enior Jada Levering took a deep breath before entering room 2639, the location of MN’s new Black Student Union. Attending a school with a predominantly white popula tion could make it easier to feel like an outsider—but here was an opportunity for Levering to connect with others who looked like her.
“We saw a problem with a lack of com munity between our Black student popula tion and we wanted to fix that, and want ed to create a space where everybody can be together,” Black Student Union co-pres ident and senior Charlotte Parker said.
Last school year, Parker and senior Dakota Spigner came up with the idea of a club to rep resent and connect MN’s Black student community– the Black Student Union. After submitting the idea for the union through a student-led or ganization form, finding a sponsor, and ironing out meeting plans and times, Parker, Spigner and junior Taya Thoms (the third co-president of the union) conducted their first meeting on Sept 7.
“Our purpose solely focuses on lifting up our Black student popula tion at Millard North. When you think about it, different sports, music activities, the chess club, FCCLA, and HOSA all have a pur pose specific to them. Ours just happens to be formed around our skin color,” Parker said.
By the second meet ing, the union filled up a whole classroom with 20-30 students.
“Either way, I would’ve been happy if one kid showed up, because that means they noticed. And our job’s not done yet. I really want the whole Black student population at MN to join us, because that would be awesome,” Parker said.
Along with an emphasis on strengthening Black community at MN, the Black Stu dent Union will focus on a variety of other themes and goals they aim to work towards.
“We also want to boost our morale through that [Black student community], bringing us all together. We want to promote academic achieve
ment [and] getting involved in the community,” Park er said, “Some things we want to do are volunteering or attending conferences, or even making sure we’re thinking about colleges while we’re in high school.”
It is clear there are nu merous opportunities for discussion and activities through the Black Student Union. However, since this is the first year of the club, its overall goal for the year is to draw stu dents into the union and get them involved with it.
“[In the] first year we really want to focus on recruitment, getting people to join our cause and stick with it. That’s mainly what we’re going to focus on this year, and just tread the water safe ly, because we don’t know what’ll happen,” Parker said.
Levering is one student who has already stuck with the cause—she was aware of the idea for the Black Stu dent Union since it was born last year, and has attended the first two of its meet ings since it started this year.
“I was very nervous to go to the first meeting, but I liked that I felt so com fortable walking into the room. Everyone was friend ly, everyone listened, [and] it was a nice environment,” Levering said.
At the first two meetings, participants dis cussed what they wanted the club to look like and talked about stereotypes, microaggres sions, and how to appreciate Black culture. Being free to share your experiences with oth ers who understand is an important aspect of culturally-focused clubs such as the union.
“Moving here was very hard because I didn’t really see anybody who looked like me. So for kids to have a place to go, where they don’t feel
First Meeting Friendships: Sophomores Demaysia Townsell and Emeline Kaneza sit together in Kennedy Onyancha’s classroom. The union’s first meeting was suc cessful in creating a positive atmosphere and in bringing together many of MN’s black students for food and conversation.
Photograph by Jack Durkanlike an outsider, that’s really good,” Levering said.
To Black Student Union sponsor Ken nedy Onyancha, whether he is supervising the Black Student Union or running his oth er sponsored club, Science Olympiad, he loves seeing students involved in clubs and being presented opportunities through them.
“[Having culturally-focused clubs is] very important, because it creates this place for the participants to express them selves freely and to encourage one anoth er and to grow together,” Onyancha said.
Although the union is still taking its first steps into MN’s history, it has already become a place of community for the Black student population, and has already made an impact on Levering’s life in particular, showing her how to be herself.
“[Being in the union] is helping me em brace who I am, not worry about what others think, [and] just know that I’m special in my own way and that’s okay,” Levering said.
We saw a problem with a lack of community between our Black student population and we wanted to fix that, and wanted to create a space where everybody can be to gether.
CHARLOTTE PARKER
Black Student Union Co-President
MN’s Beautification Club works together to clean up a park nearby. Beautification Club aims to get rid of trash in natural areas in neighbor hoods and parks around MN, and aims to build lasting friendships and relationships.
Photograph by Jack DurkanORIGAMI CLUB:
- Meets in room 1141
- Sponsored by Jacob Hirz
very morning is roughly the same: youget ready and make the drive to school, listening to one of your favorite songs and try-ing to start your day off right. However, thesecond you pull into the parking lot, you’regreeted by the sight of papers and fast foodwrappers littering the parking lot. Lovely.
MN Beautification Club’s goal is to decrease the levels of trash around the school and create a cleaner, more pleasant environmentfor students and staff. Co-founders and se niors Abigail Chavez and Bella Gurzick wereinspired to start the club last school year afternoticing the amount of litter around campus
and talking with Spanish teacher Amy Roberts (who now sponsors the club) about it.
“Walking around the school, even in theparking lots and just outside during gymwe noticed a lot of trash outside,” Chavez said. “It would just be good to pick it up.”
Since its founding, Beautification Club’s reach has expanded to outside MN. Students have visited sites such as Piedmont Park and have helpedchange the Omaha area for the better.
“[The goal is] making sure thatwe contribute to the community,”Chavez said. “We just try to make apositive impact on our environment.”
COMPUTER SCIENCE CLUB:
- Meets in room 1627
- Sponsored by Nichole Niebur
Origami Club provides students with snacks and time to relax and enjoy origami. Its goal is to inspire people and to show how much fun origami can be as an art form.
Computer science club provides students with challenging puzzles and inspires innovation. Its goal is to test a student’s coding skills and to solve real-world problems with computer science knowledge.
STAGE THREE:
1. Plan out leadership positions and important dates for your club.
STAGE
STAGE
2. Keep your socials updated and potential members in the loop.
STAGE FOUR:
1. Introduce members to your club, and inform them of scheduled meeting dates.
2. Keep your members engaged, and work hard to keep your club interesting and unique.
Research shows that in 2021, Omaha rose close to pre-pandemic (2019) levels of tourism in number of visitors and visitor spending. (Oct. 25)
Farmer in Milton Township killed by an unoccupied tractor crashing into his truck and knocking him over. (Oct.26)
6 guests, 1 employee at Silver Dollar City amusement park hospi talized after the Frisco Silver Dollar Line Steam Train derailed. (Oct. 26) Adidas cuts ties with Ye following weeks of reviewing their partner ship due to Ye’s anti-se mitic comments. (Oct. 25)
Rishi Sunak becomes the Prime Minister of the UK following Liz Truss’s resignation after six weeks in office. (Oct. 25)
Vladimir Putin over sees practice launches of ballistic and cruise missiles during nuclear drills. (Oct. 26)
fficer, grab him,” says the familiar face of Snyder as he watches Jack, Davey, and Les run away as fast as they can. “You, Jack Kelly, stop!” A tense chase ensues, with the trio making a narrow escape up a fire ladder.
It may be hard to be lieve, and even more pecu liar to watch, but this year, MN’s Newsies production included two well-known members in its cast: Dr. Aaron Bearinger as Snyder and Terry Meyer as Teddy Roosevelt.
Normally, Bearinger and Meyer have their fair share of superiority and respect among the student body, but things were dif ferent as they took to the stage as part of the cast.
“For me, it was an opportunity to be a part of something in the school and, in a lot of ways, feel like an equal to the stu dents,” Bearinger said, “in fact, in a lot of ways I am unequal to them because we have many great [actors among us] at MN.”
