The Hoofbeat, May 6, 2023

Millard North High School

THE HOOFBEAT Volume 41 • Issue 6 • May. 8, 2023

SHOULDERS

DYNAMIC DUO

Maddox Zywiec’s weightlifting journey.

State champs prepare for nationals

WEIGHT OFF HIS

Page #17

Page #6

SOAK IN THE SUN Omaha’s summer attractions and adventures Pages 2-3

Photograph by Jack Durkan

2 • NEWS • May 8, 2023

MUSTANGS AT MARKET

MN represents at Farmers Market, benefits Omaha NATALIE HILL STAFF WRITER

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cool, summer breeze blows gently through the air.

The voices of customers shopping and sellers working their stands combine to create a steady hum of noise.

It’s the Omaha Farmers Market, and for some, the stalls it hosts are perfect for a relaxing summer job.

Senior Faith Withers spent this past summer working at a dog treat stand at the Farmers Market in Aksarben. She was asked to run the stand after working for its associated small treat business, Brixtix Bakery for Dogs, for a while.

“When [my boss] asked me to work the stand at the Farmers Market I said ‘yes’ because I love being outside with the dogs,” Withers said.

The job features perks like exposure to summer weather, generous pay, and what Withers considers to be a positive atmosphere. “[The Farmers Market] is like a family. The community is really nice and everyone knows each other.

Sometimes we’ll do trades, so someone will give me something and I’ll give them dog treats,” Withers said.

While she enjoys how tight-knit the community is, Withers has faced some challenges on the job.

“Setting up and taking down the stand can be a lot, especially when it’s hot out and you’ve worked long hours,” Withers said.

Also working at the Farmers Market during the summer of 2022 was junior Mye Gatzemeyer. Gatzemeyer got involved by working at the dog treat stand alongside Withers, and later transitioned to selling coffee with

Tap

Dancers Specialty Coffee.

“My favorite part of the job is just the conversations,” Gatzemeyer said. “People will just come up and talk to you, and I really enjoy it.”

Although the atmosphere is considered to be generally friendly, not every customer follows that pattern.

“It doesn’t happen that often, but there are rude people out there, and they’ll yell at you if they think you did something wrong. People think they have authority over you because you’re a worker,” Gatzemeyer said. “It’s not too common, though. It happens about three times a summer.”

Despite the challenges, both Withers and Gatzemeyer hope to work at the Farmers Market again this summer. However, students won’t be the only ones working the stands. Carly Persell, debate teacher Dylan Sutton’s wife, bakes fruit based treats with Gnome Baked Goods to sell at the Farmers Market, primarily at the Old Market location.

“I personally attend every Farmers Market with help from Mr. Sutton,” Persell said. “It’s a wonderful opportunity to get feedback directly from consumers and build a long term customer base.”

Time management is an important part of Persell’s job, as she has to balance her day job with her baking. She allots time throughout the week for buying, washing, and preparing her ingredients so they’re ready to bake.

“All goods that I sell are baked within 24 hours of the market, which can make Fridays quite challenging. Thankfully, my day job is flexible and allows me to take the occasional Friday afternoon off to focus on baking,” Persell said.

During her time at the Farmers Market, Persell has come to appreciate the importance it has in many people’s lives, farmers or not. “...[S]peaking to the vendors gives me insight into how dedicated they are to what they produce,” Persell said. “It also allows me to have an understanding of how directly my purchase supports their family and business.”

While it benefits individuals, the Farmers Market has an impact on the greater Omaha community as well.

“The market is an essential step to address food issues in Omaha… [There is a]

lack of grocery stores in the downtown area– a food desert that the Old Market location helps address during the summer,” Persell said.

Knowing all of the experiences and benefits of the Farmers Market, Persell believes that it is an essential part of Omaha. Withers and Gatzemeyer seem to agree, as they both encourage their peers to visit the Farmers Market if they get the chance.

“Come and support local businesses,” Withers said. “They help grow the community of Omaha, and it’s just a really fun experience.”

MNHSONLINE.COM • 3

JOBS TO WORK

CADDY-

Are you a fan of golf? If so, caddying might just be the perfect summer job for you! With sunnny skies and players on the green, a caddy is vital in the summer months for any and all serious golfers!

Try lifeguarding this summer and learn life-saving skills that will be useful for the rest of your life!

Interested in the trades? Dip your brush in some paint this summer and apply for a painting internship!

PAINTING You’ll work alongside skilled workers andacquire valuable experience in a highly-promising trade.

PLACES TO BE THE COLLEGE WORLD SE-

With competition starting on Friday, June 16th, watch the College World Series in Omaha.

The summer awaits, and there is much to do, much more to see, and many places to be!

A PLAY-

Among the best times to watch those plays you’ve been hearing about is this summer! Research and buy tickets for such amazing shows as Hairspray, Madagascar, and more!

NEW RESTAU-

On the more laid-back nights of the summer, take your family out for a quick desert, night of food, or a multiple-course meal at some of the many new restaurants of Omaha!

PLACES TO SEE OMAHA’S KIEWIT LUMINARIUM

With exhibits all weekend long and throughout the week, the Kiewit Luminarium has great times for both adults and kids and hosts a plethora of events and adventures. It truly is a new place for all to learn and play.

OMAHA’S SCHRAMM PARK Schramm Park has new aquariums and hiking opportunities for all attendees. It has indoor and outdoor sections, and helpful advisory all the way! It features bird watching, reptile and native fish enclosures, and much, much more.

4 • May 8, 2023

NEWS BRIEFS

MERTZ’S MEMOIR

Teacher, head track coach Walter Mertz retires with 4 others at year’s end

PRISHA SABHERWAL YEARBOOK WRITER runner and thrower for 4 years and a coach for 36 LB77, a bill that will years, the long journey from a student-athlete to a coach allow the permitless and a teacher has come to an end for Walter Mertz. concealed carry of Known for his wisdom and intelligence and being the pillar of MN’s track and field, Mertz will be retiring at firearms, signed by NE the end of the year. govenror (Apr. 25) Mertz was a part of MN’s track and field team from 1980-1983. As a student-athlete at MN, he was a runner Omaha judge decides and a discus thrower, and he even had a chance to go to State. Due to the closeness between him and City Councilman Vinhis team members, he really enjoyed the sport. ny Palermo will stay “In high school, I liked it because it was a detained on federal chance to compete one on one with myself [and] charges including fraud against others as well. And we were a close group.

We were friends and colleagues and it was just a connected to PACE nice tight-knit group to work with,” Mertz said.

(Apr. 28) After graduating from MN, his journey back to the school was not a direct path. Before getting his teaching certificate, he coached track at MN Middle School and spent some time coaching at Kiewit Middle School. After six years, he came to Disney World and MN and took his physics teacher, Bill Schnase’s Central Florida Tourism position, who also happened to be one of his track coaches. Schnase was Mertz’s inspiration for Oversight board inscience and coaching track. volved in duel lawsuits teaching Over the course of 36 years, Mertz has had (May 1) many successes. Every year, kids from the track team get to compete at State tournaments. The achievements at State not only bring Mertz joy Jackson Mahomes and excitement but also bring back his favorite memories (brother of Chiefs quar- of competing at State. terback Patrick Ma“I’m always excited for the kids that get to go to State because I remember that myself. It’s exciting for me homes) charged with watch them compete. And so it makes me feel really sexual battery and taken to proud that we can actually continue to keep getting kids into custody (May 3) to the State meet,” Mertz said.

Assistant track coach Jacob Bergmeier also went to school at MN and was part of the track and field team from 2007-2009. Currently, he is the assistant coach for Sudanese Armed Forces this sport, and he feels that Mertz played an important

LOCAL NEWS

NATIONAL NEWS

WORLD NEWS

and Sudanese paramilitary group Rapid Support Forces agree on 7-day ceasefire and plan on peace talks

Remains of what police believe to be a missing fisherman found in two crocodiles in Australia (May 3)

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role in his life, even beyond high school.

“When I came into education, [I] didn’t really have coaching as a priority. He [Mertz] kind of opened up that door for me. He made it very digestible and understandable and helped me out in the same way as when I was an athlete. When I had fears, he was very helpful in making me feel as if those were normal fears. Coach Mertz is a big reason why I’m coaching a part of this track team,” Bergmeier said.

