Table Of Contents
Announcement: Tutoring Is Back!
Upcoming Events
Student Life: Senior Spotlight, Club info, Homecoming Overview
Sports: Overviews of how our fall sports are doing this season
Staff Interviews: Ms. Bressen, Mr. Hemmelgarn, , Mrs. Rigali, Supporting our Support Staff
Senior Section
Editorial/News
Humor & Advice
Lifestyle
Activity Page
Contributing Writers and Editors
Announcement: NHS Tutoring
Need help in math? Need a person to help you with those tough physics problems? NHS Tutoring Tables is returning once again this year! Every Tuesday and Thursday NHS students will be in the library after school offering help in ALL subjects.
Upcoming Events
October 11: Fall Picture Retake Day
October 12: Senior Cap and Gown Meeting (during Connections)
October 17-21: Rivals Week
October 18: OML test #1 (after school)
October 20: 7th-12th grade Fall Choir Concert @ 7 pm
October 21: Cap and Gown orders
October 22: ACT test
October 24-28: Red Ribbon Week
Senior Spotlights
Jazmyn Scott
Jazmyn Scott is kind, funny, and a hard-working student at Shawnee High School. Throughout her years at Shawnee she has participated in stage crew, art club, anti-racism club, camera club at Elmwood, the avatar, color guard, and German club. Even with all her in school extra curriculars, she involved herself outside of school also. Jazmyn was apart of the Steering Committee on Racial Injustice and Reform and she was also apart of the Allen Lima Youth Leadership. Although Jazmyn has so many high school memories her favorite was when she went to dairy queen with stage crew after a play or musical and they would fill out "most likely's". With all her good memories, there's also some embarrassing, her most embarrassing memory is when she fell down the stairs her sophomore year in front of Ms. Ulrich. After high school, Jazmyn plans on attending either OSU or the University of Rochester in New York to study psychology and social work and possibly art. In college she is looking forward to getting out of Lima and meeting new people the most. Jazmyn's advice to the freshman is to "stop standing in the middle of the hallways, I gotta get to class". Jazmyn hopes in the future she will get her PhD and live a life where she is able to help those are too.
Addi Kirchenbauer
Logan King
Logan King is a friendly, goofy, caring, and sympathetic person. He has been super involved in his four years of high school. Logan has participated in bowling, esports, NHS, quiz bowl, band, jazz band, board and card game club, TEAMS, and science olympiad. Outside of school he is apart of a boys scout troop and even got to go to Europe with Mr. Spencer for the trip he plans for his students. Memories fill your high school years and Logan's favorite high school memory is "Either when I was on the Europe trip, in Switzerland on top of Mount Pilatus, looking at the mountains just soaking it in, or watching my friend Carson try to sing "What I Got" by Sublime on the karaoke machine at fifth quarter, but it was a censored version so he got really confused and started messing up like a nerd." Good memories are good to have, but embarrassing one's also exist, Logan's most embarrassing memory is during his freshman year the band had a dance after one of the band camp rehearsals, and Ally Carpenter (2021 graduate) tried to pull him aside for the slow dance. That was when he learned that he didn't know how to slow dance. Senior year has begun and Logan hopes to tie up some loose ends with his friends, spend more time with them and make some more memories before he goes to college. After high school Logan plans to go to OSU (Lima or main campus) to most likely study computer science. In college, Logan looks forward to being more social and having more things to do, and more freedom. Seniors always try to help out the underclassmen, here's some advice Logan wants to give to the freshman:
"Do not spend your time worrying. Whether it be about grades, college, sports, friends, relationships (platonic or romantic) , the future, etc, you should know that whatever happens, you will be alright. School often seems like it should be the main focus of your life during your time there, that if you aren’t focusing all of your energy towards your grades or your standing in sports or clubs, you are focusing your energy towards the wrong things. It’s important to set expectations for yourself and its important to try and meet those expectations, but it is more important to go out and experience things, make memories with your friends, find out what you enjoy and what you don’t. This is four years of your life and you want to look back on it fondly, and recognizing what things you enjoy, what your boundaries are, and who your friends are is a fulfilling experience that will help you realize who you are as a person, and maybe even what you want to do in college, as a career, or with your life. Try your best, and experience all you can. Things will get better, and when the time comes don’t view your senior year as the end."
Once senior year ends seniors start a new chapter, during Logan's new chapter of life he hopes to find something that he enjoys that he can do for the rest of his life, and hopefully be in a position that he'll be happy with.
Addi Kirchenbauer
List of all Clubs
Breakfast Club- Mr. Miller
SADD- Ms. Hicks
Spirit Club- Ms. Griffo
Art Club- Mr. Krawetzke
Chief Newspaper- Mrs. Kuhlman
Play Production- Ms. Hirn and Mr. Taylor
Spanish Club- Mrs. Alessandrini, Ms. Thies, and Mrs. Gibson
National Honor Society- Mrs. Stirn
Octagon Club- Mrs. Keller
Quilna Yearbook- Mr. Krawetzke
Environmental Science Club- Mrs. Hefner
FCA- Mr. Lora
Quiz Bowl- Mr. Young
Student Government- Miss Griffo and Mr. Miller
T.E.A.M.S.- Mr. McGreevy
Anti-Racist Social Club- Mrs. Burger
Board Games- Mr.Higgins
Wanna learn more about some of these clubs? Keep reading!
