New graduation venue: a change for the better?
By KENDALL WALKER Copy Chief
Graduation is a momentous occasion for seniors in high school who are moving on to a new chapter of their lives. Everything about graduation, from the speech to the gowns to the location, becomes a tradition in itself.
OHS has typically held its graduation ceremony at State Farm Stadium, where size and familiarity have provided several lasting benefts. However, for 2025, OHS was required to change locations to the Desert Diamond Arena due to scheduling conficts.
“A lot of us have been looking forward to graduation, and State Farm is a big stadium, and now we’re not doing it there, so it was kind of surprising,” said Mythri Konatham, senior.
Students, along with staff, have been questioning the reason behind the confict, especially with it being a relatively short-notice change.
“They won’t give us the reason why we were bumped,
and I’m curious myself because O’Connor is the best school, and our seniors deserve the best,” said Justin McLain, assistant principal.
Graduation is a celebration of the students and their accomplishments, so naturally, any sudden changes can cause a spark of surprise and possible concern.
“You spend 12 years in school, so it is a build-up, and graduation is talked about so much that automatically you just kind of look forward to it,” Konatham said.
Although a location change can elicit various emotions, it is vital to remember the true meaning and importance behind graduation.
“The most important part of graduation is the ceremony and recognition of the seniors’ accomplishments and getting to this moment in time,” said Kelly Simon, English teacher.
“I don’t think location dictates how good the ceremony is going to be.”
The OHS faculty is facing some obstacles with the difference in size of the new
location, but they continue to remain optimistic and excited to experience a new place and the benefts it might offer.
“It does create some more logistical challenges with trying to squeeze everyone in there with the students and then the smaller stage, so the smaller venue is not as convenient, but it might work out better,” McLain said.
Staff members who have attended graduation ceremonies in the past are expecting the Desert Diamond Arena to possibly provide an even better experience for attendees.
“I think it is going to be more intimate. I think the football stadium is great because of the size and not having to worry about numbers of seats, but even with the number of attendees we have, it is not going to fll that whole arena, and I think it is going to make it more intimate and not seem so expansive,” Simon said.
For many people, a major concern for the Desert Diamond Arena is the fact that it is smaller than State
Farm Stadium. However, OHS is confdent that there will be plenty of room for all of the students, staff, friends, and family.
“We like to keep the seating open so that the students can invite as many friends and family that they want, because it is a really big deal and special celebration to honor all the hard work that the students have done academically at school, and all of that is still possible at the new location,” McLain said.
Although there was an initial shock to the news of a shift in location, students are beginning to see that change can be benefcial, and they
are excited to fnally walk across the stage.
“Now that we’ve known about the venue change, it’s not too big of a deal. It was a surprise, but it’s ok,” Konatham said.
It is important to continue to preserve the traditions of graduation so that seniors can have the full experience they have dreamed of since starting school.
“The family, the friends, the photos, the cap, the gown, the throwing of the cap at the end, the moving the tassels, the senior speech, the graduation song, the national anthem, the speech by the principle; all of that is the same,” McLain said.
Students becoming leaders at OHS
By AVERY MASSIE Staf Writer
One great thing regarding OHS is the number of opportunities it has for students to succeed. However, with multiple clubs, sports, and classes, it can be easy for some activities to be overlooked. One of these is SSAC: Superintendent Student Advisory Council.
SSAC is a district-wide organization that includes students from every DVUSD elementary, middle, and high school, and teaches the concept of student leadership. The point is to take students who are close to their potential of becoming a leader and bring it out of them.
“The SSAC has been in existence for the past 25 years. It has evolved over time to be less of a ‘District Student Council’ and more of a ‘student-leadership development’ pipeline. Each DVUSD Superintendent develops the concept when they take over. I like where the concept is today because of the quick and strong development of the students into school and community leaders,” said Dr. Curtis Finch, Superintendent of Deer Valley Unifed School District.
Along with SSAC, there is a board of 10 students, two from each high school in the district, that make up the Superintendent Student Executive Council. SSEC helps run SSAC, keeping members on track and
planning meetings leading up to the summit.
“I’ve grown to love being a leader for the district and setting examples of its mission and vision by making sure each person’s voice is heard,” said Soli Tibebu, an executive member from Deer Valley High School.
The summit takes place every March and is something that over 300 DVUSD students attend. The ages range from ffth grade all the way up to 12th.
“SSAC is a very good program that helps kids of any age to be more socially aware of what happens,” said Samantha Blay, junior OHS attendee.
Every year the summit has a main objective with multiple stations that support the idea. With this year’s theme of ‘Wellness Wonderland,’ many activities were about how to keep yourself and others happy.
“I thought the summit was really good. It defnitely made me more aware of things that happen around me, like how fast rumors spread for the communication station. The activities defnitely helped me with that,” Blay said.
The 2025 Summit featured six main groups to expand under the Wellness topic: Physical, Mental, Relationships, Hygiene, Communication, and Tech.
The Advisory council members all created different activities for each subtopic in order to captivate attendees’ attention for the duration of
the Summit.
“SSAC members strive to educate DVUSD students in an engaging and enlightening event, held annually where relevant, inspirational activities are presented to over 300 attendees, who then share what they’ve learned with their school,” said Setasha Bybee, organizer and head of the student leadership council.
Many of the advisory students put their all into planning their station, as they know the potential impact it can have on someone.
“I like teaching life lessons and incorporating the ideas that other schools in the district need to improve for the long haul,“ Tibebu said.
For members, just being part of the council can create new paths that otherwise would not have been discovered for them.
“With a little bit of guidance and opportunities to fail in an encouraging and structured environment,
students learn that they can work with kids from other DVUSD schools to be a contributing member of society. SSAC allows students to work on a project that is bigger than themselves for the betterment of the entire school district and its 34,000 students,” Dr. Finch said.
The biggest issue with SSAC, however, is how little information is known to most DVUSD students. Even attendees often don’t know what it is for, they are just invited to go.
“I didn’t know anything about SSAC. I got the information about it about a week before, and then I was given the shirt and told that I was going,” Blay said.
In more recent years, the council has been trying to expand its outreach.
As announced at the past summit, there is now an Instagram account (@ ssac.2024) available for the public to be able to see some of what happens throughout
the year.
“More work is yet to be done to further expand the message of SSAC so that all DVUSD students beneft from the councils’ work,” Bybee said.
That being said, SSAC is popular among those who know about it, and the executive spots are a very competitive position that most high school members strive towards.
“SSAC has grown its reach to all DVUSD students quickly over the past several years. More students than ever are eager to join and participate,” Bybee said.
Overall, the Superintendent Student Advisory/Executive Council is an underrated organization that provides students with numerous opportunities to blossom in their leadership skills and is unique to Deer Valley Unifed School District.
“The members will impact learning and leading for years to come,” Bybee said.
PHOTO BY KENDALL WALKER
Attendees put on a fashion show for the “Relationship” station at summit.
PHOTO BY AVERY MASSIE
Trials of zero hour and online classes
By AMBER HAYDEN Arts and Entertainment Editor
At OHS, most students are familiar with the schedule of arriving at school for frst hour and staying until the fnal bell rings. However, some juniors and seniors have the opportunity to alter the typical school schedule by taking on either online classes or a zero hour.
The appeal of signing up for these classes opposed to the default schedule is the prospect of having an early release. Although students who make the choice to enroll in online classes or a zero hour must be willing to put in extra work, for them, having an early release is worth it. Students often fll up their time after an early release by doing schoolwork or going to an after school job.
“The best part about having an early release is I go to work after school so it’ll push me ahead in life [by] having more money and having education,” said Jaren Anderson, junior.
One of the ways students can have early release is by signing up for online classes. By enrolling in these courses,
students in a variety of grade levels have the opportunity to get an early release which permits them to have more control over their time.
“I honestly would recommend it because I get out of here so early. I could honestly just go to work and make money and do my classes on the side so it does give me more time. I really do enjoy it because I can focus more and perform better and I don’t get distracted as easily,” Anderson said.
Another way students may get an early release is by
choosing to have a zero hour. By getting their school day started an hour early, many seniors have the opportunity to get out of school early even if it is by just one class.
“I have fve classes and I start at zero hour and then end at fourth hour. I would say I like it because I have more classes than the average senior but I still get out with most of them,” Anabella Puentes, senior.
Arguably the biggest reason many seniors elect to have a zero hour is to have more time during their day.
With many seniors being involved in extracurriculars, having an early release allows them extra time to complete work.
“Honestly [the best part is] that I get out earlier. I’m a swimmer so I start practice at three but it’s in Anthem so it’s a longer drive for me so it gives me time to go home and actually do my homework before I have to go to practice,” said Laleeta Pal, senior.
For some students who participate in sports, having a zero hour might assist them
with fnding more time in the day for themselves.
“Going into senior year I knew that I wanted a shorter schedule just because of sports and everything else and being a senior I wanted more time to myself so I knew that I was not going to take a full load. I wasn’t sure about a zero-hour but then I ended up just picking it anyways,” Pal said.
Though waking up early to go to class may seem like a drawback at frst, it does have unexpected benefts.
“I think the best part is that I feel really productive waking up early in the morning and it kind of pushes me to get a head start in my day. By the time I get to frst hour, I’m already awake and ready to do work,” Puentes said.
Since signing up to have a zero hour has its benefts, before choosing to have one, students should consider if it is the right decision for them.
