Newspaper Spotlights
“All you have to do is take your time, but know how to word things. Make the articles exciting and make people want to read them, just have fun and enjoy while you can, but don't make it stressful. Feel free to express the way you want to in your own articles.” -- Austynn Ramos More info? Click here! “I have never been interested in writing but then I joined this class and found it to be kind of fun. It’s fun to partner up with your close friends and interview people around the school with them.” -- Kailee Overby More info? Click here! |
“When writing find a topic that interests you, so you can write passionately and you won’t get bored with it. Also, you should be able to take criticism well, so when someone helps critique your article, you can take their help well, and correct it.” -- Brielle Barber More info? Click here! “It’s easy and hard at the same time. I have to match the photos to their specific article, get the articles that each group of people write and put them on the web page in a neat order that’s easy to read. I’m used to editing videos so when Ms. Royer asked me if I wanted to help run the website I gladly accepted.” -- Bri Robinson More info? Click here! |
Choir Spotlight
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There are some fantastic things going on in the choir program this year. We asked Madison Caraway and Aubrey Picketts, two freshmen in choir, about some of the choir happenings. The choir class had a project where they had to interpret the songs they sang for festival. Aubrey Picketts said, “I picked two posters to do about how I related to the songs in my own way.” When asked about the posters, Aubrey said, “For ‘Let The Song Be Begun’ I drew Earth with people singing around it, the people are happy and are singing with joy. For ‘My Heart's in the Highlands’ I drew a man that has a heart with an image of the highlands inside it because he has love for nature. Also, I drew different things that are included with nature, like a deer.” Freshman Madison Caraway, said, “I chose to draw two posters for the two songs we sang at festival.” Madison explained more about her posters, “I painted a heart of nature because the song ‘My Heart's in the Highlands’ is about nature and how that place feels like home to the author.”
Another fun thing that happened in choir was the kindness calendar challenge. The kindness calendar encouraged the students to participate in random acts of kindness and talk to new people. Aubrey said, “Some challenges I faced while participating in the kindness calendar were talking to new and different people because I can be shy sometimes. Participating in the kindness calendar made me feel really proud.” Madison said, “Something challenging about the kindness calendar was talking to new people especially being somewhat shy like I am, but it made me feel good seeing the smiles appear on people's faces.” Mr. Bowen elaborated a little more on the whole kindness calendar idea, “We didn't steal the idea, we borrowed it and hopefully we will encourage more schools to pass this on and spread kindness around the world as needed.” Check out more information about our choir and the kindness calendar challenge on the Battle Creek Enquirer site. -- Austynn Ramos '23 (3/12/20) |
Literacy Aids
At Pennfield High school we have literacy aids that give the students at PHS a little extra support when they need it. Here at Pennfield Mrs. Gray, Ms. Stone, and Mrs. Gerber are our literacy aids. They all went to KCC for two years.
Mrs. Gray was a stay at home mom, coaching the dance team, and wanted the same schedule as her children. This prompted her to contact the school. Mrs. Gray helps in Biology, Nutrition 2, Economics, Algebra 2A, Chemistry, and U.S History.
Ms. Stone says, “I work with students who ask for help and students that I notice that are struggling with school work to help them understand and complete their assignments. I feel it is necessary to share my knowledge with the future of America.” Ms. Stone helps out in Civics, Economics, English, Math, and Biology.
Mrs. Gerber wanted to start working at the school because she had two young children at the school and wanted to have the same schedule as them. Mrs. Gerber already volunteered for the school a lot and she wanted to get paid for something she enjoyed doing. She can help out in any class but this year she helps out in Civics, Economics, U.S. History, Chemistry, and English.
All of the literacy aids support the students in any way they can, they help the students in the classroom, collect missing work and late work, keep the students on task, remind the students of homework, and many other things. These three ladies all really enjoy working with the students at PHS and they are very nice, if you ever need help just ask!
-- Kaitlynn Caswell, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (3/12/20)
Mrs. Gray was a stay at home mom, coaching the dance team, and wanted the same schedule as her children. This prompted her to contact the school. Mrs. Gray helps in Biology, Nutrition 2, Economics, Algebra 2A, Chemistry, and U.S History.
Ms. Stone says, “I work with students who ask for help and students that I notice that are struggling with school work to help them understand and complete their assignments. I feel it is necessary to share my knowledge with the future of America.” Ms. Stone helps out in Civics, Economics, English, Math, and Biology.
Mrs. Gerber wanted to start working at the school because she had two young children at the school and wanted to have the same schedule as them. Mrs. Gerber already volunteered for the school a lot and she wanted to get paid for something she enjoyed doing. She can help out in any class but this year she helps out in Civics, Economics, U.S. History, Chemistry, and English.
All of the literacy aids support the students in any way they can, they help the students in the classroom, collect missing work and late work, keep the students on task, remind the students of homework, and many other things. These three ladies all really enjoy working with the students at PHS and they are very nice, if you ever need help just ask!
-- Kaitlynn Caswell, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (3/12/20)
Newspaper Staff of the Week
Jayla Eckman is the Newspaper staff member of the week. “Being a part of the newspaper crew is really fun as long as you like writing and interviewing people,” says Jayla. She likes writing articles with her partner, getting to go around the school to interview and take pictures of people. She may not always like the article that she is writing on, but she has learned that as long as you keep writing it it won’t seem so bad once you are done.
“I come up with ideas for articles by looking at the announcements, thinking of what we’re doing in our classes, and by looking on our school social media pages to see what’s coming up,” is what Jayla had to say about how she gets her ideas. Jayla’s favorite topics to write about are the fun events like assemblies and sporting events, however she doesn’t like to write things like teacher spotlights. If you want to join us you can start by talking to your counselors while scheduling classes.
Here’s Jayla’s tips for writers, “Start out writing about what you like and you will stay interested a lot more when writing.”
Jayla’s final message to the students of PHS is, “If you are considering to join, then just try it out! If it’s not for you, then it’s not a big deal.” From all of us here at the Emerald we hope to see you join us next year and keep your eyes peeled for the next issue of Newspaper Student of the Week.
-- Gavin A. '20 (3/12/20)
“I come up with ideas for articles by looking at the announcements, thinking of what we’re doing in our classes, and by looking on our school social media pages to see what’s coming up,” is what Jayla had to say about how she gets her ideas. Jayla’s favorite topics to write about are the fun events like assemblies and sporting events, however she doesn’t like to write things like teacher spotlights. If you want to join us you can start by talking to your counselors while scheduling classes.
Here’s Jayla’s tips for writers, “Start out writing about what you like and you will stay interested a lot more when writing.”
Jayla’s final message to the students of PHS is, “If you are considering to join, then just try it out! If it’s not for you, then it’s not a big deal.” From all of us here at the Emerald we hope to see you join us next year and keep your eyes peeled for the next issue of Newspaper Student of the Week.
-- Gavin A. '20 (3/12/20)
Google Classroom or Panther Portal?
There are a lot of teachers at Pennfield High School that use Google Classroom more than Panther Portal (Moodle). We have asked teachers and students what they like more. Mr. Boyd and Mr. Kuhse said that Google classroom was more user-friendly.
Mr. Boyd also added, “I haven’t heard them complain too much about Google classroom.”
Mr. Kuhse said, “I think it's the same because it’s just a matter of going to a site and finding the information that the teacher provided.”