Although Bearinger had not taken part in theater before this endeavor, he has had numerous experiences in front of large crowds.
“I actually hosted my own radio show called ‘Friday Night Lights,’ so I have had some experiences like this before,” Bearinger said, “And obviously, as the principal, I am up in front of lots of students, sometimes getting booed, but I don’t let it bother me.”
Unlike Bearinger’s non-theatrical past, Meyer has had numerous experiences in the spotlight during his life.
“When I was in high school, I was involved in musi cals and a couple of stage productions,” Meyer said, “I
Jack Kelly (played by junior Justin Thengvall) introduces himself to Governor Teddy Roos evelt (played by social studies teacher Terry Meyer). The governor is officially ending the Newsies strike, declaring them victo rious over villain and newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer.
Photograph by Jack Durkan
think it’s actually easier to perform now, because being in front of a classroom [helped me] get used to being in front of people.”
Meyer worked closely with senior Jenna Schweigert, who played Medda Larkin, throughout the musical, almost always shoulder-to-shoulder with the actress.
“It’s [interesting] to connect with a teacher on and off stage,” Schweigert said, “Helping him out and acting with him, [along with] having more people who usually weren’t in the musical was exciting.”
Snyder’s Slander Snyder (played by principal Aaron Bearinger) snaps at Crutchie (played by senior Caden Whel an) to pipe down as Whelan sings “Letter from the Refuge.”
Bearinger’s character runs “The Refuge,” a prison for kids taken off the streets.
Photograph by Jack DurkanThengvall said.
Unlike Meyer and Schweigert’s close and friendly in teraction throughout the musical, Bearing er, as Snyder, chases around Jack Kelly, played by junior Jus tin Thengvall, as the events of the musical play out.
“It’s been [in teresting working alongside our supe riors] because we get to work with them in a different way than you usually would in a classroom,”
This experience has been a first for many, and invoked the interest of the audience as well as Thengvall and the rest of the cast.
“It’s something different and new that we haven’t done before,” Thengvall said, “It definitely sparks [people’s] interest and draws in the audience to [watch] the musical.”
Four days of performances later, Newsies had drawn in hundreds of au dience members, and showcased its uniqueness with two strikingly familiar think this type of involvement from the school community more awareness of the theater,” said, “and might continue to im the great things that we already
t’s that time of year again; red and blue signs fill lawns across Omaha, heated debates take up major TV time slots, and it’s common to see candidate ads in your mailbox. The midterm elections are fast approaching; November 8th is the day that many MN student volun teers are anticipating.
Sophomore Lyndon Pantos is one such student. He has been volunteering for his father; Dave Pantos’s, campaigns since he was 12. This year, D. Pantos is in the running for Douglas County Attorney for the democratic party. This is not D.Pantos’s first election– he has worked with two campaigns prior to this election with L.Pantos volunteering alongside him.
“I’ve grown up doing these campaigns, so it’s cool to see how my dad has progressed and being able to meet new people through volunteering,” L.Pantos said.
L.Pantos was given a few tasks to help gain recog nition for the Pantos campaign, such as producing signs and making phone calls. At first, Pantos faced difficulties making the phone calls but as the calls rolled in, he quick ly gained the confidence to complete them efficiently.
“Talking to someone you don’t know can be hard but once you get comfortable after five phone calls, you get more into a flow,” L. Pantos said.
Being the son of a political candidate, attending campaigning events is a given. L.Pantos can be seen in the front during parades and listening attentively to his father’s speeches. There’s even a possibility that L.Pantos will give a speech of his own if D.Pantos is the winning candidate.
“Even though I’m nervous about the speech, I feel like I’ll be able to handle it even if there will be a lot of people,” L.Pantos said.
L.Pantos has gained many friends and memories through campaigning. Even though he doesn’t plan on pursuing politics in the future, the life lessons he’s learned will stick with him in any career path he chooses.
“I’ve learned to respect other people’s opinions be
cause there’s always room for change,” L.Pantos said.
L.Pantos is not the only student who has been given an opportunity to work with elections. Junior Breeana Kastelic is involved in the campaign for US senator can didate Don Bacon for the republican party.
Kastelic got her start with volunteering through the Young Republicans club, where she was contacted by se nior Jeff Birkentall about volunteering opportunities.
Through the club, she was able to get involved in vol unteering for campaigns and attending political events.
dates. Their main focus is Don Bacon but they have also done merchandising for Legislative candidate, Marilyn Asher.
After being involved in campaigns like this since Feb ruary, Kastelic has learned a lot about herself and her future career goals. Volunteering has made her realize that she loves the promotional aspect of her job and that she might pursue a career similar to it in the future.
Through volunteering, Kastelic was also able to meet a lot of different people– not just political candidates, but students from MN and other schools across Oma ha.
“We don’t just talk about politics, we get to know everybody for who they are. Not for what they believe in,” Kastelic said.
Kastelic was able to attend the Summit, where she met political figures like Senator Deb Fischer, Governor can didate Jim Pillen, and Congressman Don Bacon.
“Don Bacon was really friendly, he’ll just walk right up to you and shake your hand. He’s just an average guy with a big position,” Kastelic said.
With the midterm election around the corner, the Bacon campaign is in full swing. Volunteers have their hands full with phone calls, door to door canvassing, and distributing merchandise.
Kastelic’s main task is to make phone calls to voters and gather information through surveys. Like all jobs, she runs into difficulties such as aggressive callers on the phone. But overall, she loves interacting with the voters and learning about their views.
Along with canvassing, Kastelic and other student volunteers also distribute merchandise for election candi
Along with students, teachers are also getting ready for the upcoming election. MN government teacher, Robert Klug is preparing his students to be informed voters for this year’s midterm elections.
While this is Klug’s first year teaching govern ment, he has experience in politics, running for po litical office twice. In 2008 he ran for the learning community, an organization that works with public schools to provide services. In 2016 he ran for Bel leview City Council where he finished second.
To get ramped up for the upcoming election, Klug tries to incorporate the election into his lessons. By giving insight on a candidate’s views and stances, his students have more direction on who they vote for. He also en courages his students to get involved with the election process any way they can.
“I think just being connected to the campaigns is important, Even if you aren’t actively involved, just paying attention to what candidates are saying can be benefi cial,” Klug said.
Students that are volunteering are gaining experi ence and skills they need for their future career goals. MN teachers are also playing a part in more students going to the polls as informed voters. The anticipation rises as students and staff buckle down for the final weeks before the midterm elections.
“
I really enjoy talking to people and sharing information about who the candidates are and what they believe in. This job is always interesting be cause of the people I interact with.
BREEANA KASTELIC
Wed, Sep 21, 3:30 PM
Four people were shot on the tennis courts of Mc Lain High School in Oklahoma. One shot on the cam pus of the University of Arizona. Three people were shot during a football game at Whitmer High School in Ohio. One shot at Morgan State University in Maryland. These school shootings are some that occurred just this October.
The number of school shootings continues to be on the rise every month. Where the school is supposed to be a safe space, school shootings have become a regular topic on our news channels. As debates continue to run in regard to decreasing this number, MN continues to put forward its best efforts to keep its students safe.
With the steep contrast in school safety over the past few years, the ways schools have been implementing safe ty protocols have changed with it.
