Note: The Black and White publishes monthly, with two issues being bi-monthly. After two days of "idea sessions" the staff picks their assignment, then has a rough draft due a week later. At this point each editor will look at the current standing of the piece or design, and provide feedback through google document comments. Within the next three weeks until the paper is sent to the printer, the editorial board checks in with staff writers, and continue to leave feedback until the final day. As editor-in-chief I leave feedback on both the print edition and online edition. If a staff writer is working on the design of a page, I will leave comments on the adobe inDesign document, as well as providing inspiration I think may fit with their piece.
Note: The Black and White publishes monthly, with two issues being bi-monthly. After two days of "idea sessions" the staff picks their assignment, then has a rough draft due a week later. At this point each editor will look at the current standing of the piece or design, and provide feedback through google document comments. Within the next three weeks until the paper is sent to the printer, the editorial board checks in with staff writers, and continue to leave feedback until the final day. As editor-in-chief I leave feedback on both the print edition and online edition. If a staff writer is working on the design of a page, I will leave comments on the adobe inDesign document, as well as providing inspiration I think may fit with their piece.
This photo was published in the March 2017 issue, as well as online. This photo was taken at an anti-immigration ban protest at the capitol.
This photo was published in the March 2017 issue, as well as online. This photo was taken at an anti-immigration ban protest at the capitol.
This photo was published in the March 2017 issue, as well as online. This photo was taken at an anti-immigration ban protest at the capitol.
Hi, thanks for visiting my portfolio! I’m eighteen, and I’m currently editor-in-chief of my high school’s paper, the Black and White. This is my third year on staff. Throughout my years on newspaper I have held various positions such as, photo editor, print editor, and advertising manager. In the summer of 2018 I attended the Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop.
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Besides journalism, I’m interested in political science and law. In no particular order, I like dogs, caramel lattes, and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Hi, thanks for visiting my portfolio! I’m eighteen, and I’m currently editor-in-chief of my high school’s paper, the Black and White. This is my third year on staff. Throughout my years on newspaper I have held various positions such as, photo editor, print editor, and advertising manager. In the summer of 2018 I attended the Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop.
​
Besides journalism, I’m interested in political science and law. In no particular order, I like dogs, caramel lattes, and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Hi, thanks for visiting my portfolio! I’m eighteen, and I’m currently editor-in-chief of my high school’s paper, the Black and White. This is my third year on staff. Throughout my years on newspaper I have held various positions such as, photo editor, print editor, and advertising manager. In the summer of 2018 I attended the Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop.
​
Besides journalism, I’m interested in political science and law. In no particular order, I like dogs, caramel lattes, and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Hi, thanks for visiting my portfolio! I’m eighteen, and I’m currently editor-in-chief of my high school’s paper, the Black and White. This is my third year on staff. Throughout my years on newspaper I have held various positions such as, photo editor, print editor, and advertising manager. In the summer of 2018 I attended the Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop.
​
Besides journalism, I’m interested in political science and law. In no particular order, I like dogs, caramel lattes, and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
Hi, thanks for visiting my portfolio! I’m eighteen, and I’m currently editor-in-chief of my high school’s paper, the Black and White. This is my third year on staff. Throughout my years on newspaper I have held various positions such as, photo editor, print editor, and advertising manager. In the summer of 2018 I attended the Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop.
​
Besides journalism, I’m interested in political science and law. In no particular order, I like dogs, caramel lattes, and watching Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
FEATURE
Braving Breast Cancer
The Susan G. Komen breast cancer awareness walk has created national attention to the disease that takes the lives of thousands of women each year. However, breast cancer comes much closer to Johnston than just a 5k walk.
Breast cancer is the excessive growth of cells in the breast. Nearly one in eight women in the United States will develop breast cancer, according to breastcancer.org. Within that statistic lie science teacher Lisa Horsch, and foreign language teacher Kari Gray. Both teachers were diagnosed with some form of breast cancer, causing a toll on their health and their life forever.
Gray developed breast cancer in 2013. She had recently started working at the high school when she had this discovery. Gray had been in a fitness class, when a punching bag swung back and hit her. After the incident she was checking the bruised area and discovered a lump. “They checked it out, they didn’t think it was anything but she goes ‘you know, just in case I’m going to send you over to have a mammogram,’” Gray said.
After inconclusive results from her mammogram, Gray was then sent to have a sonogram. A sonogram uses high frequency sound waves to identify abnormalities in the body’s tissue. After waiting some time, Gray received a phone call with the results of her sonogram, revealing she had breast cancer. “I think time just stood still,” Gray said. “I was sitting on my couch, my husband was sitting next to me, and she had just told me, and he was like ‘what’s she saying? What’s she saying?’ and I go ‘I have cancer,’ and my husband just lost it.”
Gray was diagnosed with stage two breast cancer, including two tumors. “Stage 2 means the breast cancer is growing, but it is still contained in the breast or growth has only extended to the nearby lymph nodes” according to the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
Following her diagnosis, Gray started what would be 16 rounds of chemotherapy. The first four rounds were nicknamed ‘red devil’ due to the intense side effects experienced, including hair loss. The chemotherapy sessions could last anywhere from five to nine hours. “They come in with a hazmat suit, and then put something into your veins that they can’t even touch, kind of scary,” Gray said.
After completing chemotherapy, Gray was left with scar tissue where her tumors once were. She followed her chemotherapy with 16 weeks of radiation treatment. The cancer treatment process lasted around a year in total for Gray. However, she still has to take shots every three months for 10 years from the end of her radiation.
However, not all experience with breast cancer are comparable. Horsch was diagnosed with Ductal Carcinoma in Situ (DCIS) in 2016. “DCIS is a non-invasive cancer where abnormal cells have been found in the lining of the breast milk duct,” according to National Breast Cancer Foundation. “The atypical cells have not spread outside of the ducts into the surrounding breast tissue.”