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Due to budget cuts and the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, many clubs such as F.C.A. were not able to meet. This all ended last year when F.C.A. kicked up again in Mr. Lora’s room, right before school. Every Wednesday, athletes talk about their sport and how God plays a role in it. During the winter, members brought in food for a sack lunch and handed them over to the bowling and wrestling teams. Nearing spring break, state testing, and final exams, Mr. Lora and the club helped serve the school at 7:10 am with delicious pancakes. The club is always looking for new members and invites every athlete with a smile and a donut.
Riley Smith
Photo: Shawnee FCA students participating at Wapak's Fields of Faith
SADD- What is it?
SADD is a club that just came back into existence here at Shawnee High School. After having this club cut for a couple of years, many students in the high school don’t have any clue what this club is and what exactly we do in it. Firstly, the acronym SADD stands for Students Against Destructive Decisions. With this, we recognize lots of awareness for some of the decisions that teenagers partake in these days. Throughout the year, we do things such as gift giving to children who are less fortunate, ring the bell for the salvation army, make posters, post things in the bathrooms, and everyone’s favorite the Grim Reaper Day. The Grim Reaper Day happens the day before prom for the juniors and seniors. During this day, many students will start to disappear in a way of protesting intoxicated driving and other poor driving habits. Last year there were a total of 18 members sign up and only 6 of which were actually participating. Please take into consideration of joining this club. The first meeting will have been Tuesday September 5th, 2022. However, we are always willing to take new members. If you have any questions, please contact the advisor, Ms. Hicks 0r the club president, Jordan Bodine.
Jordan Bodine
Breakfast Club
Breakfast Club is back for another year! Meetings are the third Wednesday of every month. It will be held is Mr. Miller’s room. Last year they had treats such as cinnamon rolls, muffins, Tim Hortins coffee and muffins, McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches, donuts, and much more. If you want to meet new people and enjoy a free breakfast it is the club for you! Samantha Smith is the President with Orinayo Akomolafe as Vice President. The first meeting was on September 21, but the next meeting will be on October 20. Not too late to stop by for a quick breakfast from 6:50-7:15.
Samantha Smith
Spirit Club
One thing our school is good at is offering lots of different school clubs and activities. Our students are really good at showing their school spirit and supporting their classmates. So, we decided to make a club about it. The Spirit Club is a student centered group made to just show support for our classmates. The Club is run by Ms. Griffo with the help of six seniors; Connor Latham, Alton Clayton, Toby Freiberger, Alanna Dorsey, Alaina Williams, and Kyra Vermillion. For those students who know us know how busy us six are. For those that don’t, our leaders are involved in football, soccer, basketball, track, softball, cross country, swim, cheerleading, volleyball, and almost every other club offered at our school. And the best part about spirit club is that anyone can join! You do not have to be as busy as us to join. Spirit Club has assigned spirit games of each sport that students attend to just give the athletes a little extra support. We also will be doing other things this year such as a tailgate before the OG football game and attending our school’s drama department’s shows. If you are interested in joining find one of us seniors or ask Ms. Griffo for more information. Make sure to follow @shsspiritpage on Instagram to find out important game information and when the spirit club activities are!
Alanna Dorsey
Photo: Shawnee student section w/ spirit club representatives at a home football game
Anti-Racism Club
“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify and describe it—and then dismantle it,” is a quote from Ibram X. Kendi’s book How to be an Anti-Racist. The act of describing and identifying racism, and then dismantling it, is the goal of Shawnee’s very own Anti-Racism Club. The Anti-Racism Club, also referred to as “ARC”, intends to increase awareness of racism and provide tools to combat it. It does this by providing a place where students can gather to discuss important topics regarding race within our communities, as well as help students discover ways to be anti-racist in their own lives.
The Anti-Racism Club is an important asset to the Shawnee community. It provides a way for students to be engaged in their community. With the world becoming more and more interconnected, it can be easy to feel too small to effect change. Students who wish to effect change on the topic of racism in their community are provided an amazing opportunity with ARC. The club also is part of a larger mission. Without people working together in their communities, systemic racism will never go away. Organizations like the Shawnee Anti-Racism Club are part of the mission to make the world a better place for everyone.
Students who are interested in attending a meeting should listen over the announcements for details regarding the next upcoming meeting. Another avenue is to email Mrs. Berger for the google classroom code, and details on meetings can be found through there. If you plan to attend, you will find yourself among 25 other students who regularly attend meetings. The members and leaders of ARC would like to make it clear that the club provides a space for anyone to tackle uncomfortable conversations with the purpose of making the community better for everyone.
Carter Kohli
Board and Card Game Club
The board and card game club is a club anyone can join. New members are welcome at every meeting. They meet every Tuesday and Thursday in Mr. K's room, but are led by Mr. Higgins. Each week they have a ton of different games that you can play with your friends, or make some new friends with those who are in the club. If you have any questions, email Mr. Higgins.