“I feel like you have to be committed to it because if you’re not going to show up, then there is really no point to it but if you want to get up early and put in the work to have fun then I’d say it’s worth it,” Pal said.
Stay Classy tickets: the underrated achievement of OHS
By ALYSSA BUCKNER Staf Writer
Here at OHS, there are many ways students can get validated for their hard work and dedication, whether that be through earning awards such as Student of the Month or by receiving a Stay Classy Ticket.
The Stay Classy Ticket program has been around at OHS for a while, yet many students are unaware of the perks of receiving one
of these tickets. In order to make this program more well known, those who run it are working on new ideas to attract more popularity within OHS.
“We’ve done it every year for the past couple of years, at least as long as I’ve been here,” said Makenna Luby, teacher and peer facilitator.
“We recently just did where you can win as a class and you get a donut party; that was kinda our newest idea, and [we’re] always thinking of new prizes and gifts for
people to get through Stay Classy.”
When students receive Stay Classy Tickets, they can turn them into the conduct offce. By doing so, they have a chance to win a prize if their name is pulled from the raffe.
“I do [a raffe] once a week, we have gift cards, homecoming and prom tickets, yearbooks, a couple shirts and cups, and then again that donut party for if you win as a class,” Luby said.
Students must demonstrate
in some way that they are going out of their way to make an impact at OHS in order to receive a ticket from their teachers or other staff members.
“When students receive a Stay Classy or Stay Healthy Ticket, it’s a way for staff to acknowledge their efforts in demonstrating learning, leading, or contributing above and beyond,” said Justin McLain, assistant principal. “These behaviors contribute to a strong school culture where students feel valued and encouraged to do their best, both academically and socially.”
Students who have received tickets and turned them into the raffe appreciate that their excellence is being recognized by their teachers.
“I’ve received about six to seven [tickets] this quarter,” said David Cizmar, sophomore. “Mostly from Mr. Ticknor, he’s a really big Stay Classy giver.”
Winning the raffe allows students to be directly rewarded for their positive actions which in turn encourages them to continue working their hardest.
“From the Stay Classy Ticket raffe I won a 15 dollar gift card to Starbucks, I was very happy. I got [tickets] for completing my work in a timely manner and submitting it,” said Mandy Hoglund, sophomore.
Stay Classy Tickets are not
super well known throughout campus since some teachers restrain from regularly giving them out to students who excel in their classes.
“Absolutely they should hand out more. I think my other teachers are really holding back on it,” Cizmar said. “I would say that they’re worth it; they’re really fun.”
This program is a wonderful way for students to be recognized on a day-today basis, and it is vital for OHS staff to make sure they acknowledge their students’ hard work.
“More teachers should hand out Stay Classy Tickets because it could be a good motivator for students to keep on doing their work; it can feel nice to get a little bit of validation and appreciation but no harm no foul if they don’t,” Hoglund said.
Nevertheless, the Stay Classy Ticket program is infuencing OHS as a whole to work towards being the best and most positive environment possible for staff and students alike.
“Our hope is that this program not only rewards students for their positive actions but also inspires others to follow their lead,” McLain said. “At O’Connor, we believe that small, everyday choices make a big difference in shaping the kind of community we want to build.”
PHOTO BY ALYSSA BUCKNER
The Stay Classy ticket turn in box is located in the conduct offce.
Seniors participate in a work day during zero hour to fnish their assignment.
PHOTO BY AMBER HAYDEN
OHS CLASS OF ‘25
Top 5 most popular post grad destinations:
1. University (334)
2. Community College (111)
3. Trade School (39)
4. Work Full-Time (33)
5. Military (12)
Top 5 most popular majors within OHS:
1. Business/Finance (79)
2. Nursing (39)
3. Biomedical Engineering (24)
4. Psychology (22)
5. Medical Science (17)
Where will the Class of 2025 be?
Colleges by State
Senior OC Captured
Aakarsh Mahey
Rutgers University
Majoring in Leadership and Management
“ “
Take pride in what you do, and have integrity.
“ “
I believe that whatever negatives come your way, you can overcome them.
Sarah Vaughn
Arizona State University
Majoring in Economics
Luca Barriga
“
Loyola Marymount University
Major undecided
I love making other people feel beautiful and feel confident in themselves, so I want to do that in a more medical aspect. “ “
“
“ I just realize that you have to get uncomfortable and get better every day to see the improvements that you want to have in life.“
Danica Davis
Clear Skin and Laser Institute and Gateway Community College
Senior OC Captured
“ Callie Garraway Ryan Wang
Arizona State University
Majoring in Mechanical Engineering
“
I would say my biggest advice is just to stay where your feet are; I feel like a lot of times during high school, I kind of got caught up with looking forward to the future rather than staying in the present.
Colorado Christian University
Majoring in Criminal Justice
When you just surround yourself with good people, it gets easier to [deal with] the stress of high school because when everybody’s doing bad things, you have good people to lean on.
[I’m proud of myself] for getting out of my comfort zone, talking to new people I’ve never talked to, and being able to express myself more than I used to be able to do.
Jada Pruitt
Carrington College
Majoring in Dental Science
Krish Patel
University of Arizona
“ “ “ “ “ “
Majoring in Biomedical Sciences
[HOSA] definitely helped me with communications skills and working with a team, and also delegating different jobs to different people.
Senior OC Captured
Brooke Little
Grand Canyon University
Majoring in Nursing
“
Being able to be in a [good] learning environment where teachers want their students to do the best they can and learn to their fullest has helped me succeed.
“
I’m
looking forward to meeting new people, being independent, and just being in a new environment.
“
Lennon Hammond
UC Berkeley
Majoring in AstroPhysics
Anthony Tsang
Arizona State University
Majoring in Mechanical Engineering
“ “ “
STUGO has really pushed me outside of my comfort zone through many opportunities, like hosting the [winter] assembly. I absolutely would not have been able to do that my freshman year.
“
My advice would be to step out of your comfort zone because freshman year, I was definitely more shy. I was kind of bad at making friends, and now I can definitely say I’ve improved [at] talking and being more social.
Noah Bolland
Northern Arizona University
Majoring in Business
Senior OC Captured
Frankie Coppola
Arizona
Maya Bustos
Student Government’s been a blast for all four years. I made so many new friends through the program, and it’s just fun doing these extra things to help the school.
I’ve had a lot of good teachers. Joshua Colehe’s been a father figure to me for years, [and] Ms. Maxwell, who’s one of the most amazing people I have ever met.
“ ” “ ” “ “ ”
We need to be embracing our uniqueness while also maintaining a sense of empathy for each other.
Luke Jeffery
I’ve played softball my whole life. I want to continue glorifying God through my sport and impacting others.
Rachel Davis
Newspaper Class of 2025: Senior Spotlight
Ruth Mioc: Smith College “Said she knows she lived through it to get to this moment” - Phoebe Bridgers
True Van Dyke: Point Loma Nazarene University “The Longest Goodbye” 1:35-42 sec. - Role Model
Kendall Walker: University of Northern Colorado Don’t be sad it’s ending, smile because it happened.
Amber Hayden: Paradise Valley Community College “One must always be careful of books and what is inside them, for words have the power to change us”
Matthew Hood-Hunt: Arizona State University “We gon’ be alright” - Kendrick Lamar
Ashley Pereira: Glendale Community College “I Don’t Want to Talk” 3:05- 3:17 sec. - Wallows
Skyler Freeman: Northern Arizona University “I fnally found my peace, so peace” - Tyler. the Creator
Amaya Kelly: Arizona State University “Don’t let your dreams go to waste.” - Future
Nicole Purdy: University of Arizona “Carpe Diem”
Church of LDS on a mission for success
By AMAYA KELLY Sports Editor
This year’s graduating class at OHS contains many students that practice the Mormon faith, who have accumulated extensive knowledge and a refned sense of morals from the church, including them in their plans for the future. Additionally, they are ready to make a difference in the world and serve on various missions over the world.
To these individuals, being a part of the church has shaped their lives and made their experience in high school more enjoyable.
“I think being a member of the church has helped me so much in high school, just to always make the right decisions. I love the way I have been able to lead my life,” said Sam Mosley, senior.
Going to church can also help build strong relationships with like-minded people who share their faith and passion.
“I have good morals from all of my religion, and I have made really good friends from the church. They all
make good decisions and help infuence me in a good way, so that has helped me a lot in high school,” said Kennedy Koshar, senior.
These morals that are taught to these individuals by the church will guide these students when they are getting ready to serve on their missions. When registering to depart to serve, students have some options when trying to determine where they will end up.
“You can usually pick if you want to go out of
the country, but you won’t necessarily get that,” Koshar said.
However, having a sense of self that is built on the foundation of a strong faith allows these Mormons to feel prepared when going to serve their missions even if they will be far away from home.
“Following graduation, this summer I am going to start my two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I am going to be serving in Managua, Nicaragua,” said
Connor Skinner, senior.
It is important to put in the work before departing so the missionaries know their purpose and are able to get the most out of their time serving.
“I am just increasing my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, learning more about how much he loves me and the sacrifce he has made, and I am preparing to share that with the people of Nicaragua,” Skinner said.
Part of being prepared to serve in a different
country is being open to new opportunities and embracing change and potentially diffcult situations, such as language barriers.
“I need to learn Spanish, but a lot of that will come once I get there in a more immersion [process],” Skinner said.
Resources offered here by the church also help Mormon students feel more equipped to become missionaries.
