Ain’t No Party Like a Cyclone Party

My friend, Zoe Nelson, and I at this year’s City, celebrating our final year together. 

As a Cyclone throughout my entire high school career, my favorite part of all four years was City Tournament. With my love for basketball and student sections, I had always looked forward to the excitement that enchants each game.

From learning the poms dance to buying all three of the designed shirts, everything about it made my level of happiness soar to the sky. However, that’s all over now.

I will never be able to look forward to those riveting three days. All I can do now is look back. As I think about my past few city tournaments, I recall many details that made each year so memorable.

My freshman year, I had not a clue about what was so fascinating about city tournament. I remember awkwardly standing up with the poms during study hall, practicing strange choreographed hand motions and rethinking my buying of city tickets.

During freshman year, we used towels as our props and danced to the song “And We Danced” by Macklemore. I was so determined to learn the dance and I thought I would be shamed if I didn’t know it on the spot.

At the beginning of my first city game, I felt super uncomfortable. I was nervous about knowing the dance and remembering all of the cheers. Fortunately, everything worked out perfectly. I swung that towel around like my life depended on it.

I instantly began to fall in love with City Tournament. Sophomore year, I was ready and still nervous about remembering the dance routine. Since I was a sophomore, my class had better seats. Teachers quickly handed out our designated prop for the year which was a white pom pom.

However, I pulled a classic Kate move and wore five inch wedges to city, which made jumping around and standing very uncomfortable. My best piece of advice I can give is: do not wear heeled shoes to city.

My junior year at city was one of my favorites. This was the year our dance routine was choreographed to the song “Everytime we Touch” by Cascada. That year our prop was the flashlight sequence on our iPhones. It looked like an electric light show from afar.

The night of our dance, one of our rival teams learned that we were using our flashlights as part of our dance. So what did they do? They all turned on their flashlights and waved them around right before our dance. This enraged me. But who did it better, am I right? I think our spirit award from last year shows it.

Now we reach the end. This year I barely knew the dance and I blame that on senioritis. During City this year, I would look back on the freshman and just smile. I smile because I know that this is only the beginning for them.

This four year tradition imprints itself in your memory. It will be something I’ll always remember when I look back on my high school days. Cyclone Nation lives on in my favorite memories.  

My buddy, Emily Osowski, and I took this picture together at 2015 City when we were Juniors.

Jesus is the Reason for the Season

‘Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la la la la la! The Christmas season is finally here. Not even finals could bring down Christmas cheer. When you see Christmas decorations, they are often ornamented with reindeer or Santa Claus.

When kids think about Christmas, they are reminded that they will receive presents under the tree and in their stockings. I often wonder if people are forgetting what Christmas is really all about.

This photo reminds the public of how Christmas is all linked back to the glorious day our Savior was born. source: Google

The word “Christmas” stands for the annual celebration for Christians, revolving around the birth of Jesus Christ. The story of the birth of Jesus is recited in two out of the four gospels, Matthew and Luke.

The story goes that the Virgin Mary and Joseph traveled into Bethlehem from Nazareth because they had to register for a census. As they were traveling, Mary began to go into labor. They began searching for a place to stay so Mary could have her baby.

They found an inn, but there was no room, so they spent the night in a stable with animals surrounding them. When Mary had Jesus, she laid him in a manger and wrapped him in swaddling clothes.

Shepherds watching their flock noticed a star over the stable where Jesus was staying, it was seen as a sign. An angel appeared to them and told them of the good news, a savior was born.

Then a group of angels appeared and said, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, and goodwill toward men.” Three magi were close by as well. The three magi followed the star above the stable and brought Jesus gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  

This Christmas story has been part of my childhood. Growing up with a Catholic education, I heard this story every year. However, the general public might be drifting from the true meaning of Christmas.

Fr. Marty Smith inputs by saying, Christmas is recognized as a sacred time of year; however, recent American culture is wrapped up in materialistic ideals.

SHG freshman Olivia Kink-Tucker states, “We become occupied with the excitement for the gifts we asked for that we often forget why we are celebrating Christmas in the first place.”

Personally, I love Christmas stories of Frosty the Snowman and the Grinch. They have always been part of my life and are a huge memory from my childhood. Sometimes I am too distracted by them to remember that Jesus is the reason for the season.

So for people like me who are Catholic and in love with new age Christmas ideals, is having the best of both worlds capable? It is possible!

One important thing you can do each year during Christmas is remember to go to mass. SHG senior Andrew Gonzalez says, “I go [to Christmas mass] every year with my mom, dad, brother, and sometimes with our grandpa.”