Photo: Shawnee students, Will Owen and Logan King, playing the card game "Magic the Gathering" against eachother
Addi Kirchenbauer
Homecoming Parade
Sunday Spetember 18th, 2022, the annual homecoming parade took place once more at Shawnee high school. Each year students and staff work together to create many beautiful floats each specific to a certain group. The procession starts at the soccer complex on Zurhmerly Rd, and makes it's way around the high school and back again.
As Always, the homecoming court was featured in the front of the lineup, each paired in twos. This years Court consisted of: Kyra Vermillion, Alanna Dorsey, Alaina Williams, Kayla Frost, and Kaleigh Clark for the girls. The boys elected this year were: Scottie Burden, Alton Clayton, Jordan Banks, Toby Freiberger, and Shandon Sewell.
Additional floats were the fall sports teams and various clubs such as art club and the chief; each making a spectacular debut. The themes this year were all so very unique and it some say it was the best parade in the past few years.
The girls soccer team theme was fairies, all the girls dressing in color corresponding to whether they played varsity or jv. It was a great way to show school spirit for going so out in the open like that.
Art Clubs Vincent Van Going-To-Homecoming Float was another of the most liked floats that night. Parents and students alike marvelled not only at the artistic creativity, but also the wit of shawnee students.
In conclusion, the homecoming parade was a success and a great way to bring the school community closer together. Shawnee is excited for many more celebrations to come.
Alex Karapondo
Homecoming Festivies: An Overview
Students all love when homecoming week comes around and this year it was a big hit! Spirit week at Shawnee high school has been amazing, and participation is like never before. Each day was something different, so lets get into an overview of each day.
Monday: Shawnee students woke up and didn't really have to change because it was PAJAMA DAY! A spirit day loved by all students, all students cozied up into their favorite pajamas. After school on Monday we also had the annual poster decorating contest where students from each grade decorated a poster to represent their class for homecoming.
Tuesday: Get ready for an unusual day because Tuesday was Adam Sandler day. Adam Sandler has a distinctive style like no other, and students got to replicate his style however they liked. Walking through the halls you saw plenty of baggy basketball shorts, oversized t-shirts, and plenty of baseball caps. You can't forget the slides with socks though. This spirit day was a huge hit, and I think so many students had fun dressing for this day.
Wednesday: Do you have class or are you ready for a rodeo? Its country vs. country club day and students dressed in their best country wear or their best country club outfits. For those on the country side you saw plenty of flannels and cowboy boots and hats. While for those going to the country club there were plenty of polos and khakis.
Thursday: Its time for throwback Thursday! Students got to dress in their favorite decade, we saw so many different decades represented. Students always have fun dressing up for this day, and teachers too!
Friday: Ever thought about what you could carry your school books in that's not a backpack? Well, Shawnee students got creative and brought in different items to carry their school supplies in for the day, for "anything but a backpack" day. If you asked any student if they found this day filled with laughs and entertaining "backpacks" they'd probably say yes.
Addi Kirchenbauer
Homecoming Dance 2022
The Annual Shawnee Homecoming dance took place on September 24th, 2022. On Court we had Kaleigh Clark, Alton Clayton, Toby Freiberger, Kyra Vermillion, Scottie Burden, Kayla Frost, Alanna Dorsey, Shandon Sewell, Alaina Williams, and Jordan Banks. At Friday night's homecoming football game Scottie Burden and Kyra Vermillion were announced as the 2022-2023 Homecoming King and Queen. At the dance there were enjoyable snacks that went with the theme Casino. The main highlights of the dance were the unedited music and epic dance off between senior Chris Snider and Ace Shanks-Smith. Lastly we had the traditional court dance to end the night off.
Antoine Shears
Football
The Shawnee boys football team started the season with a new scoreboard and turf field. This year’s seniors would include Jordan Banks, Chase Beery, Wyatt Morgan, Keegan Wilson, Ben Bullock, Zach Noonan, Carter Fay, Julian Makley, Jaden Wheeler, Cole Marshall, Champ Keysor, Alton Clayton, Nick LesCallett, Shandon Sewell, Chris Snider and Dj Kriegel. Week three into the season the football team won against Bath 17-7. Shawnee wraps up their season at Van Wert September 30th, home versus Ottawa Glandorf with Parent’s Night on October 7th, at home again against Kenton for senior night on October 14th, and against Elida away October 21st.
Antoine Shears
Girls Soccer
The opening of the 2022 season has been successful for Shawnee Girls Soccer. Holding a record of five wins, zero losses, and three ties, the girls are excited to pursue more victories. Players Ella Moritz, Tayma Jmiai, and Kamryn Morris reminisced on their season thus far, Kamryn said, “Celina has definitely been our most memorable game with a score in the last 18 seconds”. Sophomores Megan Carder, Addison Dugranuit, and Summer Ewing recall the St. Mary’s game as being the most competitive and best played game, ultimately ending in a tie. This season, the team shares a close bond and the underclassmen recognize one of the team captains, Ava Schaaf, as being someone to look up to and an inspiring player showing perseverance. They also look up to Alexis Hammons who is new to Shawnee and brought an encouraging and team-player attitude. Wish the girls luck on the rest of their season!
