Hiawatha High School Mid-Year in Review
Commentary By Megan Vega
January 25, 2012
As each new year quickly approaches in hopes of bringing new opportunities and a handful of life-lessons and experiences, high school brings about annual school-wide themes to encourage each student at Hiawatha High School to strive for success.
Throughout the 2011-2012 school year, students work on the pillars of this year’s theme: The W.A.T.H. Way, which stands for wisdom, ambition, truth and honor. They work to exemplify these in all aspects, whether through athletics, fine arts or academics.
So just before “out with the old and in with the new” loses its fire, let’s take a look at the events of the first semester of the 2011-2012 school year. Which have shown students living the W.A.T.H. Way.
With a beginning school year, comes new opportunities, new experiences and of course, new homecoming candidates. Contestants this year were Krista Sudbeck, Kailee Hocker, Xenia Waltenspuel, Aaron Abeita, Jordan Sprick and Nate Boyer, with Sudbeck and Sprick crowned as royalty. Along with the crowning festivities, were the annual class competitions, school-wide spirit days and the “big game” to determine if the dance soon following was to be a success, or full of bummed football players. Fortunately, the Red Hawks took the win against the Santé Fe Trail Chargers, and ended the season with great finish of making it to bi-districts—something that hadn’t been done in eleven years.
The football boys weren’t the only ones with a year to remember though. Both boys and girls cross country had several successful meets, the varsity boys with mostly a first place streak throughout the season, and the girls with nothing less than third. This year’s team also took two individual runners to the state competition: Senior Cale Heiniger, placing 3rd; and Freshman Jordan Puvogul, placing 6th.
As far as volleyball went, finding a coach to stay had been a struggle until the girls met Marla Olson. With a new outlook on the sport, and a fresh start to the season, Coach not only taught the girls the fundamentals of the game, but also what it means to be a team.
The girl’s tennis team also took on state with senior Summer Gernon making an appearance for the second year in a row. Although the records didn’t always show it, the girls had a successful year in learning the sport and introducing several new players to the game.
Aside from athletics, students showed their W.A.T.H. Way talents in the production of this year’s play, It Happens Every Summer. After months of preparation and hard work, students had the opportunity to shine on and off the stage, giving the community a show worth watching.
October was a big time of the month for students in Hiawatha, as they participated in the annual Halloween Frolic and Parade. Krista Sudbeck represented HHS, scoring the title of Miss Congeniality in the scholarship contest, and both middle school and high school bands performed for the afternoon and evening parades.
With the start of both basketball and wrestling seasons, Hiawatha is sure to see many more successes in their athletics.
However, it’s not just the sports that will place an impact on the history of our school. With Scholar’s Bowl in mid-season, with first place finishes in several meets, academics strive to the peak of perfection as well.
Shooting off the start to the rest of the 2011-2012 school year, there’s still a lot in store for students at HHS to look forward to.
The Biology club will be taking their trip to the Bahamas during spring break, as well as the High School band taking a visit to Chicago a few days before to perform at the St. Patrick’s Day parade.
The high school forensics team also has expected success, with several returning actors, and many new faces.
Only time will tell what records will be remembered, and the successes and achievements students will reach throughout the years of high school. 2011 had been a good one, to say the least—and many surprises are in store for 2012.