One of the reasons that made Mertz stand out as a coach was because of his unique approach toward students. Many students, including junior William Keller, had an appreciation for his patience and the way he dealt with students. “[He is] much more Straining at relaxed than some others. I’ve had some coachShot Put: es [who] are always on to Walter Mertz at you. [However] he [has a] track practice with the shot put more relaxed manner. It’s [more] like what you want as a sophomore to do today [rather] than at MN. Mertz him making you do everyalso competed in thing his way,” Keller said. discus and landed Mertz dedicated the on MN’s Top 10 majority of his life to MN list for the event and his students. Senior Owen Bell feels that alat 165 feet for though the team will feel some time. his loss, at the same time, Photograph conhe is happy for Mertz. tributed by MN “I’m happy for him Yearbook because he has worked a lot…He does a lot at the school, and he has been a good physics teacher for me, and he also has been a really good cross country and track coach. For cross country especially, he adds a certain dynamic to how hard we should be working and everything else. I think [we] will be missing [this] when he’s gone,” Bell said.

Mertz does feel good about retiring, and hopes to potentially coach somewhere else. However, he will miss the students and teachers who worked with him. He looks forward to a change after being at MN for most of his life.

“I’ve been here a long time. So I will miss all those aspects of the students and other teachers that I’ve been working with over the past few years, and I hope that they continue on all this stuff,” Mertz said.

Dr. Stephanie Burdic, MN’s head librarian, will be retiring at the end of the school year following 23 years of service at MN. Q: What is your favorite memory from your years at MN? A: Every day is different. There is always variety and excitement and energy. I love being with students, and I enjoy the faculty as well; but it’s just the enregy that I get from working here.

Q: What are you looking forward to the most in the future?

A: I’m looking forward to endless summer... [and] running for the school board.

READY RETIREES Stephanie Burdic - Teacher-Librarian, 23 years at MN C.J. Maly - Special Education, 8 years at MN Walter Mertz - Science, 28 years at MN Trent Monzingo - Science, 24 years at MN Kelly Welsh - Language Arts, 25 years at MN

MNHSONLINE.COM • 5

HIGH-REACHING HOSA

Students compete, win, at HOSA’s State Leadership ConferMIA CASTRO Staff Writer n March 12-14, everywhere around Nebraska, alarm clocks go off as tousled-hair, baggy-eyed, yawning HOSA members from Scottsbluff to Omaha high schools stumble out of bed to prepare for the long-awaited, big day ahead of them.

The students are up early these mornings for HOSA’s Nebraska State Leadership Convention, an annual event where high school HOSA associates showcase what they’ve learned and face off for the first-place award.

They all share the same goal: to qualify for HOSA’s International Leadership Conference, which can only be achieved by receiving the first-place distinction in their event.

HOSA, an acronym standing for “Health Occupation Students of America,” is an organization devoted to introducing students who are curious about the health sciences field to what it would be like to work in those positions in the future.

“HOSA is an organization that helps connect like-minded peers that are interested in becoming future health professionals. It’s for any student that is interested in health. In general, it’s just a really fun club,” junior and Nebraska HOSA vice president Ansh Mishra said.

In HOSA, each student studies and learns the material on their own to compete in a specific category of their choice. These categories can range from Biomedical Debate to Pharmacology to Medical Law and Ethics.

While one of the core elements of the State Lead-

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“The competitions are so fun because you get to ership Conference is competing to win, all HOSA conferences, not just the State Leadership Conference, pres- meet with people from Lincoln and even people from ent HOSA members with the opportunity to meet guest Gering, Nebraska, and the Bluffs. There are just people from all over Nebraska that come and they’re all interestspeakers involved in the healthcare community.

This allows HOSA members to understand how ed in healthcare,” Mishra said.

Many have built lasting memories and uncovered their routine would play out in the future if they decide personal excellence through HOSA. to pursue “I enjoy participating in HOSA. It’s a really the medMy favorite part of HOSA great club and it’s just been a great experience,” ical path. sophomore Caleb Yeh said.

A l o n g is probably the State Leadership HOSA members like Mishra, Cherek, and with that, Conference because there’s a lot Yeh prompt students who are interested in becomstudents ing future health professionals or who just want an d i s c o v - of expos and breakout sessions educational and healthy challenge to give HOSA er what that we get to go to. It’s just a a chance. prerequi“Overall, everything’s really cool. I’d say more sites and really fun time. people should do it. Going into it, a lot of people requireare there for state leadership or they’ll do it just to ments are compete in something, but then a lot of people end needed to ELISE CHEREK up enjoying themselves. If you’re thinking about become a SOPHOMORE doing it, just do it,” Cherek said. medical Together, Cherek, Yeh, and Mishra have a science combined nine placement achievements at HOSA, profiwith most of these feats being the first-place prize. cient.

Additionally, at these conventions, students get to All will be attending the International Leadership Conknow other students who are passionate about health- ference, which is planned for June 21-24 in Dallas, Texas this year. care.

MN’s HOSA chapter showed extreme skill and deVia this similarity, HOSA constituents can expand their social web, bounce ideas off one another, learn votion at the State Leadership Conference this year and about HOSA culture in other schools, and simply make looks forward to continuing repping Millard North’s blue, green, and white, whether it be in Nebraska or Texas. new friends.

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HOSA’S HEADWAY Zahraa Alison Olivia Antony Tanisha Bansal Charitha Bodepudi Partha Chaturvedi Ashritha Chiguluri Elise Cherek Noor Elrefaie Sydney Farley Aidan Herman Arnav Jain Luke Glasgow Samiksha Jayaraman Suvan Kallepalli Apoorva Kasireddy Naomin Ketaw Vaibhavi Kota Ansh Mishra Pujitha Mudhelli Sanika Navalkar Sarah Peeralam Karaline Petrick Pranavi Prakash Sophie Quarles Vanshikha Sabbi Gowtham Sathi Caleb Yeh Isabella Zhang

28 MN HOSA members attended the HOSA’s Nebraska State Leadership Convention.

Each member competed in a specific healthcare field-focused event, with MN earning 18 placements overall.

Allied Health Statistics Nat Geo Test Pharmacology Medical Terminology Medical Law and Ethics Biochemistry Nat Geo Test Clinical Laboratory Science College Physics Nat Geo Test Interviewing Skills Pharmacy Science Biomedical debate (Ansh Mishra, Naomin Ketaw, Suvan Kallepalli Nursing Assisting Medical Math Health Career display Human Heredity Nat Geo Test Biotechnology Cultural Disparities in Healthcare Biochemistry Nat Geo Test Biomedical debate (Pranavi Prakash, Sarah Peeralam, Gowtham Sathi)

6 • May 8, 2023

THE DYNAMIC DUO

Fresh off of State win, Rook Jacobsen, Julia Clausen prepare to compete at Forensics Nationals EMILY SCHMUCKER Staff Writer oraline discovered the door a little while after they moved into the house.”

“Where does the door go?” prompted Coraline.

“Nowhere, dear,” said her Mother.

“It has to go somewhere,” Coraline concluded.

This is just a snippet of senior Rook Jacobsen and junior Julia Clausen’s award-winning Forensics act about the story of Coraline.

“Julia and I split a bunch of characters between ourselves, she plays all of Coraline’s bits and I play all of the supporting characters,” Jacobsen said.

The duo’s script is a combination of both the book and movie of Coraline. This special touch puts a unique spin on this famous literature piece.

“They’ve been able to bring their talent sets to the duo, and I think it’s fun to see this well known story come to life,” Forensics coach Sabrina Denney Bull said.

For Jacobsen and Clausen, some characters were easier to portray than others. As Jacobsen jumps around between many characters throughout the script, he enjoys getting to know them on a deeper level.

“My favorite character is the old man. His voice is very fun and I love his spooky factor, he’s a very unique character,” Jacobsen said.

While Clausen mainly played the one character of

Coraline, she still had some struggles before she found her groove.

“I feel like keeping the character alive and consistent [was difficult],” Clausen said.

Aside from building up the characters, the two spent a lot of time with their script. They memorized, changed, and critiqued it for weeks.

