Zoology students began learning more about mollusks and which animals are under that category. The class got to dissect squids as a lab to look and understand the internal and external anatomy. Mrs. Mykala Shamblen has these squid dissections for the class to have fun and to experience new things. Shamblen states, ” I think it is important to investigate animals. I think you have more appreciation for them when you get to see them up close. And not very often do kids in Jasper get to see squids.” She continues, “So I think it’s kinda fun to be able to investigate these squids and have fun even though they’re gross and they’re slimy, and they’re a little bit stinky. It’s a once in a lifetime experience that you’ll remember forever”

Shamblen has been teaching at JHS for two years and hopes to continue dissections like these. Zoology is currently a semester course but is going to extend to a whole year course in the upcoming school year, which will open up more labs and projects on different species around the world. Despite the stinky, slimy, and gross process of dissecting the squids. This lab has brought a new experience to Shamblen’s classes and was a moment to enjoy and have fun with classmates.

On July 18, 2018 Kristoffer Fladseth, a Norwegian exchange student landed in New York to get ready for his American experience. In New York, Fladseth had to go to an EF Camp and other types of programs to learn more English, and get set to go to his new home in for the school year. When everything was set, he hopped on a plane to Indiana to be hosted by the Mair family. “I wanted to become an exchange student to experience how it is to live in America” said Kristoffer. “It’s been something I’ve dreamt of doing for a long time”.

When Kristoffer decided to be an exchange student he didnt know what he was going to get himself into such as getting used to being with his host family. As to most of us, we are used to being around our family every day of our lives and everything being normal. “The most challenging adjustment was to live in someone else’s home, it was weird at the beginning but now it feels like home” said Kristoffer. As a teen, who we look up to is our family and most of all our parents. Kristoffer had to make the decision of leaving his country and his family for quite a while. “I miss my family the most, and all of my friends back at home” Fladseth said “I miss hanging out with them a lot”.

Kristoffer also got the chance to do things he doesn’t do in Norway. In early September, he decided to go fishing with some of his friends, one which is another exchange student named Lugvid Hartelious. As Kristoffer tried to catch a fish, he never had the luck to get one. In Norway, they also dont get to celebrate Thanksgiving and they celebrae Christmas on the 24th. “Back in Norway we don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, and we also celebrate Christmas on the 24th not the 25th”.

As the year goes by, the less days Kristoffer has to spend with his friends in America. Theres one thing that makes him connect with many of his friends and that’s through soccer. “Making friends wasn’t so hard” said Fladseth “the guys in the soccer team were very friendly and easy to connect with”. Kristoffer was part of the JHS soccer team and had many accomplishments. “My favorite place here in Jasper has to be the high school soccer field, I’ve spent a lot of time there with my friends and have many many memories there”.

Kristoffer will be returning to Norway after the school year ends.

Mr. Helmings Animal Life Science (ALS) classes got a unique hands-on learning opportunity on Monday, February 11th when they butchered a pig. Junior students Jaime Diaz and Christian Lopez went out of their way to get the ALS class a pig to butcher. The boys left school in the morning, drove 1 hour to get the pig and back. Mr. Helmings students got the chance to cut the skin off of the pig and were able to eat ribs portion afterward, if they choose to. “It was a good experience to learn how pigs are processed and how much work it takes to get a piece of meat onto our plates.” Said Diaz.

This yearly event occurs around the 2nd week of February. The class lesson takes place around this time because of the weather due to having to keep the pig cold. “My favorite part about this is the food that Beier and Helming make for us from the pig.” Quoted Christian Lopez. By the reaction of the students, it would seem that their most favorite part about this experience was skinning and learning the parts that Mr. Hemming was teaching then about the pig.

“The first thing that Beier cooked was the ribs, and those ribs were really good!” Said Diaz. The class hopes that this event can continue on for the years to come.