Kaleigh Clark
Boys Soccer
As reigning three-peat time champions of the WBL, the boys soccer team is looking to grab another WBL title this year. Running off of the loss in the regional finals last year, Coach Quatman (entering his eighth year of coaching) and the boys look to redeem themselves in the tournament and make it as far as they can this year. Senior captain Collin Scheid reflects on one of the biggest games the soccer team played this season “my most memorable moment is definitely when we beat Lexington…that was one of the goals we set early on in the year.” The boys are placed first in the WBL going 4-0 with an overall record of 6-1-2. Out of all 40 players, the 2023 seniors are Jack Tenwalde, Sam Tenwalde, Matteo Fusillo, Collin Scheid, Austin Miller, Austin Rosebeck, Connor Latham, and Josh Myers. For the first time in school history, this class has the possibility to have won the WBL all four years of their high school careers. Sam Tenwalde, a senior captain, says he is most proud of his team by “...how well we all link together. We all come from different levels of soccer [so] we are all used to different play…when we all put on the Indians shirt we [all] seem to play the right way”.
Riley Smith
Shawnee Girls Tennis
Covered in diamonds from head to toe, Serena Williams says her goodbye to tennis on September 2nd, 2022. Less than one month later, Roger Federer also said goodbye to tennis alongside his best friend and longtime adversary, Rafael Nadal. Within the same month, two tennis G.O.A.T.S. retired from the sport. For tennis fans around the globe, bittersweetness fills their hearts - including our Shawnee Girls Tennis Team. In a season filled with surprises and successes, the girls team is undefeated in the WBL. Head Coach Joan Collar says that her goals are to have
“everyone enjoy what they are doing. Having a team that ranges from A to Z was difficult in the beginning, but now everyone is melding together very well.”
There are many players that have just begun playing tennis, one being Samantha Smith. One of her challenges this season was building confidence. As a beginner, she did not possess many skills. However, lessons in the spring and her doubles partner, freshman Briley Ryan, have boosted her confidence. During a match against Defiance she says, “I was not feeling well. And it was hard to realize that for this sport you have to be in the right mindset. It affects your playing and your partner.” Another player and team captain, Alora Patel has also overcome challenges. Playing first singles for the past two seasons required hard work and dedication. Alora is glad to “be a part of a team that wants to have fun. We lay it all out on the court and can walk away knowing we gave 110%.” She is projected to go far in the state tournament for her senior year. With more than half of the season over, the girls tennis team is grinding it out to stay at the top of the WBL. Good luck!
Alora Patel
Boys Golf
"at least 85% of all the shots you don't take will not go in the hole" -Seth Grieshop
Shawnee's Boys Golf team has had a rough start, but is finally making a comeback after a few losses.Junior Matthew Owen says "We've been getting better every week. We had a rough start but have started playing better as the season has progressed". The Boys Varsity Team includes Evan Jackson, Seth Grieshop, Matthew Owen, Tyson Bevilockway, and Matthew Stiles. A few wins have been made recently. They won against Defiance (180-189), Wapak (182-189), and Kenton (188-218). The boys went to their WBL match on September 22nd, they placed 3rd in the WBL's which is amazing after starting in 6th. Wish the boys luck at districts and sectionals in the coming weeks!
Addi Kirchenbauer
Girls Golf
This year the girls golf team swings through the 2022 season as they battle their toughest opponents and make some of their best shots. As the new season rolls in, so do two new coaches, Meghan Spainhower and her mother Penny Spainhower. This fall brings many new, younger players as well, and Coach Spainhower describes these players as very helpful towards one another, “They’ve grown together a lot more as the season goes on. At first they were a lot more quiet, but they’ve become a lot better friends as the season goes on.” Haylee Wurm, the team captain and senior who leads the team in warm ups everyday, explains how the team has dropped so many strokes from the beginning to the end of the season. From their worst match to their best match, the girls made a difference of about 40 strokes! Not to mention that, as golf is a very individual sport, this group of girls shows nothing but utmost respect and sportsmanship towards each other and the other team. At the conclusion of the Western Buckeye League tournament, Haylee Wurm finishes in 4th place, freshman Kallie McKinley gets 5th place, and the team overall gets third place, one of their main goals.
Jenova Debrosse
Photo: Shawnee's Girls Golf team practicing
Girls Volleyball
This year the Volleyball has a new head and Varsity coach, Brooke Hutchins. So far Coach Hutchins has led the girls with 9 wins and 4 losses so far. This year the girls plan on improving on mistakes from last year as they continue to play on throughout the rest of the season. Out of 15 girls on the Varsity team, there are 2 seniors, Kyra DeSantiago and Kyra Vermillion. Despite dealing with the loss of the previous class, the girls are determined to keep on pushing and playing the best that they can this year.
Orinayo Akomolafe
Cross Country
Shawnee's cross country team has been doing fairly well this year, both boys and girls.