Maddie Kalinosky and Andrea Bautista said that Google classroom was easier than Panther Portal.
Maddie added, “I feel Google Classroom is more organized.”
Andrea also added, “You don’t have to scroll all the way to the bottom and click on other links.”
Google Classroom is easier for teachers and students to use and more teachers use Google Classroom than Panther Portal.
-- Kaitlynn Caswell, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (2/28/20)
Mr. Boyd also added, “I haven’t heard them complain too much about Google classroom.”
Mr. Kuhse said, “I think it's the same because it’s just a matter of going to a site and finding the information that the teacher provided.”
Maddie Kalinosky and Andrea Bautista said that Google classroom was easier than Panther Portal.
Maddie added, “I feel Google Classroom is more organized.”
Andrea also added, “You don’t have to scroll all the way to the bottom and click on other links.”
Google Classroom is easier for teachers and students to use and more teachers use Google Classroom than Panther Portal.
-- Kaitlynn Caswell, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (2/28/20)
Newspaper Staff of the Week
Madison Wood is this week’s Newspaper staff member of the week. Madison says,
“it's nice to be a part of the staff because it can be a nice break to start the second half of the day.“ She enjoys going around the school and writing articles with her partner. Madison also likes being able to have days where not a lot is happening and she can work on things that she needs to finish for other classes. When asked how she comes up with her ideas Madison had this to say,
“My partner and I come up with ideas by figuring out what events are coming up and walking around the school looking at the different posters or signs that are around. “
Her favorite thing to write articles on are events that are going to happen in school and getting students or teachers opinions on them. However she doesn't like writing teacher spotlights because you have to interrupt their class to get the interview and pictures that you need.
Here are some tips Madison has for you new writers,
“Pick topics that are going to keep you interested because nothing is worse than writing an article and losing interest halfway through then struggling to write the rest of the article.”
Here’s Madison's last message to the students of PHS that are considering joining us next year,
“It's a great class with a great teacher and I would definitely recommend trying it if you like writing a lot, but you should probably learn to be okay with talking to teachers or students you might not know.” That being said, from all of us here at the Emerald we hope to see you next year and keep an eye out for our next newspaper student of the week!
-- Gavin A. '20 (2/28/20)
“it's nice to be a part of the staff because it can be a nice break to start the second half of the day.“ She enjoys going around the school and writing articles with her partner. Madison also likes being able to have days where not a lot is happening and she can work on things that she needs to finish for other classes. When asked how she comes up with her ideas Madison had this to say,
“My partner and I come up with ideas by figuring out what events are coming up and walking around the school looking at the different posters or signs that are around. “
Her favorite thing to write articles on are events that are going to happen in school and getting students or teachers opinions on them. However she doesn't like writing teacher spotlights because you have to interrupt their class to get the interview and pictures that you need.
Here are some tips Madison has for you new writers,
“Pick topics that are going to keep you interested because nothing is worse than writing an article and losing interest halfway through then struggling to write the rest of the article.”
Here’s Madison's last message to the students of PHS that are considering joining us next year,
“It's a great class with a great teacher and I would definitely recommend trying it if you like writing a lot, but you should probably learn to be okay with talking to teachers or students you might not know.” That being said, from all of us here at the Emerald we hope to see you next year and keep an eye out for our next newspaper student of the week!
-- Gavin A. '20 (2/28/20)
Annual Pennfield Redout
On Friday, February 28, Pennfield High School recently celebrated a “Red Out” during school and at the Varsity basketball games sponsored by the Pennfield National Honor Society (NHS) and SADD. The varsity basketball players warmed up in 2020 Red-Out T-shirts to help raise awareness. Mrs. Lukowski, who is the district nurse, was talking blood pressure and chatting with spectators about heart health. We talked to Mrs. Hammond (the organizer of the event) and this is what she had to say.
“Mrs. Tramel, Youth Director for AHA, reminded NHS members as a guest speaker in the Fall that education and healthy choices save lives. In the time NHS members helped raise money for AHA, deaths from cardiovascular disease have decreased by 15% and stroke by 14.3%. Pennfield School District has participated in the annual Red Out for a number of years, and plans on volunteering again in the future.” Mrs. Hammond, Pennfield NHS, and SADD would like to thank Pennfield staff and students for their donations to AHA, which totaled over $500. This money goes towards education and research: visit https://www.heart.org/en/ -- Shane Carpenter ‘23 |
Choir Festival
The Choir went to the festival on Tuesday, February 25th! We interviewed 2 students to know more about the festival. Freshman, Nadalie Pratt said, “The hardest thing to do before the festival is to learn your music and to try and get everyone on the same page, it is also hard because we have to have everything memorized and be prepared for anything that could happen.” We asked how they prepare for the festival and Nadalie said, “Somethings I do to prepare is looking at the music and just taking time to remember it and be really comfortable with singing it and performing it, another thing I do is I sing or hum through the songs a lot so I know I have the music down, but if you really want to be close to perfect you can sing while looking in the mirror to practice vowels.” Sophomore, Madison Kalinosky said, “The hardest thing before the festival is not getting frustrated at the people who struggle more than others as the festival gets closer and closer. To prepare for the festival ahead of time we practice everyday going over troubled spots until they are completely fixed. To prepare we also work out the little things to make the song more intense and less boring.”
-- Toni M. ’22, Austynn R. ’23 (2/28/20)
-- Toni M. ’22, Austynn R. ’23 (2/28/20)
Mini Industrial Revolution Projects
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Mr. Klepac’s World History Class was working on their Mini Industrial Revolution Projects. The classes started the projects on January 30th and have had a lot of fun learning about the Industrial Revolution. We asked Mr. Klepac and 3 of his students a few questions about these projects.
Mr. Klepac said, “The purpose of these projects were to give students a different way to learn about the Industrial Revolution.” When asked what the students should learn from these projects he said, “they should have learned about the Industrial Revolution, how to work in a group, and communicate with each other without being told exactly what to do by him.” Jessie Housley said these projects weren’t hard to complete and she liked how her and her partners got to choose how to present their subjects. Lauryn Hohnberger said these projects weren't hard. She said she liked the project because she could pick what she wanted to make for the project instead of Mr. Klepac picking it for them. Layla Tackett said, “These projects were very easy to complete because my entire group contributed.” She said she liked that they got to pick their groups and the way they wanted to complete the project, which made it more fun and enjoyable. -- Toni M ’22, Austynn R. ’23 and Alex G. ’23 (2/19/20) |
Valentines at Helen DeVos Children's Hospital
For the past 7 years, the National Honors Society has been making Valentines Day cards for the patients in the hospital whether it be the VA or a children’s hospital. However, this year NHS decided to make Valentines for the sick children at the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. With the help of Mrs. Hammond’s science students, they made over 100 handcrafted Valentine’s cards for HDCH. These cards were supposed to be delivered to the children’s hospital by members of NHS and SADD who are at least 18 years old; however, there were no members this year who were old enough, so they will be delivered by Mrs. Hammond. Once the cards are delivered, the volunteers at HDCH will then take those cards and sort them into the wings the children are in. From there, the patients will receive the cards at their Valentines Day party in a common room on Friday, if they are well enough to attend. If the patients are not well enough to attend they will be dropped off by nurses. Mrs. Hammond then told us that…
“Personally every year I visit, I feel so blessed to be as healthy as I am, and that our PHS students take the time to count their blessings, too, and hand-make Valentines for others who are not as fortunate as they are!” Mrs. Hammond said that while there she plans to meet with the volunteer team to see if there are summer opportunities for PHS students to volunteer. Because in December while donating blankets to the VA Hospital, she learned that they have a volunteer program that allows high school students to volunteer for 6 weeks. So she hopes that it is a possibility at HDCH. She also said that she hopes that NHS will have members that will be old enough to go to the hospital to visit with the children. Next year, NHS hopes that they will be able to get this opportunity again to donate for Pennfield! -- Sarah Brosky, Rebecca Haywood (2/13/20) |
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Peer Pressure at Pennfield
Peer pressure is very common in the world but most common in the US. Adolescents are the biggest group affected by peer pressure. Peer pressure can be good but it is also used in a lot of negative ways including drugs and alcohol. Mostly everyone has been peer pressured, even the people that try and diminish it as much as possible to keep us safer. I asked a couple of students and a teacher what they thought about peer pressure and their experiences.