“Now, many schools when I was growing up, you didn’t have locked doors. Now, these days, in a lot of schools all the doors are locked; with good reason of course,” School Resource Officer Carlisle said.
When most of the current teachers at MN had been growing up, there were no officers or security guards at school, and the doorways weren’t so highly guarded. But the way we decided to handle our conflicts have their consequences.
“Bullying, breakups, issues with grades or being sus pended, or someone stepping on your shoe, social me
dia, someone going back and forth on social media and it turns into a fight inside of a school; that puts everybody at risk because what it blows down to is the inability to resolve issues in an appropriate [manner],” Carlisle said.
With the change in safety situations throughout our communities, teachers and staff want to create a safe en vironment.
“I hope that Millard North is teaching young peo ple how to be kind, how to care for others, and how to make the world better than they found it. My role as an educator is to care for the students entrusted to me. That means keeping students as safe as possible whenever I can,” IB DP Coordinator Rhonda Betzold said.
Assistant Principal Mary Bayne explains that the MN staff continues to emphasize school safety and do their part in order to deal with conflict or emergency en counters.
“We have a greater emphasis on securing doors and teamwork to assure safety as a whole. The teachers are trained in CPR and first aid. There is increased signage for reminders on doors. [We have] our regular drills for lockout and lockdown,” Bayne said.
As safety becomes a bigger issue the protocols begin playing a bigger role. A big part of that is communica tion. While some students are very good with communi cating problems, others may struggle.
“I think it’s out of fear, peer pressure they get from their friends, they don’t want to appear as if they’re snitches. But when you report something it’s not just for your safety. If you choose not to say anything then you
put yourself in opposition to safety because you’re choos ing not to say anything when you should say something,” Carlisle said.
Strict safety protocols have been put into place at MN in order to make the students feel comfortable in their learning environment.
“I typically feel pretty safe at school, and don’t really worry about my safety much here. Having Officer Carl isle walking around the hallways and out front makes me feel safe,” senior Callie Stalnaker said.
As MN continues to promote safety and emphasize the importance of students following all rules and regu lations, Carlisle does his part to keep the students safe as well.
“If I hear something the first thing I’m going to do is notify the administration. If they hear something, they’re gonna notify me. We work in close partnership with one another and keep each other informed because they help me do my job and I help them do their job. I think that it’s important that we stay on top of people not gaining illegal access or inappropriate access to schools,” Carlisle said.
In combination with student reporting, the commu nication between the administrations, officers, and other stakeholders, the team continues to provide a safe envi ronment for their students.
“We want students to feel safe at Millard North, but we also want them to know how important they are in the process of providing safety. It takes everybody,” Bayne said.
As school safety concerns are on rise, MN continues to advance policies, ensure student safety
THE HOOFBEAT STAFF EDITORIAL
n March 31, 2022 a small high school newspaper in Grand Island, NE was shut down by the administration for retaliating against what can only be described as a blatant act of hate against the LGBTQ community.
After being told by administration that the writers were to publish articles under their birth names, the staff at Northwest High School, at least three of which were transgender, dedicated their final issue of the year to LGBTQ issues, writing two columns and a news article about the origins of Pride Month.
Once it came out, the administrators and the super intendent, Jeff Edwards, chose to shut down the 54-yearold newspaper.
The Orwellian dystopia novel practically writes itself: views of our Glorious Administration reinstated against the vicious lies of a (now closed) school newspaper, there is no oppression in the United States of America.
Now more than ever, when the internet is rife with misinformation, we the students need access to news out lets that we can rely on with the confidence that some thing hasn’t been altered to make it more ‘palatable’ for the general public. Censorship is a crime against the ba sic human right of expressing one’s opinion.
But we’ve seen something like this before: Hazel wood School District v. Kuhlmeier, 1988.
The Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier Supreme Court case dealt with students suing their school for removing articles from print, two of which dealt with teen pregnancy and divorce.
Essentially, it was ruled that any article that didn’t fall in line with the principal or administration’s “basic edu cational mission” could be removed, shutting the door
ship, the ability to express opinions is crucial for change in our society.
“Free speech does not mean giving bigots a free pass. Bad ideas are most effectively defeated by good ideas— backed up by ethics, reason—rather than by bans and censorship,” human rights activist Peter Tatchell said.
Since the First Amendment, protection of freedom of speech, extends to all levels of government, including public schools, students are technically protected from government overreach. Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier negated this, however, since school administrators are allowed to essentially bypass it and blatantly oppress student voices by, for example, shutting down entire school newspapers or censoring specific articles.
and the conversation on more impactful, ‘controversial’ topics.
This gives school administration free reign to designate what’s categorized as educational, and in more con servative areas, like Grand Island, lets them completely shut down any and all conversations that could spark change.
According to an article from the Index on Censor
We need to fight back as the people in power are ac tively trying to take away our most valuable tool: speech. The only way we can get through this struggle against censorship is by staying informed and standing together.
From 1988 MO to 2022 NE, we’ve been seeing censorship affect student’s rights of freedom of speech for literal decades. If this generation truly is supposed to take on the world after graduation, it’s vital that we are well-informed walking into it-- which is impossible if all our information is hand-selected and spoon-fed under the feeble guise of ‘protection’ and ‘controversy’. This blatant censorship due to out-right hate and bigotry needs to be stopped.
“I think it’s okay that they’re aired... because if we act like everything’s fine and dandy then
things are going to happen and we’re just going
overlook
By: Violet BredenkampCRIME
“I think they should be because I think it’s
“Yes because it just informs people about what can happen... it can evoke curiosity which is a bad thing, but then it can also kill that curiosity for some people
“Yeah, because some people like that stuff, but me personally, I think it’s weird and creepy. But I know some people have their opinions on what they
“
Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comforted.
Cesar A. Cruz
t’s Friday night, and you want some thing relaxing to while you wind down. Naturally, you turn on your favorite docuseries: a true crime series about murder and cannibalism. Cozy, right?
society as it may create a world full of people who are apathetic when it comes to violence. A variety of studies have shown that desensitization may manifest itself in aggressive or antisocial behavior.
Another issue that true crime presents is its subjectivity. Often, when covering a case that was never resolved, the producers of a true crime show have their own opin ions on who may be guilty, and let that influence how they portray the real people that the show is about.
The recent re lease of Netflix’s newest true crime series, “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story”, has sparked debate over whether or not it’s ap propriate to turn violent crime into entertainment.
Personally, I find that the morality of these types of shows are highly dependent on the light that the crimes are portrayed in, but that the cons generally outweigh the pros. Not only is media of the true crime genre often excessively violent, but it brings up traumatizing memo ries for those who were close to the victims, often without their consultation.
Additionally, shows about cases that were never closed may be produced in a way that leads viewers to assume the guilt or innocence of an individual.
Recreational viewing of graphic violence, which is often depicted in true crime media, has been shown to desensitize viewers to violence and create a lack of em pathy.
In a study conducted by UAB professor of psychol ogy Sylvie Mrug, those who were exposed to moderate levels of violence in TV experienced low emotional reac tion to graphic images, while those exposed to high levels experienced a quick increase in blood pressure followed by a swift decrease.
These findings are particularly when paired with the statistic that age 18 year old witnesses roughly 6,000 violent acts on TV each year, accord ing to a 2009 study from the Center for Re search Excel lence.