The Girls team placed first at the Spencerville invitational, which was at the beginning of this month. Senior Molly Stump placed second overall, Senior Alaina Williams was third, and Freshman Jenna Stump was fifth. At the Bath Invitational the Girls team placed 2nd. With Alaina Williams getting first in the race.
The boys team has also done just as well as the girls. At the Bath Invitational the boys placed first overall, winning the team title at that invitational. With Junior, Noah Williams, winning the race, and Junior, Carter Cleaves, finishing in second. This was an amazing invitational for the boys team, and they were all very proud of how they performed.
Addi Kirchenbauer
Shawnee Cheerleading
In the month of August before school started, Shawnee Cheer led a youth cheer camp for two days, where around 60 young girls wanted to be just like your very own Varsity Cheerleaders. During the camp, they learned two spirit cheers, the “This Side” chant, a dance to a JoJo Siwa song, and how to do basic motions and jumps. At Shawnee’s first home game against Bath, these little cheerleaders came down onto the track during half time and joined our varsity, junior varsity, and freshman cheerleaders and performed for the crowd. To this day, some of these cheerleaders are still in the stands performing with the Varsity every friday night. This year’s Varsity Football cheerleaders are Megan Baker, Jordan Bodine, Kaleigh Clark, Alexa Lyons, McKenna Miller, Morgan Kennedy, Mia Velasquez, Chloe Gemlick, Dariane Wolff, Brynn Woods, Sabrie Boden, Ava Thompson, and your mascot, Rocky Stalone. We hope to have a great season and Go Tribe!!
Jordan Bodine
Shawnee Marching Band
The Shawnee Marching Band has been able to enjoy many performances so far, where they celebrated Latin jazz with the songs La Suerte De Los Tontos, We Don’t Talk About Bruno from the popular Disney movie Encanto and Land of Make Believe. Along with multiple parades and football games, the band was given the honor of performing in the Bath Band Spectacular, and the Defiance invitational, where they were able to show off not only their skills but also were able to see the performances of many other amazing bands. As a final note I think that it's safe to say that we're all excited to see how the band could change now with the new additions of Mr. Bluhm and Ms.Butler as the new band directors
Lyric Hauenstein
Mrs. Rigali
Erin Rigali is the new east office secretary for our Assistant Principal. This is her first year at Shawnee High School although she has been a substitute secretary for two years.
Mrs. Rigali went to the University of Northwestern Ohio and earned her Associate’s Degree of Applied Business in Legal Assisting. She likes Shawnee because she has always had positive interactions with the staff and students.
Mrs. Rigali has volunteered for the elementary and middle school parent teacher councils for many years and is now one of the Band Boosters. Volunteering for these groups has helped her build relationships with staff and students over the years.
Originally from Wapakoneta, Ohio, Mrs. Rigali moved to the Shawnee area in 2000. She has been married to her husband, Adam, for 20 years and they have three children: Adam (17), Lourie (15), and Wyatt (10). They also have two cats: Buddy and Patches; and a German Shepherd: Shadow.
Mrs. Rigali’s original background is in the Legal field and she has worked in family law, criminal law, bankruptcy law, personal injury, and general practice. After working in family law for an extended time, she decided whe would like to change directions and be a secretary at the school.
In her spare time, Mrs. Rigali’s favorite thing to do is spend time with her family. She enjoys playing board games with them, like Clue; and video games like Mario Kart. Mrs. Rigali also plays the piano at church.
Lourie Rigali
Mr. Hemmelgarn
"Be a bumpy golf ball"-Mr. Hemmelgarn
Mr. Hemmelgarn is our new math teacher this year. This is his sixteenth or seventeenth year of his teaching career and he teaches Foundational Geometry, Foundational Algebra, and Algebra I here at Shawnee. He went to high school in Coldwater, Ohio and lived there for most of his life. Our new math teacher’s first job was at McDonald’s, then he worked at a pizza place. He did landscaping over the summers and continued to do that while teaching for some extra money. He graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where he got his Bachelor’s of AYA Mathematics Education. Mr. Hemmelgarn is currently working to get his administration’s license as well. He says he decided to teach math because it was his favorite subject in high school and math came easier to him than writing an essay or poem. In addition to his love of math, Mr. Hemmelgarn says, “I’m excited to come to sporting events and support the students outside of school.”
Mr. Hemmelgarn expresses his appreciation for how welcoming and kind the staff has been to him thus far. Starting a fresh school year of teaching at a new school has been stressful for him, but his coworkers have been hugely helpful through the whole process. He states that his students have been ready to work every day and have been respectful towards him during class. Mr. Hemmelgarn has coached many extracurricular activities at his previous schools. He expresses that his favorites were volleyball and golf. He says that he loved the competitive nature of coaching volleyball and enjoyed getting fired up during games. On the contrary, he says having that level of enthusiasm during golf doesn’t benefit the team the same way it does in volleyball. He also expressed how enjoyable it was to be able to ride around in a golf cart and check on the team’s progress.