“I have been going to mission prep, which is a class every Sunday, that defnitely has helped me [prepare] on a spiritual aspect,” Mosley said.
Ultimately, for these individuals, putting in the work to better themselves through their own dedication to the church is going to make their missions more meaningful and impactful not only for themselves but for the people they will be enlightening.
“If you value your [testimony] and it means a lot more to you personally, then it’s going to be a lot easier to share [on your mission] and you’re going to have a reason to do it,” Skinner said.
Coach Kullos: a new legacy for OHS football
By EMERSON LIHN Features Editor
For the remainder of the 2024-2025 school year, the OHS football team is under the leadership of new head coach Ben Kullos, former head coach at Raymond Kellis High School and former defensive coordinator at Mountain Ridge High School. Behind the scenes, the team has been putting in the work to make next season the best it can possibly be. With his eyes looking toward the future, Coach Kullos is spending all the time he can with the juniors to build up the OHS football team.
“My job is to go fll those holes, and then once everything’s nice and level, now we can start building. We’re still at that point where I’m kind of still: ‘Okay, what do we need?, ‘What fne tuning do we need?’, and then we’ll really start going this summer,” said Ben Kullos, new OHS football head coach.
Coach Kullos values the frst senior class he will have as the OHS head coach, and the impact they will have on the entirety of the team
during, and after their time at OHS.
“What I’m trying to hammer home to all these [incoming] seniors is: ‘hey, I only get you guys for one year, but your effects can be known for as long as I’m here. You can really help lay the foundation for what we want the next fve, ten, 15 years to look like here,’ and I’ll always give those guys the credit,” Kullos said.
Although Kullos sees a possibly major impact being left on the team, he believes it is essential to be prepared for the future, starting with junior varsity, then the freshman team, and even the 14U Junior Eagles, OHS’s feeder team.
“I’m super hands-on with all levels, freshman and JV. I’m out there helping coach the 14U kids, those kids aren’t even on our campus yet, but it’s just those investments, that time spent, that pays dividends later on,” Kullos said.
Coach Kullos developed many of his philosophies as a result of his time as head coach at Raymond Kellis High School.
“No one really wanted to play football for a school that had won one game, so what I learned was how to get kids to
come out and get excited and rally the whole school behind a program. I just learned how to fip the script,” Kullos said. “By the time I left, we’d won the frst playoff game in school history.”
It is important to acquire this experience on a team that climbed their way up to eventually winning a playoff football game in order to know the amount of work that is vital for a 6A team.
“We’re so early on in this and I take the slow cooker approach. I turn it on low heat and we make small changes to where when we look back like a few months from now, our kids are gonna be like, ‘do you remember when we were doing XYZ and like, we’re not doing that anymore?’” Kullos said.
The new methods that Kullos is using is something unusual for the boys that
they will have to get used to, but the organizational skills being implemented into the team will have a lasting impact on the players.
“We already have ten different squad leaders. We divide the team by ten and that’s how many squads we have, and so those kids all report to their squad leader and then the squad leader reports to me,” Kullos said. Jump to page 13
PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON NUFFER
Head coach Kullos watches his OHS football boys scrimmage.
PHOTO BY EMERSON LIHN
The selective but distinguished communities of OHS
By NICOLE EOM News Editor
From career-related interests to minor hobbies, OHS is home to a variety of clubs, two of which are prestigious in name: National Honor Society (NHS) and Society of Female Scholars (SOFS).
As national organizations, NHS and SOFS have a list of criteria students must ft into before being accepted. One major factor is that the student must be an upperclassman, while the other is that the student must be in good standing with the school, academically and behaviorally.
“The criteria is based off of those 4 pillars: scholarship, service, leadership, character. The application requires a minimum amount of points based on their high school experience,” said Carrie Anderson, NHS advisor.
NHS and SOFS differ from other organizations and clubs in that they are communityoriented. Instead of working to better themselves and their skills, they focus on giving back to their respective communities.
“I think NHS is just different in the focus. I think a lot of clubs here are focused on socialization and getting students to interact with each other and have fun, which is so great, and I think it’s awesome for clubs. But NHS is a little different, and the focus is more that service and being a good student as opposed to getting the students together,” said Savannah Nielsen, secretary of
NHS.
SOFS, in particular, has a unique goal of bringing female scholars together within OHS. This allows a tighter bond in the club and allows them to plan events that are special just for girls.
“SOFS is a club to connect all these women in our school and promote learning and the role of women,” said Paras Dadiala, secretary of SOFS.
These institutions offer a variety of service opportunities, and although NHS focuses on society while SOFS participates in more female-oriented activities, they both strengthen students’ perspectives towards the community.
“We go around Arizona trying to help people from impoverished communities: [from] foster care homes to donating to children impacted by the LA wildfres,” said Maya Bustos, president of NHS and SOFS. “So the main mission of NHS is just to be able to spread positivity, give back to the
community, and give someone a smile at the end of the day.”
NHS and SOFS allow students to develop lasting life skills individually. By holding monthly meetings instead of weekly ones, the organizations push students to be accountable for themselves in getting in service hours and events while also holding strict policies on attendance.
“It defnitely keeps you accountable as a student, pushes you to make sure you’re maintaining your grades and being a good student because you have to be in good standing with the school in order to join. It also just pushes you to fnd those service opportunities and make sure you’re giving back,” Nielsen said.
By hosting events and community service, NHS and SOFS also enable students to meet more communityminded individuals and make connections with each other. This strengthens relationships within the clubs even if they do
not get the chance to connect during meetings.
“We had a SOFS picnic. It just connected everyone in the club. There’s so many people, but it gave people the opportunity to introduce themselves and learn about each other. I also liked our one event we did was restocking pads and tampons in the bathroom because I know that it isn’t available for everybody, so it was just important to have,” Dadiala said.
Maintaining and running large organizations is diffcult for both the advisors and the offcers of the club, especially as these clubs continue to expand over the years. However, membership also allows them to arrange events and activities that are impossible to do in smaller institutions.
“The biggest challenge is mobilization, which is both a pro and a con. Because NHS has so many people, it’s very easy to both coordinate everyone into one event and
also hard to get everyone to go,” Bustos said. “We know that people are obviously going to go to any event that we create because someone out of that 150-60 range is going to need service hours somewhere. But also… everyone is on their independent schedule because NHS is a more independent club than others, [which] poses a little bit of a challenge to our group event activities.”
This diffculty of mobilization may also limit the organizations from doing things outside of the box and force them to stick to more ordinary service opportunities. While just keeping the clubs running successfully itself is a diffcult task to undertake, it is crucial to continue to expand the program as leaders.
“For me, one of my biggest goals was being able to one, collaborate with a different NHS school, and two, being able to go to impoverished communities to read books, which I guess for a lot of us, due to time restraints, was hard to coordinate. So that would be my biggest regret,” Bustos said.
While classrooms develop students intellectually, organizations like NHS and SOFS prepare students for the real world, molding them into empathetic individuals for the coming generations.
“The students that are in NHS are really good students, they are just good people with good hearts that want to make a difference, they want to be a leader, so it’s nice working with them,” Anderson said.
Meet Jackson Hileman: a senior with lots of love to spread
By ABIGAIL BRYAND Staf Writer
Jackson Hileman is a senior at OHS with down syndrome, and he has found countless ways to win over the hearts of students and teachers alike - whether it is through his infectious energy, sense of humor, or kindness, he has undoubtedly become a familiar and beloved presence at OHS.
Recently, Jackson was brought into the spotlight at a momentous basketball game in February, capturing the attention of not only the OHS community but also of the news.
“I made a half-court shot, and I won a $100 gift card,” said Jackson Hileman, senior.
Basketball is not the only sport that Jackson enjoys participating in as he loves to engage in all things active.
“I like basketball, baseball, golf, and softball. I play with my friends,” J. Hileman said.
Jackson’s mom is a teacher at OHS, and has many stories to tell about Jackson. She was present when Jackson made the shot.
“I could not believe he went down there…I just thought he ran down there and was putting himself into that situation because that’s not unlike him,” said Debra Hileman, math teacher.
When the half-court shot was made, the students at OHS went ballistic, surrounding Jackson with rallying support while cheering him on.
“It was a super proud moment as a mom, and of course my husband was there too. All the students were chanting ‘one more, one more,’ so they were doing that same kind of encouragement in that moment that I have been trying to do his entire life. They were as excited
as he was and it was one of those emotional, heartfelt moments,” D. Hileman said.
Another activitiy besides sports that Jackson loves is hanging out with his friends, and he gets to see them on a daily basis when he goes to school.
“[My friends and I] hang out in school and we always hug each other,” J. Hileman said.
One of the reasons people love Jackson is because he is extremely humorous and energetic, and he loves to make friends with all kinds of people.
“When I get time with him one on one, he is really funny and he loves everyone.
He knows no enemies,” D. Hileman said.
When it comes to Jackson’s free time, he engages in a wide array of activities.
“My hobbies are playing Fortnite and hanging out with my friends…on the weekends, me and my dad go and play golf,” J. Hileman said.
Another activity Jackson enjoys is spending time with his family, which consists of his mom, dad, and two siblings- an older sister and younger brother.
“His dad is his ultimate best friend, and they love to do things like mini golf, shoot hoops, and play games,” D. Hileman said.
Jackson is also an animal
lover and has pets at home, which are a big part of his family as well.