Mass con sumption of violent media, such as true crime, could have negative and even dan gerous ram ifications for
Additionally, the victims and their families aren’t able to deny coverage as public footage can be used with out their permission.
Often, the crimes are picked apart and dramatized for the sake of views, without considering the feelings of those involved. This tends to prolong suffering and bring back traumatic memories.
Rita Isbell, whose brother was one of Dhamer’s vic tims, recently spoke out against the new show. “It’s sad that they’re just making money of this tragedy,” Isbell said. “That’s just greed.”
To be clear, I’m not claiming that true crime is the root of all evil. If a series or podcast can present the facts of a case in a way that is respectful to the victims and their families, then they should feel free.
It’s when the crimes are portrayed disrespectfully or extremely graphically that a problem arises.
Many argue that gore and violence are necessary for entertainment value. However, exploiting the suffering of real people to garner views borders on immoral.
Good television doesn’t need to rely on shock or ex cessive violence to capture an audience; it can do that with its plot and acting.
Additionally, statistics show that many fans of true crime- 61% of Americans who participated in a poll from You Gov- believe it makes the audience more thetic. However, as mentioned earlier, tiple scientific studies directly oppose this claim. If people were truly becom ing more empathetic, they would stop sensa tionalizing horrific crimes and forcing those in volved to relive traumatic experiences time after time.
In general, I believe that there are better things to watch than true crime. Not only can it have neg ative psychological effects, but it uses the suffering of real people to achieve high rat ings, something that should not be normalized in the entertainment in dustry.
• “I was never contacted about the show. I feel like Netflix should’ve asked if we mind or how we felt about making it.”
• “It’s sad that they’re making money off of this tragedy. That’s just greed.”
• “If I didn’t know any better I would have thought [the actress] was me... It felt like reliving it all over again.”
Rita Isbell, the sister of Jeffrey Dahmer victim Errol Lindsey shares her feelings about “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” Netflix docuseriesRita Isbell DaShawn Barnes (actress)
Social media. For most people, these two words evoke a variety of emotions, questions, and concerns. As the years progress, social media has become more and more influ ential in our everyday lives. Whether it’s finding out what Lebron ate for lunch or being updated on major events, so cial media is relentlessly striving to capture our attention.
As we take a closer look at social me dia’s influence, we see its impact, or lack there of, on how students express their own individuality.
To get the local spin at MN, three students stepped up and expressed their opinion on how social media af fects their view of themselves and how they live their lives.
Senior Lewis Nguyen has been interested in so cial media since the beginning of his eighth-grade year and now spends up to ten hours a day mainly scrolling through Instagram feeds and TikTok videos.
“Social media is an outlet for me to con nect with other people that I would nev er think that I would get to know,” Nguyen said.
For most, self-expression on social me dia is a high priority. As for Nguyen, he sees it as an opportunity to show others his individuality.
“Since I am so unique and ethnic and different in such a white canvas community, I feel like I bring a little bit of spice and something different to the table,” Nguyen said.
Nguyen is not alone in spending a lot of time on social media. Sophomore Grant Petersen-Jensen also spends lots of his time following social media trends. He not only gets ideas from media platforms but gains inspiration as well.
“Trends are going around that I’m con stantly getting exposed to and I think ‘Oh that’s cool, I should do that,’” Petersen-Jensen said.
A big part of social media is the different in fluencers and the audiences they harbor. The content that influencers create impacts many.
“I see a lot of influencers and other people who I look up to
and that influences who I want to be,” Petersen-Jensen said.
Freshman Linnea Krizmanich has a different outlook on social media. She veers away from the posting aspect on media platforms, as she doesn’t want to jeopardize her future.
“I don’t want to accidentally post something that could negatively affect me in the future,” Krizmanich said.
Although people are worried about the future, they are also concerned with the present. Current ly, social media has set high standards for how peo ple appear and perform which promotes insecurities.
“I’ve personally struggled with body dysmor phia and that has been mainly influenced by main stream internet and social media,” Krizmanich said.
An ExpressVPN survey points out that social media has a major role in mental and physical health. Out of 1,500 Americans, 86% of those ages 16-24 revealed that social media has a negative effect on their happiness.
For sophomore Joshua Hrynkow, happiness lies outside of social media. Or more accurately, in the air. Hrynkow has been flying planes with an in structor for the past 2 ½ years at Millard Airport.
“[Social media] doesn’t find me fulfillment, most of it’s very shallow,” Hrynkow said.
Hrynkow prefers to pursue his passion for fly ing planes, rather than spend time on social networks.
“I think [social media] contributes to being a part of the general herd, it doesn’t allow you to tru ly be yourself because you are trying to worry about what other people think of you,” Hyrnkow said.
As social media is becoming a bigger and bigger part of our lives, it is important not to let it stifle our individuality or twist our perceptions about ourselves and others.
“Social media has really put this image that you have to be perfect and polished. When in re ality, everyone’s messy and everyone is a hu man being and makes mistakes,” Nguyen said.
Prefrontal Cortex: personality expression, decision making, moderating social behavior High media usage can lead to less grey matter in this region, in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moder ating social behaviour
Ventral Striatum: part of reward pathways recieve dopamine and oxytocin rush when we get social wards (likes, comments, etc.)
According to the National Library of Medicine, 85% of highschoolers have felt peer pressure. 80% of teens began smoking due to peer influence and 75% have tried alcohol due to it. Peer pressure is the external force that influences decision mak ing that has affects on mental and physical health.
“I would say from the time that you’re born, un til the time you’re through college, you’re just so eas ily influenced in good and bad ways. Our brains are evolving so much, that we’re trying to take it all in and [trying to] figure out who we are and develop our own sense of self,” Counselor Jodi Therkelsen said.
Teenagers are more susceptible to peer pressure be cause they are highly influenced by their environment due to their brains lacking development in areas that deal with decision making and judgment. Lacking this makes teens more sensitive to social pressures and im pulsive behaviors. This is seen when teenagers are more likely to do something impulsive when around friends.
Junior Taka Goremusandu feels the most pres sure among his friends, and has had past experienc es with impulsive decision-making around them.
At the age of a teenager the frontal lobes are not fully developed. Because this part of the brain is where impulsive decision making is controled, peer influence has a bigger effect on the chances of teens going through with more risky decisions due to impulsive choices.
“I am around them [my friends] five days a week at school, then [on] weekends I am around them the most. So as you are around them a lot, you pick up on what they do, how they act. So if they act a certain way you will prob ably follow them and what they do,” Goremusandu said.
An experiment done at Temple University by psy chologists Jason Chein and Lawrence Stienberg test ed if teenagers are more likely to take risks when surrounded by peers. The results showed that, com pared to adults, teens were more likely to be vulnera ble to making risky choices when they had company.
“It [peer pressure] affects our age the most be cause when you get into high school you are try ing to find your way around life. As an adult you have everything set in stone,” Goremusandu said.
Peer pressure is usually talked about in a neg ative light, but there are a lot of positive im pacts that come from constructive peer pressure.
“For me, I have surrounded myself with good people, so it’s mostly positive peer pressure. They are encouraging like, ‘you can do this, I know you can,’” sophomore Kaiden Carmichel said.
Positive peer pressure can make a lasting im
pact on your life and give a sense of belong ing and self-confidence. Therefore, it is import ant to be able to remove yourself from negative situations by setting boundaries, looking for positive re lationships, and knowing that you can’t please everyone.