One funny moment that Mr. Hemmelgarn shared was when he thought he was trapped in the staff bathroom. Unbeknownst to him, the door to the staff bathroom expands in the heat, which makes it hard to open and close. When he first used this bathroom, he thought he was stuck in there for the rest of time. Another, more fortunate, story that Mr. Hemmelgarn shared was when he visited the school over summer with his daughter. There was one volleyball that was left in the stands and Mr. Hemmelgarn and his daughter passed the volleyball together by themselves in the gym. Our new addition to the math department seems to be eager to dive into the new school year here at Shawnee.
Abbey Rivera
Ms. Bressen
The 2022-2023 school year has brought about a series of staff changes to Shawnee High School. Ms. Taylor Bresson, an intervention specialist teaching social studies, is one such addition. Born and raised in Lima, she is making a return to her roots. She has been teaching for the past six years, and comes to us from Saint Anthony of Padua, Columbus Grove. She taught United States and World History classes. Her place of employment is not the only change Ms. Bresson is undergoing at present. She previously taught students between sixth and eighth grade. Not only is this Ms. Bresson’s first year teaching high schoolers; this is also her first year teaching students with learning disabilities. Despite the changes, Ms. Bresson has expressed several goals which she hopes to accomplish as she begins her time at Shawnee. In her own words, “My biggest goal would be to learn as much as I can about being an intervention specialist as well as help my students with their different learning abilities''.
Ms. Bresson has long been interested in history. “I’ve always connected well with history”. She now follows in the footsteps of a respected family member, sharing her passion with her students. She recalls, “My grandfather … taught history”. She wants her class to be interesting to her students in the same way that history is important to her. She describes her job as being to help “all types of learners to understand the past and how it affects the future”. Ms. Bresson’s desire to teach does not appear to have wavered since she first went to college, majoring in Integrated Social Studies, a degree specifically for upcoming educators.
Along the way, she has also developed several hobbies. Her interest in historical fiction literature is no doubt helpful in introducing various perspectives to her class. She also enjoys thrillers and true crime. When not reading, Ms. Bresson is spending time with her family. She is the type of person who spoils her two nieces and three nephews. She has also expressed a fondness for karaoke, stating that, “I enjoy the chance to sing”. Perhaps Ms. Bresson’s interests will contribute to her future involvement with the clubs running at Shawnee High School.
Ms. Bresson is pleased with the reception she is receiving here. She has especially good things to say about the other staff members she has worked with, saying that, “I really enjoy all the teachers I’ve been in contact with” and that everyone has been “very helpful”. Seeing the progress Ms. Bresson has made in a new location with a new position, it seems likely that she will become a pillar of support for her students as the year progresses.
Mariam Khandakani
Supporting our Support Staff
Have you ever stopped to wonder how our school runs so smoothly? It’s thanks to all of the amazing people that are working behind the scenes, the people that you don’t see. In this article were going to highlight some of these individuals and find out what exactly it takes to help keep our astonishing school running.
School sports, friday night football, soccer, baseball, basketball, it takes a lot to keep all of the different things needed for our school sports in order and Mrs. Kim Custer knows how to do just that. Mrs. Custer is our school’s athletic secretary and has been for 27 years. Her job, as she describes, is chaos but she loves every single part of it. Her job requires her to register the athletes for their individual sports, manage final forms, certify coaches, hire officials (which she says is not very fun), and she helps to organize the different facilities.
Originally, Mrs. Custer had not set out to even be in an educational enviroment, but she had fallen in love with it and now at the age of 60 she is still thriving helping to keep our school running all while not looking a day over 35. She feels that her job is important to our school and how it runs because she is responsible for sports organization which in my opinion is the best part of any school.
Mrs. Custer during the school week can usually be found in the athletics office, or checking tickets at sporting events. So, next time you see Mrs. Custer stop and take a moment to say hello and thank her for making sure our school has an amazing sports organization.
Senior Section
7 Things For Seniors to do in October
1. Complete early-decision applications (if applicable)
If you have a school that's your first choice, you can apply early. Early-decision college applications are usually due in November, so in October, you should be completing your application.
Approximately 450 colleges have an early decision option, which is binding. Meaning, if you're accepted, you must attend that school. Which is why the College Board suggests you only apply to one school — your first choice.
Of course, when you apply through early decision, you won't know what financial aid package you'll receive. So if you know your decision on which school to attend relies heavily on your out-of-pocket cost, you should probably skip early decision.
2. Complete your FAFSA
FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You need to fill out this form in order to qualify for federal grants, loans, and even some scholarships.
You can complete the FAFSA as early as October 1, even if you aren't applying to schools quite yet. This way, you have a shot at grants and scholarships that have earlier deadlines. Note that some financial aid is first-come, first-served.
And since the FAFSA isn't the easiest form to fill out, applying early gives you more time.
3. Fill out the CSS Profile
Applying to one or more private institutions (i.e., not a state or public college)?
Many private schools require the College Scholarship Service Profile to determine financial aid. This form gives access to more than $9 billion in aid for thousands of undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. For each school you're applying to, check to see if you need to complete the CSS Profile.
