Christmas at OHS

Every year, Student Council has Christmas at OHS to celebrate the last day of school. We can purchase hot chocolate or treats, and we can even get our picture with Santa and Mrs. Claus!
It's a great way to end the first semester and kick off the break!

 Mrs. Troester with Santa and Mrs. Claus!

 There are so many yummy treats to choose from!

Several students at our school get a snapshot with our visitors from the North Pole.

Open Mic

After posting our winter stories to our blogs, we had an open mic for those who wanted to share. We even had an impromptu performance! Sharing our words fills the classroom with life.

Cozy Winter Writing

We enjoyed a couple days to write poems and stories about the winter season and holidays.
Having time to write creatively and have choice about what to write is so important as we develop writing skills but also enjoyment of writing.

 The crackling fireplace was set. 

 Christmas music was being played.

And we settled in to write.

Cozy socks optional. 

We Are Writers!

8th Graders are fabulous writers!
Here are some lines from different pieces of writing from students this year so far...

Claire: As I floated in the pool, it felt like I was floating in the warm summer breeze. 

Minlu: That day was hot; I felt like I was in a microwave heating up.  

Tucker: The snow tiptoed across the roof.

Bethany: I am from memories/As big as trees/Yet small enough to fit in the palm of my hand

Autumn E.: Fear comes slinking out of the corner.

Tate: My wandering shadow follows behind.

Emma: That faucet of inspiration in my brain turns on.

Avery: I am from hot chocolate...

Nahomi: I felt like a sad tree that doesn't have leaves.

Learning While Using iPads

There was a late start and an early out today; this makes for a very short day, but we were able to have Mrs. Morrow come demonstrate to the 4th Period Class some of the engaging things we can do on iPads.
Using Keynote, we were able to record ourselves reading a poem, capture or create visuals to represent the poem, answer questions about the poem, and explore the Clips App to make a movie about the poem. Mrs. Morrow taught us a lot in a very short amount of time.
We love having visitors come to our classroom to help us learn and explore new things.
Thank you, Mrs. Morrow!

Giving Our Writing Voice

As we go through the writing process, some of the final things we do are to peer review and then read our piece of writing out loud. Reading our essays out loud today brought our writing to life.

Veterans Day

     On Veterans Day, students went to St. Mary's for a program. The band played, the choir sang, and some people spoke about honoring and remembering our veterans. One of the best parts of the program was when an alumni of O'Neill Public Schools, Ty Sawyer, was given a Quilt of Valor. A Quilt of Valor is a symbol of comfort and healing; it is given to servicemen and veterans who have been touched by war. Congratulations to Ty for continuing to represent OHS in a positive manner. We thank you for your service.

To learn more about the Quilts of Valor or to request a quilt for a serviceman or veteran, go to their website: https://www.qovf.org/

This is Mrs. Troester and her dad who served in the army during the Korean War. 

Jr. High English Teachers

7th and 8th grade students have Mrs. Vanderbeek, Mrs. Reinhardt, and Mrs. Troester for their English and reading classes. When we changed to an eight-period day, we decided to have separate reading and English classes for our junior high. This sets a strong foundation for students before they enter high school.

Here are the three English teachers for junior high wearing matching colors, and they didn't even plan it!
 #GreatMindsThinkAlike

Honor Their Writing

   After doing a writing activity, I think it's important to give students the time to share their writing with peers. Today we got into small groups to share October Stories. Seeing the smiles and hearing the laughs and the "Wow - that was really good!" from students reinforced my belief that we need to take the time to share writing. It honors students' time and efforts; plus, it helps students with their speaking and listening skills. As a teacher, I love times like this.

Wormhole Challenge - Eyewitness to History - Bringing Descriptive Writing to Life

Occasionally I’m asked, “Why does OPS need one-to-one laptops?” Doing this tech project with my students reminded me how a small technology project can integrate critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity. These are the types of skills students will need to be competitive in the global workforce of their futures. In addition to this, they to brought their writing to life visually, and they brought voice to their projects when they spoke with authority. I would not be able to have my students complete projects like this without the one-to-one laptops. We are incredibly lucky to have this technology that prepares our students for their futures. 