“It takes about three weeks to get actually comfortable with the script, and even then you have to keep working and changing things,” Jacobsen said.

One of the more unique things about the duo’s script is that it encompasses both comical and somber times. The two had to work diligently in order to execute the act smoothly and successfully.

“I really like that their piece has humorous moments and serious moments, I think that balance is really important,” Denney Bull said.

Since they first started their script in December, the duo has been hard at work practicing and perfecting their performance. Jacobsen and Clausen consistently practice at least 2-3 times a week for a couple hours each time.

“Julia and Rook are strong performers independently, but they’ve done a nice job of prioritizing practice time together to make sure that their event is successful,” Denney Bull said.

All of their practice proved worthwhile, as the pair placed first in State Forensics, allowing them to qualify for National Speech and Debate (NSDA) in Phoenix, Ar-

CORALINE

THE OTHER MOTHER

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Played by Julia Clausen An adventurous girl who accidentally stumbles upon another world and is guided through it by a helpful cat.

Played by Rook Jacobsen A demon-like character who lures children into her world, hoping to feed on their souls.

THE KEY TO SUCCESS

While the rules may vary by tournament, duos are generally required to follow these guidlines: • The performance must not exceed 10 minutes • No props or costumes may be used • Partners may not touch each other during the performance • The duo must work well together and react to eachothers’ lines and actions

izona on June 10-17.

“It was very rewarding to see all our hard work paying off,” Clausen said.

However, practicing is only part of the pair’s success. Communication is the other half.

“Being in a duo, you really have to communicate well with each other. Competitions are 12 hours long so it’s a lot of taking care of yourself, making sure your partner’s OK, and a lot of planning,” Clausen said.

The duo’s speech is about 10 minutes long, and is constantly changing. This is to prevent a rehearsed feel to their presentation so that the speech feels fresh each time they perform it.

“The final version that we’re going to take to Nationals is going to be completely different from what we started with,” Jacobsen said.

As the duo prepares for Nationals, they continue to learn and grow as they put their best words forward.

OPINIONS • 7

SUMMER BUMMER

Fact or Fiction: Why we say no to summer reading THE HOOFBEAT Staff Editorial

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ummer, the rare moment in a student’s life when they are able to relax, have fun and spend days as they please. Then all of a sudden... wham! Students nationwide are forced to complete the most demeaning, quite frankly awful, task of all time: Summer Reading.

Over the summer, English teachers district-wide assign mandatory reading assignments that put a dark looming cloud over summer fun, leading students to put a pause on their well-deserved break. Out of the twelve months in a year, students are given only two months to take a break from continuous learning, in which teachers dare assign more work.

Many kids beg the question: “What’s the point?”

The truth of the matter is, there is none.

An article from the Gifted Guru echoes these thoughts in a segment called “Why Schools Should Ditch Summer Assignments”, where Lisa Van Gemert, a parent and educator shares her thoughts about summer assignments. “[Summer] is a needed rest from required learn-

ing. Summer assignments interrupt that rest and make a mockery of the word ‘vacation.’” Van Gemert said.

Students are on the go for a majority of the year, always giving 100% until they are finally able to take a two-month break. To put things into perspective, that is only 1/6 of the year off.

By adding summer work into the equation, teachers create an endless cycle of zero breaks and constant learning.

“Instead of being outside climbing trees or curled up in a comfy chair with the latest book in their fave series or even just doing nothing, kids are hunched over summer assignments that range from math packets to required reading,” Van Gemert said.

Being that we are at school for so long, teachers should strive towards making school as interesting and exciting as possible. In which summer reading is the first misstep. In addition to the current students’ concerns, has any consideration been taken in regards to new students from different schools, states and or even countries?

How are incoming students supposed to know that they are meant to be studying or preparing for the new school year? It’s not fair to the students.

“Not only do [they] feel behind before [they] even begin, [but they] may even feel that [they] don’t belong in the advanced class.” Van Gemert said.

The summer assignments simply create stress for both current and incoming students.

To counter any arguments against summer reading, teachers defend their actions by stating that it allows students to retain knowledge and skills learned in the previous school year.

However, if this were the true purpose of summer reading then why do almost all English teachers allow a two to three week grace period in which students have the opportunity to get their summer reading done?

Doing the reading over the summer is pointless and the typically provided grace period diminishes the work of the students who did complete the task of summer reading. The grace period itself goes to show that there is no reason so why not just call it off completely and decide no more summer reading?

If teachers were to stop requiring summer assignments, students would truly be able to relax and enjoy their summer. We would finally be able to return to school refreshed instead of stressed!

SENIOR SEND-OFF

Jack Durkan Head photographer

Isabel Gross Staff Writer

Rebecca Jacobsen Co-Editor-in-Chief

Mahika Kanchanam In-Depth Editor

Olivia Torrez Co-Editor-in-Chief

“I joined the journalism team two years ago to express my love for photography, I ended up loving it. Seeing my work in published books really made me think about what would be possible for me in the future regarding my special love for film photography. This year I became the newspaper’s photographer as well as keeping my position in yearbook. It has been the most memorable experience in my high school career. Thank you Mrs Crotzer and all journalism staff for making this place a wonderful place for me.”

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“My time in the journalism program and with the Hoofbeat has been amazing.

On the surface, my writing, design and communication skills have improved immensely. But on a deeper level, I have also gotten to spend time and work with so many unique, hard-working and talented people. I have loved every moment laughing in the editors’ room, talking to my staff and helping people improve their stories. It has been an incredible experience producing the Hoofbeat and I will take these memories and skills far into my future.”

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8 • May 8, 2023

MINDFUL MELODIES

Purposeful music use leads to innumerable benefits

1. Both upbeat and downbeat music 2. Fast-paced music 3. Classical and meditation music 4. Relaxing classical music 5. Any type of music

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Additionally, music is a language that almost all teenagers use and can connect with in many different ways.

So, teaching them how to use it for good would be applicable to all.

Importantly, students are much more likely to be interested in learning about music than other common learning techniques being taught in schools, such as getting enough sleep or eating breakfast.

It is known that many students already use music for effects like boosts before sports or focus, but teaching all students how helpful music can also be in the classroom would be valuable.

Students will not only understand why music is so helpful, but also learn lifelong skills that can help them in any situation or stage of life.

The anxiety-reducing, focus-enhancing nature of music helps students to learn and perform better in school. It is a disservice to them to stop them from using it.

We must learn to embrace the modern accessibility of music rather than work to tamp it down. The possible benefits of doing so both outweight the cons and are incredibly exciting to consider.

The limbic system in our brains is responsible for processing emotions. ha d t c a n mu s ic When we hear music, it releases dopamine, a neurotransmitter that triggers feelings of pleasure.

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1. Improve memory 2. Improve motivation 3. Reduce Anxiety 4. Help to sleep better 5. Help with pain management

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Teagan’s Take

Therefore, rather than simply distracting students as many believe, music really helps them to perform better.

With this being said, music should not only be allowed but encouraged for students to use during guided study and work time as it helps students with motivation, and, according to Healthine, benefits include better learning and memory and lower anxiety.

So, it helps students perform better and to feel better. When in a more focused, comfortable headspace, students find it easier to complete work and go through school in a less stress-filled manner.

Of course, the typical reason that music is banned in the first place is because it is viewed as distracting. To avoid this, students should be educated on how to use music to aid them and their learning rather than hurt them.

One tool that could be taught to students is music therapy: the use of music to accomplish goals pertaining to mental or physical health.

Essentially, the understanding that specific types of music and how we choose to use them have specific effects on the body and mind.

For example, classical music is best for studying while hip-hop and other fast-paced music is best for working

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othing gets me more pumped-up than a good Rihanna song. Whether I need to lock in on sports or school, the music motivates me.

This motivation helps me to focus on schoolwork, boost my mood, and inspire me.

Teagan Lynch As a very popular mechanism for Opinions Editor teenagers today, the benefits of music are clear. Despite this, it is still strictly regulated in many classrooms.

In fact, at MN, airpods and headphones often aren’t even allowed during silent work time.

