October 4, 20194 Features

Alex OdgaardStaff Writer

Seminarian Bill Vogel returns to Pius X to teach Theology

Theology teacher Bill Vogel interacts with freshmen during his Theology I class.

PHOTO BY ALEX ODGAARD

Bill Vogel, a 2009 Pius X graduate, has come back to Pius X to teach theology.

Vogel is the first seminarian to teach full time at Pius X. He took a year off after graduating before becoming a teacher.

“I loved seeing the new changes made since I’ve been here,” Vogel said, “I also liked seeing my previous teachers.”

Vogel had previous high school teaching experience before teaching at Pius X, and he said it wasn’t difficult for him to adjust.

Vogel likes Pius X because of the welcoming community. He thinks our love for God unifies everyone. He likes how he doesn’t have to conceal his love for God, and how he can talk about God every day.

Vogel teaches Theology I and

Theology IV. He teaches Theology IV first period and Theology I second and third period.

Isaac Dohmen, a freshman in Vogel’s theology class, said, “I really like when we do daily Bible readings. It really helps me connect with the Lord more.”

Halle Bialas, another freshman in Vogel’s class, said, “He’s very helpful to all students.”

After third period, Vogel’s teaching duties are over. However, he monitors lunch during fifth

period. He makes sure students are being positive and keeping a good environment in the lunchroom.

Later in the day after school ends, Vogel goes to Aldrich Field to coach football to freshman boys.

Vogel enjoys teaching and coaching very much. He is excited to see how he will grow as an educator while teaching students at Pius X.

Pius X students painted murals in the library over the summer to make it a more welcoming place.

Librarian Erin Willis sent surveys out in spring of last year to get students involved with the library. The Library Club was formed to brainstorm ideas to make the library a more welcoming place.

“The Library Club came up with the genre wall,” Willis said. “The pictures on the wall represent a classic and modern book to tie the old with the new.”

Twelve students conceptualized the murals and came in over the summer.

In order to start painting, administration had to approve the design and budgets.

Senior Laura Konz painted the mural with the quote, “Books are just worlds waiting to be opened” in the back of the library.

“The Library Club met at the end of last year and

decided as a group to give the library a face-lift,” Konz said.

Her idea started with choosing a quote.“I researched library quotes and had a lot of

design ideas. I settled on the galaxy and pages,” Konz said.

Her goal of designing and creating the mural was to make the library a place students want to go to.

“The goal of the murals is to make it [the library] more of a place where students want to visit and is more accessible,” Konz said.

Sophomore Cadence Watson painted the romance section, which contains elements of both “Romeo and Juliet” and “The Fault in our Stars”.

She agrees that the library needs to be more welcoming.

“I hope it brings a lot more people down to the library,” Watson said. “The walls were boring, and we should make the other halls in the building more interesting instead of institutional white.”

PHOTO BY ABBIE RUSSMAN

Senior Laura Konz painted one of several new murals in the library.

Library revamped with murals painted by Pius X studentsAbbie Russman

Co-Editor in Chief / News Editor

“I loved seeing the new changes made since I’ve

been here,” - Bill Vogel

Freshman Justin Kerkman doesn’t let adversity stop him, both on and off the tennis courts.

After experiencing a stroke before birth, he was forced to learn different ways to complete tasks.

“The part of my brain that was damaged affects the movement on the left side of my body, mostly my arms and legs,” Kerkman said.

He now wears a brace on his hand and one on his leg, but he doesn’t let them stop him from doing what he enjoys: tennis. He has been playing for the past three years.

Kerkman tried out and made the Pius X tennis team. The team practices after school every day from 3:40-6PM.

“In the summer, I play tennis at Woods for two hours, so I am used to playing tennis for that long,” Kerkman said.

Kerkman is seen as a positive and encouraging teammate.

Freshmen Ryan Hoffschneider went to North American Martyrs with Kerkman and is on the Pius X tennis team as well.

“He always tells me to have faith in myself because I don’t think I am very good,” Hoffschneider said.

Kerkman has been playing far longer than Hoffschneider, but is very humble and instead focuses on uplifting others.

He shows this in his classes as well, including Accounting I.

“He has an outward personality that everyone wants to be friends with,” Accounting teacher Jake Moore said. “He is very comfortable in his own skin, even as a ninth grader in a class of ninth through twelfth.”

In both the classroom and on the tennis courts, Kerkman isn’t afraid to be himself.

Pius X assistant tennis coach Kole Harrach said, “He has a really good attitude and positive demeanor, he’s a hard worker and has a good sense of humor.”

When faced with a challenge, Kerkman finds ways around them.

After attempting to serve by throwing the tennis ball up with his left hand, he realized that it was too difficult to stay consistent. However, that didn’t stop him from continuing his tennis career.

“He has to balance it [the tennis ball] on his racket. Then he throws the ball up with his racket and gets his racket up to swing,” Harrach said. This technique is advanced and requires a great deal of skill.

“It has to take so much effort to serve without one hand,” Hoffschneider said. “What really amazes me is how consistent he is with his serve.”

Kerkman might have braces on his leg and arm, but he is no less than anyone else. He has to work a little harder than others, but continues to do so with a smile.

Kerkman overcomes challenges in life, tennisBrenna MazourEntertainment Editor

PHOTO BY BRENNA MAZOUR

Freshman Justin Kerkman serves during his doubles match at last week’s dual at Lincoln East.

Lincoln Pius X

Brenna Mazour