THE SCEPTERNOVEMBER 2016 0 3

F E A T U R E S

N E W S & O P I N I O N

S P O R T S

E N T E R T A I N M E N T

CLAIRE NEIL & KAYLEE PENRY

HANNAH IM ELLIOTT WOLBACH &

FAITH WORKMAN

NATE GENDLER& DYLAN NICHOLSON

KASSIDY BROWN& MEGAN KRABBENHOFT

ALEXA BUSBY ALYSSA FORAL MEGAN FRIEL IZZY HAAVE MOLLEE SWIFT JOANNA WALTON

EMMA HIGBY LAUREN LAFOND EMILY LINGELBACH KAYLEN MALTAIS HANNA OLSON DELANI WATKINS

LAUREN DOMINELLO CHLOE GRIMM TREVOR KALAL KENNEDY SAUTTER CAITLYN THOMAS

2 0 1 6 - 1 7

P L H S J O U R N A L I S M S T A F F

SCEPTER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICOLE LUDDEN

PLPULSE.COM EDITOR-IN-CHIEFCJ CURRY

DESIGN CAMRYN BOWERS

BRENDON BOATWRIGHT HANNAH CAHILL HUNTER POMBRIO JOSEY RYAN DEVIN VETTER

COPY RAINA DODGE

COVERAGE BRITTANY KELLNER

PEYTON COSE JULIA HARKER

EDITORIAL

EDITORS PHOTOGRAPHY

BRENA GROEPERTREVOR LEWIS

Everyone has limitations. Whether this means you cannot do a pull-up or you are unable to walk across a room on your own, everyone deals with individual setbacks.

For centuries, people have been shunned for being different.

Physical and mental disabilities have a long history of medical study, but only in recent decades have they begun to be socially accepted.

Why is this?We all bleed the same red

blood; we all struggle through the trials of daily life. Why not struggle together?

There are individuals that feel the need to knock people down because of their limitations. They might hide behind a computer

screen, or they could be walking the halls. We all know these people exist.

What we pretend we do not know is the scars their words leave. The raw cuts and bruises from their words cut deeper then any knife. It is time for us to heal together.

At times, it is difficult to see beyond the negativity. However, many people have surpassed their limitations and made a magnificent impact on history.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt served his country from a wheelchair during one of the worst wars of all time. Stephen Hawking created groundbreaking theories and is considered a genius, despite being paralyzed.

Even students at our school have become more involved, from the introduction of the special education department’s formation of a coffee serving business to competitive bowling.

For even more years, we’ve seen senior Lena Gomez on her tricycle in the hall and senior Linda Valadez Fuentes delivering mail with a smile.

So yes, we all have limitations, but our limitations do not define who we are. We are more than that.

Today’s world is a world of tolerance. Anyone can be anything. It is up to us to leave our world a better place than when we started.

A World of Potential

Camryn Bowers, Alexa Busby, Izzy Haave, Brittany Kellner, Taryn Moore & Delani Watkins

ENTERTAINMENTOPINIONNEWS0 6 FEATURESSPORTS

BY IZZY HAAVEPAGE DESIGN BY ALEXA BUSBY

Special Education teachers help to expand learning beyond the education bubble.

ExcEPTIONAL SOULS

They support you, they advise you, and they help you learn things you didn’t know before. They are some of the most important, yet most overlooked people in the career field today, and they have been in the same grade for the past five years. Who are they? They are teachers.

But what about the teachers that go the extra mile in supporting those children who need a special type of support? Who are they?

Teachers Mrs. Stacia Kapalka and Mrs. Leigh Mcauliff are part of the small group of “they” at PLHS. Mcauliff, a special education teacher who works with visually impaired students, has had many experiences that led her to the career field she chose.

“I did an internship my freshman year of college working with children who had special needs and I loved it,” Mcauliff said. “I was

intrigued by the possibilities, I wanted to make a difference and knew this was what I was meant to do.”

It takes a certain type of patience and compassion to be a special education teacher who truly makes a difference in the lives of their students. Kapalka has some advice for those looking into the career field of special education.