Please check out a few stand-out projects:

Claire - Chernobyl: https://claires24.blogspot.com/2019/10/wormhole-challenge-chernobyl.html

Avery - WWII England 1941: https://averyl29.blogspot.com/2019/10/wormhole-challenge-england-1941_28.html

Keeley - Concentration Camp: https://keeleyc30.blogspot.com/2019/10/wormhole-challenge.html

Bethany - John White: https://bethanyo3.blogspot.com/2019/10/history-wormhole-challenge_29.html

Tate - Benjamin Franklin: https://tatek62.blogspot.com/2019/10/tates-wormhole-challenge.html

Presley - Joe Carter: https://presleyh42.blogspot.com/2019/10/joe-carter.html

Drew - Boston Tea Party: https://drewm2353.blogspot.com/2019/10/wormhole-challenge.html

Zori - Rosa Parks: https://zorik17.blogspot.com/2019/10/rosa-parks.html

Giving Students the Podium

   My students are sometimes often better with technology than I am.
   Here you can see Avery teaching students the different ways to export their videos from iMovie to Youtube and to their blogs. I love it when students take the initiative to share their knowledge because this isn't my classroom; this is OUR classroom. Nice job, Avery!

Guest Post: Bethany's Person of Influence

    Allison is my cousin and one of the best friends I have ever had. I’m not sure if she knows it, but she makes me braver and pushes me to try new things every day. She’s someone I can laugh with, and I’m not afraid to let loose and really be myself around her. As I look back on all my fondest memories, it’s hard to grasp just how much she’s influenced me in the best ways possible. She’s always encouraged me and helped me become a better version of myself. From her optimistic outlook on life to her comforting smiles, she’s made my life insurmountably brighter.

    Alli is a  tall 15-year-old girl, about 5’ 8”. She has long, silky blond hair that she always wears either down or in a braid. Her pale green eyes seem like they could draw you in, inviting you into another world filled with never-ending meadows and days of sun and laughter. She’s almost always wearing jeans, even on a hot summers’s day. When she walks into a room, she radiates happiness, lighting up every person she meets. Her warm, comforting hugs enfold you, and help you forget about all of your problems, even if it’s just for a little bit.

    Allison is a pretty soft-spoken person at first, but once you get to know her better, she talks a little more. Don’t let her quiet demeanor fool you though! She often sings more than she talks. Her voice reminds me of wind chimes, soft and enthralling. Alli is also a great listener. If I need someone to talk to, she’s always my first choice. When I vent to her about my problems, I don’t feel like I’m burdening her, and she always gives me excellent advice. I couldn’t even begin to tell how brave she is. Unlike me, she loves going through haunted houses and watching scary movies. She has a contagious easy laugh, and just seeing her smile lights me up like the Fourth of July inside.

    My parents got divorced two years ago, and Alli was an anchor for me through the whole thing. Whenever I needed someone to talk to, I knew I could go to her without being judged. Throughout it all, she was like the paddle to my rowboat, helping me push myself across the rocky waters to shore. She always kept me laughing and made sure that I knew that everything was going to be O.K. I never felt alone because I knew that Alli was only one call away. As soon as I heard Allison say, “Everything will turn out all right,” my problems seemed to melt away, and I felt like Alli and I were the only people on Earth. 

    Through my entire life, Allison has taught me to keep going and never give up. She showed me just how far a little love and comfort towards another person could take them, and she taught me to always be able to see the light on the horizon. I learned that if I reach my hand out, even in the dark, someone will grab hold. Allison has taught me something new every time I see her, and I know that she will continue to do so until the very end.

Guest Post: Dylan's Person of Influence

My dad

My father is a great guy that takes good care of me. My father and I have a pretty goofy relationship. He always  jokes around a lot with me and some of his good friends. He can also be very serious when it comes to sports or hunting. Him and I are really tight. We do a lot of deer hunting and cat fishing together. Sometimes I put out bread in stores with him early in the morning. He teaches me how to play sports and also how to become a successful hunter or fisherman.

