HISTORY OF THE WORLD-HERALD ALL ACADEMIC PROGRAM 1992: The World-Herald All Academic Awards program starts, honoring outstanding Omaha-area students. 1994: The program is taken statewide, and the first All State Academic Team is named. 1998: A Western Iowa team is added.
The 2015 All State Academic Team members combined their love of learning with hard work to map some very bright futures
THEY SET THE BAR HIGH AND SAILED OVER
About this year’s nominees 1,120 Students nominated BREAKDOWN BY REGION Metro.....................416 East.......................283 West-central...........300 Western Iowa..........121 In Nebraska, the schools are divided into three regions. The Metro region consists of Douglas and Sarpy Counties.
BY SHELLEY LARSEN • WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER
The members of the 2015 All State Academic Team are excellent students without a doubt. • But they know that you learn the most from great teachers. Several expressed their appreciation for someone who taught them along the way. • They also know that school is more enjoyable if you find an activity you like. • See what else you can learn from this year’s team, which includes a set of twins from Lincoln East and a home-schooled student from Plainview.
253 OF 310 Nebraska schools sent nominees, for 82 percent participation.
53 OF 74 Western Iowa schools nominated students, for 72 percent participation.
92 nominees were National Merit Finalists, including all nine All Staters
15 students earned
3 students had a perfect 2400 on the SAT
2 students had perfect SAT and ACT scores
20 scored 2300
perfect scores of 36 on the ACT
or higher on the SAT
63 scored a 35 on the ACT
118 achieved a 34 on the ACT
COLLEGE CHOICES 47 of the Regional First
Team members have made a college choice.
18 will attend school in
Nebraska or Iowa. The breakdown: 11 will enroll at UNL. 2 will enroll at UNO. 1 will enroll at Creighton. 1 will enroll at UNK. 1 will enroll at Wesleyan. 1 will enroll at Iowa State. 1 will enroll at Iowa. Other destinations: MIT (3) William and Mary (3) U.S. Naval Academy (2)
Eight members of the World-Herald’s 2015 All State Academic Team gathered April 21 in the Joslyn Art Museum’s sculpture garden. Shuowei (Suvy) Qin was not able to attend. Find more information on the All State students, including their test scores, class rank and scholarships, turn to Pages 2R to 4R.
Vanderbilt (2) Arizona Boston University Brown California Polytechnic Claremont McKenna Columbia Cornell Fordham Hamilton Kansas Macalester Notre Dame Ohio State Oklahoma Pennsylvania Southern Cal Tufts University of Chicago Yale
RYA N S O D E R L I N / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D
2015 ALL STATE TEAM Emma Cooney
Lincoln East • Plans to major in theater at Boston University. • Highlights: national speech qualifier, band section leader two years, stage manager four years, student director
Erin Cooney
Lincoln East • Plans to major in English at Southern Cal. • Highlights: first chair flute player, math competitor, thespian society secretary, light design and tech crew four years
Cooper Knaak
Knaak Home School • Plans to major in computer science and math at UNL. • Highlights: Published four apps on iTunes App Store, U.S. Presidential Scholars candidate, AP Scholar With Distinction
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE MOVIE?
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE CLASS?
WHAT DID YOU LOOK FOR IN A COLLEGE?
Emma Cooney: “The Castle” — a hilarious film about Australian constitutional law. Erin Cooney: “Pacific Rim.” Knaak: “Semi-Pro.” Favorite scene: Will Ferrell invents the alley-oop to win fourth place in the Flint Michigan Mega Bowl. Qin: “The Help.” Qiu: “The Sound of Music.” Russert: “Les Misérables”! I’ve seen it so many times I think I could sing the entire thing from memory. Solheim: “A Night at the Opera.” Srikumar: The “Star Wars” movies and “The Lego Movie.” Warneke: “The Dark Knight.” It’s a great movie.