“We have three pets named Chloe, Max, and Simba…they are all dogs,” J. Hileman said. Jackson also enjoys his classes at school; his favorite class is powerlifting where he gets to build his strength with his favorite teacher, Coach Dueling.
“I like ELA, TSW (Transition from school to work), econ, weight training, dance, and math,” J. Hileman said.
Jackson is a senior here at OHS, meaning that he will be graduating in a few short weeks, and he has very specifc plans for his future.
“I might go to college at Grand Canyon University…I want to be a singer/songwriter; I want to be a rapper,” J. Hileman said.
Jackson is the defnition of a social butterfy, hopping from one friend’s group to another, always bringing smiles and laughter wherever he goes.
“He is a total goofball. He loves attention, and he is very much an extrovert who loves to be social,” D. Hileman said.
SOFS gathers for a photo at their end of the year banquet to celebrate senior members.
PHOTO BY NICOLE EOM
Jackson Hileman, senior, brightens everyones day with his smile.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DEBRA HILEMAN
The Talon
The final word from the 2ENIOR5
By EMERSON LIHN Features Editor
The graduating class of 2025 is experiencing the fnal weeks of their senior year. With many farewell events lined up, the fnal moments are becoming surreal for each and every senior. OHS has set up each senior for a future catered to their own visions. From going off to college or preparing for trade school with an explicit career in mind, OHS seniors view their memories gathered from freshman to their fnal year of high school as an important part of what has developed them as a student and person.
These valuable four years are a time for refection and development in every student’s life. Experiences–academic, extracurricular, good, and bad–have set students up for success within their social life, teaching them to expand their horizons.
“Go make those friends. You obviously make friends throughout your four years of high school, but I would defnitely start talking to anybody in your classes,” said Kaitlyn Kirberg, senior.
Students also emphasize the importance of participating in extracurricular activities such as sports in order to meet new people.
“[My favorite part of high school has been] baseball and sports, same with getting to know the people and coaches,” said Talen Turnage, senior.
Getting to build bonds and relationships with others who share a common hobby is something that expands the friend pool for those in extracurriculars and sports.
“I’ve met so many people through high school soccer. I would never expect myself to be friends with all these people. The program has made us all so close together. Just walking around school it’s like, ‘oh my gosh, I played soccer with this girl for my
four years of high school and now we are best friends,’” Kirberg said.
As incoming seniors, OHS students not only have great memories that will last a lifetime, but also inevitable regrets.
Focusing on academics from the moment students take their frst step on the OHS campus is more important than it may seem for some at frst.
“Make sure you stay up on all your work, because you don’t want to fall behind.
[During] my freshman year, I fell behind a lot, which affected my GPA for the rest of high school,” said Jonah Schule-Cuadra, senior.
The famous senior slump is something that almost every senior falls for. Even though people are committed to colleges and celebrating
scholarships, there is a responsibility that is easy to ignore.
“It’s not a year to slack off because many people’s scholarships are on the line,” said Acees Dadiala, senior. “First semester is really rough but don’t let it drain you.”
Although regrets are hard to let go of, seniors believe it is far more important to live the last year in preparation for the future.
“Try to balance the good and the bad, don’t let the bad stuff consume you and don’t let good things distract you,” said Elena Murrietta, senior.
For some, the future is defned by the ability to be independent. Developing this skill is something that many students focus on starting in high school.
“It’s good if you want to
The Talon is published as a forum for student opinion at Sandra Day O’Connor High School: part of the Deer Valley Unifed School District. The Talon is an award winning publication with dozens of awards for its staff members as well as ranked the
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consideration. Obscene or libelous statements will not be printed. Opinions refected here are of those of The Talon staff and do not refect the Deer Valley Unifed School District. Visit The Talon online at thetalonohs.com to see stories weekly.
start a business since it’s a great learning experience. Start now when you’re living with your parents; it’s been teaching me a lot,” said Noah Voda, senior.
Many students at OHS will fnd their way to college or go into trade school with a specifc career in mind.
Accepting that each person has their own journey is something that many seniors have learned throughout the 2024-2025 school year.
“I’m going to the Air Force next year…After that, I’ll probably get out here and be a frefghter,” Turnage said.
“There’s so many options, especially in today’s day and age. Just look around.”
When looking back at the beginning of senior year, it was almost unbelievable for many that certain memories
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would capture the last events of their high school career. The classic high school experience is something that will be missed most by many.
“For the frst month, I didn’t really fully grasp the fact that I was a senior. When October, November, football season, and homecoming came around, I started to realize the last of everything is happening,” said Shoumik Dhar, senior.
Recognizing that the lasts of every event are coming right around the corner has seniors in a strange position where they realize that they carry the most wisdom among the students of OHS.
“Be ready to let go of anything in a heartbeat. You never know how much you’re going to miss it, so be prepared,” Dhar said.
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A group of seniors pose for a photo on the felds for senior sunrise.
PHOTO COURTESY OF NOAH KAONI
Behind the scenes of AP exams: the role of teachers
By Nicole Eom News editor
As May rushes closer, the stress of national Advanced Placement (AP) exams piles up with frantic last-minute studying and sleepless nights. In two months, as the results appear on Collegeboard, students will feel a rush of disappointment or relief, but are these scores truly a refection of students’ hard work or merely their educators?
Teachers who teach AP classes play a signifcant role in shaping students’ education. Not only are they required to teach contentheavy college-level material, but they also prepare the students for the national exam in May. This requires teachers to run over exam strategies, conduct practice tests, and even hold study sessions after school, putting an extra burden on the teachers to better prepare their students for exam day. Students rely on their teachers to score better on their AP exams in order to qualify for college credit. Because the material and workload are so demanding, it is nearly impossible for students to self-study all the material outside of school without the guidance of an instructor. This means that teachers are crucial in
directing students to success in their AP classes.
The AP exams, like the national SAT and ACT exams, are a refection of how well students and teachers perform compared to other schools in the nation. It is also refective of the quality of the school as a whole. The stress of performing well on AP exams is immense for students and the school alike. Because AP courses generally contain harder content to teach, teachers are given incentives to boost their students’ scores. In many Arizona school districts, for example, the “College Credit by Examination Incentive Program” provides bonuses for teachers for each four and fve score achieved
by their students. The district recognizes this role and motivates teachers to increase students’ chances of achieving a higher score on this test.
Although many teachers do fulfll their duty and make students feel thoroughly prepared, some teachers express an uninterested attitude in teaching. A poll from the Pew Research Center states that only one in three teachers feel very satisfed or extremely satisfed with their jobs. Learning difcult material under these teachers can further unmotivate the students to learn the material. Most students fnd AP courses daunting in the frst place, but without
an engaging teacher and learning environment, most students simply cannot keep up with the amount of work they have to complete in front of them.
Teachers who are uninterested in teaching are more likely to give generalized instead of stricter grades. Most teachers want their students to simply pass their classes and have a good GPA.
Students scoring a high A in a class can score low on an AP test. In this scenario, AP scores are a better refection of the students’ actual ability and performance than GPAs.
The AP score refects the teacher’s capacity because it reveals students’ actual standing under the mask of
their GPA. When the GPA is higher compared to the AP tests, it refects the true ability of the teacher and if they are just handing out shiny grades on paper. However, students do play a part in the success of their scores. Students have to take the initiative to listen in class, complete their school work, get their notes done, and maybe participate in the study sessions the teacher ofers. Nevertheless, for most students, there is a limit to the studying students can do outside of the classroom. Educators boost students’ chances of success by teaching their students efective studying tips and strategies to excel in their class and even by ofering online resources. Without a hardworking teacher, students must spend more time outside of class to prepare for their tests voluntarily and fnd the resources on their own. Although educators play a major role in students obtaining high AP test scores, it does not imply that students should not participate in extra studying or give up completely. Teachers can ofer resources and teach to the best of their ability, but students should care about their grades more than their teachers do. Students need to absorb that information and thoroughly process it to make it their own. Although frantic last-minute studying and cafeine may not work, thorough preparation will pay of on exam day.
Jump from page10: Coach Kullos: a new legacy
By EMERSON LIHN Features Editor
Kullos appreciates the yearround preparation that OHS values with not just football, but every athletic team.
“Dr. Miller has really done some things here too that are helpful for all athletics. Having three weightlifting classes during the school day. That’s absolutely huge. The facilities here are just incredible,” Kullos said. “It’s really what we do in the of season that determines our success during onseason.”
One major aspect that is being focused on during the ofseason is the attitudes and values that are being passed around by the team.
“Five percent or less play for another four years, but then
one percent or less of those play for many years beyond high school or beyond college. Everyone stops playing at some point and we’re just trying to make sure that we’re creating good people and good leaders for tomorrow,” Kullos said. “It’s the person that matters more than the player. You get into some trouble when you start sacrifcing character and bad behavior for what you think is talent.”
Coach Kullos hopes to leave a mark on the OHS football team for many years to come. The many changes he is making leaves him hopeful that the team will be left better than he found it.
“We model it frst as coaches, so if I’m running around cussing kids out, if I’m treating women poorly, if I’m talking about people in a derogatory way, like that is an automatic pass for my players to do the same thing. I have to be the role model for all these kids,” Kullos said.
PHOTO BY EMERSON LIHN
Coach Kullos walks around various drills coaching players for the nexr season.
Uriah Cross, history teacher, gives alecture next to his wall of fves.
