousin is in the corner crying like a 3-year-old.
Another Jacket says that their Thanksgiving is more like a “runsgiving,” because they have to go from Thanksgiving to Thanksgiving because everyone has to have their “perfect Thanksgiving” together.
Some Jackets just use Thanksgiving as a way to get prepared for Christmas because they eat, then they get out the Christmas decor and decorate their grandma’s house. One Jacket’s Thanksgiving tradition is running the Annual Turkey Trot in downtown Williamsburg with their family every year. Then they go to their mamaw’s for her famous breakfast dinner instead of having the traditional Thanksgiving food.
One Jacket said that their Thanksgiving tradition was that they would set out the same bottle of cranberry sauce each year because their mom used to buy it every year for them when they were a kid, so they just sit it on the table and then put it up after Thanksgiving for the next year. That makes sense though, because who actually eats that stuff on Thanksgiving, right?
Then there’s a Jacket that wakes up at 3 a.m. to get ready and leave for Black Friday shopping. I don’t know how that Jacket does it because I’m snoring like a log at this point because of the tryptophan in the turkey.
Lastly, one Jacket’s family tradition is telling their aunt that Thanksgiving starts an hour before the actual start time for her to still be running late to arrive so everyone can eat. (Maybe they need to start telling her two hours earlier instead.)
It’s clear that not everyone’s Thanksgiving is the same. Despite those differences, we should cherish the traditions that we do with our families because that’s what brings us together as family.
PHONE: (606) 549-6044 FAX: (606) 549-6015
The First Priority club is a very open place and is open to anyone, whether they are a believer or not.
Any student who steps foot into First Priority is met with acceptance, love, and gratitude for their step in faith. No student should ever feel like they are not good enough for First Priority. Going to First Priority is not about being good; it is about accepting and incorporating the goodness and lovingness of Christ into daily life.
Any student who wishes to incorporate their church life into school activities should attend First Priority. Any student who wishes that they had a social network of people who understood them should come to First Priority. Any student who wants to take charge of their behavior and work to show love towards others is welcome to attend First Priority.
First Priority’s door is always open, and the club would be delighted to have more participants. Remember, next time you boot up Enriching Students, you are welcome to join First Priority on Tuesdays and Fridays in Mrs. Hamilton’s room during Sting.
DECA sponsors blood drive
By Bella Morin Senior
On Wednesday, Nov. 12, the Kentucky Blood Center blood mobile arrived at Williamsburg Independent School to give students who are of age an opportunity to donate their blood to a good cause.
The blood drive was organized by the DECA business club to help bring awareness of the importance of working together to solve a terrible problem. There is a large
shortage of blood in America. Blood can be used for something as simple as a small procedure or something as large as saving a life.
The blood drive provided students with a wonderful opportunity to do something good for their community and feel good about themselves by helping those in need. However, the drive didn’t just have students walking away with a warm feeling in their hearts, as many teachers and other staff also donated.
Those who donated were given a free pair of souvenir socks, serving as a constant reminder of how good deeds are rewarded. The DECA club has also previously advocated for organ donor programs, giving students another opportunity to potentially save a life. Additionally, the club has opportunities for community service hours for members that assist with things such as the blood drive or organ donor programs.
A brief history of W’Burg’s library
By Laylee Wyatt Sophomore
Williamsburg Independent School has had our beloved library for almost 30 years. It’s a place where elementary kids can go and let their imaginations run wild—picking up an enjoyable book on almost anything their heart desires. From fun fact books about animals to books about the history of your favorite singer: they’ve got it all. Our library also provides books that may be enjoyable reads to not only elementary school students and middle school students, but also high school students and even teachers.
Mrs. Kassie Lowrie and Mrs.
Christina Bishop, the school’s library media specialists, have expressed their desire to get more high school students into the library. The pair want to be able to bring the joy of reading to the older students like it brings to the littler kids. The library has begun to expand its young adult section in hopes that every student, no matter their age, can find a book they’re interested in.
The library that we know now has not always been one of the biggest areas in the school. Before 1992, the library was in a completely different area of the school. If you wanted to indulge in a book, you would find it upstairs in the intersecting hallway between the middle school and the high school.