By going to mass, you are praising Jesus and remembering his importance during this holiday season. If you’re worried about not having time for mass, remember that there is even a midnight mass. SHG senior Eilise Cummins says, “I go with my immediate family at midnight mass [for Christmas] at Cathedral.”

Another time to continue the faith is on Christmas day. SHG freshman Sophie Kink-Tucker adds, “I think people can incorporate the childhood and religious side of Christmas together by telling the children that they get presents because that’s what Jesus got from the three wise men when he was born.”

Fr. Marty Smith also very much believes in the goodness of the tradition of Santa. He says, “I think the tradition of Santa is a good one, because when done correctly it helps children to believe in something they can’t see, to believe in things that are not always visible to our eyes.”

What is important for faith-filled people is to remember why we celebrate. Cummins states, “I think in the time leading up to Christmas, we can all get really wrapped up in the idea of good prices and getting presents for other people that we forget why we are giving presents in the first place.”

This holiday season, while you are watching “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and feasting on delicious gingerbread cookies, remember that we wouldn’t be celebrating this joyous time if Jesus Christ was not born. Don’t forget to say your prayers, give back, and have a Merry Christmas!   

The Sad Senior

As the first semester comes to a well deserved close, I can’t help but think how fast this year has been going. As I write this, I can’t believe that I’ll be taking my last winter finals one, short week away. I remember freshman year, winter finals. I was completely stressed, almost to the point of mental breakdowns.

It seems like such a short time ago that I was preparing for my first hour theology final with Mrs. Bauer. I remember feeling as if finals would be the very thing that would be the end of my existence. As a senior, I know the idea of  “my finals will destroy my entire life” is only a myth. As long as you organize, prepare and keep a positive mind, you’ll be just fine.

I just find it insane that my last winter finals at SHG are upon me. What’s even more insane to me is that the juniors are slowly moving up to becoming seniors themselves (after my class graduates).

On Thursday, December 3 the junior class had their class ring ceremony. I remember my ring ceremony last year. I’ve worn my class ring every day since then. If I forget to put on my class ring I feel so weird, almost empty.

I wear it every day because it is a constant reminder of the best four years of my life and the amazing experiences I’ve gained from it. This year I am enrolled in a junior class. It is my fifth hour chemistry class. I loved being the only one with a class ring.

However, on the day of the ring ceremony, I realized that my precious time as a senior will not be a long one. Seeing all the juniors adorned with their class rings just reminded me how quickly time is flying.

As excited as I am to go to KU and have a fresh start, leaving all of my memories at SHG makes me sad. I’ve had such amazing experiences at SHG, and it’s hard to believe that in a few months I’ll be graduating from those memories.

 

Throwback to my sophomore winter finals with retired Jerry the Janitor dressed as Santa.

I just have these emotions of both sadness and eagerness as my senior year keeps moving forward. I guess I could say I’m lucky to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard. With my senior year half way done, I think it’s important to carpe diem (seize the day) and make this the best year yet.

I plan to seize the day by making these last memories ones to remember. Going to every city tournament game, grasping every opportunity handed to me and spending more time with amazing friends I’ve made over the past four years is how I plan to spend the last semester. So when the time comes to say goodbye to SHG, I’ll only smile when I think of all the memories that made my high school experience something I’ll never forget. 

View the School

Preview Night, on November 12, 2015, was a night to show off Sacred Heart-Griffin to fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth graders considering SHG as their high school. The night would not have been a success without the help of over 50 student volunteers.

Senior and student body president Megan Schultz gave an opening speech about her involvement and growth throughout her years at SHG.

Many student volunteers were Student Ambassadors who gave tours to the groups of potential students. The tours visited just about every wing of the school, covering just about every class that SHG provides.

Mr. Talken gives a presentation to a tour group at Preview Night. Photo courtesy of Yearbook Staff.

In the science wing, chemistry students presented tour groups with many interesting experiments. In the fashion room, fashion students wore old fashion outfits while they worked on new ones. In the basement, art students displayed and created pieces of art for the people to see. Near the chapel, students helped explain prayer services and retreats. The cheerleading and poms teams performed for the school’s visitors. The choir students performed many songs for tour groups to listen to and the band practiced for all to hear.

SHG students did not do everything though. Many teachers and faculty members took a lot of time in preparing and presenting Preview Night. The teachers set up presentations and powerpoints just for the occasion. “The math department’s set up really interested people from the beginning,” said junior Charlie Costa, who was a tour guide for the event. “They had the engineering bridges set out along with a sound project that was projected on the wall.”