According to Healthline, music stimulates and engages the brain. This stimulation includes the brain’s reward center, which makes people more motivated to learn when they know listening to a song is their reward.

i lm rce: Ver y wel

IN-DEPTH • 9

Catching up with

Graduates As the 2023 school year comes to an end, graduateslook back on their high school years, begin planning their futures, and make time to celebrate all they have accomplished.

10 • March 23, 2020

MNHSONLINE.COM • 11

GRADUATION GET-TOGETHERS

As seniors graduate, they begin to plan celebrations to commemorate their commencement MAHIKA KANCHANAM In-Depth Editor alking the Millard North halls for the first time as freshmen, students feel like they’re entering a new world.

Looking forward to the next four years, these freshmen continue to find new interests, make unforgettable memories, and create amazing new relationships. After four years of hard work and dedication, it’s almost time for these freshmen turned seniors to graduate.

So, how will the class of 2023 be celebrating the end of their high school years? There’s nothing to look forward to more than graduate party season. Jumping from house to house congratulating these seniors, let’s take a look at some unique graduation party plans.

Sydney Farley, a graduating senior, decided to bring her love for skiing to her party: a ski-themed party at Lazlo’s.

“Lazlo’s is one of my favorite restaurants, and I thought it would be a cool place to have my graduation party. I really enjoy skiing, and I would say that I’m pretty good at it, so my aunt thought it would be a fun and unique idea to create a ski-themed party,” Farley said.

The theme is accompanied by a variety of activities for her friends to enjoy.

“We’re setting up a photo booth for people to take pictures and also a ‘pin the tail on the cowboy’ game because I’m going to be attending the University of Wyoming,” Farley said.

Representing her journey throughout the

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years, her aunt and her worked together to make a trail that symbolizes her time in school.

“When you’re skiing, the trail signs show the difficulty of what the trail is; green is easy, blue is intermediate, black is difficult, and double black is extreme. So, each of the schools I have attended is a different colored trail sign with Aldrich being green, Kiewit is blue, Millard North is black, and the University of Wyoming is double black,” Farley said.

Contrasting Farley’s ski-themed party, Bhavya Krishnan decided to have her party out in the sun at Zorinsky Lake.

“When [I was] beginning to plan my party, I knew having a big venue or a house gathering was not my style. I settled on an outdoor party because I love being outside,” Krishnan said.

Wanting to bring her culture with her, she has a delicious cuisine planned for her guests.

“For food, I knew I wanted it to be Indian as a nod to my culture and because it has been a staple, comfort cuisine for me as I grew up. I couldn’t live without it. Some of my favorites are paneer and chana masala, so those two foods are what I’ll request for sure,” Krishnan said.

With a competitive and sportive personality, Krishnan decided to incorporate a variety of sports and games into her graduation party.

“I’m planning to have volleyball, cricket, and soccer set up at my party because some of my favorite memories were made playing sports with my friends during the summer. Additionally, my dad is a huge cricket fan, and it will be a way to honor the person that did everything

Photos contributed by Nyugen

and more for me during my childhood,” Krishnan said.

“Most of all, I’m a huge believer that sports brings everyone together, and I think it’s a fun way to bring people I’ve gotten to know in different aspects of my life together.”

Graduation parties are a way of celebrating all that one has accomplished throughout their years and bringing together the communities that have shaped them into the person they are today.

“For me, grad party season is just an excuse to hang out with my friends all day, every day.

There’s no school or stress to worry about, and we all get to be present with each other,” Krishnan said.

For seniors, graduation becomes a bittersweet moment.

“To be honest it feels surreal. I’m very excited and nervous at the same time because after graduation, I’m going to be truly independent. However, at the same time I’m excited to explore college life and how it differs from high school and to meet new people,” Sarang Kim said.

Graduation parties are a last time to celebrate with the friends seniors have made throughout the years.

“I am very excited to go to everyone’s grad party and see everyone there filled with joy and excitement from graduating. It will be like our ‘final’ moment together before we each head off to a new start, so it was definitely emotional, but a special memory,” Kim said.

As the class of 2023 graduates, they await many celebrations to come, and some final exciting memories to make.

GRADS GET GOING

Post-high school plans become a priority as seniors finish their final year the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland this fall.

SADIE HUGELMAN Here, Hunsaker will continue his track and Sports Editor field career as well as attend school and naval trainne of the hardest challenges of high school is figur- ing. He is excited to start at the Naval Academy deing out what you’re going to do once it is done. As the spite the nerves of moving onto the college stage. school year comes to an end, many seniors are feeling “I’m looking forward to meeting new peothe pressure of making decisions and finalizing plans. ple and I’m going to miss all of my friends and coachWhile most students commonly follow a four-year col- es that made me who I am today,” Hunsaker said. lege plan, some students have postThe four-year path to graduhigh school plans unlike any other. ation is a long road for students, but The choice to continue for junior Lyla Bogner; she has deI’m going to miss school after high school is common, cided to take on graduating a year but for seniors like Marshall Schrad- all of my friends and early. Her plans after high school er, their school is not as typical as the coaches that made me have started early as she will be rest. This fall Schrader will be attaking a gap year and then attendtending the Kansas City Art Institute. who I am today. ing Colorado University in 2024.

They plan on attending for She will be studying horticulfour years to get an animation deture therapy as well as competing GRANT HUNSAKER for the school’s forensic’s team. gree as well as study illustrations.

“What I’m looking forward “The community is also very SENIOR to the most for my post high school nature based and that is what I want to plans is to increase my animation surround myself with,” Bogner said. skill and work hard on my art skill,” Schrader said.

Bogner was able to graduate early by taking a zero Schrader is going to miss their MN hour and summer classes. She’s glad the early graduation art teachers, but is looking forward to living far will give her time to make more decisions on her future. from home and following a new career path.

“I’m going to miss the high school environ“Animation is a long process which should be ment of seeing my friends and communities every day more taken seriously as a job and as well it has been but I would never second guess the decision I’m my dream since I was a little kid watching movies that making to graduate early,” Bogner said. are Disney films and Dreamworks,” Schrader said.

Overall, every grad’s high Everyone’s post-high school plans look different. school experience looked Senior Grant Hunsaker plans on d i f f e r ent. The path to attending graduation is very d i verse, and

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12 • May 8, 2023

COVID CONTEMPLATIONS, 4 YEARS LATER Seniors reflect on how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their time at MN REBECCA JACOBSEN Co-Editor-In-Chief he week before the spring break of 2020, news reports on the rising coronavirus filled TVs and phone screens. Some freshmen (now seniors) joked about the apples from school lunch being wrapped in Saran Wrap as a health precaution. Others carefully watched as the infection rate increased in the Omaha area.

Finally, on March 13, these students experienced an abrupt end to their typical freshman year when the COVID-19 pandemic sent students home for an extended spring break. Senior James Flaugh remembers feeling positive at the beginning of this “break”.

“I was pretty excited when spring break was extended, because I had a couple tests that I wasn’t ready for, so it kind of gave me a break,” James Flaugh said.

As time progressed, what initially appeared to be a prolonged break from school turned into a monthslong quarantine. Cancellation of activities, Zoom meetings in your pajamas, and online quizzes filled students’ days. While there were unenjoyable facets of this new routine, looking back, senior Brittney Clignett can recall benefits of the lockdown.

“I liked it in the beginning when we got sent home, and I actually liked it throughout all of COVID because I went on a lot of walks during class, so it was actually nice,” Clignett said.

However, quarantine didn’t come without adverse effects on things such as students’ social lives and academic motivation.

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“It was a little bit disappointing that we weren’t able to be in school as long, because there’s a social aspect that was missing with that long of a break,” Flaugh said. “And it felt like the break just went on too long to be productive.”

With the switch from in-person schooling that partly relied on computers, to doing solely online learning during the beginning of the pandemic, came revelations about students’ learning styles.

While Flaugh realized it was easier for him to learn face to face, Clignett discovered the opposite.

“I learned that I learn much better on a computer than I do with paper [and] pencil in person. So that was good. It affected my study habits,” Clignett said.

The mask mandate and the option for online learning faded out for the class of 2023’s junior and senior year. As their upperclassmen years provided relatively normal experiences, seniors are able to look back and reflect on how the pandemic affected them and their high school career. For senior Jessica Blackburn, the pandemic helped her to grow and mature in her independence.