My dad has dark black hair that is slowly turning grey as time goes by. He has light skin on his face with bright, blue eyes and a rough, little beard. His arms are really tan and covered with hair. He also has a tattoo on his left bicep with a heart that has his first two children's names. His hands are wrinkled and rough, with lots of hairs on them. He always wears Levi jeans, and his legs are BRIGHT white. He wears old man shoes with plain white socks. His biceps are really strong. He once hoisted a 35 gallon barrel full of used oil onto the tailgate of his truck by himself.

My dad’s personality is strong. He is very passionate about sports, especially when his kids are playing. He always tells me to get up when life brings me down and keep trying. He is very hardworking and determined to get the job done as he stumbles out of bed at three in the morning everyday. He actually put the siding up on our house with a little help from me and my mom. I know that he will never give up on anything.

It was a blistering day when we started siding our house. My dad was sweating from head to toe as he nailed on more and more dark green siding onto the back of our house. He finished the siding closest to the ground, and turned to me and said “I could be taking a nap right now in air conditioning, but there is work that needs to be done.” We got six layers of siding done on the back of our house that day. That showed me that my dad was very determined on getting the siding done on the back of our house.

 My dad has influenced my life by telling me to not assume anything. He tells me that just because a sports team looked bad last year, doesn’t mean that they are going to be bad this year, just like Valentine in football. He lets me know to always be nice to everybody, and everyone will remember you in a positive way. He always says, “If you get knocked down, get back up.” That is how my dad has influenced my life.

Guest Post: Drew's Person of Influence

My Dad is one of the coolest, most fun, and most supportive people I know. He takes me on trips, comes to my games, and helps me with all of the questions I have. In elementary school he coached our basketball team for a couple years. He did this along with many other generous things for me. This just shows how caring and supportive he is. My Dad is definitely one of the best dads ever. 

He stands 6’4 and towers over everyone who is near him. You’ll never see him without a ball cap on. He wears an O’Neill cap with lettering that says “OHS XC.” Whenever he’s not at work he’s always at our ranch. He is as hard of a worker as anyone I know. In the summer time he will always wear cutoff t-shirts. When it is winter, he wears about 10 long sleeve t-shirts no matter what the temperature is. His jeans that have holes in the knees symbolize it was a day well spent. When he’s not wearing his running boots, he will be wearing his black Muck boots. My Dad is the epitome of a hard-working Nebraskan. 

My Dad’s personality is unique. He is funny, smart, and caring. He always has a smile on his face and is happy. Sometimes he gets a little bit too competitive and it’s annoying, but it doesn’t bother me too much. Whenever he is at home watching TV, he will always try to make conversation even if I don’t want to talk. Sometimes he gets mad at me for little things but thankfully, he gets over it pretty quick. My dad’s personality is awesome!

One time in elementary school, we didn’t have anyone to help coach us. No parent wanted to deal with it. At the last second my Dad said he would do it. Even though he probably didn’t want to, he did it. This showed how much he cared about me. He knows that sports are my favorite thing and he didn’t want me to be mad or sad, so he stepped up and coached us that season. I told him throughout the whole year, “Thank you for coaching us,” and “I’m so glad you’re our coach this year,” just to remind him how much this meant to me.

My dad is a positive influence on me in so many ways. He shows me what’s right and what’s wrong. He teaches me many life lessons. He cares for me. All of these things show how good of a role-model he is. My dad is supportive, caring, and a hard-worker, and I wouldn’t trade him for anything.

Guest Post: Emma's Person of Influence

Mr. Childers

Mr. Childers is the best teacher I’ve had in all my years of schooling. There wasn’t a day I had him as teacher where I wasn’t excited to see him and have him in class. His classroom was always the best one to be in, it was so much more alive than the other two (in fifth and sixth grade). He was able to make learning fun by challenging us, whether it be in science or my reading class. Mr. Childers was also engaged with his students lives, and cared for us all like we were his own children.  

Mr. Childers has yellow, blonde hair that shines under the lights in basically any room. His eyes are the color of a light-blue sky, and his bright smile could honestly make anyone grin. He definitely isn’t the tallest, but when we were his students I’m pretty sure everyone in my grade was shorter than him as of sixth grade. Anyway, Mr. Childers’ most recognizable feature is probably his booming voice. It’s loud like a lion’s roar and clear as glass,  but not super deep; you could always hear him, and he never really needed a microphone. Every Monday through Thursday Childers wore casual clothes, but on Fridays he would bring out his royal blue, matte black, and shiny white eagle merchandise with his denim jeans to represent his school pride.