Emma Cooney: AP Chemistry. I’m in a class with only six people, and the whole course is pretty fascinating. Erin Cooney: Band. I really love playing the flute and being part of the band, plus it’s great to have a class that’s a step away from my more heavily academic classes. It’s still hard work, but it’s a different type of work, and it’s good to have that variety. Knaak: Math. I have always loved math and can apply the concepts to my computer programs. Qin: AP Spanish. The teacher integrated many modes of learning to immerse us in the language and culture. Qiu: IB Math HL I. Mr. (Weylon) White is the best. It was his first time teaching the course, and there were only 10 students, so class was pretty laid-back. Russert: AP Psychology. I have an amazing teacher and classmates, and they make class fun and interesting every day. I’ve learned a lot about myself and other people throughout the year. Solheim: AP Drawing Portfolio. I especially liked this class because I got to make a series of eight related artworks with whatever subjects and materials I chose. I decided to paint pictures of musicians, which allowed me to combine my love of art with my love of music. Srikumar: British literature, physics, psychology and American history. I liked Brit Lit because I love reading. I loved physics because its real-world applications were evident in my everyday life, and I like psychology and American history because I love learning about people. Warneke: American History. I don’t find American history particularly interesting, but my teacher, Mr. (Tim) Williams (who no longer teaches at Millard South), was one of the nicest, smartest and overall best teachers I’ve ever had.
Emma Cooney (Boston U): Since I’m going to be a technical theater major, I focused mostly on a strong theater program. Erin Cooney (USC): I looked for a college that would give me a new experience. I wanted somewhere with good academics, but also a strong community outside of the classroom. Knaak (UNL): A strong computer science department. Qin (Brown): I looked for academic rigor and also opportunities to be involved. Mostly, I looked for a campus full of people who I could be with for the next four years. Qiu (MIT): I wanted a school with a strong engineering program where the students would be collaborative rather than competitive. Russert (Macalester): I wanted an environment that was highly academic but also diverse and open-minded, and I wanted to study abroad and participate in music. I also liked the idea of a small, close-knit college in a big city with many opportunities. Solheim (UNO): I am interested in many different subjects, including science, art and music, and I wanted to go to a college where I could be involved in all of these. I also looked for a college that offers good scholarships, and one that was not too big and not too small. Srikumar (U of Chicago): I looked at study abroad, research opportunities, location and the majors/minors available to me. Warneke (UNL): Quality, affordability and proximity. I looked for a school that would provide a quality education while at the same time wouldn’t be very expensive and wouldn’t require me to move too far from home. UNL was by far my best option.
Shuowei (Suvy) Qin
Lincoln East • Plans to major in economics at Brown University. • Highlights: National Honor Society president, state champ in persuasive speaking, National History Day contest winner
WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU OFFER A YOUNGER STUDENT SEEKING TO DO WELL ACADEMICALLY IN HIGH SCHOOL? Emma Cooney: Ask the most motivated students in the grades above you who their favorite teachers are and take those classes. No matter what the subject is, you’ll learn the most from teachers who truly know what they’re talking about. Erin Cooney: I would advise them not to let procrastination become a habit! It’s really easy to start putting things off, but it’s a really hard habit to break, so try to get used to being prepared and working ahead of deadlines instead! Knaak: Take Zig Ziglar’s advice: “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.” Qin: Time management is important, and academic success is nice too, but don’t lose sight of the purpose of education and never take opportunities for granted. Qiu: Sometimes getting enough sleep is more important than studying. Russert: Believe in your abilities and don’t give up on your school work. Find subjects you’re good at, and be willing to take the difficult classes in those areas. Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. Teachers want you to do well in their class. Solheim: Figure out what methods of studying you like the most and what helps you learn most effectively. When it’s possible, take classes in subjects that you enjoy so that you will be motivated to do well in them. Also, try to get ahead on your assignments so you won’t be stressed at the last minute. Srikumar: I would tell younger students to take classes that interest them and to explore new things because they may be surprised as to what subjects they end up liking. Warneke: Work hard and get involved. You’ll be very successful throughout high school if you can consistently do both of those (and getting involved will make high school much more enjoyable).
Celine Qiu
Millard North • Plans to major in electrical engineering at MIT. • Highlights: Math club president, cross country four years, track three years, peer tutoring
Anna (A.J.) Russert
Lincoln Northeast • Plans to major in international studies at Macalester College. • Highlights: concert and show choir member four years, poetry club president, Quiz Bowl competitor
Jennifer Solheim
Omaha Westside • Plans to major in architectural engineering at UNO. • Highlights: All-State orchestra two years, top four finish in UNO Calculus Bee, two national gold medals in Scholastic Art Awards
Jainaha Srikumar
Omaha Brownell-Talbot • Plans to major in neuroscience, history or physics at the University of Chicago. • Highlights: State speech in entertainment speaking, Hugh O’Brian conference attendee, musical for four years
Zach Warneke
Millard South • Plans to major in math and computer science with a minor in business at UNL. • Highlights: First place in UNL Math Day twice, percussion section leader three years, tennis and golf team member
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE SCHOOL ACTIVITY OUTSIDE OF YOUR COURSEWORK?