“I used to depend heavily on friends, and then when

COVID hit and we were kind of separated from everyone, I had to learn to be okay standing on my own and not seeing people all the time,” Blackburn said.

In addition to changes to interactions during quarantine, Flaugh acknowledges the less-than-ideal social conditions the pandemic created during the rest of his high school career.

“I definitely think [COVID] has [impacted my senior year] a little bit, because I feel like sophomore year is kind of a stepping stone, and it was a little bit harder to socialize during COVID, so [there] was a little bit of a difference in senior year,” Flaugh said.

Blackburn also notices a shift in her activities as a result of the pandemic. As a member of the band, she can see a change in its priorities from her freshman year to senior year.

“I feel we push more towards being okay mentally over a lot of the stricter things we used to do; I feel we’re more focused on mental well-being than doing well as a band,” Blackburn said.

COVID-19 and quarantine, while having a variety of negative impacts on seniors, nevertheless have given them a unique experience that has taught them valuable life lessons.

“This is so cheesy, but I definitely don’t take things for granted anymore, because it can be taken away so fast.

And so I’m more cognizant of what’s around me,” Clignett said.

The COVID-19 pandemic, with both its low points and advantageous effects, is undeniably a part of the class of 2023’s high school experience. It is an integral piece of the multitude of memories and life lessons that these students will take with them as their senior year finally comes to an end.

OPINIONS • 13

LIMITED DAY-ZE

THE HOOFBEAT

Graduation’s immediacy serves as one final lesson for seniors

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Schaffterthought

istening to others’ expectations compared to their realities regarding high school—specifically senior year— always sounded so cliché to me. There was no way college and adulting would appear so distant one minute, then slap Maizie Schaffart you across the face so hard you snap back Yearbook Editor-in-Chief to reality the next.

The hard truth is that, right now, we seniors can count the number of weeks left on one hand. That said, there’s definitely a haze of stress sweeping through the Class of ‘23. Wasn’t it only a few weeks ago when we were saying that graduation was still a year away?

Aside from our diplomas, the most significant takeaway from this year will be how we’ve grown, matured, and changed.

I remember walking through the halls feeling untouchable. Being a senior gives you this feeling of power.

No care in the world could bother you because you only have one year left. One year left…

Until parting ways with most of our friends and family. Until venturing out into the world on our own for the first time. Until learning to adult through real-world experience.

As the year passed by and days dissolved into months, minor imperceptible changes accumulated into grander, more evident ones. And even as the days passed me by, it didn’t —and still doesn’t— feel like I’m on a countdown to saying several final goodbyes.

It’s funny, the passage of time. Some of my days dragged on, filled with boredom and free time. Others were so eventful they were over in the blink of an eye. But that’s growing up: time passes, things change.

No matter how strongly I’ve opposed the unprecedented curveballs life has thrown, I’ve learned that the imminent passage of time strengthens your sense of self and independence.

Transitions aren’t something to be feared. They act as the compass that navigates us throughout our entire lives, whether we want to be steered in that direction or not.

Another effective catalyst for change is the relationships we establish. Whether it’s friendships, romantics, or familial connections, each person in our lives substantially impacts who we evolve into.

And some relationships are not meant to last forever. Outgrowing a friendship feels disheartening and is a brutal experience, but it is an inevitable change that we would have to bear eventually. While it may go against every instinct inside of you, sometimes letting go is better than holding on.

We also tend to discover lessons in the most unexpected of places. On those boring days when I would loaf around doing nothing, Spotify would constantly play in the background. To be honest, I would be streaming my Taylor Swift playlist.

Streaming Swift’s entire discography 24/7 wasn’t futile by any means. I came to realize her lyrics are more relatable than the plots of my former-favorite movies and shows on Disney Channel. The consistent themes of growing up, clean slates, friendship, and loss hit very close to home, especially now that graduation is around the corner.

While we may require time to mourn the closing chapter of our childhoods, grief isn’t meant to flood graduation; it serves as an opportunity to celebrate the culmination of a thirteen-year journey.

Our Midnight Masquerade Prom dance, for instance, provided the ideal opportunity to commemorate our final year together. Dancing the night away with the people we’ve spent the last four—maybe more—years together showed that our futures are more than scary truths for us to face.

So, go out and celebrate all you did for that diploma. We all earned it. The blood, sweat, and tears we’ve put into these diplomas have not gone unnoticed.

While the reality is that we grew up, we have the privilege of closing this final chapter of childhood by signing each other’s yearbooks. Of being there for one another come graduation party season. Of finishing our final year. Together.

The Hoofbeat staff will publish six issues of the paper at Millard North High School (1010 South 144th Street, Omaha, NE). Type is set with the use of Macintosh and HP computers. Printing is done by White Wolf Printing, Sheldon IA. The Hoofbeat is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association and JEA. The Hoofbeat exists for the express purpose of student information and learning.

Advertising: Advertising will be sold at $7 per column inch or by special quarter, half, or full page rates. Information can be obtained by calling 402-715-1404.

Responding to the Hoofbeat: Letters to the editor may be submitted to Room 1105 or sent to sacrotzer@mpsomaha.org. Names will be published. Letters must not contain attacks against an individual and may be edited for clarity.

THE STAFF Co-Editors-in-Chief Olivia Torrez Co-Editors-in-Chief Rebecca Jacobsen Molly Murch Front Editor Lucy Tu Elias Pipinos Front Editor News Editor Lucy Tu Rebecca Jacobsen News Editor Opinions Editor Lahari Ramini Teagan LynchEditor Opinions In-Depth Editor Anjali Pullabhotla Mahika Kanchanam In-Depth Editor Lifestyle Editor Molly Murch Olivia Torrez Lifestyle Editor Sports Editor Isa Luzarraga Sadie Hugelman Sports Editor Online Editor Lily Taylor Anuj SinghEditor Online Social Media Editor Sireen Abayazid Teagan SocialLynch Media Editor Gracie Schweers Adviser Sarah Crotzer Principal Brian Begley

Cartoonist and Artist Violet Bredenkamp Photographer Jack Durkan Staff Writers Mia Castro Adithi Deeduvanu Isabel Gross Natalie Hill Callie Menke Emily Schmucker Uzin Shrestha Cece Vlieger Amina Hussain Grace Evert Adviser Sarah Crotzer Principal Aaron Bearinger

Submit story tips to @mnhshoofbeat or mnhsonline.com

14 • May 8, 2023

FINAL FINALS

Second-semester finals for seniors are a waste of time, effort, stress

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WHEN DO SENIORS GET OUT? MAY 25

MILLARD NORTH ELKHORN SOUTH

SKUTT OPS

» » »

MAY 10

DUCHESNE

MAY 11

MARIAN

MAY 11

CONCORDIA

MAY 11

Thinking about it, most seniors going to college already know this– in fact, most have already decided where they want to go and have been accepted into their college of choice, some even having this all figured out since first semester.

Yes, high test scores do help, but for the most part they do not seem necessary to get into college.

But if not for college and if not to prepare for next year, what are finals for? They could be used as a way to reflect what a student’s learned, but that seems to measure more what they’ve memorized than anything.

So are finals really just a reflection on teachers? If so, it seems to be an unfair examination due to uncountable variables that would cause a student to struggle (like language deficiencies, learning disabilities, difficult home lives, etc.), and then reflect poorly on a teacher’s ability to teach.

But how about our seniors and their finals? Well, a lot of us probably have teachers who give project-based finals which by the time the 24th and 25th roll around have already been finished and put in the grade book.

If that’s the case, you might have also heard your classmates (maybe even participated in) saying that they should have a free day, or cancel class, to which your teacher probably responded with something along the lines of: “We have to do something on finals day, it’s the district policy.”

Now, going onto the district policy page and searching “finals” or “tests” didn’t lead to anything, but after enrolling the help of senior principal Susan Marlatt, I found that seniors have always participated in finals at MN. Seniors’ last day has fluctuated in the past, but regardless, they’ve had to take them.

Millard policy does not explicitly say anything about finals in writing, but there is a general practice of each teacher administering their own final-- regardless of what it looks like. But they also most likely conform to the idea that testing is integral for students, otherwise, why would we still be doing it?