I’ve never seen a teacher who’ve had the personality like Mr. Childers. He’s confident and determined, ambitious in the best way, and extremely nice. Once in fifth grade, my reading class made a bet with him; if he couldn’t go the whole period (which was pretty long) without talking, we’d get recess. No matter how hard we tried, he wouldn’t talk. That was when we learned he was determined to win every bet we made with him, and he did! He’s caring to all of his students and he treated us like we were his own kids. He would even take time out of his own life to come to kids’ sports games! Last year he showed up at a junior high volleyball game in Ainsworth and cheered for the O’Neill kids more than the home team (at least that’s what I heard from several people since I don’t play volleyball.) At times Mr. Childers could be super serious, and it would sometimes scare us. One time at the beginning of class, he gave us a long lecture on getting our work done, and it petrified the whole class into complete silence, even the ones like me who always had work done on time felt pretty guilty. However, Mr. Childers only was serious when he needed to be, and he told us jokes on a regular basis, not all of them were funny, but everyone laughed anyway. 

I’ve never been closer to a teacher than Mr. Childers. There are so many stories that I have with him it’s hard to choose a favorite. However, the time he told us he was leaving is probably the most memorable though. I remember feeling like the world was seriously going to end, how could my life go on after my favorite teacher left? All the sixth grade classes crowded in his room, and he told us that he was leaving us to become a principal at Ainsworth. Basically the whole class of 2024 was close to Childers (since we’ve had him for two years), and we were devastated to see him leave. Everyone’s eyes in the room became glittery with tears, including him. “I think of you guys as my own kids,” Mr. Childers explained, “And if you guys ever need to talk to me, about anything ever, I’ll be there for you.” He even wrote his number on the whiteboard for us. A somber mood had fallen upon the grade, and sniffles and whimpers from almost all of the 11 and 12 year-olds could be heard. I remember I went home in tears, and I cried for like two hours straight. It was hard for us to watch him go, but we knew it was best for him. It was that day I realized just how much he actually cared for us. I’ve never seen a teacher cry, and for it to be about us, it must’ve meant something.  

Teachers I’ve had in the past couldn’t really compare to Mr. Childers. He made learning fun, especially with lively class discussions in reading class. Sometimes we’d have to work as a whole class to earn an extra recess by working out difficult math problems, or even letting the whole class bring snacks if we all got a 100% on our quizzes. There never was a dull day in Mr. Childers’ class, besides days where he had a substitute obviously, and I always looked forward to the classes I had with him. His lectures about getting work done or being good kids stuck with me (and probably a bunch of others). I’m sad he’s not an O’Neill Eagle anymore, but it was a better job opportunity, and now more kids get to experience him!

Guest Post: Avery's Person of Influence

 Jamie Fredrick

      Jamie Fredrick is a very close family friend of ours. She is also my mom’s boss, but that didn’t stop them from becoming great friends. She owns a coffee shop called Douglas Street Coffee Company. My mom is always excited to head off to work in the morning. Jamie enjoys inviting us over to her house for supper or to her camper for delicious grilled fish. Over time, she has become like family to my mom, siblings and me. 

      Jamie is just under six feet tall, and she has strong shoulders. She has short, straight, dark brown hair that is the color of coffee and is always neatly styled. Jamie also wears brown, square-framed glasses. She usually wears a coffee-themed shirt, or her coffee shop’s logo t-shirt. Her shirt accompanies a pair of nice jeans and a pair of sandals or tennis shoes. She is always lifting heavy boxes of coffee grounds with ease and is able to get things off high shelves.

        Jamie has a light, happy, welcoming personality. She greets people by saying “ Hey sweetie!” She is very caring and has a tender heart towards dogs, especially her three Brittanys: Zoey, Opie, and Bella.  Jamie is the type of person who always says “hi!” to dogs. When Jamie smiles at someone, you can’t help but feel happier. The first thing she likes to ask me after a long day is how my day was, or she wishes me luck on a test that is coming up. Jamie believes that if you’re having a bad day, you need a snack to cheer you up.  In fact, Jamie is an amazing baker, always whipping up tasty cookies, fancy breads, and delicious cheesecake cups. She can make me feel better just by giving me one of her signature bear hugs.