WHAT STRATEGY DO YOU USE WHEN TAKING STANDARDIZED TESTS?
WHAT’S YOUR DREAM JOB AFTER YOU FINISH YOUR EDUCATION?
Emma Cooney: Definitely my school’s speech team. It’s such a fantastic community, and I’m going to miss it more than I can say. Erin Cooney: Technical theater. I’ve been working with tech since my freshman year, and I love being involved in theater and working with all of the incredible people in tech to create and put on shows. Knaak: Computer programming. It’s been my passion since junior high. I have released six apps for iOS devices and plan to become an entrepreneur after college. Qin: Speech is definitely my favorite school extracurricular because I get to experience something greater than any individual — I get to contribute to East’s legacy of excellence. Qiu: Cross country! Running is awful, but the people and pasta feeds are almost worth it. I even got a pity varsity letter for being a four-year JV senior. Russert: I’ve been in choir for all four years of high school, and it’s been amazing. I love getting to express myself on stage and meet people who love singing and dancing as much as I do. Solheim: National Art Honor Society. This activity helped me get to know other people who share my interest in art and gave me opportunities to do art-related service projects, such as painting a mural at a place that helps children who have been abused or neglected. Srikumar: During high school, my favorite activity has been speech team because it taught me a lot about how to connect with people. Also, public speaking is a life skill that will be important later on in life. Warneke: Math club. I really enjoy math competitions and have been very successful in them throughout my high school career. I also just really enjoy solving complex problems involving math.
Emma Cooney: Probably like most people, I took one or two practice tests before taking both the ACT and SAT. I should have prepared more for the essay portions, but they still turned out fine. Erin Cooney: My strategy would be to take the time beforehand to be prepared, by taking practice tests and getting used to how the tests work. Knaak: Practice. Practice. Practice. Then, practice some more. Qin: Practice makes perfect. Qiu: I finish as fast as I can then go back and check my answers. Disclaimer: This probably won’t work for most people. Russert: I like to become very familiar with the format of the test and questions. There’s a specific set of information and skills that each test wants you to have, and if you focus on those items, it’s easier to do well. Solheim: I practice before the test so that I will get used to the format and types of questions on it. I usually go through the questions in order, but if I am having trouble figuring something out, I make a guess and move on to make sure I don’t spend too much time on one question. If I have extra time at the end, I go back to the questions that I wasn’t sure about. Srikumar: I like to power study for standardized tests, which is basically just sitting down for a few days and doing only practice tests. If I dedicate myself to only one thing, I focus much better and learn more quickly. Warneke: I try not to think about the test or how it could impact my life very much. It helps keep me relaxed and focused. Otherwise, I just study and hope it goes well.
Emma Cooney: My goal is to be a stage manager, and my ultimate dream, of course, is to work on a Broadway show! Erin Cooney: I’d like to be a writer. Knaak: I want to establish my own software development company and eventually dethrone Bill Gates. Qin: An attorney for a nonprofit organization. Qiu: I’d love to steal Mr. (Aaron) Harding’s job as head of the Millard North math department. He’s about retiring age anyway. If that doesn’t work out, a computer engineer. Russert: I would love any job where I could work internationally. Solheim: I would like to be an architectural engineer who specializes in acoustics. This would be a way for me to combine my interests in science, art and music into one job. Srikumar: My dream job is to be a doctor. I’m not sure what kind yet, though. I’m interested in the brain, so that may lead to something with psychology or neurology. Warneke: Software engineer or a similar job in a technology-related field. I would also love to teach math or computer science at a college at some point in my life (maybe part time after I retire ... who knows).
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE FORM OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND HOW OFTEN DO YOU USE IT? Emma Cooney: It’s a boring answer, but my favorite is Facebook. I use it about every day to keep in touch with clubs. Erin Cooney: I don’t really use any social media much. Knaak: Face-to-face human contact. Qin: The only social media I use consistently is Facebook, and I use it about daily — mostly for school events/ groups. Qiu: Reddit — I use it too much; it’s such a distraction. Russert: I don’t actually use much social media. I have a Facebook, but I don’t post very often. Solheim: I don’t use social media websites. My favorite form of social media is talking! Srikumar: My favorite form of social media would probably be Facebook because I have moved around a lot, and it makes it easy for me to keep in touch with people. Warneke: Twitter, even though I only tweet maybe once or twice a month. It’s really the only form of social media I use on a regular basis.