Christian Busick said, “I was once peer pressured into lying to my teacher. The worst part was it was by my friends and it hurt to know they played me in a way.”
Brennen Witham added onto it saying, “whenever someone tries to peer pressure me I kind of silence them out and make it obvious that I do not want to do what they are trying to pressure me into.”
We asked Mrs. Treadway what it’s like from a teacher’s point of view. She stated, “I don’t see a lot of it. This usually happens because students don’t do it in front of teachers.” She gets really sad when students experience it.
Those are some of the ways people have had, and go against peer pressure. Always be nice to people and reach out to them if you see something and be a light in their life.
-- Shane Carpenter '23 (2/19/20)
Christian Busick said, “I was once peer pressured into lying to my teacher. The worst part was it was by my friends and it hurt to know they played me in a way.”
Brennen Witham added onto it saying, “whenever someone tries to peer pressure me I kind of silence them out and make it obvious that I do not want to do what they are trying to pressure me into.”
We asked Mrs. Treadway what it’s like from a teacher’s point of view. She stated, “I don’t see a lot of it. This usually happens because students don’t do it in front of teachers.” She gets really sad when students experience it.
Those are some of the ways people have had, and go against peer pressure. Always be nice to people and reach out to them if you see something and be a light in their life.
-- Shane Carpenter '23 (2/19/20)
Seniors Leave their Mark
Have you ever looked up in class and seen the painted ceiling tiles? The seniors in art class for over the past 9 years have created these awesome tiles for their favorite teachers.
Mrs. Haroff is the art teacher here at Pennfield High School. When asked how teachers receive the painted tiles she responded with, “Students have to ask the teacher if they would like the tile, they also have to share the design with the teacher.” One teacher who has many tiles in his room is Mr. Lessnau. He has many favorite tiles including his LINK tiles and a few others. One of his favorites is unique. It's a 3D tile with a map on it saying “not all who wander are lost,” made by Isabella Price. When asking Mr. Lessnau how she gave him the tile he replied saying, “She really surprised me with it and it came out of nowhere, it's also one of the if not the only 3D tile in the school.” Another teacher who has many tiles is Mr. Piotrowski. He says it hard to pick one but if he had to it would be the first one he received. When asking why this tile was his favorite he replied saying, “The student who made this was not in art, but was very creative. It was also the first one I received so it’s special.” The person who created the tile is Ashley Coins who graduated in 2014. If you want to make one of these ceiling tiles and give it to your favorite teacher, take senior art or if you are very artistic, talk to Mrs. Harroff and leave your mark on the school. -- Brielle Barber ‘23, Madison Wood ’23 (2/10/20) |
CACC
CACC is a school near our own, but with a more hands on experience that prepares students for their future. Senior Bree Beaudrie has been a part of CACC (Calhoun Area Career Center) for two years now. She participates in the power equipment (Diesel Mechanics) program which covers a math and science class here at Pennfield. Bree says, “I chose to be in this particular program because it gives me the first hand experience and knowledge that will put me ahead and better prepare me for my future. I like to work with my hands but also working with different kinds of equipment.” Bree wants to work for the heavy machine union when she graduates and says going to the Career Center was one the best decisions she has made in high school. “I recommend this program for anyone who enjoys working on all different kinds of equipment and vehicles.” Make sure to check out the Career Center website for more information!
-- Hope Titus, Sydney Kurtz ‘22 (2/13/20)
-- Hope Titus, Sydney Kurtz ‘22 (2/13/20)
Newspaper Spotlight
The Newspaper staff member of the week is Hannah Davis. She tells us what it’s
like for her being a part of our crew.
“Being part of the newspaper crew is super fun. I enjoy taking this class and I look forward to it the most.“ “I like being on the newspaper crew because I enjoy writing and hanging out with friends. Having Kailee and Izzy as my partners to go interview with then writing the article is the only schoolwork I enjoy doing.” Says Hannah about what she likes about newspaper class. She feels that she has grown more and more as a writer from writing all of the articles she has done. Hannah tells us how she comes up with her ideas for articles.
“When coming up with ideas for my articles I always think about what a teenager would really care to read. I try staying away from the more boring information and focus on the fun.”
She likes to write about the teacher of the month. She likes to go record the teacher's reaction then writing about it after. She doesn’t like to write about more education focused articles, like safety rules, the flu, or anything similar. If you want to join the newspaper team Hannah has shared how to join.
“All you have to do is choose Newspaper as one of your electives. Ms. Royer would gladly answer any questions you may have about newspaper class. But if you don’t enjoy writing, talking to strangers, sharing your work to the class, or you’re not very good with turning your work on time, then it’s not the best class to take.” She also has some tips for writers especially if you are new to it.
“Don’t stress so much about writing articles. Come up with a plan and stick with it. Stay organized and on topic. Transitions are very important and helps people understand what you were asking the person you’re interviewing. Make sure to always turn in your work on the due date to earn full credit.” Here’s Hannah’s last message to all of you who are considering joining the newspaper team in the future.
-- Gavin A. '20 (2/13/20)
like for her being a part of our crew.
“Being part of the newspaper crew is super fun. I enjoy taking this class and I look forward to it the most.“ “I like being on the newspaper crew because I enjoy writing and hanging out with friends. Having Kailee and Izzy as my partners to go interview with then writing the article is the only schoolwork I enjoy doing.” Says Hannah about what she likes about newspaper class. She feels that she has grown more and more as a writer from writing all of the articles she has done. Hannah tells us how she comes up with her ideas for articles.
“When coming up with ideas for my articles I always think about what a teenager would really care to read. I try staying away from the more boring information and focus on the fun.”
She likes to write about the teacher of the month. She likes to go record the teacher's reaction then writing about it after. She doesn’t like to write about more education focused articles, like safety rules, the flu, or anything similar. If you want to join the newspaper team Hannah has shared how to join.
“All you have to do is choose Newspaper as one of your electives. Ms. Royer would gladly answer any questions you may have about newspaper class. But if you don’t enjoy writing, talking to strangers, sharing your work to the class, or you’re not very good with turning your work on time, then it’s not the best class to take.” She also has some tips for writers especially if you are new to it.
“Don’t stress so much about writing articles. Come up with a plan and stick with it. Stay organized and on topic. Transitions are very important and helps people understand what you were asking the person you’re interviewing. Make sure to always turn in your work on the due date to earn full credit.” Here’s Hannah’s last message to all of you who are considering joining the newspaper team in the future.