Opinions
Editorial: we were lied to about scholarships
By the time teens enter their senior year of high school, they have burned into their memory the idea that a ‘good’ GPA and a ‘good’ ACT guarantee scholarships and college admission. Counselors, teachers, misguided parents, and students all assume that those two basic measures of success used in high school will carry over into college, and that universities, federal and state governments, and private institutions will be throwing money at the students who achieve those 30s on their ACT or a 3.8 or more GPA. The fact is, as many seniors fnd out on their own that is not enough. Neither are certifcates, awards, and other accolades. College costs are well understood by many, but the bill oftentimes is too large to be grasped fully in terms of how much in loans a student may have to take out. And the way to pay for it is to ‘just hunt for scholarships.’ That’s all students hear: ‘just apply’ for scholarships, win, and like that a college education is virtually attained.
Many scholarships are not as ‘merit-based’ as counselors, teachers, and even college graduates will
have you believe. A vast majority of them have a demographic requirement, require membership in a club or organization, or have family-income requirements. Those few scholarships which truly do not depend on those outside factors are applied to en-masse, diminishing students’ chances of winning them. For example, a common place to fnd and apply for scholarships is through the College Board, who has a program/website called ‘Big Future.’ Big Future has a monthly drawing for a $40,000 scholarship. While $40,000 is a substantial amount of money, the scholarship being more of a lottery attracts thousands of applicants, so the chances of winning are slim. As for merit-based scholarships on Big Future, a huge majority of them are open only to students of certain majors, ethnicities, income statuses, religions, etc.
Most colleges have “scholarship universe” websites. However, the same problems persist: the scholarships open to everyone are hard to win, and other scholarships, which are technically
merit-based, are open to a narrow group of students. For example, the website shows that it has multiple thousand scholarships, but after flling out the extensive application for the website, students only match with a few dozen at most. When frst viewing these remaining scholarships, the large dollar amount seems very attractive to students in need of college money, but once a student attempts to apply, they are hit with numerous internal requirements from the company or institution offering the scholarship, and the most common type of requirement is an essay.
After students go through the tedious process of fnding the scholarships they meet the bare requirements for, students are then hit with an essay prompt. To be fair, these essays range from 300 to 600 word minimums, however, are students not busy with school or work? Furthermore, most private scholarships are worth $500$2,000, which compared to the cost of college, is almost meaningless.
Luck is another factor to this equation. A student might fnd the perfect
scholarship: it is worth thousands of dollars, is open to students of all demographics, but still has a GPA or ACT requirement keeping it merit-based so that only students who put in greater effort are able to apply and win, but flling out the application and writing the essay does not guarantee anything. This student spent years in high school getting their A’s, some of which scored over a 30 on the ACT, but has nothing to show for it because
another student won all of the dozen or so scholarships that the student was able to apply for. Scholarships, and college in general, is more luck-based than it is meritbased. A student has a few options in life, very few of which they have control over. They can 1: be born into a rich family who can pay for college outright, 2: be one of the lucky few who win a private scholarship, 3: go into crippling debt, or 4: not go to college.
The physical media renaissance
By RUTH MIOC Design Chief
In an era dominated by streaming platforms and digital convenience, a quiet revolution is unfolding. At OHS, it is becoming rare to attend social events without a digital camera being present. Young adults, often stereotyped as digital natives, are increasingly turning to vinyl records, DVDs, and other physical formats, not just out of nostalgia, but also as a deliberate act of cultural preservation and personal agency. This resurgence is not merely for aesthetics, it is a response to the vulnerabilities of our digital age. While concerns about data loss and corporate control persist, the revival of physical media refects a deeper desire for ownership, intentionality, and connection in an impermanent world.
The fragility of digital content is undeniable. Services like Spotify and Netfix offer vast libraries, but users do not truly own what they stream. Licensing
disputes or platform closures can erase access overnight, as seen in 2019 when MySpace lost 50 million songs. Even personal memories are not immune as cloud storage failures or abandoned accounts can wipe out years of photos and messages. Physical media, by contrast,
resists these risks. A Blu-ray disc does not vanish when a subscription lapses and a vinyl record cannot be “deleted” by a server error. For Gen Z and Millennials, raised amidst streaming’s rise, this reliability is increasingly appealing. Beyond practicality,
physical media fosters a richer relationship with art and culture. Streaming’s infnite scroll often encourages passive consumption, but owning a record or DVD demands intentionality. The tangible experience of sliding a record from its sleeve or fipping through a
photo album creates rituals that deepen engagement. The resurgence also refects a rejection of corporate gatekeeping and ownership. Physical media can be shared, resold, or inherited freely. This autonomy resonates with younger generations who value sustainability and community. Record stores, for instance, have become hubs for connection.
Critics might dismiss this trend as niche or nostalgic, but the numbers tell a different story. Vinyl sales have grown for 17 consecutive years, with Gen Z now the primary drivers. It is not a rejection of technology but a balancing act: streaming for convenience, physical media for permanence. By embracing both, young adults are crafting a more resilient cultural ecosystem, one where art endures not as pixels in a cloud, but as tangible artifacts to hold, share, and cherish. The physical media revival isn’t just a trend, it is a manifesto for a generation determined to leave footprints that will not fade.
PHOTO BY RUTH MIOC
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOLD.ORG
CDs and vinyls displayed at Zia Records.
Arts and Entertainment
“Severance”: The hidden gem of Apple TV+
By ASHLEY PEREIRA Photography Chief
“Severance,” Apple TV+’s workplace drama and sci-f thriller, is arguably one of the best shows currently being produced, so why has nobody heard of it?
The plot follows four employees at a megacorporation who are uncertain about the nature of their work. These employees have agreed to a procedure that separates their personal memories from their work memories.
The entire frst season of this show takes place in an LED-lit offce, with very few scenes set outside of it. While many shows might struggle to convey a compelling plot and keep viewers engaged in such a limited setting, that is not a concern for those watching Severance.
With the majority of the show flmed in the offce building, each episode of season two costs around 20
million dollars to produce, making it one of the most expensive television projects ever.
The frst season was released in February 2022, and the second season was scheduled for release shortly after. However, due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes, episodes only began releasing every Friday in January 2025.
The crew’s dedication and persistence, despite the show’s lack of popularity, depict the passion this oneof-a-kind crew has.
The actors who portray severed characters essentially play two different roles, which is a unique challenge.
Adam Scott’s portrayal of Mark S. is captivating in every episode, it is hard to imagine another actor in this role.
Britt Lower, who plays Helly R., delivers an outstanding performance, taking on one of the most challenging roles in the series.
Although the show was nominated for fourteen Emmys during its frst season, it has not yet become a global phenomenon.
However, season two has gained more recognition than the frst, as fans shared theories online, capturing the interest of non-viewers. As a result, “Severance” will likely receive many more Emmy nominations this year, with many fans even predicting an “Emmy sweep.”
Given its high production value, original plot, and extremely talented cast, it raises the question of why more people are not tuning in. While Apple TV+ may seem like a substantial platform, only 11% of American
households subscribe to it, which partially explains why “Severance” has not gained the mainstream popularity it deserves.
This makes viewers wonder, if “Severance” chose a different streaming platform, would it fnally get its well-deserved recognition? Would its intricate storytelling fnally captivate a larger demographic? As the discussion around this show continues to grow, there is hope that Severance will become a staple in modernday television.
OHS Radium Girls: corruption in the workplace
By NICOLE PURDY Sports Editor
As the school year nears its end, OHS proudly performed its last play entitled Radium Girls, which tells the story of female factory workers in the early 20th century who painted luminous dials on watches and clocks using paint that contained radium. Radium is a radioactive element, and the girls faced serious health issues as a result of their exposure to it.
The OHS theater department once again has chosen a play to entrance audiences. Radium Girls will open on April 10th and continue until April 12th. The crew has added a fourish to the play, making it one not to miss. They are planning to include special effects and costumes set in the 1920s.
The OHS cast is thrilled to see their roles played out during the show. Many people dedicate countless hours to understanding and memorizing their characters.
“Grace’s [The character I play] resilience through the entire thing or how all of the characters interact with each other [is my favorite],” said Mandy Hoglund, sophomore.
Many theater students have found an outlet for their love of acting. The choice to pick one’s character inspires the students to get involved
and dedicate themselves to the role.
“Every day I go into rehearsal and I feel happy to be there,” said Diego Arevalo, sophomore.
The community that the students have built in the theater program is unbreakable. Many look forward to rehearsing and performing with their friends.
“There’s a scene where I’m arguing with the other lawyer; it’s fun to do,” said Jonah Schule-Cuadra, senior. For many, one of the best parts of theater is seeing their hard work pay off. The transformation from rehearsing to seeing their character come to life on the stage is the most rewarding part.
“We have two different casts, so in rehearsal, we switch off,” said Sophia Sampley, sophomore. “It’s fun seeing what your double in the other cast is doing.”
The process of learning the ins and outs of their character with their doubles provides cast members with a valuable learning and team-building experience. In the play,
students have counterparts in the other cast, and not every play provides them the opportunity to learn techniques or character traits from their counterparts. Hopefully, experiences like these will be helpful for the students in the long run.
“This is my frst show. I like getting to see everyone shine on stage,” Sampley said.
PHOTO BY NICOLE PURDY
PHOTO COURTESY OF APPLE TV+
OHS theater puts on a jaw dropping performance.