“I think surrounding yourself with people you are more comfortable with and that have a similar per sonality, and not trying to fit into every friend group because you’re really not going to,” said Carmichel.
Avoiding negative peer pressure for yourself is important, but being able to stand up for people who are easily influenced and don’t have the con fidence to do so themselves is equally important.
“I think if you notice that somebody else is getting a lot of peer pressure in a negative way, it’s import ant to be able to stand behind them because that will not only give that person confidence, to say the right thing or do the right thing, but hopefully, it’ll give the negative source an idea to back off,” Therkelsen said.
Negative peer pressure is a huge issue many teens deal with. Bringing awareness and be ing able to identify when things are going wrong is key to making responsible decisions for yourself.
feel like as I’ve grown up I’ve developed more of a sense of who I am and how that relates to the people around me, but I’m still young so I’m still figuring out what makes me, me,” freshman Nithya Khandavalli said.
Most people want to be unique, whether that’s through their activities, personality, or through their opinions. However, many people fail to realize that they are original just by showing their individuality.
ing my introverted nature; I was scared to share my opinions, pursue my passions, and build relationships. With time, I learned that embracing my differenc es is what makes me genuine, and since then I’ve been able to live more freely,” junior Tejal Parajuli said.
A final factor that can affect your individuality is the cultural upbringing you have. In fact, some cultures have different ideas about individuality than others.
I’ve been able
Individuality is the unique identity you have, and it can be affected by a variety of factors, such as your routine, age, or cultur al upbringing. Depending on who you ask, the effect your activities have on your individuality can be either positive or detrimental to your true sense of self.
“I feel like I have grown my individuality through my everyday schedules and activities. Such as when I work to wards a common goal with my peers, or when my friends and I volunteer together. These activities help me become a better individual,” junior Vishaal Arunprasad said.
Another factor that affects the individuality of a person is age. As people grow older, they find their sense of self and gain confidence in who they are.
“As I’ve grown older, I’ve gained more individu ality. When I was younger I struggled with overcom
“As a first-generation American, my individuality looks a lot different from my parents. My parents were born in a country that values image over everything. Being successful aca demically and financially is what they believe makes them who they are. Whereas I value happiness and my im pact on others the most,” Parajuli says.
No matter what affects your in dividuality, it is important not to lose yourself. Because living as your true self is essential for happiness. In fact, studies from Solution Therapy show that embracing individu ality is crucial for personal growth and self-worth. Try ing to hide our true personalities lowers our self-esteem and implies that we have given up on our true thoughts.
So, no matter what our individual opinions are, it is important not to be carried away based on super ficial ideas. Finally, don’t be afraid to prioritize your values, after all, they are what make you an individual.
“I’ve learned that embracing my values and opinions is what makes me genuine, from these I’ve been able to live to my full potential and find my individuality,” Parajuli said.
Religion contributes the way we engage with new experiences. For example, in some religions certain foods may be taboos. The celebration of holdiays also shapes that group of people’s values. For example, if you celebrate Thanksgiving you will value gratitude. If you celebrate Holi you may more heavily value spreading happiness in your communities.
Certain dynamics in families can help shape your identity and per sonality. Some factor include how striclty you were monitored growing up and the responsibilities you were given. Often the family’s values are passed down to the children.
The communitiy we live in also shapes our identity. Each community has their own definitions of gender roles, acceptable behaviors, and policitcal beliefs. In addition, some communities may be very tight knit while others may be more individual and independent. This could also affect your way of interacting with others as an individual.
Tejal PARAJULI Junior at MN
”RAP/HIP
hants fill the crisp fall air as crimson red flags and posters proudly de clare Thanksgiving “The National Day Of Mourning.” Yet I sit at home, un beknownst to it all, playing games and sharing laughs with family. Although there was a huge feast from which Thanks giving is modeled in 1621 between the English Colonists and the Wampanoag people, protests take place at Plymouth Rock in Massa chusetts for recognition of how 700 Native Americans from the Peqout tribe were brutally murdered in 1637. 16 years apart and two very different settings, from peaceful to horrific. according to Britannica.
For most Americans Thanksgiving embodies the act of giving thanks and being grateful for all you have. Fam ilies gather on the fourth Thursday of every November so they can sit elbow to elbow to share a meal and time together.
For my family, it’s the anticipation of my aunt’s homemade noodles while we all play a game of Catchphrase and the smell of my dad’s delicious turkey wafting through the air. It’s familiar feelings and familiar places that make up this warm and happy celebration.
Thanksgiving is taught in schools to be a peaceful holiday where two opposing groups, the Native Ameri cans and the Pilgrims, were able to come together for a celebratory meal. Elementary students everywhere trace their hands to make the classic, hand turkey. Kids every where start sentences with “I am thankful for…”
Before I was assigned this article by my editors, I hadn’t given Thanksgiving much thought. I had only associated my own personal experiences, traditions and pleasant feelings with the holiday.
In researching and writing this article I had the op portunity to learn more about the origins of Thanksgiving and how the day actually impacts others in a negative way.
Unknown to many, Native Americans associate Thanksgiving with the historical atrocities against Inde geous people. This is the history that is often forgotten in the current retellings and teaching of the annual holiday.
Unlike the perfect pilgrim fairy-tale we are taught in schools, the history behind the holiday couldn’t be more different.
The dark and brutal reality of the day led to a group called “The United American Indians of New England’’ naming the day “America’s National Day Of Mourning’’ in 1970, according to Thoughtco.com. The day became an oppurtunity to come together and bring awareness to the mass genocide of Native Americans and the taking of their lands.
Most of us come together now on Thanksgiving for a different reason. We don’t gather with loved ones to memorialize the pilgrims’ horrendous actions against the indegounous. The majority of Americans don’t know the history of what happened at Plymouth rock, or the col onization of America. That’s not what people are cele brating. They were never taught the real history.
The same can be said about Halloween. We don’t dress up in costumes to trick ghosts like people did in Celtic times. We dress up in costumes because it’s fun. We just want the candy. This illustrates the point of how traditions and celebrations grow and change.
I have always enjoyed Thanksgiving as it is a time I am able to visit with family I rarely see. Nonetheless upon researching, I now see the cruelty behind the his tory of the day and how it’s important to be conscious of the perspective that Indiginous Americans feel today.
I think that it is important to acknowledge what hap pened to the Native Americans, but also see how with time the devastating tragedy has become far separated from the modern Thanksgiving that we celebrate today.
Recognizing that there is a different perspective and attempting to understand it, can create a needed sen sitivity as to why there are protests and public outrage.
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Aaron Bearinger
You’re crazy. You’re being over dramatic. You’re wrong. When you hear these phrases enough, it’s easy to believe that they’re true.
want, steer your behavior, or influence your ideals”.
Tactics of emotional manipulation are often used in romantic, work, friend and family relationships.
According to Psych Central, these tactics include, but are not limited to, gaslighting, dishonesty, isolation, charm, and guilt.
One piece of advice that I wish I had listened to sooner is that you should never second guess yourself or your gut feeling. If something feels wrong, it very well may be.
So, when you realize that you’re being manipulated, how do you handle it?
High school was a rude awakening for me, because of more than just the homework. I believe that it is largely be cause I am a very trusting person, al most to a fault at times-- I don’t expect to be manipulated by people I’ve done nothing to.