-- Gavin A. '20 (2/13/20)
Newspaper Spotlight
Austynn Ramos tells us about her experiences and feelings about being a part of the newspaper staff, The Emerald.
“I like it and it's interesting because we write a lot of articles. It helps me know what new and interesting things are happening here at Pennfield High School, and we get to interact with other students, teachers and also interview them. I enjoy writing.” The article that she is most proud of is the teacher spotlight on Mrs. Dollaway. “My partners and I like to think creatively sometimes,” says Austynn on how she comes up with ideas for her articles. She just likes writing in general so she really enjoys getting her articles. She doesn’t like when she has to edit all the time because she’s not as experienced with computer editing. If you want to join the staff, Austynn has advice for you. “You can sign up for the whole year or you can sign up for a semester depending on if that's what you would like to do. I’m taking newspaper class this whole year and I enjoy it.” :) Just starting out writing? That’s ok Austynn’s got you covered with some useful tips. “All you have to do is take your time, but know how to word things. Make the articles exciting and make people want to read them, just have fun and enjoy while you can, but don't make it stressful. Feel free to express the way you want to in your own articles.” From us here on the newspaper staff we hope to see you all join us here next year. Until the next newspaper staff member of the week, remember to keep on writing! -- Gavin A. '20 (1/3/20) |
Nasko Cleland
Walking the halls of Pennfield High, one student is not like the rest. Freshman, Nasko Cleland, has been blind since birth. Born in Bulgaria, he was diagnosed with a disease that caused him to go completely blind. Even though Nasko has his disadvantages, he puts them aside and does his best to enjoy his high school experience. Nasko does wrestling and his favorite subject in school is history. He enjoys science fiction movies, like Star Wars, and spending time with his three sisters. While he won’t admit it, Nasko truly is one of a kind. He is the only blind person in Calhoun County, and one of the 45,000 people in the state of Michigan who suffers from legal blindness. He continues to live his life to the fullest and truly enjoys every step of the way. If you see Nasko in the halls, make sure to say hi!
-- Sydney Kurtz, Hope Titus 22’ (1/21/20)
-- Sydney Kurtz, Hope Titus 22’ (1/21/20)
Newspaper Spotlight with Kailee Overby
This week’s newspaper spotlight goes to senior, Kailee Overby. Kailee is new to the newspaper crew making this her first year as a member of the team. She started out the year selling business advertisements for the Yearbook, and is now writing for The Emerald.
“I have never been interested in writing but then I joined this class and found it to be kind of fun. It’s fun to partner up with your close friends and interview people around the school with them.” Kailee goes on telling us about how much she loves the classroom, “The environment in general is great. Everyone in the class knows when to settle down and get things done and when to have fun. One of my favorite things that we did in this room would have to be the Elf on the Shelf DIY activities we did throughout December. It was fun to see how creative my class is.” If you don’t know Kailee well, pretty much anyone would describe her as a fun, sweet, and outgoing person. She loves making it to all the school events to support the school she grew up at. Her hobbies are playing her favorite sport; softball, going out with friends and family, and babysitting. Kailee loves to do a lot of fun activities but also loves to just sit back and relax sometimes too. “Some days I really just want to have a calm day to myself. I love laying down in my room, watching Netflix along with wearing a face mask.” If you’d love to get to know Kailee better I'm sure you can find her at any school activity. Say hi, she’s a very easy person to talk to. -- Hannah Davis ‘21 (1/13/20) |
How PHS Students Manage Homework
To get a better idea of what student life is like in PHS, we asked four students a few questions about homework.
Freshman, Madilyne Klacking said, “After I get home from practice, I try and look through my notes if I took any and if I do not have notes I try and figure it out with what I know.” Madilyne does her homework in her bedroom. She has sports, drivers training and family, so she doesn’t have much time to do her homework. She manages everything after school with set times for things she has to do.
Azaria Swank, Sophomore responded with, “I start my homework at 9:00 p.m. I do my homework in my room by the window, It’s hard for me to manage my homework with all the sports I play and having to work after school.”
Junior, Katelyn Anderson said, “I ask my mom, but usually, I just have to figure it out by looking through my notes. It depends on the subject and amount, but I usually start my homework right after dinner, and I do my homework at the kitchen table.” She doesn’t have a lot of time to do her homework because she either has too much homework or she has other things that need to be done at home or outside of school. Katelyn says she tries to do her homework after practices and on game days she tries to get it done before the game starts.
Myah Rowland, Senior responded with, “I ask my dad to help me and if he can’t, I ask my grandma.” Myah says she does all her schoolwork and homework at school during her 2nd-hour (free period.) She tells us that it’s better to get your work done at school so you can ask the teachers for help.
Keep up the good work PHS students and stay focused it will pay off.
--Kaitlynn Caswell ‘22, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (12/11/19)
Freshman, Madilyne Klacking said, “After I get home from practice, I try and look through my notes if I took any and if I do not have notes I try and figure it out with what I know.” Madilyne does her homework in her bedroom. She has sports, drivers training and family, so she doesn’t have much time to do her homework. She manages everything after school with set times for things she has to do.
Azaria Swank, Sophomore responded with, “I start my homework at 9:00 p.m. I do my homework in my room by the window, It’s hard for me to manage my homework with all the sports I play and having to work after school.”
Junior, Katelyn Anderson said, “I ask my mom, but usually, I just have to figure it out by looking through my notes. It depends on the subject and amount, but I usually start my homework right after dinner, and I do my homework at the kitchen table.” She doesn’t have a lot of time to do her homework because she either has too much homework or she has other things that need to be done at home or outside of school. Katelyn says she tries to do her homework after practices and on game days she tries to get it done before the game starts.
Myah Rowland, Senior responded with, “I ask my dad to help me and if he can’t, I ask my grandma.” Myah says she does all her schoolwork and homework at school during her 2nd-hour (free period.) She tells us that it’s better to get your work done at school so you can ask the teachers for help.
Keep up the good work PHS students and stay focused it will pay off.
--Kaitlynn Caswell ‘22, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (12/11/19)
Keeping Up with the Exchange Students
The exchange students are loving it here at Pennfield High School and in the United States in general. Whether it’s a new activity, holiday, or food they try, they told us how much they find the United States different yet cool.
Junior, exchange student from Italy, Veronika Pacor says, “In Italy we don’t have a Thanksgiving, so coming to the United States and trying it was very interesting. My favorite food I tried at Thanksgiving dinner was definitely the turkey. Thanksgiving wasn’t the only thing new to me. My favorite snack that I’ve tried here is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
Some holidays other than Thanksgiving are new to our exchange students.
Junior, exchange student from Thailand, Sutinee Wichian says, “Something I’m going to remember and miss about America will be Halloween. It was so fun to dress up and go trick-or-treating with the friends I’ve made here in America. I’ll miss America a lot for Halloween and my favorite food, chicken nuggets.”
Some of our exchange students are into sports.
Junior, exchange student from Germany, Willi Bruns says, “Coming to America and playing soccer was really different than from back at home. Not many people here in America have much interest in soccer like everyone in Germany. It was cool to be one of the many stars of the team and to show off my skills that I’ve learned growing up at home. At the soccer banquet it was cool that they served my favorite American food, mac n’ cheese.”