        We just moved back to O’Neill, and we needed someone with a trailer to help us move. Jamie offered right away to bring her husband, Dan’s, trailer and some people to help us. She carried boxes, held the door open for people, and kept us well-supplied with water. She never complained or said that she wanted to be doing something else. Then when it was time to unload the trailer, she helped us until the last box had been taken inside. She stayed until all of the furniture was in the right place and the boxes had been neatly stacked in a pile. Jamie even brought pizza and paper dinnerware because we hadn’t unpacked our kitchen things yet. We thanked her over and over, but all she said was “It’s not a big deal. I know that you would the same for me. Just know that I am always here for you.”

         Jamie and I are very similar. When we both have had long days, we just want to go home and watch a movie or read a book. Jamie loves to read just as much as I do. I admire her because she is brave, strong, and kind. She doesn’t think twice about helping others, and Jamie loves to make sure that people have a good day. She treats other people how she wants to be treated, and is always ready to help someone else. I think everyone should aim to be like her. She does her best each and everyday, and doesn’t stop until she has reached her goal. I look up to Jamie, and know that I always will. 

Guest Post: Evan's Person of Influence

Mr. Hostert     

         Mr. Hostert is a massive role model in my life. He was my basketball coach in 7th grade, and our team was really successful. No matter what, he never got mad at the refs even at Elkhorn Valley, and I think everyone thought those refs were terrible. I respect the calm matter and the calm way he approaches things. Someday, I want to be a calm person and realize that I can only affect things within my reach. He really helped me this last year during the basketball season to improve and grow. He has taught me a lot and I’m grateful for it.

Mr. Hostert is about the average height for a man and he is muscular and built. Mr. Hostert always wears formal pants like khakis or black slacks. He walks straight and always gives you a fist bump and asks you how it’s going. He claps a lot during sporting events especially when the eagles are winning. He has a shiny, silky bald head and a smoothly shaved beard. He works at O’Neill public schools as our athletic director.  He works hard and does a good job organizing all of our tournaments and games. 

He is very kind and friendly. Even when he is having a tough and stressful day, he will always find a way to get a “how’s it going” in. He is hardworking and encourages everyone around him to do better and improve themselves. He is outgoing and tough like a rock mentally. He is nice and respectful, but if you are messing around then he will call you out on it, because he cares about you, and doesn’t want people to put a bad name on you. One day in practice a few of our teammates were dunking the ball on the shorter hoop for little kids, and we all had to run for it. He seems to be in a happy smiling mood most of the time, and it seems like he loves working with us in practice and pushing us to be better. He wants to teach us to be the best student-athletes that we can be. He has a cool, smooth, outgoing personality that is good for coaching. He cares more about us than anything, and if we ever need anything, we can always go tell him. I trust him as much as I trust my parents. He will understand everything and is easy to relate to.   

When we were going to the West Holt tournament, I went to get off the bus in the frigid weather and stepped down onto the frozen solid ice and crash! I slipped and my knee went under me and collided with the ice. I tried to get up, but the pain was so bad that I couldn’t walk. Coach Hostert helped me into the building and he said that I needed to get some ice on my knee quickly to numb the pain so I could play in the game. The coach said if it hurt too much to play I need to tell him that I can’t play. It hurt throughout the whole day and c\Coach Hostert was skeptical whether to play me or not.  I started all of the games in the tournament, and it really showed me how much he cared about me, more than if our team won the game or not. I told him that I wanted to play, and he said I could, but he said that I had to take a smaller number of minutes. He showed that he cared and that was a trait that is really important.

The positive influence that I have learned from Coach Hostert is that you have to stay determined and keep working to improve yourself. I have learned that nothing comes to you, you have to work for it. Staying calm is something we all need like Coach Hostert. Being respectable is something everyone can work on whether you’re the best player on the team or the worst, we can respect everyone’s ability because we can all benefit the team. I will never forget the 7th-grade year and the effect that he had on me. Coach Hostert is a role model in my life and someday I want to coach basketball and hopefully, I will have the same influence on those kids as he had on me.