Lights, camera, action! Hollywood lights shine down on students as they walk through the school’s main entrance. Stars sprinkle the walls, floor, and ceiling. The glittering gold letters of “Hollywood” greet each student as they reach the dance floor. No one thinks anything of it as they dance their night away in their suits and dresses. Nobody realizes the hard effort and planning that goes into the extravagant dance night.

Julio Rosales is the president of the prom decoration committee. He has gathered together a group of friends to help him get everything prepared for the big night. “I want the seniors to have their own special night for all the hard work and commitment they have put into this school.” Rosales expresses, “They have shown us good examples, and I know a lot of seniors that have given me respect and cared for me.” He continues, “So I would like to return the favor by doing little things like this.”

Members in the Prom committee: Julio Rosales, Jenny Doan, Kelly Zheng, Kaitlyn Henke, Cole Tabor, Jackie Padilla, Destiny Lane, Susan Rodriguez, Yulim Oh, Ebanie Daugherty, and Jaysee Pierce.

The smell of popcorn, the cheers of excited parents. A basketball bouncing on the Gym floor, with a loud bit of squeaking shoes. All enhanced, by one Pep Band.

Ben Hochgesang, a percussion player of what the team has nicknamed themselves, “The Most Dangerous Pep Band in the Land”, had his own reason why he thought Pep Band was important.

“I think that Pep bands is important to basketball games because, it gets the whole place fired up, and it gets the team fired up, really excited to be playing, and get them in the mood for basketball games.”

The Pep Band is directed by Patrick Keeley, who has been apart of directing bands since around the 2000s.

The band isn’t always all serious, though. The Band enjoys messing around, learning more popular or upbeat songs, than more slow melodic pieces.

Recently they could be heard playing Hey Baby, The Imperial March from Star Wars, Baby Shark, and All I Do Is Win.

They will be playing at the Pep Session this Friday during mid school day, celebrating the winter sports.

The road game would determine if the Cats would take a 6-0 sweep for the 2019  Big 8 Champion Title or a record of 5-1 in the conference resulting in a shared champion title with the Washington Hatchets. “Being co-champs isn’t the same to us as owning the title as our own,” says Brooke Nottingham, Junior. “At the end of the day, we’ve proved that we’re the better team and sharing isn’t an option.” With missing two starters, Meredith Hilgefort with a season ending injury, and Kortney Ruhe out sick, the Lady Cats had to make some adjustments.

The game was a back and forth battle in the first and second quarter, but the Lady Cats pulled away in the second half. Several players stepped up to fill the new roles that the team was missing. Kara Krueger, sophomore, gave big varsity minutes bringing the ball down the court and defending one of Princeton’s top offensive players. Lexie Jerger, junior, picked up the Cats on the defensive end with her aggressiveness and hustle, as well as Isabelle Blazey who knocked down a three late in the third quarter starting the cats off on a roll of big offensive possessions.  The Lady Wildcats will be back again at the J next Tuesday as they kick off their first game of post play, hoping to claim a sectional time.

Thursday, January 24th, a couple of students from Jasper’s Life Skill class went down to water their growing garden. Veteran Life Skills teacher, Rick Stenftenagel, has been teaching life skills for about 40 years now. He first began working on the garden about 7 years ago beginning with just tomato plants and then introduced daffodils ranging from many different colors about 5 years ago. According to Stenftenagel, the garden has recently started to really bloom after continuously watering them for a couple of days and letting them soak in the sun. The garden is used to give the students a chance to get up from behind a screen and get their hands dirty with nature. “I like to work with the dirt. We like to get away from 2in1’s and their phones. We put those away to work with nature and see how things grow. It’s always had a calming effect.” stated Stenftenagel. Since the day he first became a teacher, Stenftenagel has always managed to make a personal connection with all of his students. “I love them all. I’ve never had a student that I haven’t been able to connect with, ” explained Stenftenagel, “I think that they’re so close to the big guy up in the sky that it just fills your heart up working with them.”

Photos and post by Katie Steftenagle