4. Talk to your parents about your financial aid eligibility
Once you fill out the FAFSA, you'll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). This document provides basic information about your eligibility for financial aid. It's important that you sit down to discuss this with your parents or guardian to make sure you're all on the same page when it comes to college costs.
This also gives you the opportunity to review the answers on your FAFSA to make sure you didn't make any mistakes that could impact your aid eligibility.
5. Compare schools by cost
Most students have a few top picks for colleges rather than a single school they're set on. Usually, students and their families are looking at how they can get the best bang for their buck.
That's where our free NitroScore tool can help. Using this tool, you can compare costs at different school, post-college salaries for different majors and see future loan cost projections to give you an idea of the financial implication of your decision.
6. Ask for letters of recommendation
Typically, college applications require letters of recommendation from someone who can comment on your work ethic, your passion for your major, or your intellect. This can be a teacher, a coach, or a community leader.
Whomever you ask, you need to give them enough time to complete the letter, so be sure to ask them in October. Include stamped envelopes if needed and a form that lists your name, school name, and major to make it easy.
7. Set up college visits
If you have two or three schools that you're considering, try to visit during one of the school's organized visit days in the fall.
These visits are meant for seniors and will sometimes include overnight stays on campus. When you coordinate your visit, ask about setting up an appointment with a college representative. This allows you the chance to have your application stand out and ask questions about what the school has to offer.
Addi Kirchenbauer
Editorials/News
London Bridge is Falling Down
The longest-reigning female monarch and longest-reigning British monarch goes down. Queen Elizabeth II reigned from February 6, 1952 (after the death of her father) to September 8, 2022. She ascended to the throne at age 25. Fifteen prime ministers have served under her, starting with Winston Churchill and meeting with newly appointed Liz Truss on September 6. She has also met 13 out of 14 of the last U.S. presidents. What will Britain do now that this tragedy has struck? Well, they have a plan already set up. It’s called Operation London Bridge and it’s a 12-day plan. The British government is worried that all of Britain will be flooding into the city to mourn her death which could cause traffic and food accessibility problems. After everyone in their rightful order hears about the death, all flags will be lowered to half mass 10 minutes after the news is announced. The royal family’s website has been changed to a black background with a picture of the late queen and their departmental crest. All other UK government sites have added a black banner to their page and changed their profile pictures to their departmental crest. All the countries that have the late queen's face on them will change to the new king, which is planned to be King Charles III. Flags have been raised the morning after her death and at 11:00 a.m. The Prince of Wales, Prince Charles has taken the throne. Prince Charles is the longest person that has waited to be king. King Charles will tour the UK to honor his mother and meet with selected leaders. Winster Hall will be closed for cleaning to prepare for the funeral. Then the late queen's coffin will be moved to Westminster. When the coffin arrives Big Ben will chime. The queen's orb, septum, and the imperial crown will be placed on her coffin. Visitors will be allowed to pay their respects for 23 hours a day. On the ninth day after her death businesses and stores will be shut down. Big Ben will ring at 9:00 a.m. and the bells will be covered in leather to make a muffled sound throughout the day. On the tenth day after her death, a nationwide two minutes of silence will be held at midday. On the twelfth day, her coffin will be moved to Westminster Abbey and the funeral will begin at 11:00 a.m. The media will be allowed to show the services, but the faces of the royal family during prayer will not be shown. Then, the same carriage that carried her father will then carry her to her final resting place at Windsor Castle. Prince William and Kate Middleton have been given the titles Prince and Princess of Wales by King Charles. This is all from the plan released four years ago, so we will see what they decide to do.
Samantha Smith
Ranked Choice Voting: A New Way to Choose
From New York City to Alaska, there is a new way of voting spreading across America. This method chooses a candidate that the majority of voters support, and as such is one part of a broader solution to America's struggling political system. It is known as ranked choice voting.
Ranked choice voting is a simple system. When casting a ballot, each voter will rank the candidates in order of preference. A voter’s favorite candidate will be ranked one, then next favorite two, and so on. Voters also do not have to rank every candidate, and can choose as many as they wish. The first candidate to hit more than 50% of the vote is declared the winner. If a candidate manages to do this just with first preference votes, then they win the election without having to move into multiple rounds. When this does not happen, the candidate with the lowest votes is eliminated. Their voters' votes are then given to whomever they had as their second preference. For example, if a voter were to mark Orange as their first preference, Green as their second, and Purple as their third, but Orange has the least first preference and was eliminated, then that voter’s vote would go to the Green candidate. This cycle continues until one candidate is able to reach more than 50% of the vote.
This way of voting is a massive improvement from our current system. The current system in the U.S. does not allow preference to be a factor. Voters are forced to choose one candidate, someone they want to represent them but also someone they think can win. As a result, a strict two-party system was born. The two major parties, Democrats and Republicans, have a monopoly on politics. Other parties, “third parties”, inevitably end up splitting the vote for one of the major parties, leading to the other winning. This makes those third party supporters upset, as while they liked their candidate the most, they strongly dislike the opposing major party. These voters would have settled for the major party candidate closest to them in political views. The next time they vote, they will remember the loss from before. To prevent that, these voters will vote for the major party that most accurately represents their views. This can be avoided by the introduction of ranked choice voting. Voters will feel more able to vote for their favorite candidate, because if they do not win, their vote will simply move on to the next best.More people will feel like their voice matters and will be able to support a candidate that inspires them, without feeling like their time and vote is useless. Eventually, their preferred candidate could get elected, as third parties will have more power and feasibility.