Song reviews: Summer 2025
“Dumb Dumb and Dumber” off Lil Baby’s most recent album WHAM features artists Future and Young Thug which is Young Thug’s frst musical appearance and verse since being released from prison after beating a serious RICO case which almost landed him life in prison. The track has also received a music video recently that marks Young Thug’s frst public appearance since beating his charges. Lil Baby provided his best performance in years on this song. It seems as though working with two close colleagues on a song for an album brought the best out of him. This album was also Lil Baby proving to the public that he still has it in him to make good music. Young Thug’s frst verse being free from jail was extraordinary. He fows on this track like no other, showing the world that he is hungry coming back from jail and is ready to make some music but he only has the second-best verse on this track. Future comes in at the song’s fnish and spits a ten out of ten verse overshadowing everyone else on this song, almost making it his own work.
One of the biggest hits from Drake’s latest album $$4U which is a collaboration with Toronto artist Partynextdoor. On the album is the song “Nokia” which plays into Drake’s strengths making it a stand out track. The song starts with a solid verse from Drake where he uses a club beat that he can easily foat on. The beginning verse takes up about a quarter of the song’s run time and then transitions into the part of the song that made it a hit. The hook for the second half of the song was sung by underground artist Elkan and he makes great use of his limited verse chorus on the track with his singing voice tying the song together. One thing that does not add up on this song is the absence of Partynextdoor. Since this is a collaboration project between him and Drake. An additional verse from him would have added some much-needed variety in this track, cutting the repetition from the repeating hook by Elkan. This song does make its inclusion well worth it on the 21 song tracklist making it one of Drake’s best received songs in the last couple of years.
On March 15, 2025, Playboi Carti released his long-awaited album I AM MUSIC, which is his second album of the 2020s coming after his previous album Whole Lotta Red that was released fve years prior in December of 2020. “CRUSH” is the second song on I AM MUSIC and it comes directly after the song “POP OUT” that started the album in a jarring way. “CRUSH” serves as a sort of polar opposite to “POP OUT” with “CRUSH” featuring a choir in the background singing the hook and featuring less screaming, making it an easier listen than “POP OUT.” The song does have some issues however with threefourths of the song just being adlibs from Playboi Carti with him only actually giving the song a verse in its later half. The song also claims to have Travis Scott featured on the song but he only provides a couple of adlibs in the middle of the song and then fails to make an appearance after that. All in all, this song is a highlight of the album due to its unique qualities that make it stand out and encourage most listeners to revisit after an initial listen.
By DANIEL YOHANNAN Staf Writer
Glokk40spaz is an up-andcoming rapper from Georgia and is now on a run releasing mixtapes and albums after serving two years in prison. Shortly before being released from jail he was almost signed to artist Playboi Carti’s record label but offcially turned Carti and the opium record label down on Instagram announcing that he was signed to Columbia Records. Throughout Final Warning’s runtime, he delivers a pulverizing performance that borders on screaming half the time but this is not necessarily a bad thing since the Glokk40spaz is in his natural element when he is giving performances such as this. This track alone is good when the listener gives it a spin once in a while but when that listener looks at the rest of his discography they will soon discover that is discography is really one-note with no variety in the type of songs he makes. He has proven that he can deliver more somber chill performances but has not released anything like that yet. Hopefully he can prove that he has more than one note in the future.
“Invincible” Season 3: the best season yet?
By COLIN ROBISON Equipment Manager
Amazon Prime’s hit superhero show “Invincible” recently released its third season and it was met with high praise from fans and critics alike. Many viewers called it the best season of superhero television ever and it is near the top on most review sites. This season picks up a little bit after season two and shows our main character, Mark, also known as Invincible, dealing with the trauma of his actions from the end of season two.
The beginning of the season focuses on the relationship between Mark and his newly discovered brother, Oliver. Mark has to act as a teacher similar to how his dad taught him how to control his powers. The difference is that Mark doesn’t want Oliver to end up like his dad so he makes sure to keep him from doing so. The struggle of Mark trying to balance his new relationship with Eve
and his relationship with his family takes a massive toll on him.
Mark then has to juggle a new relationship with Cecil, the leader of the GDA. The GDA is the organization that runs all the superheroes and they continue to wrong Mark. This time they decide to bring back some superheroes that turned bad but Cecil claims they are good now, but Mark does not believe them. This leads to Mark ending his alliance with the GDA, but Cecil continues to spy on Mark and his family.
The season ends strong with the last three episodes being some of the highest-
rated episodes of the entire show. The third to last episode focuses on a new villain introduced named Powerplex. This character was voice acted by Aaron Paul, most famous for his role as Jesse in Breaking Bad. Aaron Paul does a great job with this character and delivers on all the emotional parts. Powerplex’s whole motivation is getting revenge on Invincible for him and his dad accidentally killing Powerplex’s sister and niece during their battle. What makes this villain so good is that it blurs the line on whether his motivations are right or wrong. Due to his
family being killed some might argue he is justifed in his actions while others might say he is being extreme and going about it wrong.
The end of this episode is probably one of the sadder moments of the series and is shocking.
The next two episodes are arguably the best of the entire series and were some of the most anticipated.
The last two episodes were adaptations of the “Invincible War” and the “Conquest Fight.” These are two of the most loved parts of the comics and fans were very excited to watch these episodes. The Invincible War is when all the different variants of Invincible come down to Earth and try to take out the Invincible of this world. This episode showcased all the different Invincibles, who all have different personalities and even different costumes.
At the end of this episode when it seems like everything was clear and there were no more Invincibles left, a new
character never seen before in the show comes down to talk to Mark.
The fnale is the fght between Conquest and Invincible and it is arguably the best fght of the entire show. The series has been criticized a lot for its poor animation, but they seemed to put all that to rest in this episode. The whole episode is just the fght, and while some might say that is boring, many would also disagree with that statement just due to how emotional this fght was. There were countless moments where it seemed like beloved characters were going to die. The fnale hit home with a lot of fans and even critics and is currently rated as a 9.9/10 on IMDb. The only complaint of the episode is that it did not feel like the end credit scene set up any storylines for the future. Even though the credit scene left a lot to be desired, this episode and season were near perfect. This show sets the bar for superhero television and is going to be hard to top.
“CRUSH” by Playboi Carti
“Nokia” by Drake
“Final Warning” by Glokk40spaz
“Dumb Dumb and Dumber” by Lil Baby
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROTTEN TOMATOES
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
PHOTO COURTESY OF SPOTIFY
Sports
OHS baseball teams spring into action with high hopes
By TAYLOR MOON Staf Writer
Varsity:
OHS’s varsity baseball team is springing into action this season with high intensity. After ending last season just short of a championship win, the team is back and ready to take back what they lost.
Not only is baseball a hard sport to compete in physically, it is also a mental game because players have to learn to push through the challenges that come with playing.
“No matter what happens you have to keep going, you have to keep playing through and just realize everything is going to even out,” said Jacoby Noble, sophomore.
The varsity team is tapped into good team chemistry. Which is key to playing well
together.
“We try to play with more energy and pick each other up instead of trying to tear each other down,” said Brent Sollars, junior.
There is no bond stronger than one created from sports, and the OHS baseball team is no stranger to a good team connection.
“We’ve been hanging out almost every single day and we try to get together on the weekends and we have team dinners, and my favorite is when we play poker together,” Noble said.
The varsity team has many goals for this season to help motivate them to get far in this season. These goals are the foundation to the team’s success.
“The goal is always to play in the stadiums and at some point for them to play the perfect game,” said Jeff
Baumgartner, head varsity coach.
Baseball is a highly competitive sport in the state of Arizona and in order to fnd success on the feld it’s important to hold yourself to a high standard.
“I have a certain amount of standards that all the guys are trying to live up to and I’m constantly nagging that standard into them so we fnd success on the feld,”Baumgartner said .
JV:
Last season the OHS JV team had a successful year and the players stepping up this season are carrying that momentum into the new year.
“I love getting to go out there and work hard while playing the game [baseball],” said Griffn Gregory, sophomore. Similarly to the varsity level, at the JV level you still
play an intense mental game.
“You have to have a short memory, if you go 0-4 you have to be able to come back and do better,” Gregory said .
In order to have a successful game, having self discipline is key to keep pushing yourself past mistakes.
“Baseball is a challenging game, when you do bad you have to control your emotions and you can’t let it get in your
head,” said Clayton Sheets, sophomore.
The team dynamic of the JV team is what sets them apart from other teams they face.
“There is a lot of effort, everyone is working hard and ready to compete even during practices,” said Tyson Gorder, sophomore. Contine reading at thetalonohs.com
OHS softball aims for the win with unbeatable companionship
By ALYSSA BUCKNER Staf Writer
Varsity:
The 2025 softball season has taken off and the girls and coaches on the team are working extremely hard to solidify more wins for OHS.
Varsity softball continues to crush their goals and improve with the help of teamwork, hard work, and their genuine camaraderie.
“It’s been going pretty well. We just took third place at Bullhead, which was better than last year, and I feel like we have a really good team [this season],” said Malawni Snyder, sophomore.
Even though there have been some losses, the girls continue to keep high spirits and positivity present throughout their team.
“We lost against Hamilton, although, I think if we bring our spirits up we can still beat them,” said Imani Williams, sophomore.
The OHS softball team practices almost every day of the week to work on what they need to improve.
“We do a lot during practice, we get a lot done,” said Chloe Holbrook, sophomore. “We feld, then we hit, and then we do more felding; there’s a lot of moving parts to it and it really works.”