The darkness of manipulation lies in its secrecy and how difficult it is to realize that it’s happening to you. This ultimately makes it harder to address and fix.
My freshman year, I liked a boy. He seemed great, of course, but, looking back two years later, I wish I could have warned myself that it was simply a facade.
I would have told myself that it wasn’t normal for a boyfriend to ghost his girlfriend for hours or days at a time, tell her she couldn’t be friends with other guys, and constantly lie about his whereabouts or actions.
I’m not even sure I would have believed myself if I had. He would tell me I was overreacting, my feelings were wrong, and that I should be trusting him.
I didn’t know any better. What I’ve learned is that, while it’s important to try to see the good in people, being aware of possible manip ulation and its effects is also a necessity.
Emotional manipulation is defined by Psych Central as “when someone uses your emotions to get what they
In fact, we’ve all witnessed or even been harmless manipulators– whether it’s keeping a surprise party se cret from the guest of honor, or saying ‘I’m good’ when a stranger asks you how you feel on a bad day.
A true problem arises when this behavior becomes toxic or harmful. Author William Cooper studied and addressed this toxicity in his book Dark Psychology and Manipulation.
“If you choose to take everything you hear at face value, you may become disappointed when you realize that you believed someone who was deliberately trying to fool you,” Cooper said.
The after-effects of manipulation can be just as bad or even worse than the effects of when it is currently go ing on.
According to Good Therapy, some of these effects may include depression, anxiety, difficulty in trusting others, and the development of other unhealthy coping mechanisms.
Research has shown that one is most susceptible to being manipulated by someone they have a close rela tionship with, as each person knows the vulnerabilities, needs, and desires of the other.
This is why it is important to know and understand the warning signs.
WEBMD provides some common tips: Most im portantly is to impose boundaries with the manipulator, stand your ground during conversations, and trust your own judgment. If there is no way to reason, do your best to disengage from the conversation or even the person as a whole.
However, this is easier said than done, so if you know a friend that is struggling, keep judgment to a minimum and do your best to support them with whatever they may need.
Manipulation is a sinister practice that is difficult to interpret from both the inside and the outside of the sit uation.
The solution comes down to treating others with re spect and kindness. No person has the right to invalidate or degrade another person or their emotions.
Check the people you’re close to, check your friends, and, perhaps most importantly, check yourself.
With the validation and support of my friends and family, I was able to fully separate myself from the boy that had been manipulating me.
Taking space and reflecting on my own experience afterwards allowed me to properly process and heal from what had happened.
While this relationship caused me to suffer from dif ficulty and hurt, it also helped me to grow even stron ger and more aware of my surroundings, ensuring that I don’t fall into another twisted reality.
ANUJ SINGH Staff Writer
There are 164,777 words in the English language that contain the letter ‘s’. Out of all of them, perhaps the most important is parents. They are the ones who bring you into this world, who care for you, and who protect you.
But what happens when the ‘s’ disappears? What happens when someone you’ve known your entire life leaves, never to return again?
Sophomore Lola Wheeler has felt this pain. In seventh grade, her father passed away, leav ing her with half of her life gone in an instant.
And she is not the only one. Millions of students across the world struggle without an adult to care for them.
To counteract this problem, former Husk ers coach Tom Osborne founded the TeamMates Mentoring Program in 1991, which was imple mented within all schools in the Millard District.
“Someone comes in from the community once a week for [the student’s] lunch hour. Our Team Mates mentors might help with homework, they might play games, or they might just eat lunch with them,” MN TeamMates coordinator Peggy Breard said.
Some of the TeamMates’ mentors have been with them since elementary school, and many times, they are the one constant support in the students’ lives.
“Most of the students [in the TeamMates pro gram] struggle with having a constant adult person to whom they can talk to. Their mentors provide them with that sense of stability that makes them feel better about themselves and their achievements,” said Breard. this program with mentor Julie Dimini co soon after her father’s
death, to help her cope with her devastating loss.
“I joined the TeamMates program in seventh grade because I was recommended for it by my coun selor. I’ve been with Julie ever since,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler believes that having a mentor has helped her grow tremendously, both academically and as a person.
“I’ve transferred schools a lot, and Julie has been the one person constant throughout all of these chang
most important person at MN. When the pan demic hit and we couldn’t see each other, I was devastated. It was hard to communicate in the same way through messages,” said Diminico.
She thinks that while there are some diffi cult parts of the position, it is ultimately fulfilling to see how Wheeler has grown over the years.
“Watching Lola grow as a person has helped me see how much a person can be determined to make life better. She has shown me determination, drive, and a willingness to not let difficult circumstances throw her off her course. She is a strong young lady,” said Diminico.
Diminico suggests that other adults who are in terested in the TeamMates program should join.
Currently, there are around 50 students who participate in the TeamMates program at our school. However, there are many more in need of a mentor.
es. It’s become a part of my routine,” Wheeler said.
But the most important part of the TeamMates experience for Wheeler is simply Diminico’s presence.
“Julie is always there for me and really knows me. I transferred to MN last year and having some one who has known me for so long has helped me get through it. Most of our lunches are just me talking and getting everything out,” Wheeler said.
Diminico also believes that she and Lola have cre ated an unbreakable bond through their weekly meet ings, which has become a necessary part of their lives.
“Lola is my girl. To me, that means she is the
“We have many recruiting events for TeamMates throughout the year, so if an adult is interested in the pro gram and has the time to commit, we would love for them to apply and join the TeamMates program,” said Breard.
As kids, we are in need of someone to guide us to success. And as Diminico has done for Wheeler, the TeamMates program allows students to gain such a person in their lives.
“She keeps me on track and takes a lot of stress away from me. While I might not always like it, she holds me accountable for my responsibilities. And for college, she’s helped me start thinking about it and start focusing on my future,” said Wheeler.
Wheeler’s life was turned upside down when that one ‘s’ disappeared from her life forever. But through the TeamMates program, she has found herself, with one by her side to sup port her for years to come.
“
“Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble.” Add in a few spooky spells, a handful of witches and a sprinkle of nostalgia, and what do you get? A classic Halloween comfort movie.
Hocus Pocus first hit the big screen in 1993 and wasn’t a successful film in the beginning. However, through the years, it has gained a cult-like follow ing and grew into a beloved fall movie for all ages.
This September, Hocus Pocus 2 was released on Disney Plus and in movie theaters, perfect for the fall season. Fans have demanded a sequel for years since the release of the blockbuster. But now only one question remains: will it live up to the hype?
I highly enjoyed watching the first movie and didn’t anticipate the second one being as worth while, but it did not disappoint me.
The story takes off right where the first movie left off, adding a modern twist. A new black flame candle is created by an unassum ing shopkeeper and is lit by a vir gin once again, prompting the re turn of wicked sisters: Winefred, Sarah and Mary Sanderson.
A new coven of teenage witches must
Salem once again.
Although I enjoyed watching this movie, I did feel that the plot was lacking. It didn’t really feel like the grand return of the Sanderson sisters. The plot was repetitive and almost boring at times.
The witches returned, hungry for children, and a group of teenagers had to stop them once again. It had the opportunity to be very unique and interesting, but the storyline was not much different from the original mov ie, which made the entire sequel a bit underwhelming.
However, what set the original film apart from many other Halloween movies was the outstanding chemistry of the cast. This is true for the second movie as well.