Preview Night was a long night for everyone, but it was a success. Both Megan Schultz and Charlie Costa received positive feedback from many people. Schultz said, “The parents of my sister’s eighth grade friend said that they learned so much from Preview Night and being able to walk through the halls helped open their eyes to how great a school SHG is.”

A Movie with a Purpose

On September 25th the movie “The Intern” was released in theaters. After having doubts about whether or not I would enjoy the movie, I decided it was worth the ten dollars to see if I would be pleasantly surprised.

The movie had a lineup that could not be beat. With Anne Hathaway and Robert De Niro as costars, this movie was bound to be block buster hit. The chemistry between the two actors was able to be felt through the movie screen.

The movie takes place in Brooklyn, New York in a large old printing factory that was renovated into an online clothing company headquarters. The owner, Jules Ostin, started the company from her kitchen and within 6 months went from having 2 employees to 200.

I had a lot of doubts because I thought it would be a cliché movie that is a one of those stories in which in the beginning the boss was mean and crotchety and then the new intern she didn’t want changes her into a nice person.

All I can say is I was dead wrong. This movie had a plot like I’d never seen before and was intriguing. This movie was by all means a feminist movie and exemplified that in this day and age women can, and will be just as successful as men.

However, in the beginning of the movie Jules thinks that being successful means not accepting help from anyone, even when it is badly needed. Then, Ben Whittaker a 75-year-old intern comes along and changes the way Jules looks at things.

Further in the movie, Jules’ company  advisors suggest that she interview people to find a CEO for her company. Jules’ takes this to heart because she thinks as the owner, she knows what’s best for her company.

While also dealing with other personal struggles outside of the work place, Jules starts to confide in Ben as a friend, and co-worker. When she asked Ben if she is doing the right thing by giving up the company, Ben gives her million dollar advice.

“The Intern” is a movie that every person should see because it shows that it is possible to be successful and have a great home life at the same time, and just because you’re a woman doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice your professional life for your home life. I give the movie a 4.5 out of 5. The .5 lost was due to the movie being a little slow at some parts but really…most movies are.

Sen16r Year

Here we are. Senior year is finally upon us. I remember hearing about high school from my older cousins when I was in grade school. They all told me that high school goes by quickly. However, at the time, I did not believe them in any way. I didn’t think that four years could suddenly just flash before my eyes as they were describing. I completely understand that mindset now. For me, it still has not set in that I’m a senior, that most of my friends are seniors. I remember freshman year, and I cringe. I remember not knowing how to properly do makeup and not being familiar with other students or the high school setting, in general. I felt awkward in my uniform and I didn’t think five minutes to get to class was enough time. Being a senior, my uniform feels like everyday, typical clothes. I don’t even consider how I look in the uniform anymore. It’s just so routine. I’ve also found that five minutes is enough time to talk to friends, get my books, and slow walk it to class. So much has changed since freshman year, and a plethora of memories have been made.

From home games, to spirit week, to city tournament, all of these events have brought us together as a community, and have made memories no one can replace. One thing I’ve quickly realized as a newly made senior is that this is the last time all of those events will occur for our class. I haven’t taken this very well. However, I’m trying to make the most of these last events. I’m doing this by attending all the football games and making the most of this spirit week.  One senior perk that I’ve come to know this spirit week is toga day. I’m really reminded that I’m a senior when I google the words “how to tie a toga.” It’s a tradition every senior class goes through, and it stuns me that my class has finally arrived to THE toga day.

Spirit week is always full of fun. Add-On Day allowed people to adorn themselves with ties and scarfs. Frat/Prep Day was my favorite because the stereotypical frat boy look is always fun to wear. Disney Day was full of laughs as kids dressed up as Darla from “Finding Nemo,” Boo from “Monsters Inc.,” and other fantastic characters. Farmers Day allowed kids to embrace their inner-country selves with cowboy boots and plaid. As for my fantastic senior class, we showed just how fun being Greek can be with our togas. Finally, the week drew to a close with the annual Black and Gold theme. I love this theme because we get to let our school pride really shine through, and we get to wear sweatpants. As spirit week drew to a close, I realized I’ll never get to experience this known, SHG tradition again. It breaks my heart, but I’m glad I got to show my spirit for four years and make memories for spirit week. They are memories I’ll always treasure. Memories of being a cyclone. That’s all for now. Catch ya later, cyclones. – Kate

The SHG seniors lead the student section in cheers.

Photo Credits: Jessika Angeli