It was a room about half the size of the library now, with books lined around the room and a table right in the middle of the small library where kids could relax and enjoy a book to their liking. What we now know as the library was moved in 2012 during a school expansion. Over the years, our library has grown immensely, both in popularity and size, but those who were elementary school students then, are high school students now. While the library has always been most popular to elementary school students, if you’re a high school student now, try to visit the library occasionally and pick up a good book. You won’t regret it.
Our janitorial staff should not be taken for granted
By Lilliana Mosley Sophomore
This month’s newspaper column is going to go in-depth on one of the most behind-the-scenes and underappreciated jobs ever: being a janitor.
Our janitorial staff are the ones who are holding this whole place together. They are really the ones who do so much for the building, and so much that they do goes unnoticed, too. The janitors do the small things, from painting the doorways all the way to dragging the furniture out of classrooms to deep clean them.
These things, no matter how small they are, are really, really appreciated, and we need to show that more and on a deeper level.
I spoke to Superintendent Mrs. Tabitha Housekeeper in preparation for this column. During our discussion, she told me that the work the janitorial staff does is indispensable.
“I can tell you we cannot live without them,” said Housekeeper. “They are here from sundown to sunup.”
This shows how much work they put into just keeping this school clean and healthy despite how hard they may be working. Remember to always take into consideration how much work they do for us and how much effort it takes to continually do a job like this with nobody knowing what you do and often not getting much appreciation for it either.
They always work behind the scenes, and people never stop to think of who is doing the cleaning, restocking, and painting because they don’t seem to really see it happen because it always happens behind scenes or they aren’t in people’s way. If nobody cleaned up the school, then nobody would teach
Lhere because not a single soul wants to teach in a dirty and unhealthy school, and thanks to the janitors, we don’t have to worry about that.
There aren’t enough words or ways to describe how thankful people should be of the janitorial staff in the building and how much they do whether we see it or not.
The janitorial staff are really a gift and a miracle to have with how hard they work and how much dedication they seem to put into their job despite the disrespect the job seems to gather. The stereotypes that the job seems to gather are often incorrect or even harsh.
Some of the stereotypes consist of calling them “poor” or even high school dropouts which is extremely harmful and disrespectful, so if you think this way, fix your point of view and appreciate them more. A janitor’s job is really one of the most difficult and honorable jobs since they are just what holds everything together.
More people need to stop and thank janitors they see cleaning or even try to leave less trash around the building to help them out a little bit or if you see trash try to pick it up to make it easier on them. A lot of people seem to toss trash on the ground and not pick it up because the janitors will do it. It does not matter if it is their job; it’s still extremely disrespectful to do to the people who spend all day doing these things for you.
Try to always be respectful to the janitorial staff and always try to say thank you to them every once and a while.
Once again, thank you to our lovely janitorial staff.
How the turkey became a symbol of Thanksgiving
By Aksh Banker Senior
Thanksgiving is one of the most iconic holidays of all time, and the delicious Thanksgiving turkey is the symbol of this fantastic holiday. But how come turkey is the food that is most associated with Thanksgiving? Why not macaroni and cheese? Green bean casserole? The turkey is a good choice, but why was it chosen?
The first Thanksgiving was a meal shared by the Pilgrims and Native Americans in late 1621. According to Britannica, the Native Americans brought deer, and the pilgrims brought “fowl,” which was most likely duck or goose.
In the 17th century, there was no reference to the iconic bird beyond a letter from a Plymouth colonist. Turkey was nowhere to be found in the original Thanksgiving, so how did it become such a staple of the holiday?
By the 19th century, the turkey was the staple food for Thanksgiving in many households, but how did we get to that? Simply put, there were a lot of birds to go around. There were 10 million turkeys in America at the time of European contact, according to Britannica
The abundance made the turkey a good choice for families and friends to stuff their faces. It was large enough to feed an entire family,
easy to find, and cheaper than other meats like beef. An article from the Smithsonian Magazine stated that unlike chickens, which were valued for their eggs, or cows, which provided milk, turkeys were mostly raised for their meat. This made them the perfect centerpiece for a big annual feast.
But the mass amount of the yummy bird wasn’t the only reason the turkey took the spotlight. In the mid-1800s, writer Sarah Josepha Hale, the same woman who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” led a campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, according to the Library of Congress. In Hale’s magazine, Godey’s Lady’s Book, she described Thanksgiving dinners that always featured a roast turkey at the center of the table. Her descriptions helped shape the American image of Thanksgiving, influencing families across the country to adopt the bird as their own tradition.
Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Lincoln made that declaration during a speech, according to the National Park Service, in which he said:
“I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, …to set apart and observe the last Thursday of
itt L e J acket S quare
November next, as a day of Thanksgiving... And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him …, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.” Hale’s version of the feast had already taken root in American culture. The turkey became a symbol not only of abundance but also of unity, a dish large enough to bring families and communities together. Over time, the turkey transformed from a simple, practical meal into a cherished emblem of gratitude and togetherness. While macaroni and cheese and green bean casserole certainly have their places at the table, the turkey reigns supreme for a reason in all of its featherly glory. It’s more than just food, it’s tradition; a tradition that tells the story of how culture and history all came together to shape one of America’s most beloved holidays.
The Buzz Halloween Coloring Contest winners selected
SAILOR CROLEY
In the Oct. 30 edition of The Buzz, the Little Jacket Square section of the newspaper included a Halloween Coloring Contest asking that elementary students put their skills to the test for a chance to be featured in the next issue.
Several dozen entries were received during the contest period, but only one winner could be selected from each contest category level. The elementary
ADALYN AKERS GUNNER BOWLIN
school was broken into three categories: preschool and kindergarten, first grade through third grade, and fourth and fifth grade.
Winners in each category were selected by a tally of votes from each member of the newspaper staff.
After tallying the votes, the winners were as follows:
• Adalyn Akers - Third Grade
• Gunner Bowlin - Fifth Grade
The Buzz Newspaper staff would also like to thank each any every student that took the time to color their page and submit it for consideration. Keep an eye out for future contests such as this one. Staff Report
• Sailor Croley - Kindergarten
Congratulations to our winners of this contest and thank you for your participation.
JACKETS FAN ZONE
Croley has great showing at XC state championship
The Williamsburg High School Girl’s Cross Country team competed in the 2025 KHSAA State Cross Country Championships in Lexington on Nov. 1, where Tatum Croley placed among the top 50 runners in her division. Croley finished 40 out of 218—putting her in the top 18 percent in the state—with a time of 22:11. Cross Country Head Coach Misty Croley said that the performance makes Tatum Croley only the third WHS female runner since 2005 to place in the top 40 at state. Other racers that competed and their times are as follows: Abigail Workman - 27:42, Addison Jarboe - 26:51, Ashtyn Foley - 27:58, Marissa Meadors - 29:02, Kara Fuson - 29:28 (career personal record), and Katherine Brown - 37:17. The team placed 26 overall.
WMS Cheer team wins 13th Region Championship
By Haylee Moses Freshman
Despite limited resources, packed schedules, and daily struggles, the Williamsburg Middle School Cheer team has continued to prove that spirit isn’t the size of a team, it’s measured by commitment, teamwork, and the will to put in effort day after day.
The team just competed in the 2025 KAPOS 13th Region Cheerleading Championship in Clay County on Sunday, Nov. 16, where they brought home the title as champions. Their win was the result of many long practices and challenges that may have discouraged others, yet they continued to show up with the same drive and motivation. They’ve learned to work with what they have like limited practice space and the long practices perfecting new skills. The team has built a strong bond that’s been made off hard work and even tears. Every stunt, every jump, and every count of the routine reflects the hours they have put into the team. From the newest members to the most experienced, every member has stepped up and showed out for their teammates.
Middle School Cheer Head Coach Courtney Lawson spoke to The Buzz about the team’s regional championship, saying that she was “so proud” of the effort the girls have put in.
“These girls have worked tirelessly—early morning, to late nights and never once gave up,” said Lawson. “Sure, we have had some setbacks, but they have pushed through each one with grace and perseverance. All the glory goes to them and their hard work, determination and heart, and most of all to the Lord for guiding and strengthening us every step of the way.”
Everyone leads with encouragement, and builds up their peers confidence when they doubt themselves. They show that working hard and showing up speaks louder than words. And throughout everything they have made an environment where they feel valued, supported, and they have had major growth as a team. No matter what happens on the mat, their journey has already proven that this team is something special.
The team now heads to the 2025 KAPOS State Championship in Bowling Green next month.
What does it mean to have “Jacket Pride?”
By Sammie Phipps Sophomore
At Williamsburg Independent School, having “Jacket Pride” means being proud to be part of something really special. When people say someone “bleeds orange,” they’re talking about someone who truly loves this school and shows it every day.