Ranked choice voting is not a catch all solution. It will help, but it will not solve all the systemic issues facing the American political system. What it will do is help steer the U.S. in the right direction. At the very least, it will help begin a debate and discussion on changing a system in which change is long overdue. Since its inception, America has always considered itself the nation of pioneers, and that philosophy should carry on into how we conduct our government. So the next time you feel frustrated with American politics, remember that there are solutions, it is up to us to implement them.
Carter Kohli
Advice
“I want to ask someone to Homecoming, but I’m nervous.”
Here’s the thing, I don’t like the advice of “Well the worst they could do is say ‘no’,” because I know that it isn’t true. As someone who overthinks, I could list a ton of different scenarios that could be considered much worse than someone saying “no” to me after asking them to homecoming. Honestly, I encourage you to take your shot, but you have to be able to handle the consequences of it afterwards. When you think about it, you could have an amazing time at Homecoming with the person you like. As long as you're able to handle rejection, I think it is a great idea for you to ask someone to homecoming.
-Al E. Gator
Lifestyle
Fall Fashion
In my opinion once Labor day hits it’s time to put on our sweaters no matter the weather. Here are five things you need to wear this fall season. First, shoes are such a small piece that can add so much to your look. Any leather boots are the way to go. You can style them with blue bootcut jeans, a white tank, and cropped sweater for a dressier look without doing that much work. Second, tan and brown pants are making a comeback! Style them with a dark red or green baby tee and black converse or leather boots. Third, tinted lip balm. My favorite choice for this is Burt’s Bees Red Dahlia tinted lip balm. With the more subtle makeup trends we’ve seen a great natural dark pink lip balm adds to that. It adds a little tint without dressing up your face too much. It is also more of a practical fashion choice, it’s something you are going to need anyway so why not add a little color. Fourth, lace tank tops. You might not have seen these shirts since you were in fourth grade, but they are coming back. We’ve started to see them approach and they are perfect for fall. I would sylte it with a tight ¾ button down shirt, dark jeans, and black converse. It’s a great way to add more to your outfit and to step a little out of your comfort zone. Lastly, Boston clogs. You either love them or hate them. But that doesn’t really matter because they are coming. I love these shoes because instead of getting the basic birkenstocks you can do something out of the box. They look adorable with long white socks, light blue 90’s jeans, and an oversized sweatshirt. Like it or not this is what you will be seeing in fashion, at least from me.
Samantha Smith
Food Review with Chef Ebbing
First week getting into the kitchens, both Baking and Pastry Arts and Culinary took the time to take a tour of the kitchen and how things worked. Both classes learned about safety and sanitation rules and regulations. Baking made Monkey Bread and chocolate chip cookies and Culinary made pretzels and pumpkin cookies. The third week, culinary made 8 different types of eggs and Baking made cinnamon streusel and blueberry streusel muffins. Chef took time out of our periods to make cookies for the homecoming dance. Chef reminds us that “Just like life, there's not enough time. Not enough time in the kitchens is making students more stressed. Trying to get everything done in one period is extremely difficult.” “People need to cook more. Everytime you cook at home you learn. More practice in the kitchen makes you a better chef.”
Going APE MODE for Gorilla Day
The calendar year is packed full with strange and obscure holidays and September is no exception. September 24 was World Gorilla Day, Started by Dian Fossey, leader of the Dian Fossey Gorilla fund, on the 50th anniversary of Karisoke research center. The aim of World Gorilla Day is to draw attention to gorilla conservation, study, and protection, especially to the fact that gorillas are marked as an endangered species. High School Senior Jordan Frazier has this to say about World Gorilla Day, “GORILLAS WHOOOOOO YEAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” This was said on September 2, twenty-two days before World Gorilla Day, showing the extreme excitement of this very special holiday.
Some other obscure holidays of this month include:
World Beard Day - Sept. 3rd
Sewing Machine Day - Sept. 10th
Crab Fest Day - Sept. 14
Talk Like a Pirate Day - Sept. 19th
Mini Golf Day - Sept. 21
Ask a Stupid Question Day - Sept. 28th
Ethan Truesdale
Activity Pages
Contributing Writers & Editors
Writers
Lyric Hauenstein
Alex Karapondo
Carter Kohli
Alora Patel
Lourie Rigali
Abbey Rivera
Riley Smith
Gianna Staas
Jordan Bodine
Kaleigh Clark
Antoine Shears
Ethan Truesdale
Mariam Khandakani
Alanna Dorsey
Jenova Debrosse
Orinayo Akomolafe
Editors
Senior Editor: Addi Kirchenbauer
Junior Editor: Samantha Smith
Advisor
Mrs. Kuhlman
Liked what you read but want to add some of your own writing to it? Feel free to talk to either editors or our advisor on writing for our next issue!
Credits:
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