“Some days can be extremely stressful and exhausting, but others will be some of the greatest days of your life,” Kapalka said. “It is one of the most rewarding jobs out there.”

Careers that include special education can have some of the best, most fulfilling moments of any career field. Mcauliff emphasizes the reason why she and so many other teachers feel being in this field is exceptionally gratifying.

“I love when I see my students become independent and develop self-determination skills,” Mcauliff said. “I also love that I travel to different buildings; each school has a different

vibe and different feel to it. I get to know the staff and students at each which makes my job fun and keeps it interesting.”

For these teachers, there is such a big responsibility and impact in the lives of special education children. There are certain schooling qualifications that must be met in order to go into this line of work, some of which can be a bit strenuous.

“I was involved in a four year program where I had to get my general education classes and basic teaching classes done in order to apply for a degree program within the teachers’ college,” Kapalka said. “They only took a certain number of students per semester in each area and once I was accepted, then I could continue and complete higher level education classes, practicums, and student teaching.”

Kapalka and Mcauliff not only share the commonality of comprising the special education staff, but they are also part of the coaching staff for

THE SCEPTER 0 7NOVEMBER 2016

ExcEPTIONAL SOULS Special education teacher

Mrs. Deck high-fives student Tristan Kreis.

PHOTO: IZZY HAAVE

Senior Linda Valadez Fuentes poses with special education teacher, Mrs. Mathison.

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE

the cheer squad. As both a special education teacher and cheer coach, Mcauliff believes being a special education staff member has aided her in her coaching and vise versa.

“Being a special education teacher takes a lot of patience and flexibility, which translates well into the world of cheerleading,” Mcauliff said. “Both can be challenging at times, but they are both well worth it.”

So, who are they? They are the teachers that go the extra mile in supporting the students who need a

special type of support. They are the ones whose patience and compassion is what leads those students to success. They are the ones who don’t care about the notoriety or the acknowledgement. The people who continuously work and help children not because they have to, but because they love to. At PLHS, they are Mrs. Kapalka and Mrs. Mcauliff, and they are proud to be special education teachers.

arly Bird

1 0 OPINIONFEATURESNEWS

SPORTSENTERTAINMENT

For students, Wednesday mornings offer a chance to sleep in and lazily find their way into the halls. For their teachers, this is not the case.

Wednesday mornings have been set aside for team meetings for staff. While the student body is savoring those twenty extra minutes of sleep, teachers are awake and lively, thinking of inventive ideas to keep kids interested in learning. Because of how exhausting their work is, teachers need their coffee. However, a portion of the student body has decided to do Wednesday mornings a bit differently.

Bow Down Brew, a new program started by the special education department, is adding a bonus to Wednesday mornings for staff. Almost running like a small business, the program provides coffee and other drinks to participating staff in a personalized mug to enjoy after

getting through weekly team meetings.“The purpose and desired results

of the Bow Down Brew program are to increase and maintain social interactions with peers and adults all while targeting skills such as following directions, asking for help, and navigating the building,” program overseer Jill Guenther said. “Students are also practicing measuring, preparing, washing and tracking orders and payments.”

Bow Down Brew is a coffee delivery program that has been “Monarchized” after beginning at Papillion-La Vista South High School.

“Bow Down Brew started with a brainstorming conversation at the end of last school year among a group of teachers about a fun work task that could be set up for the upcoming school year for students working on life skills,” Guenther said.

Ultimately, the program was organized to build skills for students to use after their high school career.

“This program provides another creative opportunity for students with special needs to practice these skills in their building, gaining valuable experiences for transition after high school,” Guenther said.

Bow Down Brew not only impacts students involved, but the entire school community.

“I think that it gives teachers a chance to see some of the students when they bring the coffee around,” participating teacher Mr. Ryan Sherlock said. “As a school, or society in general, it helps build the reputation of the students and helps connect them on a more personal level.”

The program also gives students, whether directly or indirectly involved, a chance to meet new

The

Gets the Coffee

BY DELANI WATKINS

Bow Down Brew, a program started by special education students, brings coffee and smiles to staff after Wednesday morning meetings.