Williamsburg is a small school, but that’s what makes it feel like a family. Everyone knows each other, and people actually care about one another. You can feel it when you walk through the halls: teachers, staff, and students all looking out for one another.
Jacket Pride isn’t just about wearing orange and black on game days, it’s about supporting each other, celebrating successes, and stepping up to help when someone needs it. It’s cheering for your classmates, working hard in class, and taking pride in representing your school wherever you go. That’s what it means to really be a part of the Jacket family.
One person who shows Jacket Pride every single day is Mrs. Karen Fields. She does so much for the students here; more than most people probably realize. She’s always willing to help, listen, and make sure everyone feels supported. You can tell she truly cares about students, and that makes a huge difference.
Fields is the perfect example of someone who “bleeds orange.” Jacket Pride means being proud to say you go to Williamsburg.
“I am thankful to be a part of the Jacket family. I love being a member of a close-knit community of students and staff who truly care for one another,” said Fields. “I see Jacket Pride everywhere I go— from spirit signs to senior Jackets trick-or-treating with our kinder Jackets. The pride and unity in our school is inspiring. Seeing that pride every day makes me proud to be a Jacket too.”
It’s about having school spirit, caring about others, and doing your part to make our school better every day.
Assistant Principal Mrs. Andrea Winchester believes that Jacket Pride is more than just a feeling, but a state of being.
“To me, Jacket Pride starts with loyalty and family. It’s about taking ownership of where you’re from and being proud of where you’re from. It’s about representing Williamsburg with good character and integrity,” said Winchester.
When you bleed orange, it’s not just about being a student here, it’s about being part of a family that always has your back.
Stat leaders from the 2025 Lady Jackets Varsity Volleyball team
By Kinley McNew Junior
The Williamsburg Lady Jackets Volleyball team had an amazing 2025 season, finishing strong with a third place rank in the region.
This season was the first time Lady Jackets Volleyball had ever won a state game in the history of the program, which just wrapped its seventh season. This year also marks the first time the program had been ranked third in the region, achieving the highest placement the program had ever achieved.
The Lady Jackets Volleyball varsity lineup hustled to get that landmark achievement. The varsity team consisted of: Addison Moore, Ahna Marlow, Braeleigh McCullah, Ellie Breeding, Karina Nantz, Kylee Nantz, Magomery Douglas, Peyton Taylor, Allie Peace, Briton Evans, Mahi Patel, Zimrie Housekeeper, Braylee Evans, and Kinley Reece McNew.
Players on varsity with the highest stats were Evans, McNew, Karina Nantz, and Kylee Nantz.
Evans had 260 kills for the 2025 season. Her kills
show Braylee’s consistency on the court. Her ability to make accurate and consistent attacks makes her a key player for their varsity team at Williamsburg. Braylee’s athleticism and encouragement help her team win. She’s one to watch as she helps her team succeed.
McNew, the tallest girl on the court, standing at 5 feet 10 inches, had 37 total blocks for the 2025 season, making her Williamsburg’s most consistent blocker. Her height gives her a big advantage in every match. Kinley’s height, along with her reach, makes her the most consistent blocker on the court, consistently shutting down opponents’ attacks.
Beyond her physical appearance, she’s also focused and motivated, always working hard to improve her timing and technique. Her blocking skills not only help the team’s defense but also help the back row, even if the block slows the ball down.
Kylee Nantz, a talented setter with the most assists, finished the season with 418 assists. Her performance played an important role in setting up the offensive players. Her quick decision-making
and ball control enable her to set up her hitters effectively, creating scoring opportunities and keeping the opposing defense off balance. She is consistently delivering sets under pressure.
Beyond Kylee Nantz’s technical skill, she brings great leadership to the team throughout the season.
Karina Nantz was a strong libero for the Lady Jacket’s Volleyball team, finishing with 403 digs for her 2025 season. Karina had quick reflexes and excellent defensive skills. She consistently digs tough kills and keeps the ball in play, making her a big part of the team’s defense. Besides her physical attributes, Karina Nantz always makes sure to watch out for her team, never letting anyone lose confidence or get into their head. Overall, the Lady Jackets Volleyball team couldn’t have done it without these four girls throughout the season. Each girl played great all throughout the season. Each girl earned their spot on the court, working through hard injuries or moving other things aside for their sport and showing their commitment and hard work.
Photo courtesy of Hailey Adkins