All the exchange students told us how they are so excited to travel all over the United States and make more and more friends as the year goes on. Be sure to say hi whenever you see them and make them feel right at home.
-- Hannah Davis ‘21, Izzy Dingman ‘22 (12/11/19)
Junior, exchange student from Italy, Veronika Pacor says, “In Italy we don’t have a Thanksgiving, so coming to the United States and trying it was very interesting. My favorite food I tried at Thanksgiving dinner was definitely the turkey. Thanksgiving wasn’t the only thing new to me. My favorite snack that I’ve tried here is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.”
Some holidays other than Thanksgiving are new to our exchange students.
Junior, exchange student from Thailand, Sutinee Wichian says, “Something I’m going to remember and miss about America will be Halloween. It was so fun to dress up and go trick-or-treating with the friends I’ve made here in America. I’ll miss America a lot for Halloween and my favorite food, chicken nuggets.”
Some of our exchange students are into sports.
Junior, exchange student from Germany, Willi Bruns says, “Coming to America and playing soccer was really different than from back at home. Not many people here in America have much interest in soccer like everyone in Germany. It was cool to be one of the many stars of the team and to show off my skills that I’ve learned growing up at home. At the soccer banquet it was cool that they served my favorite American food, mac n’ cheese.”
All the exchange students told us how they are so excited to travel all over the United States and make more and more friends as the year goes on. Be sure to say hi whenever you see them and make them feel right at home.
-- Hannah Davis ‘21, Izzy Dingman ‘22 (12/11/19)
Newspaper Staff of the Week
Brielle Barber has been chosen as this week’s newspaper member of the week. “Being a part of the newspaper crew is fun! I think it’s great getting topics to write about and turn it into an article because you get to learn more about the topic.” Brielle continues with, “We don’t just write articles, we also get to make videos, and use Photoshop as well which I enjoy. But I also like writing articles and getting to interview the people.” One thing Brielle dislikes is when she goes to interview someone, and they respond with “I don’t know, I guess” or something vague, since it’s not really an answer. Brielle feels proud of all of her articles because her and her partner put lots of work and thought into them. “My partner and I sometimes just think randomly or bounce off of other ideas, but I mostly look at what events are coming up, or what’s happening in the Pennfield community.” Brielle mostly prefers to write articles about student or teacher spotlights, and cool events that happen in the school like concerts, etc. Brielle tells us how you can join the newspaper, “Anyone can join the newspaper, when signing up for classes, you can choose this course, or during the year when you want to switch just go to the counseling office.” Here’s her tips for new writers, “When writing find a topic that interests you, so you can write passionately and you won’t get bored with it. Also, you should be able to take criticism well, so when someone helps critique your article, you can take their help well, and correct it.” “I would say definitely try newspaper, it’s not for everyone, but if you are into writing, having fun, and having an awesome teacher, I say go for it!”
Be sure to consider newspaper when signing up for your classes! -- Gavin '20 (12/11/19) |
Chefs of the Week
Freshman, Kyle Thomas and Sophomore, Kate Crandall are cooking up a storm in Nutrition.
Ms. Rzepka chose Kyle and Kate as the chefs of the week because, “They work hard and put forth great effort in their recipes and presentation of the dish (pie's are especially artistic).”
Kyle told us, “My favorite thing to make is pancakes because they are easy and delicious.”
Kyle is also really excited to bake brownies, and Christmas cookies in the upcoming weeks.
Kate told us, “I like Nutrition because of all the foods we get to make, and it’s not stressful.”
Kate really liked the fact they got to make hawaiian pizza, because she loves pineapple pizza.
Congrats to Kate and Kyle for being named chef of the week. Keep it up, we can’t wait to see what you and the others make in the kitchen.
-- Brielle Barber 23’, Madison Wood 23’ (12/11/19)
Ms. Rzepka chose Kyle and Kate as the chefs of the week because, “They work hard and put forth great effort in their recipes and presentation of the dish (pie's are especially artistic).”
Kyle told us, “My favorite thing to make is pancakes because they are easy and delicious.”
Kyle is also really excited to bake brownies, and Christmas cookies in the upcoming weeks.
Kate told us, “I like Nutrition because of all the foods we get to make, and it’s not stressful.”
Kate really liked the fact they got to make hawaiian pizza, because she loves pineapple pizza.
Congrats to Kate and Kyle for being named chef of the week. Keep it up, we can’t wait to see what you and the others make in the kitchen.
-- Brielle Barber 23’, Madison Wood 23’ (12/11/19)
Makin' Pies
Newspaper Spotlight
This week on the Emerald we interview Brianna Robinson. Brianna told us something about herself and something new she tried this year. She is new to the newspaper crew this year due to acting class getting cut. We asked what her favorite part about the class is, she said,
“Being able to have two electives with Ms. Royer.” According to Brianna, she thinks this class is nice and everyone is kind to her and they all do a good job writing articles. Some tips she would give is to try new things, she wouldn’t have taken this class if acting was still available. We finally asked how she managed the web page. “It’s easy and hard at the same time. I have to match the photos to their specific article, get the articles that each group of people write and put them on the web page in a neat order that’s easy to read. I’m used to editing videos so when Ms. Royer asked me if I wanted to help run the website I gladly accepted.” -- Kailee Overby ‘20, Alison Griffith ‘20 (11/19/19) |
Musician of the Week
This weeks Musician’s of the week goes to Senior, James Sirks and Sophomore, Tahila Kidder.
Mr. Bowen chose James because, “He goes above and beyond what is required of a choir student. He practices on his own and was recently accepted into the MSVMA Regional Honors Choir Program.”
James has been in choir for 4 years, and was in band for 6 years but quit due to CACC. James joined choir because of his love of music and he grew up with it.
“’I’ve always really loved music, I grew up on it. My parents guided me towards it but the more I got involved the more I enjoyed it.”
James says this will be a huge confidence booster because, “It’s nice when you’re acknowledged for being good at something, especially something you love.”
Mr. Driver chose Tahlia because, “She has taken on a leadership role in her section, and she’s been working hard outside of class.”
Tahlia Kidder is a percussionist for the Pennfield band and has been involved for 5 years. She joined because, “My sister had an extra clarinet, so I wanted to be in there, but I ended up changing to drums.”
Tahlia thinks that she works hard in class already, but this will make her work harder. Keep up the great work guys, we can’t wait to hear you do what you love!
-- Brielle Barber ‘23, Madison Wood ‘23 (11/20/19)
Mr. Bowen chose James because, “He goes above and beyond what is required of a choir student. He practices on his own and was recently accepted into the MSVMA Regional Honors Choir Program.”
James has been in choir for 4 years, and was in band for 6 years but quit due to CACC. James joined choir because of his love of music and he grew up with it.
“’I’ve always really loved music, I grew up on it. My parents guided me towards it but the more I got involved the more I enjoyed it.”
James says this will be a huge confidence booster because, “It’s nice when you’re acknowledged for being good at something, especially something you love.”
Mr. Driver chose Tahlia because, “She has taken on a leadership role in her section, and she’s been working hard outside of class.”
Tahlia Kidder is a percussionist for the Pennfield band and has been involved for 5 years. She joined because, “My sister had an extra clarinet, so I wanted to be in there, but I ended up changing to drums.”