But again, we know this isn’t necessarily true. Even looking at other local school districts, like Gretna, OPS, Elkhorn, and even Skutt, they get out several weeks early and some seniors might not even take finals.

That doesn’t mean that our students are somehow superior (we are, but still) because we take finals. If anything, it further proves that we shouldn’t need to take finals either. If there are other school districts with curriculums and calendars like this being approved, I don’t see why Millard would need to keep seniors in school for an extra week or two.

No matter how you look at it, finals don’t seem to be worth it for a majority of the players involved. So let’s avoid the braindead, senioritis-induced zombies haunting the halls for the last few weeks of school. Dr. Bearinger and any other administrators reading this, on the behalf of all Millard seniors, I implore you: don’t make seniors take finals.

MAY 17

Torrez Tribune

fers.

MAY 12

tanding at the front of the room, the teacher is met with an army of slumped-over, deadeyed seniors. As if in a hivemind, they all have the same question on their mind: why are we still here?

It’s the last few weeks of second seOlivia Torrez mester and the sehave nothing Co-Editor-in-Chief niors left to do but take one or two inconsequential tests before they’re off for the summer and the rest of their lives, leaving high school behind.

Finals have always been– and always will be– a point of contention for students. Testing on material that students first learned months ago and haven’t touched since (only to forget it all over summer break and review next year anyway) barely makes sense in the first place.

Let alone for seniors who are all going on with their lives-- whether they’re going right into the working world, taking a gap year, or going to different schools with different curriculums that might never even touch on some of the tests we studied and stressed over.

Frankly, it’s a pointless measure that only piles more stress onto an already nerve-wracking period in a high schooler’s life. Between figuring out our futures and still dealing with the present, adding on finals feels like one more unnecessary weight on our shoulders.

Besides, the negative effects of standardized testing and high-stakes tests on students are well-documented and distressing. A study conducted by SAGE Publications found that “high-stakes testing causes damage to children’s self-esteem, overall morale, and love of learning.”

According to an article from the School of Education Online Programs, “[s]tandardized test scores are often tied to important outcomes, such as graduation and school funding. Such high-stakes testing can place undue stress on students and affect their performance.”

But ignoring all of that, focusing back on our impending future and, for a good chunk of seniors, the looming terror and thrill of college, finals aren’t even strictly necessary to get in.

“Most colleges will still want to be sent grades from your first quarter of senior year. However, their decision to accept or reject you into their institution will have already been made based on your grades from junior year,” said an article from the University of the People.

While colleges do always reserve the right to take away an admission (the most common reasons being poor grades, disciplinary infractions, and honor code violations), it doesn’t happen all that often. According to writer Genevieve Carlton, in an average year, colleges only withdraw one to two percent of their admission of-

PROS

CONS

» Opportunity to raise a grade level Ensure you retain » knowledge from entire semester Evaluate teachers and value of » class

Heightened stress and anxiety levels Large percent of grade which outweighs rest of semester’s hard work Time limits

OF TAKING FINALS Source: Hercampus.com

DULL READING ENDS WITH THIS BOOK

LIFESTYLE • 15

Reviewing BookTok’s Favorite Novel, “It Ends With Us” GRACE EVERT Staff Writer

nitially, I was skeptical of Colleen Hoover’s ship takes a turn for the Ibest-selling book “It Ends With Us”. As I opened the worst when Bloom reunites with her first love, Atlas Corrigan. first page, I was nervous the novel would be just another cliche romance read. Would my predictions hold true?

“It Ends With Us” has been adored by a wide age range and is touted as one of the best romance books of all time by BookTok (TikTok’s home for book lovers).

With “internet famous” books, I sometimes find that after hearing others praise the novel, my expectations are set so high the book becomes underwhelming to read. To my surprise, this was far from the case with this novel.

The story follows 23-year-old Lily Bloom who moved to Boston for a fresh start. Early in the story, she meets Ryle Kincaid and after a series of unseemly encounters, they fall in love. But as is typical of Hoover’s books, Kincaid and Bloom’s perfect relation-

Movie Magic Colleen Hoover’s novel will be told in a cinematic format in late 2024, and fans are hopeful the book’s sequel “It Starts With Us” will make a big screen debut following.

Despite my surface-level description, perhaps the best aspect of this novel is that it has a deeper plot than a typical romance novel. I am not an avid romance reader as the plotlines often feel repetitive to me, however, Hoover’s off-script take on romance brings valuable lessons and other important themes into the story.

In an interview with Amazon Books, Hoover explained that the purpose of writing about abusive relationships in the book was to educate young people and help them make the right choices in their lives.

She said she was reluctant to write a book without the typical happy ending that she was used to, but after publishing “It Ends With Us” she realized the value of those books.

Critics of the novel have shared that “It Ends With Us” romanticizes abusive relationships, and after reading the novel I completely understand why some people feel that way. Hoover writes about the abusive character in a way that makes you sympathize with him and grow to love him as the novel progresses.

However, her writing of the abusive character puts you in the shoes of the protagonist and truly enables you to understand how, in the moment, an abusive relationship may be hard to identify.

This is a perfect example of how beautifully character development is portrayed in the novel. From cover to cover, the characters learn and change. Early in the novel, the protagonist is often unsure of herself and seems to rethink and doubt her decisions. At the end, you can clearly see the mentality shift as she realizes that her opinions and ideas don’t need to be validated by others.

Hoover also avoids the typical protagonist-antagonist relationship and plays more with morally gray characters, which I found really refreshing. Often, a character I had grown to love would make a questionable

decision and I had to wrestle with whose “side” I was on. This was even true of supporting characters.

Hoover’s character relationships emphasize the novel’s most popular quote, “There is no such thing as bad people. We’re all just people who sometimes do bad things.”

As is shown by the countless Google Books reviews describing the novel as “an emotional rollercoaster” and “the kind of book that grabs onto your heart”, the raw emotion woven in just about every line of the novel is undoubtedly what kept many readers and myself enthralled in this book.

All in all, “It Ends With Us” may be a romance novel, but is far from just a love story.

After a continuous and uninterrupted four-hour read, I can confirm that the crowd rallying around this novel is by no accident.

Book Talk ’It Ends With Us’ is not a true story, but is based on the relationship between Colleen Hoover’s mother and father, specifically inspired by her mother’s journey.

Hoover was inspired to write ‘It Ends With Us’ when she heard a lyric by The Avett Brothers in their song, Head Full of Doubt/ Road Full of Promise: “Decide what to be and go be it.” She then made her main character a huge fan of the band and incorporated Avett Brothers lyrics throughout the book

16 • May 8, 2023

JUGGLING JOBS

Teachers across MN juggle jobs outside of their teaching responsibilities ANUJ SINGH Online Editor

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eaching is not an easy job. Among teaching several different classes, each with individualized material, and mentoring hundreds of students, teachers must also find time for grading and creating lesson plans, while still taking care of themselves and their families. And this is just inside the classroom. Most teachers also serve in other positions, as coaches, mentors, supervisors, and more.

But the reality is that despite their strenuous efforts, many teachers’ positions are not enough to support them.

As a result, these teachers seek second or even third or fourth jobs to support themselves and their families and to cover expenses.

English teacher and assistant track coach Jacob Bergmeier is one of these teachers, holding three positions outside of teaching. Outside of school, he works at Pitch Pizzeria, as an insurance agent at State Farm, and at a restaurant and catering service called Beacon Hill.

“Normally, when we’re not in track season, I’ll work either a Friday night or a Sunday night at Pitch. During the summer, my schedule shifts again. I focus on my classroom work and getting prepared for next year about two or three days a week, and I work at Pitch for four or five days,” Bergmeier said.

Biology and human physiology teacher Christina Preuss is another teacher who works a second job outside of teaching and being a mom, working as a water fitness instructor at Genesis Health Clubs.

“I started in college and then got certified as an instructor by the Aquatic Exercise Association. I enjoy writing unique workouts that are also physically challenging. It also keeps me active and on my toes,” Preuss said.

She thinks that working both jobs has allowed her to enhance her teaching skills and enabled her to perform better in both environments.