The actresses who play the Sanderson sisters are the perfect trio. They still work wonderfully to add a bright comedic energy to the movie even 29 years later.
I enjoyed watching them belt out their songs, and their amusing facial expressions and dia logue kept the movie upbeat and fun to watch.
There were many modern jokes such as Mary Sanderson us ing two roomba vacuums instead of a broom, which I thought was ridiculous yet hi lariously clever.
The new trio of teenage witches, Becca, Izzy and Cassie, also encapsulate the dynamic of the Sander son sisters and appeal more to the younger generations.
Although they are not related, they have that strong friendship and sisterly bond similar to the original Sanderson sisters. They’ve been practicing their witchy hobbies together for years and their strong bond adds a meaningful and comforting atmosphere.
I thought the overall message of the sec ond movie was very meaningful. The first mov ie mainly focused on the sisters’ hunger for power, whereas this movie emphasized the sisters’ con nection with each other and the importance of family.
The plot was fast paced, but it shined a light on how the Sanderson sisters came to be, and especially added an emo tional depth to Winefred Sanderson, the leader of her coven.
I particularly enjoyed this, as the sis ters weren’t just seen as children-hungry witch es, but were given more character and personality.
Overall, I enjoyed Hocus Pocus 2 and thought it was a satisfactory sequel. I did think the plot could have been more interesting, but seeing as how the first movie’s plot is so iconic and nostalgic, it’s understandable that the sequel would have a
“The film wears its ridiculousness so proudly, it’s impossibleto disdain. It is both a diverting watch and asly commentary onits strengths,”predecessor’s
“Hocus Pocus 2 really is cute (enough). If you’re in the right mood, it’s maybe even good,”
Carmen Phillips,
“As soon as the trio turn up, Hocus Pocus 2 imme diately becomes compelling and enjoyable,”
difficult time topping that. This movie swept me up once again into the magical world of Salem and left me with a cozy feeling. It’ll be a welcome addition to my Halloween staples.
Nova a cappella group shares their passion GRACE EVERT Staff Writer said.
There are few moments like the hush of a crowd before a performance. Just when the world could be no quieter, melodic voices break through the silence in per fect harmony. No matter who is watching, they are cap tivated by music.
“You hear people say, ‘That was the moment I knew I wanted to do music.’ I want to do that to someone. I want to inspire people because you don’t have to be good at music to love music,” senior Jenna Schweigert said.
Schweigert is a member of MN’s female a capella group, Nova. The group is composed of twelve students driven to inspire people with their voices. A capella, vocal music without instruments, is much different from styles of vocal music people typically know.
“When you go to show choir competitions, people know what to expect. With a capella, people haven’t al ways heard it before,” Schweigert said.
Although Nova was created before any of the cur rent members were students at MN, these musicians are continuing the legacy while spreading their passion for music to their audience. Nova’s current co-leaders are se niors Olivia Shaner and Lily Ginsburg.
“In the past, it’s been more of just a fun after-school activity. This year we really want to share with the com munity what we do,” Shaner said.
Most recently, the group performed at Junkstock on Oct. 9 and Vala’s Pumpkin Patch on Oct. 23 as part of their fall performance season. Through these perfor mances, Nova hopes to affect the community in a mean ingful way.
“It feels more like real-world singing. You’re reaching out to other people in the community. People can just stop by to hear you sing. You build your own community that way,” junior Shalom Manyara said.
Real world performances provide Nova’s members with a new view of singing they feel they lack in choir and show choir.
“When you are in choir, you really only do concerts at school. With Nova, you get to go to different places. Not everyone gets to perform at Junkstock,” sophomore Lilly Jones said.
Nova also provides a space for each member to showcase their own talents. In a group that has fewer people, there are more opportunities for individuality.
“Everyone has their own strengths. When we come together we create this awesome dynamic,” Jones
Because the group is complete ly student-led, all music is chosen by the members, and all weekly rehearsals are run by the group’s co-leaders.
“We plan our rehearsals, we do everything. We all have a role and the capability to do what we want with our time,” Shaner said.
During this year’s fall season, Nova sang classic soul, alternative, and folk songs such as “Creep” by Radiohead, “I Put a Spell on You” by Annie Lennox, “Imagine” by John Lennon, and “Drops of Jupiter” by Train.
Their winter music selection will, of course, include classic holiday tunes. No matter the season, Nova picks songs that reflect the group.
“Our music really represents the female voice well and is very versa tile,” Manyara said.
As for the future of Nova, the group hopes that musicians inter ested in sharing their vocal talents in a new way will audition and continue Nova with the same vitality the group has now.
“I want to see that spark. I hope that when I am in my senior year of college Nova is still going strong,” Manyara said.
The group’s bond through their music is evident, especially through the eyes of the group’s youngest member.
“I have always been pas sionate about music and it has always been a part of my life, so being able to put myself out there is amazing. I have found a little family inside of Nova,” Jones said.
As the last chord lingers in the air and the audience rises for a standing ovation, Nova leaves the stage confidently, knowing that they have made an impact on someone’s day, if not their life.
FAVORITE MEMORY: Permorming at Junkstock this year
FAVORITE SONG: I Put a Spell On You by John Debney
PLANS: Planning on going into music education Photograph by Emily Schmucker
FAVORITE MEMORY: Going to DMC last year and getting a perfect score
FAVORITE SONG: Imagine by John Lennon POST-GRAD PLANS: Attending a dance pro gram and continue pursu ing music
PLANS: Hopes to be in either an a cappella or choir in college
at community events and bonding with members
FAVORITE SONG: She Will Be Loved by Maroon 5
MEMORY: Bonding over fruit snacks at rehearsal
FAVORITE SONG: Bird’s Lullaby by Sarah Quar tel and The Oxford Choir POST-GRAD PLANS: Continue singing in a college choir Photograph by Emily SchmuckerPhotograph by Emily Schmucker
The shrieking of basketball shoes fills the MN gym, and the swooshing of nets from players sinking threes. There is great pride in the basketball team and the back to back State titles they defend. This upcoming season they’ll continue this successful run with a new coach in charge, the Stangs are under a new reign.
After being an assistant coach at MN for over a de cade, new head coach Michael Etzelmiller is looking for ward to what the season will bring.
“Hopefully I’ll be ready when the season starts, but you know, just trying to continue to be a lifelong learner,” Etzelmiller said.
It has been a lifelong dream of his to be a head coach, just like his dad. His dad, Mark Eztelmiller, was his high school basketball coach at Hastings. Etzelmiller takes with him the principles his dad taught him.
“He was like a Bobby Knight guy, very fiery yelling, probably pushing the envelope on some language. But I would try to think that I’m a little bit different in that area. But still, again, I think gaining the respect of your players and having them build that trust and then they’ll play hard for you,“ Etzelmiller said.
Etzelmiller has an extensive background playing the game, too. First starting his journey in basketball, Etzel miller played for four years at Hastings High School. He went to North Platte Junior College and played there for a year. Then went to Hastings College, where he played for three years and graduated in 2008.
Taking what he learned from his dad and his background in basketball, Etzelmiller will strive to bring the new team together, which includes setting high expecta tions for them this season.
“I go to clinics, like to go to college practices, and just keep trying to learn and talk to other coaches. We’ve got a really good base,” Etzelmiller said.