PAGE DESIGN BY CAMRYN BOWERS

THE SCEPTERNOVEMBER 2016 1 1

people.“Staff and peers have more

opportunities to interact with the students delivering their product throughout the building,” Guenther said.

Participants in the Bow Down Brew program have a unique motivation behind their involvement.

“I think the best thing is that it’s supporting a good program,” Sherlock said. “I think supporting the special needs program is a good thing and people should be more active in doing it.”

So far, the program has been successful. Bringing coffee, tea, hot chocolate, water and smiles to 40 staff members, Bow Down Brew has given an uncommon chance for special needs students to brew up their own small business and leave a legacy for future classes.

Junior Mackenzie Smith hands a coffee to a smiling Ms. Anna Gorat. Wednesday morning for the students running the program means preparing and delivering drinks and smiles.

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE

Senior Linda Valadez Fuentes and junior Mackenzie Smith prepare

Bow Down Brew orders. All students involved work together to run their

business.

PHOTO: TARYN MOORE

MENU

HOT TEAICED TEA

COFFEECOFFEE WITH CREAMER

VANILLA ICED COFFEEICED WATER

EVERYTHING IS $1BOW DOWN BREW

2 6 OPINIONFEATURES NEWSSPORTS

ENTERTAINMENT

Loberg said.Members of this team not only

bowl, but help others to bowl and have success. Bumpers aren’t allowed, but students that can’t bowl in the traditional way can use ramps. Some members of the bowling team are involved, and they, with other peers, help the students bowl.

One peer involved in this program is junior Jackson Speece, who plans to connect with a lot of the members of Unified Bowling. Not only does he want to meet new people, but he is excited to compete.

“I am personally thrilled to just compete in matches and tournaments against other schools,” Speece said.

Senior Megan Warrior is also involved, with only one year to participate in this new program. She plans on taking advantage of this opportunity by setting goals for herself.

“My goal is to get a score of 200,” Warrior said.

Warrior knows she will have to practice, and with the help of others, she believes she can reach this goal.

“I am excited for a new sport and I like seeing how other people bowl to

help me get better,” Warrior said.Not only are the players excited,

but Loberg is anticipating the many smiles Unified Bowling will bring.

“I am excited for our students to have another opportunity to participate in different activities,” Loberg said. “It’s hard not to have excitement when you are around the team because their energy is contagious.”

With the number of students involved throughout the state of Nebraska, the anticipation for more unified sports keeps growing.

“We expect there to be more unified sports in the near future,” Loberg said.

Not only is the team hoping for more unified sports, but to have a successful season this year in Unified Bowling.

“I am really competitive, so I am ready and excited to win,” Loberg said.

The bowling season began in early October and, after their first two competitions, the team remains undefeated. They will compete in the district tournament on Nov. 29.

Senior Jonathan Nissen had a look of excitment on his face. A nervous look took over but faded away as he looked at his opponent.Then it happened: the scoreboard highlighted his name and it was finally his turn. Walking up to the lane, he was careful not to cross the line. He went into his wind-up, and bang, the pins fell, making it real: Nissen had just competed in his first competition.

Nissen loves competing and his favorite part of bowling is getting strikes, but without the new program, he might not have had this chance.

This is the first year for Unified Bowling. The Nebraska School Activities Association partnered with Special Olympics Nebraska to make it a sporting event that any school can participate in, opening up opportunities for everyone to get involved.

PLHS has about 50 students participating and they are led by coach Megan Loberg.

“Unified Bowling brings together those with intellectual disabilities and those without to compete in practices and matches,”

PAGE DESIGN BY NICOLE LUDDEN

BY JOSEY RYAN

The Monarch Unified

Bowling team looks to have

a successful first year.

Just Roll

With It

Jonathan Nissen

THE SCEPTERNOVEMBER 2016 2 7

Meet Teamthe

“ “

My favorite part is spinning the ball down

the lane.Ka’Veon Anthony-Foster

“

“

I like seeing my friends.Samantha Biggs “ “

My favorite part about bowling is getting

spares.Tierra Nissen

“

“

[Bowling] calms my mind.

Bradley Higgins

“ “I was excited and happy

when we beat the Titans.

Jonathan Nissen