Tahlia thinks that she works hard in class already, but this will make her work harder. Keep up the great work guys, we can’t wait to hear you do what you love!
-- Brielle Barber ‘23, Madison Wood ‘23 (11/20/19)
Newspaper Spotlight #1
This week the Emerald is going to spotlight one of its own. Madi Wollaston has told us about her experiences and some of her tips for being on the newspaper staff. According to Madi, “It’s pretty cool to see all that is going on with the school and get to go out and meet new people.” She likes that the class is pretty relaxed and fun. Madi got to write an article last year that went into the final copy of the yearbook. Madi told us that, “We meet up just about every Monday and have a brainstorm session, we list all of the ideas and start assigning articles.” Madi usually likes to write teacher/student spotlights. Madi says if you want to join you must join during class registration or if you really want to join during the year, you should talk with the counselors and make a plan to switch. Here’s Madi’s tips for upcoming writers,“Keep it short and sweet! People would rather read a few sentences that gives them information rather than a paragraph of fluff.” If you’re thinking about joining the class, Madi says to, “Just try it out! It’s not for everyone but you should definitely try it out! It’s a great way to get involved in the school.” Look out for future spotlights on the other members of the newspaper crew.
-- Gavin A. '20
-- Gavin A. '20
Artists and Photographers of the Week
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Kailey Shroyer and Natalie Hoyt were both chosen for the artist of the week. Kailey’s favorite piece is a wooden pumpkin because Mrs.Haroff gave it to her and she painted it for her mom. Natalie said her favorite piece is her dot skull she is currently working on. Kailey says, “Just be yourself and have fun.” Natalie said, “Have patience and if you don't like looking at something for a long time, I wouldn't recommend it.” Be sure to consider art at the next registration.
Aubrey Gray and Gage Grafton were chosen for photographer of the week. Aubrey said her favorite picture she worked on was her magazine cover called “Real Simple” because she worked really hard on it. Gage said his favorite picture he has taken is of the sun and a crab apple tree because he thinks it looks pretty sweet. We asked if there were any tips that future students would want to know, Aubrey said, “Take your time and try to make it look good,” while Gage said, “Take the picture the way you want to.” Check out photography when you register for your classes. -- Toni ’22, Austynn ’23, Alex ’23 |
Artist of the Week
The Emerald has decided to recognize some of the great artists here at PHS. We have chosen two students from graphic arts and two from art class.
Rakia Eddie is a graphic arts student. Her favorite piece that she has made is her cartoon self portrait. She doesn’t like when the instructions for an assignment is strict. She does however like the assignments where you can do what you want. When asked if she had any tips Rakia had this to say, “Just run with your imagination.” If you are interested in doing what she does then here are some steps she shared, ”Lay out a plan of what you want, you can then change it as you go.”
Lauren Garrison is an independent art student. Her favorite piece she has made this year is her pencil portrait of her dog, Maggie. She likes intricate and detailed pieces that have meaning. Her tip on being an artist is, “Practice! The phrase “practice makes perfect” is a very true statement. I always tell people this when they say they “wish” they could make art like mine.“ If you wanted to do what she does she said that you should, “Start by drawing; drawing is the foundation of any type of art. Even with a beautiful house on top, a wobbly foundation makes it all fall down.”
Katya Coy is also in independent art. Wood burning and her pointillism are here favorite pieces of art she has made. She dislikes making paper mache and does like acrylic painting and pointillism. Her tip for artists is, “Always push yourself with your art.“ If you wanted to do what Katya does you should listen to this quote from her, “I've been in art for four years and in my senior year I'm in independent art, so to be able to get where I am you'd have to start in art 1 and work your way up and even doing art work outside of the class.”
Sean Lindsey is in graphic arts. His favorite thing he has made is the Homecoming T-shirt design. “I don’t really like to photoshop people as much as other things but there's really nothing I dislike to do,” says Sean. He likes to make different types of advertisements and logos.
Sean’s tip to graphic artists is, “When designing a piece make it simple and easy to understand.” If you wanted to do the same kind of work he does, Sean says you should, “Look at other professional pieces to get inspiration from and make it your own no matter how weird or different it is.”
If you see any one of these four students congratulate them for being nominated to be called one of the artists of the week. Keep up the good work you guys!
-- Gavin A. '20 (10/28/19)
Rakia Eddie is a graphic arts student. Her favorite piece that she has made is her cartoon self portrait. She doesn’t like when the instructions for an assignment is strict. She does however like the assignments where you can do what you want. When asked if she had any tips Rakia had this to say, “Just run with your imagination.” If you are interested in doing what she does then here are some steps she shared, ”Lay out a plan of what you want, you can then change it as you go.”
Lauren Garrison is an independent art student. Her favorite piece she has made this year is her pencil portrait of her dog, Maggie. She likes intricate and detailed pieces that have meaning. Her tip on being an artist is, “Practice! The phrase “practice makes perfect” is a very true statement. I always tell people this when they say they “wish” they could make art like mine.“ If you wanted to do what she does she said that you should, “Start by drawing; drawing is the foundation of any type of art. Even with a beautiful house on top, a wobbly foundation makes it all fall down.”
Katya Coy is also in independent art. Wood burning and her pointillism are here favorite pieces of art she has made. She dislikes making paper mache and does like acrylic painting and pointillism. Her tip for artists is, “Always push yourself with your art.“ If you wanted to do what Katya does you should listen to this quote from her, “I've been in art for four years and in my senior year I'm in independent art, so to be able to get where I am you'd have to start in art 1 and work your way up and even doing art work outside of the class.”
Sean Lindsey is in graphic arts. His favorite thing he has made is the Homecoming T-shirt design. “I don’t really like to photoshop people as much as other things but there's really nothing I dislike to do,” says Sean. He likes to make different types of advertisements and logos.
Sean’s tip to graphic artists is, “When designing a piece make it simple and easy to understand.” If you wanted to do the same kind of work he does, Sean says you should, “Look at other professional pieces to get inspiration from and make it your own no matter how weird or different it is.”
If you see any one of these four students congratulate them for being nominated to be called one of the artists of the week. Keep up the good work you guys!
-- Gavin A. '20 (10/28/19)
What It's Like To Be A Senior
I know you’re all wondering what's it like to be a senior in October. Well you’re in luck because Kailee and Alison, current seniors are here to tell you what it’s really like. We have also interviewed some other fellow seniors to get their take on being a senior in October. To be a senior October can be exhausting and also exciting. This time of year can be hard with finishing college applications, KCC Mid Terms, and just trying to find motivation to finish simple homework assignments. All of the excitement and fun comes from Friday night football games, powder puff, homecoming, and hearing that we have been accepted to our dream colleges. Now let's hear from more of our fellow seniors to hear their take on being a senior in October.