In order to prepare for games, the girls on the team each have their own personal ways to get both mentally and physically ready.
“Personally, I like to listen to some good music. I put my headphones in and listen
by myself; I think about how the game is going to go and visualize it,” Holbrook said.
These small rituals help to get the girls’ minds in the game and lay the groundwork for a win.
“I always do bubble braids because it’s my game-day hair and game-day ritual, but we also always pray before games,” Snyder said.
The OHS softball team puts their faith frst and it’s one of the most important things for many of the players on the team.
“I like how faithful we are.
We pray with the other teams before and after every game, we do bible studies together, and that’s my favorite [aspect],” Holbrook said.
Even if it can get stressful sometimes, the girls on the team make sure to have fun while playing and getting to know each other, which outweighs any diffculties that may be present.
“I think we have a really special group of girls, we just
love being around each other all the time. It’s sometimes hard to get that with high school girls,” said Charleigh Schuettler, senior. “We’re developing connections and relationships that aren’t softball related.”
In order to get closer to one another, the softball team works on bonding and doing fun activities on a social level instead of solely focusing on softball.
“Our team bonding could be team dinners after practice or even organized bonding at someone’s house,” Snyder said. “It provides a really good community. It’s open and is also a great way for people to connect through softball and school since we talk about everything.”
Some of the girls have been on the varsity softball team their entire high school career.Through it they’ve been able to be a part of the outstanding team community as it continues to improve year by year.
“I tried out my freshman year just because I love playing softball,” Schuettler said. “I’ve been on varsity all four years. It was an incredible feeling [making varsity]; I was super excited to play and learn from all the upperclassmen.”
OHS varsity softball is overall working towards one goal and are doing all in their power to achieve it.
“We want to win, we want to win the state title,” Holbrook said.
JV:
The JV softball team at OHS is also in the midst of their season and have been working on improving their team as a whole.
“So far it’s been great, as a team we’ve really connected and it looks like we’re only getting better from here.
I can already tell that this team is a lot more ready to play and get better than last season,” said Sydney Barbian, sophomore.
Practices are similar to those of varsity, focusing on basic softball skills in order to improve for games.
“We go from hitting to felding and sometimes we do base running and stuff; we’re having a lot of fun,” said Emmalyn Bruning, freshman.
Students may decide to try out for softball for different reasons, but it’s a common incentive that they have heard of the great program OHS provides.
“Even when I was in middle school and elementary I heard of all the alumni [from OHS]
and I was just so excited to play with some of those future softball superstars,” Barbian said.
The OHS JV softball team also works towards being closer to one another through different team bonding activities.
“We do team dinners where we can sit and talk as people and not just softball players. We try to connect with each other whenever possible and then lock back in [for games],” Barbian said.
The strong sense of friendship throughout the team tends to develop due to how often the players are with each other.
“A lot of my best friends play [softball] and I just love it,” said Addison Walker, sophomore. “Every practice we all get really close because we talk a lot.”
Although there have been some obstacles this season for JV, the girls have tried their best to work past them.
“We’ve had a lot of girls on our team who have been hurt and haven’t been able to play,” Barbian said. “It’s defnitely been diffcult trying to get spots for everybody when they’re experiencing injuries or still healing from them, but we’re getting better thanks to athletic training.”
In the end, OHS softball keeps striving for success and continues to keep their wonderful companionship present.
“Our focus is just getting a little bit better every single day and trying to improve as much as we can,” Barbian said.
Charleigh Schuettler, senior, scores an RBI during the winning game against Perry.
PHOTO BY ALYSSA BUCKNER
PHOTO BY TAYLOR MOON
Tommy Pascanu, junior throws a pitch to strike out the opposing batter.
OHS Boys Volleyball is serving success
By AVERY MASSIE Staf Writer
Varsity:
Boys volleyball is back at it, once again projected to go far in their season. Already at 20 wins at the time this is written, they’ve managed to maintain a name for themselves.
After losing six seniors at the end of last season, many assumed that the team would have a hard time keeping their excellence. However, boys volleyball has had no problem working past that.
“I think there’s been a lot of guys that have been waiting for their turn, so it hasn’t been that big of a transition.” said Troy Dueling, head coach.
In comparison to their previous season, the team has done nothing but grow. Their connections have fourished, along with their skills.
“We’re even more together as a team compared to last year. Last year we were great, but this year we defnitely all love each other and that helps our team dynamic,” said Hayden Williams, senior.
This team dynamic comes from both playing together, and hanging out outside of practice.
“Since off the court we get along, on the court we all work well together,” Williams said.
Overall, the team’s compatibility is a driving factor to accomplishing their goal this season.
“I’m confdent that we can make a big run in the
playoffs, and all of our goals are winning the state championship,” Williams said.
Luckily, OHS is the team to be on in order to make that desire happen.
“I joined this team because I knew this was a winning program and I love winningI hate losing- so it’s always been a thing for me to be on the best program that I could be on,” said Diego Garcia, senior.
Throughout the season, the team has suffered some unusual losses, but they won’t let that hold them back.
“I think it’s been a good season so far, we’ve had some ups and some downs, but overall I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Dueling said.
However, that struggle is just part of playing, and after a loss is when teams learn what to work on.
“We just have to make sure we stay disciplined, especially against lower level teams,” Williams said.
Luckily, the biggest challenge that this team faces comes from within, while trying to choose between everyone for a lineup that will win.
“[The biggest struggle of our season is] trying to fnd a lineup that is going to be consistent. We’ve run a couple different things just looking for who’s going to be productive in certain moments,” Dueling said.
But if issues like that are the team’s largest struggle, they’re doing something
right. Players know that if they put forth the effort that the coach is looking for, it will be no problem.
“I feel like we’re getting a lot better as a team, and I’m defnitely excited for the playoff run,” Williams said.
A driving factor to the team’s success is the amount of time multiple players have spent together as members of the OHS team. With eight seniors this year, the team has seen these connections grow a lot over the course of their high school careers.
“I’ve known these guys for quite some time, and being able to play with them for my last year is great,” Williams said.
Along with that comes the role of welcoming the players who are new to the team.
“Being a senior on the team, it’s defnitely a leadership role where you have to be there for the younger kids and show them what this sport is all about- make them
have the love for it like I do,” Garcia said.
It’s the little things like this that make the team a family, and help them to create a successful season.
“I love every single one of those guys on the court and I know I could always go and talk to them. It’s always been a blessing to be on the team,” Garcia said.
JV:
As another season of volleyball goes by at OHS, there is once again a new boys JV team. Over the years, JV has been known to change very frequently, with players often staying on for only one or two seasons.
This season, freshman dominate the team, with there only being three sophomores and one junior. However, those with more experience have no problem welcoming everyone to the team.
“We’re all pretty close,
even with the new kids we’ve all formed a close relationship with each other,” said Gunner Mullins, sophomore.
These new relationships mean new opportunities for the players to bond, and they are doing a good job making sure that the team is able to run smoothly.
“We’re doing as much as possible to ensure that we have really good communication,” said Matteo Duran, freshman.
The team has done a great job of hitting it off, and while they’ve had many big wins, they also make sure to stay humble.
“Just because we’re O’Connor doesn’t mean we’re going to automatically be the best out of everyone, so we defnitely have to work for it no matter what team we play,” Duran said.
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OHS Beach Volleyball; unbeaten streak on the line
By TAYLOR MOON Staf Writer
Varsity:
OHS is full of driven and dedicated sports teams; a defnite standout is the girls beach volleyball team. The team is jumping right into the season with enthusiasm after coming off a 3 peat championship win and is full of hard working girls who will stop at nothing to bring OHS the 4 peat title.
Beach volleyball is a sport in which you must have drive and determination to be successful. With there only being two players on the court at once it can be diffcult to stay in the game, which is why the OHS beach team works hard on their mental game.
“It [beach volleyball] has taught me that you can’t take yourself out of the game because there is no sub so you have to work through it,” said Kaiya Kearney, junior. Beach volleyball is a sport that requires athletic skill and being able to overcome the mental parts of the game.
“Beach has been a really mentally challenging sport because there aren’t as many people so it really drives me to be a stronger individual,” said Mckenna Smith, freshman.
In order to be successful on the court it’s important to learn the strategy required to fnd triumph.
“It’s a lot of strategy because it’s 2v2 so if you fgure out the other person’s game and how they play, you can pretty much beat any team,” said Delaney Singleton, junior.
More importantly, to fnd success during games it’s important to have good team chemistry.
“We have a really good culture, we are really unifed and everyone likes each other on the team,” Singleton said . With beach volleyball being a team that is very competitive it could mess with the team bond; but not for the OHS beach team.
“Even though not everyone can be in the line up, everyone supports each other and cheers each other on and everyone wants everyone to
succeed,” Kearney said.
JV:
Stepping up to play on such a competitive team can be a challenge, but the OHS JV team partakes in intense training to help them prepare for the diffcult matches they will face.
“[Beach volleyball] has taught me to not get in my head because if you get in your head you will mess up more,” said Kara Hoppenworth, freshman.
Similar to the varsity team, the mental game that beach players must face is not easy and takes serious grit to overcome.
“You need to be able to control your emotions, because it’s really hard and it does take a big toll on your body,” saidAddison Duckwiler, sophomore.
Not only does beach teach both mental and physical skill, it also is a community that lasts a lifetime.
“It’s really fun and you meet more people and you learn so much while also making friends at the same
time,” Hoppenworth said.