Guest Post: Ashtin's Person of Influence

Jerry Claussen

My Uncle Jerry is the person I want to emulate. He was a Seargent first-class in the U.S. Army. He lives in Palmer, Alaska. He has taught me a lot of things that I would not normally have learned on my own, like how to make a water filter out of rocks and a water bottle. He has also taken me to do things I wouldn’t have normally done, like hiking or fishing.

Jerry is a larger-than-life person both physically and mentally. He is 6 foot 5 inches tall and used to be 260 lbs of pure muscle. He is now smaller because he is training for a  marathon to support his Army buddies. He has long brown hair and brown eyes, just like his brother. Jerry reminds me of the Punisher because of his strength and hard-working demeanor.

Jerry is strong-willed and fun. He likes climbing mountains, riding bikes, and hiking with his wife and children. He is very adventurous and never stops exploring. Jerry’s determination is very admirable. Jerry’s friend was on an ice fishing trip, and while he was on his way to the lake he fished at, it started snowing really hard, to the point that it became a complete whiteout. He got stranded in the middle of the lake with Jerry being a few miles behind. When Jerry got within about a mile of the lake the blizzard hit him too. Jerry realized that since there was a blizzard with no visibility, his friend would have to stay where he was until help could arrive, so Jerry, being the stubborn man he is, started his Jeep back up and charged straight into the blizzard to try to find his friend. Because of the fact that they were in Alaska, they both had food, water, and extra layers in their Jeeps, so Jerry’s friend was able to survive long enough to be rescued two days later and returned to his wife who was worried sick. 

 When I was about twelve-years-old my family went camping a lot and he liked to come with us. He would take me and my cousin on hikes through the hills, forests, and mountains, and he would show us the wildlife around the camp. We used to find deer laying in the grass, owls and sparrows in the trees, and sparkling rainbow-trout in the rivers. He used to take us on off-road trails and through the tall grasses of the hills. I used to be reluctant to follow him on the trails, but every time I felt scared of doing something he would say, “You’ll never know if you like something if you don’t try.”

Jerry has taught me to be more adventurous and to have fun no matter where I am. He has also taught me to never give up and to always be determined to reach my goals. I am reminded of him every time I see an off-road trail. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without his guidance.

Guest Post: Alex's Writing from UNL

I am the traveling man 

From the ancient times 

Watching every shining star 

Curious about every thought 

Nonetheless, there’s so much to be taught 

Peace within seems so bizarre 

As the world springs gold 

Watching the truth unfold 

This magnificent animal is now a scar 

Showing human crimes 

I am the traveling man 

GRAMMAR IS FUN!

     Understanding how parts of speech work together is an objective we work on in 8th Grade English because this helps us understand sentence structure better.
     Every day we start with DGP (Daily Grammar Practice) and every other week we play a parts of speech grammar game. Our teacher enjoys walking around while we play, so she can hear our conversations with one another as we figure out what part of speech different words can be - and some can even be more than one part of speech! Good conversations and lots of learning happen when we play this game and do DGP every day.

Guest Post: Aliyha's I Am From Poem

I am From Dance

I am from Dance

I express myself with body language 

I can be dramatic smooth like jazz. 

I am from the perfect song

          Little me needed music

 helping me through the hard times. 

I am from the choreography

I keep changing 

no plan just keep going

I am from the stage

center of attention 

only when people need me.

I am from Hip Hop

 popping all the bubbles that block my visions.

 Locking bad memories in a box

back of my mind.

 Dropping unnecessary problems.

 I am from Clogging

 stepping on the people who pushed me down.

I am from Tap

tip-tapping on the tables

I'm bored.

I am from Balle's

grandma dying at 45.

 The diseases my dad has

 I might have in the future.

 Leaping far away from my mother

we aren't that close

she doesn't want to see me

 I am from Irish

my heritage

 my great-grandpa Moore full Irish. 

I am from Salsa

 lots of passion.

 I am from line dancing

 I have all my ducks in a row

 the same as the do si do.

 I am from Swing Dancing

 going back and forth from my parents' houses

Only at five.

Yelling back and forth

who really needed the kids?

 I am from Rain Dance

 a little bit of Cherokee in me

The native dance.

I am from Dance

 I move to my own rhythm.