“My skills as a classroom teacher really lend themselves into [water fitness instructing] as well. There are times when I have a lesson plan for my [fitness] class,

and I can tell that they’re very chatty, so I switch it to something totally different, like a partner workout. Both skill sets flow together really well,” Preuss said.

Social studies teacher Emily Ruda, who is a flex worker at HyVee, also believes that having similar responsibilities in both positions has helped her greatly enhance her skills.

“I think that [working in my second job] has helped me as a teacher because I’ve gained a lot of customer service experience. Honestly, dealing with students and customers is a very similar experience. I also think that [my second job] helps with developing classroom management skills as well,” Ruda said.

However, it is difficult to juggle so many different roles, which is a pressure that Bergmeier has dealt with.

“The hardest thing is having free time because all of my jobs are largely in the public eye. It was difficult to find

that balance. I had to make sure that I was doing my due diligence for all my jobs, but I also had to make sure that I wasn’t putting myself in the ground,” Bergmeier said.

Despite the hardships he has gone through, Bergemeier thinks that other teachers could have an even more difficult job, with them also supporting significant others and children.

“I’m lucky; I’m single and I don’t have kids. There are teachers here who have to balance their families’ schedules along with their own. I can’t imagine having that extra responsibility and weight and still coming in every day, doing the best that they can. It’s honestly amazing what a lot of the teachers here do,” Bergmeier said.

But what the teachers enjoy most about their other jobs is the novelty that they provide them, as a new experience outside of the classroom. “[My favorite part of my other jobs] is the diversity and the experience. We get into routines here at school, so I love being able to see people that I haven’t seen in a while. I can interact with people and hear their stories. You get to know people personally, on a level beyond small talk.

Their kids, their pets, and their families,” Bergmeier said.

Though he greatly enjoys his other jobs and has gained valuable experience while working in those positions, Bergemeier still believes that teachers should not be put into a position in which they need to work other jobs just to live a comfortable life.

“When I go to focus on what I’m doing in the classroom, I have this nagging thought in the back of my head, that I have the rent paid, that I have food in my fridge. It divides my attention, and as someone who likes to do the best for my students, I don’t like to have my attention divided,” Bergmeier said.

While jobs outside of teaching can enable teachers to enhance their skills and pursue passions outside the classroom, they can also increase their burden and divide their attention. So the next time you meet a teacher, say ‘thank you’. You never know what they could be going through to survive.

MNHSONLINE.COM • 17

WEIGHT OFF HIS SHOULDERS

Senior Maddox Zywiec’s weightlifting experiences in highschool and before

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jolt of energy, starting from his feet and rising through his leg muscles, core, and through his shoulders into his hands, is all it takes for senior Maddox Zywiec to get his new heaviest deadlift off the floor.

Putting up a 452 pound squat, 452 pound deadlift, and an astounding 275 pound bench press, Maddox Zywiec completed his very first powerlifting meet with bravado.

Although he is just beginning his competitive years of lifting, Zywiec started calisthenics (body-weight and athletic exercise) from a young age, and later took on weightlifting as an escape from mental problems he ran into in his past.

“Training hard and my love of lifting came [from my past]. I used to wrestle as well, so I would go to the gym a lot to get bigger and be able to wrestle more,” Zywiec said.

Ironically, when Zywiec lifts weight, it helps to take the weight of his life off of his shoulders, and helps him to relax and focus on the tasks at hand, whether that be school or the road ahead for powerlifting.

“When I started lifting, I found out that it was really very relaxing, and that it was [very] helpful after hard days,” Zywiec said.

Speaking of the road ahead, Zywiec has his second powerlifting meet in

the coming months, and is spending time preparing for it with his coach, Jon Mendoza.

As a powerlifter himself, Mendoza has a lot of knowledge and many years of experience under his belt, and makes coaching his part-time job.

“My coaching career has reached the national level through multiple athletes,” Mendoza said. “Coaching is my passion project, and I’d like to make it my full-time [job] someday.” Mendoza’s coaching has become extremely important as a support and as a guide for Zywiec in training for his second powerlifting meet.

“I have competed twice [at the] local level, and I use an app called TrueCoach [to deliver] workouts week to week and offer form reviews,” Mendoza said.

Alongside Mendoza’s training, Zywiec has found that he is inspired by the powerlifting greats of recent year s.

Specifically, Zywiec enjoys and looks up t o Gavin Adin, a professional powerlifter who has captivated Zywiec from early on in his career.

In fact, Zywiec resembles Adin in his experiences, as both have just recently competed at powerlifting meets.

“Adin is extremely talented, and he placed third at the Sheffield Powerlifting Championships in March. He is someone that I can look up to as a young person in this sport,” Zywiec said. “I am very inspired by his work, and I hope that I can pursue a similar career as him and see similar successes.”

Perhaps just as important as any day of training that Zywiec takes on is the day be-

fore and the day of his powerlifting meet.

“Competition day is unreal. It feels like a dream, and it’s 100% about how you prepare yourself for it,” Zywiec said.

Powerlifting is such an exerting sport that, in most cases, it’s best to not even train the day before a meet.

“I work very hard before meets, and there come these nights that I ask myself, ‘when is a competition going to come up so that I can show how far I’ve come?’”

Zywiec said. “It’s crazy that, despite what people may think, it’s best that you don’t train the day before. Allowing yourself that time to rest and [recuperate] is vital.”

Although training is put on the backburner before a meet, Zywiec still prepares and readies himself and his body for the competition ahead.

“I like to get a breakfast in, and then make the drive out to the competition. Once I get there, I look for my coach, and we immediately get prepared,” Zywiec said.

“I am always pretty excited, but I keep it cool and focus, warming up and getting into the mindset for lifting weights.”

Despite his excitement, Zywiec still has to pass over obstacles to get where he stands now.

“The week before my first competition, my coach instructed me not to go extremely heavy. What startled me most was that weights that I found light in weeks before felt a little heavier than normal,” Zywiec said. “This stressed me out, but on competition day, I found that the cheers of the crowd and the atmosphere around me made it easier to lift than ever before.”

Dropping the deadlift that blasted electricity through every nerve and muscle in his body, Zywiec achieved a second-place position at his very first powerlifting meet, securing the silver and setting his sights on the gold.

BODYBUILDING

POWERLIFTING

WEIGHTLIFTING

- Focuses on maximizing muscle mass and reducing body fat to extreme levels; aesthetics over strength - Competitors judged on “package”: size, symmetry, leanness, posing prowess, etc.

- Focuses on maximizing strength - Lifting as much as possible in one repetition on each of the three lifts - Focus on three lifts: back squat, bench press and deadlift

- Revolves around compound lifts (snatch, clean and jerk) and building power in one lift - Requires greater range of mobility, flexibility, and full body explosive power

sources: Fitness Genes & healthline

ELIAS PIPINOS Front Page Editor

18 • SPORTS • May 8, 2023

STRIKE-ING SENIOR

Senior bowling student becomes first Nebraskan ambassador for 2023 US Bowling Congress UZIN SHRESTHA Staff Writer

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ou grab your ball and approach the lane. Bending your knees to achieve the perfect angle, you swing your arm back before releasing the ball in a perfect swoosh. The bowling ball glides down the lane, reaching maximum velocity, and you hear the satisfying sound of the pins being knocked over as the ball crashes into them. You hear your friends and family cheering behind you. It’s a strike!

One member of the bowling team at MN has become the first ambassador for the US Bowling Congress in Nebraska. Emily Merten stands out as a devoted community member and an inspiring leader.

Merten first started bowling in fifth grade as she was inspired by watching her mom, who was an avid bowler. From then on she continued to practice for fun through middle and high school, joining both unified and varsity bowling teams at MN. “I used to dance and when I was wanting a break from that we went to the Saturday league, and I just kind of took off from there,” Merten said.

She continued her bowling career all through high school and became a role model on the bowling team. She is captain of the unified team and has gotten many opportunities to build up relationships with her teammates and help out the coaches.

“She is really supportive; even when we may be com-

peting against each other, she still encourages you,” Hannah O’neal, a junior in unified bowling said, describing the impact that Merten has on the team.

To be elected as an ambassador for the youth US

Bowling Congress, you must not only be skilled at bowling, but also be an active member of your community.