For the future of the JV team they share the same goals and drive as the varsity team and have high
expectations and hopes as time goes on.
“In the future I hope to win a lot, and win the 4-peat,” Hoppenworth said.
PHOTO BY AVERY MASSIE
PHOTO BY TAYLOR MOON
Noah Kaoni, senior, serves the ball for OHS.
Beach Volleyball strives to add another trophy to their collection.
Girls tennis serves up success
By SKYLER FREEMAN Staf Writer
Varsity:
OC varsity girls tennis is off to an amazing start to their season. With amazing players and coaches, it is going to be a great season to support this team.
“The thing that most inspired me was everyone around me motivating me,” said Aditi Mahesh, sophomore.
The team never fails to support each other through every game.
“It’s all based on your mental and physical strength,” Mahesh said.
Playing well under pressure is a great trait held by the team. By supporting each other, they can go into games confdent, knowing they tried their hardest whether it’s a win or a loss.
“We all look after each other so if we lose or we win it doesn’t matter,” Mahesh said.
The girls treat the team like a family and bring each other up. Their coaches and teammates are people they value immensely.
“My coach Brad knows
how to motivate a room,” Mahesh said.
The coaches make it a priority to bring motivational energy to the team. The team collectively agrees that their coaches are a big part of their overall success.
“The season has been great so far,” said Viviana Stewart, sophomore.
The season has held many great accomplishments for players. With great teamwork and dedication, they are confdent that OHS
is going very far this season regarding wins.
“This is the best the girls team has ever been and we have a strong chance of making it to state,” Stewart said.
The team has many supporters that celebrate them every game. The team and their families bring a positive energy on and off the court.
“My family are my biggest supporters when it comes to sports, and they try to help
me along the way,” Stewart said.
JV:
Varsity has welcomed the JV girls tennis team with great leadership and it is very evident on the courts.
“The environment of the team was so welcoming and everyone just had a ton of fun there,” said Aubrey Baker, sophomore.
Having fun while also working hard is a great example of the greatness of JV. Showing up to every
practice and game with a strong mindset is a very valuable skill they have.
“You have to work super hard but it’s worth it,” Baker said.
The team always keeps their heads up no matter the circumstance. With the help of their coaches, players have been able to make the environment a positive space for themselves.
“The coaches make the environment so fun and everyone’s super nice,” Baker said.
Supporting each other and being kind is a very present aspect from the team. Bringing their teammates up through everything is something the team really values.
“Through the wins and losses, we support each other,” Baker said.
No matter how many wins or losses they may encounter, the team is always there for each other. Through positive mindsets, individuals are able to handle the ups and downs fawlessly.
“Don’t think about the point that you just played, think about the point you are about to play,” Baker said.
Boys tennis takes “advantage” of their season
By KENDALL WALKER Copy Chief
Varsity:
The OHS tennis season is in full swing, and the varsity boys team is serving up success as they strive to meet their goals and make the season memorable.
Student athletes can choose what they want to get out of high school sports, and this year the tennis team is training hard to compete, win, and improve.
“So far this season, I would say that the players have had some of the most off season work that they’ve done, and that is starting to show up on the courts,” said Lance Gephart, boys tennis coach.
It is important for teams to implement goals and standards for themselves throughout the season, and the tennis team is focusing on improvement and getting better every year.
“Our goal this year is to make the playoffs because we haven’t made it in three years, so that’s our main goal this year,” said Jayneal Patel, senior.
While team goals are essential, it is also very valuable for players to create expectations for themselves in order to put their best effort into the season.
“A personal goal for me was that I wanted to play varsity one or two, and that went well,” said Michael Poortstra,
junior.
The tennis team is focusing on their wins and fnding success this season, and they are proud of what they have been able to accomplish in comparison to previous years.
“Right now we’re 5 and 3, which is a way better record than last year, and we almost beat Basha which is really
good because we got crushed by them last year. So, it hasn’t been a bad season so far, and we’ve gotten good,” Patel said.
An important part of building up the tennis team and maintaining a positive environment has come from the friendships formed through the sport, as well
as the fun events that they have had the opportunity to participate in.
“We went on a feld trip this year to a tennis tournament in Palm Desert, which was really fun,” Poortstra said.
“The boys team is very close and it has been a really fun year.”
JV:
The JV boys tennis team is following in varsity’s footsteps as they approach the season with a strong sense of competitiveness and drive to win.
“Their work ethic has defnitely gotten better on the court, and they are taking each of the practices a lot more seriously,” Gephart said.
The JV team is focusing on creating a sense of community as a whole, and are working together to face any challenges that might arise.
“It doesn’t matter if someone is a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior, it is a collective vibe that’s going on,” Gephart said.
Due to this positive team environment, they are able to make their relatively small team seem much larger and more welcoming.
“There are six players on varsity and six players on JV, but we also have extra people,” said Sohan Limaye, sophomore. “The team is really fun to be a part of and everyone gets along really well.”
The positivity, competitiveness, and drive to improve are traits that have formed and surrounded the OHS tennis program, effectively encouraging players to come back in following years.
“I’ll defnitely keep doing tennis for the next two years,” Limaye said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF GIRLS TENNIS
Girls tennis poses for a group photo after a game.
Sohan Limaye, sophomore, winds up for a volley at practice.
PHOTO BY KENDALL WALKER
The many lanes to OHS track & feld
By TRUE VAN DYKE Editor-In-Chief
Being the largest sport at OHS, with close to 400 kids on the team, Track and Field has earned plenty of gold medals and a name brand to match them. Success is not only a goal but is also attainable with new records broken every year, 2025 not an exception, and athletes are already earning new plaques.
With a multitude of coaches, volunteers, and excited community members, the 2025 Track and Field season is the culmination of years of hard work built into one.
“It says a lot because O’Connor has the biggest team in the state, so it says a lot about the coaches and the community,” said Cory Beckman, senior [400 and 200 sprinter].
With such a large and established program, it is easy to feel intimidated and nervous when starting out and trying to fgure out where you belong among the team.
“When you’re starting out, trying to compare yourself to just yourself, not comparing yourself to those elite level,
state level, and even national level sprinters, jumpers, throwers, and just trying to improve yourself instead of looking for the medals,” said Tanner Larsen, senior [Thrower].
With a sport made up of many outlets of interest and several various events, fnding where one fts within it is not only important but necessary to work towards moving forward.
“Our [event] is a little longer than most, it’s more endurance based for sure, with also speed. The 800 is a mix, sprinting just two laps, and the 1600 is all endurance, so you have to have iron lungs for that,” said Ariana Mason, senior [800 and 1600 runner].
To outsiders looking in, the sport may seem straightforward, but in reality there are nuances that OHS athletes have to learn and work at in order to be successful.
“I think a lot of people don’t know that it’s actually hard. Running in a straight line is not easy. There’s a lot more than just running fast and sprinting,” said Ava Hannosh, junior [100, 200,4x1,4x4 sprinter].
No matter what event within the sport, the effort
put forward outside of the meets is what pushes those to break records and make it to state.
“The hardest part is defnitely the workouts behind the scenes, because the easiest part is competing. So as long as you get all of the hard workouts in before the meet, the meet should be easy for you,” Hannosh said.
The 2025 season came with a multitude of athletes transferring to the OHS
Track and Field team. With the new talent also comes hindrances, such as transfer rules mandating the athletes to sit out for half of the inseason meets.
“It’s been hard; most of the sprinters right now are injured anyways, but there’s a difference [between] being injured and not being able to run, and then being able to run but not being allowed to run,” Beckman said.
Regardless of technicalities
within the sport, OHS has built a name not just on numbers and medals, but unity, drawing in athletes who aspire to be a part of its renowned culture.
“Here [at OHS], just the community, everyone is always supportive and we’re more of a team…here we ride the bus there [and] ride the bus back, we support each other and we’re the best teammates we can for each other,” Beckman said.
OHS E-Sports Club: where gaming passion meets competition
By ASHLEY PEREIRA Photography Chief
E-sports, also known as electronic sports, is a rapidly growing activity at OHS. What began as a club has now entered its third offcial year as a sport.
“It is just like any other sport, it’s a fun place where we meet up, hang out, and do what we’re all passionate about as a team,” said Taewon Kim, senior.
E-sports primary purpose is to create a space for students to explore various video games while competing against one another and against other schools, ultimately bonding students through their shared passion for gaming.
“There are three different categories of games. There is the fghting game which is Super Smash Bros, then team-based strategies games for League of Legends, and then Rocket League which is also a fun team-based strategy game,” Kim said.
Since the club is divided into these three sections, members get to choose which game they feel most passionate about and then go on to compete within that category.
“So it’s separated by the three groups and you stay in
your little group; it’s kind of segregated into things,” said Angelo Sanchez, junior. Joining E-sports offers numerous benefts, and students can develop advanced skills while engaging with like-minded gamers.
Furthermore, colleges have even started providing E-sports scholarships, granting students millions of dollars annually.
“This club has defnitely made me look at video games in a completely different
way. I used to think it was just a pass-time activity, but playing here this year and last year has made me seriously consider doing something with it after high school,” Kim said.
It is likely that the more schools embrace this sport and provide funding, the more opportunities, and competitions will be held around the country.
“At the end of the day, it’s just playing games and having fun,” Sanchez said.
PHOTO BY TAYLOR MOON
Lani Faison, senior, jumps at OHS’ track senior night.
PHOTO COURTESY OF FREEPIK.AVIF