Lauren Vought: “Being a senior in October is going to your last Friday night football game. It is busy and there is always something fun going on whether it is with your friends or at school.” Trajana Divitto: “Being a senior during this time is kind of bittersweet. A lot of our last football games take place and if your involved in fall sports those end pretty quickly too. Although those activities are ending, the memories made during this time are for sure to stay with us in the long run. “ Zach Mcgruder: “Being a senior in October is amazing. I get to make a lot of memories that will last a lifetime. The Friday night lights, my last hoco, and my final soccer game have really put in perspective how important these memories are. It really motivates you to be more involved.“ Kaitlyn Campbell: “Being a senior in October has been challenging but the best year yet by far. It’s been filled with new friends and new experiences.” Hailey Borden: “Being a senior in October is a start on many lasts. Your last homecoming, last football games, for some of the last fall sports that are played. It’s definitely bittersweet but exciting at the same time.” Tyler Jacobs: “Being a senior in October is a lot of fun. Football, homecoming, and Halloween activities make school a lot better.” -- Kailee Overby, Alison Griffith (10/28/19) |
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Student Spotlight
We asked some Freshman what their biggest challenge so far this year have been, Hallie Moore answered with “Having all A’s and B’s.” Arturo Segovia said, “My biggest challenge is paying attention.” We then asked what is your favorite class/teacher? Sophomore Azaria Swank answered with “ My favorite teacher is Mrs. Voigt and my favorite class is math.” Evan Godbey said, “My favorite teacher is Mr. Bowen and my favorite class is choir.” We asked the seniors if they were glad they were graduating and why. Hannah Baird answered with, “Yes, I’m excited to graduate so I can accomplish my goals.” Devon Jeanette said, “Yes, so I can get a real job.” Pennfield wishes our seniors as well as the rest of our students good luck on the rest of their year!
-- Kaitlynn Caswell ‘22, Alissa Stamper ‘22 (10/28/19) |
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Women's Fitness
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“You are here to build your confidence, and to help other women build theirs.” Those words were spoken by Ms. Collins to her women’s fitness class. Women’s fitness is a gym class for women who could be shy, and maybe don’t feel comfortable being in a co-ed gym class. In this class, they not only do yoga and breathing exercises on Fridays, but they do other activities to build relationships, and get more comfortable with breaking out of their cliques. They will sometimes do things as simple as getting paired up randomly, and talking about how their day has been going so far. Remember to think of this class next time you are registering for your classes if this at all interested you, and check out the pictures to see them doing yoga!
-- Jayla Eckman ‘22 (10/29/19) |
Musician of the Week
Drum roll please! This week’s musician is Madison Kalinosky. Madison is a sophomore at Pennfield and is in choir and band. Madison says she loves to be in the classes to express her emotions in a musical way. “Although I don’t see myself having a career in band or choir, I still love the classes and the challenges they bring,” Madison states. She started band in 6th grade and began choir her sophomore year. “I’m new to choir but I already love it. And I’ve been in band for years so it’s like my second family,” she says. Madison looks forward to what these classes have to offer for the rest of the year and more to come. Good luck!
-- Hope, Sydney (10/29/19)
-- Hope, Sydney (10/29/19)
PHS Marching Band
The Pennfield High School Marching Band allowed us to get a sneak peak into what it’s like to be in band. The band is directed by Mr. Driver, and assisted by Mr. Dixon, who have a combined total of 27 years invested in our marching band. Mr. Driver’s favorite thing about this year’s group of kids is that “They have a very big sound on the field and they love the Journey music that we are playing.” Mr. Dixon has many favorite things about helping with the band, “I really enjoy seeing the progress from the beginning of the season to the end, and I enjoy keeping in touch with students that I had in the middle school.” Thank you Mr. Driver and Mr. Dixon for all of your years of service to the PHS Marching Band! Check out the video to see the band in action.
-- Jayla Eckman '22, Madi Wollaston ‘22 (10/3/19) |
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Lunchroom Visits
Sometimes at lunch you may have noticed that people are setting up the long white table for something. Often times this is the military men and women. They do this because they are looking for those who wish to become recruits and work for the military, they will explain how they can help you through college and what positions you could try out for after graduation. They aren’t the only ones that use that table however, on September 26th, a group of students and workers alike were handing out sunglasses to everyone that came near the table, they did this to spread suicide awareness. Finally, near the end of this school year some businesses will send spokesmen to help people find work that aren't heading to college or a trade school.
-- Gavin '20 (10/1/19)
-- Gavin '20 (10/1/19)
Solar Panels
You may have heard that the school installed solar panels over the gym. The reason for this is to lower expenses for electricity to the school and to help save money for other things like pep rallies and other events.
-- Evan Godbey ‘22 (10/1/19)
-- Evan Godbey ‘22 (10/1/19)
Panther Spotlight
A mascot is a person or thing that is supposed to bring good luck or that is used to symbolize a particular event or organization. Here at Pennfield High School our mascot is a Panther. The one underneath would like to remain a secret, so if you know who it is, please don’t tell anyone.
The Panther filled us in on what it is like to be underneath the suit. “It gets sweaty easily and the more you do the hotter it gets,” because there is fur on the outside and there is no air to escape in the suit. The Panther said, “I am the best Panther there has been in a long time.” The jersey wearing Panther has only been doing this for one year, a few games down and many more to come. The Panther said, “It was awkward the first time because everyone could see me but then I realized they can't because of the Panther's mask.” It is a role to play because you have to get into character, you have to have confidence. The student section enjoys cheering on our team with the Panther’s help. Our Panther is #penntastic!
-- Alissa stamper ‘22 (9/12/19)
The Panther filled us in on what it is like to be underneath the suit. “It gets sweaty easily and the more you do the hotter it gets,” because there is fur on the outside and there is no air to escape in the suit. The Panther said, “I am the best Panther there has been in a long time.” The jersey wearing Panther has only been doing this for one year, a few games down and many more to come. The Panther said, “It was awkward the first time because everyone could see me but then I realized they can't because of the Panther's mask.” It is a role to play because you have to get into character, you have to have confidence. The student section enjoys cheering on our team with the Panther’s help. Our Panther is #penntastic!
-- Alissa stamper ‘22 (9/12/19)
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Color The Lot
Aerial Shots by Mr. Dixon, Teacher Lot Spots by Mrs. Fox
For this 2019/2020 school year, seniors had the opportunity to paint a parking spot for themselves. It cost $35 and you had to supply your own paint and brushes. This was a great opportunity for students to be able to use their artistic and creativity skills to create something that suits them. Teachers also got this lovely opportunity. They still had to pay and provide their own things. At the end of the year, there will be a date for the students to paint over their spot so that the next year's students can paint what they would like. If you are unable to do that, there is a $10 fee for them to do it for you. We asked senior, Hannah Zeithammel, a few questions about her spot that she painted. When asked why it was important for her to have her own spot, she responded with, “It’s convenient because it is close to the main doors and there is a lot of seniors in that area.” We also asked where her idea came from, she told us that, “I originally was going to do something from the Spongebob band geek episode but then did a 4 years later from Spongebob because I love Spongebob and I felt I’ve done my 4 years of time here.” Mrs. Fox and Mrs. Funk contributed to the parking lot fundraiser. Mrs. Fox told us about her design which is a “Fox face with glitter” and Mrs. Funk’s design is an “Adoption symbol because I’ve adopted 3 kids.” This is a very cool opportunity for teachers and students to be able to show other people what they love or what means most to them.
-- Hallie Wild '20 (9/6/19)
-- Hallie Wild '20 (9/6/19)
Hallway Trivia
LINK Tailgate
On Thursday, August 29th, Link Crew put on a tailgate before the first home game of the season. There was a really good student turnout at the tailgate. Mr. Lessnau was excited about how many of the freshmen were there, stating, “That was the most well attended tailgate we’ve ever had!” At the tailgate, Link provided hot dogs, chips and sweets to feed everyone before the game. Students played soccer, passed footballs and frisbee’s around and had a great time hanging out with each other before the game. The energy was high and students had a great time. If you didn’t know, all the freshmen who attended got into the game for free, and they were very excited about that. We just want to give a huge thank you to all the Link Leaders who came out to help put on the tailgate and hang out with the freshmen. We also want to say thank you to all the freshmen who came out and gave us staggering numbers of attendance.