His assessment of the upcoming team is positive.
Like Son: Boys basketball coach Mike Etzelmiller talks with his dad and coach during the game. Etzelmill er’s dad, Mark Etzelmiller, coached him throughout his time at Hastings High School.
Photograph submit ted by Michael Etzelmiller
“I think our selflessness is huge at least that we’ve seen in the fall. Nobody’s being selfish. Everybody shares the basketball and we’ve got some good leaders. I think that we are looking forward to stepping into that role, something different from what they’ve been in the past,” Etzelmiller said.
Etzelmiller views delegation as one of the struggles with being the new head coach, trying to figure out where coach es and players fit best is hard.
“My biggest is sue is delegation.
Kind of, I like to do a lot of things my self, so delegating and trying to get some people and put jobs on differ ent coaches, players. It’s one of the things that I need to do a better job,” Et zelmiller said.
Returning player, Junior Neal Mosser has been preparing for what comes new with this season. The team feels that Etzelmill er was a great choice for the new coach. .
“I think it’s really like he was a great fit for us because he’s been with us and been doing stuff within the program. And it was probably time for him to step up in a bigger role,” Mosser said.
He is not only excited for the new coach, but for the season as well. With two State Titles behind the team; he hopes the new players help lead them to victory just as they did last year.
Another returning player is the senior Sky Williams. Being a senior with a new coach is hard, especially with new changes all around them.
“I feel it’s gonna be a big adjustment, but also feel that he’s had a lot of ex perience under the old head coach. I feel like it wouldn’t be much of a change as far as plays-wise, but I like him. He’s a good head coach,” Wil liams said.
Though he has concerns about the new players and how they mesh, he knows Etzelmiller will be a good leader.
“Honestly,
I don’t see any struggle with our new coach, as far as practice-wise and every thing that’s been going on since we started this summer in the spring. I feel like we’ve been doing pretty good to gether,” Williams said
With the season not far away, the Stangs are already preparing for what’s ahead.
“Be on the lookout,” Williams said.
Father and Son Huddle: Coach Mark Etzelmiller talks with his team mid-game. Etzel miller coached his son, now MN boys basketball coach, at Hast ings High School. Photograph submit ted by Michael Etzelmiller
Breathe in. Breathe out. Block out all the eyes on you. Focus. Set up your play. Examine the hole, grip the club in your hand, and then glance back at the ball. Fix your stance. Hit the ball. Boom.
This is what girls golf did every match in the season. The girls had grown used to the routine and stakes were high once again this year in the ultimate battle of the NSAA State Girls Golf Championship on October 1011.
This year, girls’ golf made it to the final round.
The team worked hard at state, tying it up in first place after the first day. But by the second and final day, the crew fell short and placed third in the final rankings of the state tourna ment.
“I’m not very happy with third place for the fourth year straight. I thought this year was our year. We were in good standings the first day, but I don’t know what happened to us the second day,” Senior Izabella Pesicka said.
Pesicka placed 5th in the individual rankings. Senior Erica Lee placed 7th.
“The team next year has seen what the varsity girls went through this season and have learned a lot. I think they should just continue the tradition of maintaining an overwhelming amount of support within the team. The support each girl has received from the other is what created the passion, friendship, and determination,” Lee said.
While making state is an impressive feat in high school sports, the journey to win it all isn’t easy. Many
aspects might rock unprepared athletes. There is an enormous amount of pressure on this talented group of athletes that sometimes people seem to overlook.
“The dynamic of playing at the State Tournament, you really feel the pressure, especially at that first tee. I am not exaggerating, there is at least 100 people watch ing you tee off. But we also get the best community of being able to be with our family and teammates and just hangout. It’s a fun team aspect,” junior Cali Wisdom said.
These golfers stay unflappable under the fierce ex pectations set for them.
The girls golf team has grown in their mastery and their match mind set throughout the season. Most of the girls on the 2022 varsity team are seniors, so this tournament was their last. This leaves a bittersweet feeling among the girls.
Pesicka and Lee both feel disap pointed about the final result in their last high school tournament, but they know that they tried their best, re mained diligent, and made precious memories while being part of the girls golf program.
“We always try our best to never give up through out the entire tournament, and although our hard work didn’t pay off like we wanted it to, we were all there for each other before, during, and after the tournament,” Lee said.
MN golf has become family for these girls. With all the tournaments, practices, and team events, the girls are very close and spend a lot of time together.
“It’s such a tight community. Just being a part of something makes Millard North feel a lot smaller, even though we’re such a big school,” Wisdom said.
Photograph by Sarah Fenton
Photograph by Sarah Fenton
“The support each girl has received from the other is what created the passion, friendship, and determination.
ERICA LEE JUNIOR
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out. Burn-out is when you have played a sport at such a rigorous level for longer than you wanted; that you no longer enjoy the game anymore. Intramural sports would offer low stress to players because the game is only for fun.
Since the game is only for fun, any student would have the opportunity to join. Students could try a sport they have never played before or students with no back ground in sports at all would have the opportunity to try something new. It is an opportunity for students to play a fun game with their friends and meet new people.
emember that sport you used to play when you were younger? Like most kids, your parents probably forced you to try every sport of fered at the YMCA until you found one you liked. Perhaps you played this sport for a while before becoming too busy, getting burnt out, or just never liking sports to begin with before quitting. These are all reasons why intramural sports should be offered at Millard North.
Personally, I played volleyball in middle school, and although I had fun playing with my friends, I didn’t want to take the sport to a serious level by playing in high school. Playing volleyball is one of my favorite activities, but I knew playing for the school team wouldn’t be possi ble with my busy schedule and inability to actually make the team. If intramural sports were offered, I would be able to play my favorite game without any serious com mitments.
Some students are too busy to play sports for the school team. They just don’t have time in their schedule to go to games every weekend and show up to practices every day after school. If intramural sports were offered, students would be able to play a sport they liked without having to commit to a rigorous schedule. This means stu dents in other activities and jobs outside of school would also have the opportunity to play sports.
“I used to have a lot of fun playing [basketball], but the team just felt different, and I didn’t find it fun any more. I would still love to play, but I’m tired of practicing so much,” junior Bailey Knoelle said.
Many students like Knoelle have experienced burn-
Taking part in a physical activity is also good for your health and can improve morale.The CDC recommends exercising to improve your brain health. In a study taken by The Advisory Committee; they proved that physical activity helped to reduce depression in six to seventeen year olds as well as adults. Exercise can help to mature and develop the brain during your youth. Physical Ac tivity can also help to reduce anxiety and improve sleep ing patterns. Less anxiety and more sleep are two things highschooler’s definitely need. If intramural sports were offered, students would be able to take part in a healthy activity that is not only beneficial to their bodies, but also to their minds.
If intramural sports were to take place as a club with a sponsor, there could be fun games and practices every other week that students could choose to participate in. If enough students joined, teams could be created that meet on their own time to play in games. Some students may not be able to make it to every game or practice, but this wouldn’t be a problem since you don’t have to be fully committed to the sport. Any students would be welcomed to join a team whenever it fit their schedule.
In all, intramural sports are a great opportunity for students to branch out and make more friends. Students would become more involved with a physical activity within the school. Playing a fun game with your friends and peers is good for a little healthy competition. And ev ery student should be offered the chance at a physical ac tivity. Every game is for fun so every Mustang is a winner.
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