Special education teacher and bowling coach Tricia Rhode explained the many ways that Merten has given back to the bowling community at MN. “She coaches a lot of the girls and the guys. She’s gotten her coach’s license. So she’s done the certificate programs and things like that. She’s made a huge impact

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Signing Day Bowling Commitment:

Merten poses for a photo after signing with Mount Mercy University. Merten will be attending Mount Mercy in the fall and competing for their bowling team.

Photograph contributed by Tyson Chromy

here,” Rhode said.

Her achievements, both in the competitive aspects of bowling, as well as how she gives back to her community, are what allowed her to become the first person in Nebraska to be elected for USBC. “I feel like it couldn’t have gone to a more deserving person. She’s very giving and she’s Final Speech: so passionate about the sport.

Merten gives a She’s really the perfect person short speech on to go,” Rohde said. commitment Not only is Merten the first person to be elected for USBC day. Merten committed to in Nebraska, but she is also the first person to sign to a college Mount Mercyfor bowling. for bowling at MN. She reached Photograph con- out to many coaches with her tributed by Tyson life bowling resume and sent a video of her bowling to the Chromy coaches she was interested in bowling for.

“They like to see that you’re advocating for yourself and you’re putting yourself out there, and they tend to reach back to you if they’re interested,” Merten said.

She recently signed to Mount Mercy University in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she plans to pursue her passion in nursing and expand her bowling career.

Merten hopes to inspire more people, especially young girls, to join bowling at MN and gain opportunities to make new friends and join a supportive community.

MNHSONLINE.COM • 19

RELEASING A NEW BEAST

How girls lacrosse is being introduced to the MN community CECE VLIEGER Staff Writer he crowd goes wild after the player cradles the ball to the goal, cutting through the other opponents leading their team to victory. While soccer, football, and basketball are the most popular sports played by MN students, introducing the new girl’s lacrosse team gave new opportunities for many athletes.

Sophomore Janae Harris is new to the lacrosse team.

Without having any prior experience, she is making the most out of her lacrosse experience.

“I was excited but also very nervous, but it felt very relieving because we were all learning (how to play lacrosse),” Harris said.

This is the first year girls lacrosse has become school sponsored, this gives many girls new opportunities to play sports.

Having to balance the lacrosse season and school can be difficult. With practices at Beadle Middle School on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays and practice here on Wednesdays, it can add a lot to students’ plates.

The season for the Mustangs has also been a learning experience, being a new team.

“I think the season is going very well for being a new team; we improve more and more every game,” Harris said.

One area they have improved in is working as a unit, being able to move the ball up and down the field. Ball control is also something they have been working on.

English teacher Chad Heber is taking on being not only a teacher, but also starting up the lacrosse for boys and most recently girls program at MN. Heber is one of the main coaches for the MN girls lacrosse team and boys as well. Whether it be games, practices, or other aspects of the sport, Heber always has a positive outlook on how his team works together.

Though not having prior experience playing in high school, Heber played lacrosse for three years at the University of Nebraska. He also got the opportunity to

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be a head coach at the University after winning a State Championship at a Lincoln high school. After two seasons of working at the University of Nebraska he got a teaching position in Omaha.

“I had started a [lacrosse] program at my last school.

I taught in a middle school. And before I was hired, I was actually coaching some boys that attend school here,” Heber said.

The girls have been working hard being a new team, and have been getting better every practice. Many of the girls have taken sports or activities they have done in the past and applied them to lacrosse.

“They are able to take the skills and attributes of other sports, whether it’s field hockey, basketball, tennis, dance; that’s why I think it’s [a] great thing, because it’s able to cross a lot with other sports that translate well into lacrosse where they are able to succeed,” Heber said.

Harris takes skills from dance and uses them for lacrosse. Another student athlete, Senior Tyra Knutson, has also found a passion for playing lacrosse at MN. At the age of eleven, Knutson first started playing lacrosse. She played for two years and had to quit due to the age cut off of thirteen. After that, Knutson played basketball for two years and participated in track for one.

With lacrosse as an option for Knutson, it brings back the joys of her earlier playing years.

“I actually tried getting lacrosse to start here my freshman year. But I got denied by the head of the athletics department.” Knutson said.

Now having the opportunity to play again, Knutson and Harris are looking forward to seeing the program grow over the next few years.

“We’ve worked really hard this year, and we’ve gone really far as a team, and as a group together.” Knutson said.

Celebrating the victory of not only getting a program but also a team that meshes well is something that the team is proud of.

As years progress, so should the team; as long as the support from the community. So show up and show out for our girls and their new team.

Amirable Athletes Girls lacrosse poses after an afternoon match against Duchesne Academy. The game ended in a loss, but was well-fought from both sides.

Photograph contributed by Janae Harris

Lacrosse 101

What do each of these pieces of equipment do?

Stick The lacrosse stick can be used to block shots, check opponents, and defend against checks.

Goal Players attempt to shoot the ball past the goalie and into the lacrosse goal. This scores a goal for the team and raises the score one point in favor of the striker.

Pads Lacrosse pads protect players from hard shots, checks, pokes, and other contact on the field. Most lax pads cover the arms, elbows, and shoulders.

Helmet Lacrosse helmets protect the head and face from impacts and body and stick checks.

20 • Sept. 16, 2019

HEADING OUT

Why do seniors play their last season?

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Sadie Speaks

he parents in the stands are on the edge of their seats.

Your teammates on the side of the field are cheering you on as you go to shoot your final goal. You’ve played a long game as well as a long season.

The last four years Sadie Hugelman feel like they’ve gone by quickly, but it Sports Editor doesn’t really hit you until the clock finally runs down, and you realize that your high school sports career is over.

Student athletes have spent their high school career giving their all to sports as well as school. It is a difficult task to go to class everyday and still make it to practices and games, but these students have taken on the challenge. However, by the time your final seasons rolls around and you’ve already settled on plans for college, it begs the question: Why play your final season?

Senior, Zach Schultz has committed to college to continue his track career, yet he is still running his last season at MN. He has been dedicated to MN’s track team and believes in finishing his high school track career with the school. while remebering all the fun memories he’s had while running with the guys on the team, he appreciates the positive attitudes they all brought towards the end of the season.

“It was just really fun hanging out with them [the team] everyday.. And everyone is coming in with a good attitude, ready to work,” Schultz said.

“For me, a big motivation is college to look forward

to. I’m going to run in college, so that is a big motivational factor for me,” Schultz said. ed in Egypt, because cats in ancient Egypt were venerated since around 3100 BC.[11][12] However, the earliest indication for the taming of an African wildcat (F. lybica) was found in Cyprus, where a cat skeleton was excavated close by a human Neolithic grave dating to around 7500 BC.[13] African wildcats were probably first domesticated in the Near East.[14] The leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) was tamed independently in China around 5500 BC, though this line of partially domesticated cats leaves no trace in the domestic cat populations of today.[15][16] As of 2017, the domestic cat was the second-most popular pet in the U.S. by number of pets owned, after freshwater fish,[17] with 95 million cats owned.[18][19] As of 2017, it was ranked the third-most popular pet in the UK, after fish and dogs, with around 8 million being owned.[20] The number of cats in the United Kingdom has nearly doubled since 1965, when the cat population was 4.1 million.[21]

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SENIORS SPEAK

“Honestly you get better every year, you develop all four years of high school, so your senior year should be your best year.”

The next set of cuts will fundamentally change what the school district looks like.

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JIM SUTFIN

MPS SUPERINTENDENT

JOCK TALK

What’s your favorite sport’s memory from this year?

Travis Pollard SENIOR Football

Olivia Hunt JUNIOR Softball

My greatest inspiration is Michelle Obama. Yes, she’s not an athlete, but she does push-ups on Ellen, so she’s basically an athlete. She has really great arms. In conclusion, Michelle Obama is

My greatest inspiration is Michelle Obama. Yes, she’s not an athlete, but she does push-ups on Ellen, so she’s basically an athlete. She has really great arms. In conclusion, Michelle Obama is

Neal Agarwal SENIOR Tennis

My greatest inspiration is Michelle Obama. Yes, she’s not an athlete, but she does push-ups on Ellen, so she’s basically an athlete. She has really great arms. In conclusion, Michelle Obama is