--Alissa Grettenberger ‘20 (9/9/19) |
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Freshman Class 2023
We all know that freshman year is a scary year. You worry about schoolwork becoming harder, the upperclassmen bullying you, or not getting to class on time. If anything, freshmen year is one of the easiest years and just gets you ready for the upcoming years of high school. Playing sports in high school is always an exciting thing to look forward to. Freshman, Landon Roach says, “Something I’m looking forward to in high school is all the sporting events. It’s going to be fun to play and support our school.” Freshman, Nic Liceaga has already made friends with upperclassmen through playing sports. “So far freshman year has gone well. Football helped a lot so I already met some upperclassmen I consider friends,” Nic tells us. One of the cool things about high school is all the fun events we have. Such as Homecoming, Winter Carnival, etc. Freshman advisor, Mr. Lamb says, “High school isn’t bad at all. There are many events the freshmen should look forward to. Such as this year, the float parade for Homecoming and Winter Carnival, which is new to all of us. School spirit activities are fun, but what they need to know is you’ll need to focus on keeping your grades up and putting school first so you can participate.” Freshman, Julia Hall tells us, “I’m so excited to participate in all the school events. It’ll be fun and I can’t wait.” Many of our freshmen say how they like high school a lot better than middle school so far. Freshman, McKenzi Murphy tells us, “High school is a lot better than middle school. There’s more freedom and the teachers are very chill.” High school is an exciting time of your life so don’t rush it, focus on getting good grades, and participate in all the fun activities our school has to offer and it’ll be a blast!
-- Hannah Davis ‘21, Izzy Dingman ‘22 (9/6/19) |
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CACC Transportation
This year there was a big change, you can no longer drive to the CACC from Pennfield and back. The reason for the change was that students last year would not come back to Pennfield on time, and often would take detours to restaurants and other places before returning. At first the school tried to combat this with penalties for being late to seminar. When this didn’t work, the staff had to come up with a new way to stop this problem. The idea they had was to take away the ability to drive, now all students have to ride the bus from Pennfield to the CACC and back or get dropped off by their parents at the CACC and ride the bus back. There is hope still, if you have good grades, attendance, and behavior you can earn the right to have a drive pass, which lets you drive again. If you are late or miss behave however the school reserves the right to take the pass away. We asked Kirsten Smith, Logan Gauze, and Collin Glies-Killbourn for their thoughts on what happened.
Kirsten Smith: “I was shocked, since I needed to be able to drive this year. To be able to drive next semester I’m going to keep my grades up and do my best to have good attendance. When I found out that we could earn to ride again I was pretty excited. It would mean less bus issues and less worrying about getting to the high school earlier than normal. I think having all CACC students taking the bus this year is a good call, since students are getting to class on time. I also think it is causing an indirect convenience for students going out on placements and attending KCC.”
Logan Gauze: “ I really don’t care that they did this since I don’t drive anyways. I think it’s cool that they’re giving others the option to drive later on though. I think that it will probably get changed again in future years. Even though this doesn’t affect me that much I’m still going to try my best to get good grades since I still don’t want to fail. I’m just not doing it to get a pass.”
Collin Glies-Killbourn: “It was kind of surprising but, expected. Not everything lasts forever, and we need students to attend the school. I will work on gaining my Learner’s Permit, then my Level 2 license shortly after so that I can drive when we get to second semester. They were only doing what they thought would improve their school’s attendance and reputation. I believe it’s a necessary evil. If they can’t get students to stay by giving out detentions/suspensions, there should be more extreme consequences. But there’s no need to punish everyone. To be honest, I was kind of looking forward to driving into the parking-lot in the morning. When it comes to it changing in years to come I believe it could quickly go in either direction. Either students will become more responsible, or we’ll end up giving away some of our experience in driving. When I found out that we could earn the right to drive again I found it to be rather interesting. It’s like a competition, without the risk of falling in last of course.”
-- Gavin Amsler '20 (9/6/19)
Kirsten Smith: “I was shocked, since I needed to be able to drive this year. To be able to drive next semester I’m going to keep my grades up and do my best to have good attendance. When I found out that we could earn to ride again I was pretty excited. It would mean less bus issues and less worrying about getting to the high school earlier than normal. I think having all CACC students taking the bus this year is a good call, since students are getting to class on time. I also think it is causing an indirect convenience for students going out on placements and attending KCC.”
Logan Gauze: “ I really don’t care that they did this since I don’t drive anyways. I think it’s cool that they’re giving others the option to drive later on though. I think that it will probably get changed again in future years. Even though this doesn’t affect me that much I’m still going to try my best to get good grades since I still don’t want to fail. I’m just not doing it to get a pass.”
Collin Glies-Killbourn: “It was kind of surprising but, expected. Not everything lasts forever, and we need students to attend the school. I will work on gaining my Learner’s Permit, then my Level 2 license shortly after so that I can drive when we get to second semester. They were only doing what they thought would improve their school’s attendance and reputation. I believe it’s a necessary evil. If they can’t get students to stay by giving out detentions/suspensions, there should be more extreme consequences. But there’s no need to punish everyone. To be honest, I was kind of looking forward to driving into the parking-lot in the morning. When it comes to it changing in years to come I believe it could quickly go in either direction. Either students will become more responsible, or we’ll end up giving away some of our experience in driving. When I found out that we could earn the right to drive again I found it to be rather interesting. It’s like a competition, without the risk of falling in last of course.”
-- Gavin Amsler '20 (9/6/19)
Homecoming Pep Assembly
Panthers Linking Together
New to Pennfield High School is the Link class! This class was made just for Link leaders and is taught by Mr. Lessnau. The Link class is during fourth hour and consists of fifteen students. Mr. Lessnau hopes that this new class is able to help Link leaders develop new skills, grow as leaders, and impact our school in a positive way. This class is meant for the Link leaders to be better leaders, but it is also there to help support the Link leaders and teach them better communication skills. In the class, the Link leaders learn about different types of leadership styles and how to plan for events. The difference between this year and last year’s crews is that the Link leaders last year did not have this opportunity to be in the class to experience and learn new things. Whereas, the leaders this year are able to not only be a good Link leader and connect with their linkies more, but also be a good leader for the future. If you're going to be a junior or senior next year, you can apply to become a Link leader. To apply you must be a student who is dedicated to the school and have a teacher recommendation. The applications will be available around spring break in April of 2020.
-- Sarah Brosky, Rebecca Haywood (9/4/19) |
Exchange Students
Pennfield 2019 exchange students are here!! We have been so excited to welcome them here at Pennfield High School. We had the chance to interview 5 of the exchange students. Asking them how they like America so far, why they wanted to come to America, and what their goals are for this year. Most of the students said they wanted to improve their English, see what America is like and to have a good year all while making friends. Down below is a video we put together of the interviews with the students. Remember, if you see them around school make sure to welcome them and say hey!
-- Brooklyn Bass and Melissa Santibanez (9/6/19) |
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