The tumor was found during Horsch’s annual mammogram. “I knew it was going to be okay because it was so early, but it was a mammogram that caught it, so get your mammograms ladies, and gentlemen who have it in their family,” Horsch said. “It’s super important that you get tested.”
Horsch’s tumor was surgically removed. After the procedure, Horsch went through radiation as a precautionary measure. She was placed on a five year drug following radiation in order to block estrogen from coming in contact with any cancer cells that may still be in the area. “It was a really easy process, no chemo,” Horsch said. “I didn’t have to do any of that because it hadn’t spread, like I said it was really tiny. Surgery was the biggest thing.”
Although her treatment was a quick process, it still affected aspects of her everyday life. “I was at home and I couldn’t exercise, I didn’t even want to be in the car because everytime I moved it hurt,” Horsch said. “I think it bothered me more to be gone from school, to try and have a sub for two weeks and at the time I was at the middle school so I was teaching Astronomy, Physical Science, and Biology, it was really tough to leave lesson plans for anybody to cover those subjects how I wanted them to be covered.”
Mammograms can play an important role in detecting breast cancer. A mammogram utilizes X-rays in order to find and locate tumors in the breast. “Mammography has helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by nearly 40% since 1990,” according to MammographySavesLives.
A mammogram is one of the easiest ways to check for breast cancer, even when it is in early development. “I knew it was going to be okay because it was so early, but it was a mammogram that caught it, so get your mammograms ladies, and gentlemen who have it in their family,” Horsch said.
As necessary as mammograms have proven to be, healthcare does not cover the cost of a mammogram until the age of 50. “I would say 75-80% of the people I know that have had Breast Cancer are younger than that,” Gray said.
Doing regular self examinations is highly encouraged by doctors. It is an easy and quick way to get an idea if anything feels different. “They always talk about the self checking, I know most women don’t do it,” Gray said. “I sat on it for a couple of weeks before I even decided to go in. I don’t know how long I had cancer, but it definitely makes me an advocate for better health because I think that is ridiculous that you have to wait until you’re 50, when it is proven that women are getting it younger.”
Another way to determine breast cancer is to have genetic testing done. Many patients with breast cancer undergo genetic testing in order to see if the carry the gene, and have a higher chance of passing it on to children.
As genetic testing can help determine likelihood of having cancer, it is not always a foolproof method. “ I was always told that you never really had to worry about it unless it’s in your family,” Gray said. “The woman that did my genetics said it’s more common for women that have never had any family history with it to get it.”
National Cancer Institute estimates there will be 1,735,350 new cases of cancer diagnosed in the United States in 2018 alone. This proves the impact this disease has on the whole nation. With this number raising, the science department found it important to address such a prevalent topic. In biology, students have a whole unit about cancer and the toll it has on the people involved. Students examine fake patients in order to learn about various forms of cancer.
Although cancer is more common in older age, many students have felt the effects of the deadly disease in other ways, such as family members. “I always start with them raising their hands, and a majority of them have been touched by it, already at your young tender age, in some way,” Horsch said. “They know somebody or they have somebody in their family, it’s pervasive.”
Horsch has taken her experience and turned it into a more relatable learning experience for her students. “I think it has given me a story to share with my students when we do the cancer unit in Biology,” Horsch said. “Of course I also can bring in my mom and dad, my dad doesn’t have cancer at the moment but my mom does. I think it helps for the kids to buy into, this affects everybody.”
The science department has received a plethora of positive feedback regarding their unit on cancer. “The reaction we get from the community is amazing,” Horsch said. “Parents love that we do this. When we reach out to the hospitals and take things to them they’re impressed.”
After seeing the impact breast cancer has on millions of people’s lives, Gray wanted to give to those most in need. Tiff’s Treats is a program implemented by Gray and carried out through student council. Tiff’s treats was started after Gray’s neighbor lost her battle of cancer. Laura’s Little Bit of Comfort was later added on to the name in honor of science teacher Rachel Jensen’s mother, who lost her battle with cancer.
Tiff’s Treats works to collect donations from students to compile packages with necessities for cancer patients. The packages are distributed to the three cancer treatment centers in Des Moines. The packages include a range of items from hats, scarves, socks, lotions, and activity books.
With thousands of diagnoses every year, breast cancer has proven to create a big impact on many lives. There are simple actions such as mammograms or self examinations to try and stop the cancer from growing too large. These simple actions can be the thing that saves lives.
Walking out, Speaking up
The Columbine High School massacre occurred April 20, 1999. Since Columbine there have been roughly 50 school shootings, including the recent school shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
School walkouts and protests have erupted around the nation after the Parkland shooting. Two national walkouts have previously been organized in opposition of the current gun laws and policies. Along with walkouts, many organizations have orchestrated protests at state capitals.
Women’s March and March for our Lives are two large organizations at the front of these demonstrations. March for our Lives was created by the student survivors of the Parkland shooting. The organization has hosted protests already regarding the gun violence against students. “We cannot allow one more child to be shot at school,” the March for our Lives website states. “We cannot allow one more teacher to make a choice to jump in front of an assault rifle to save the lives of students.”
Jaedyn Brockway ‘19 and Abby Headington ‘19 were two student leaders who helped bring the movement to Johnston. A previous national walkout was held on March 14, one month after the Parkland shooting. As Johnston was on spring break during the first walkout, Brockway and Headington organized for Johnston to participate in the walkout held on April 20.
Students participated in the walkout on April 20 at 10:00 a.m., lasting 17 minutes. Each minute was representative of a student killed in the Parkland shooting. “We’re walking out because we want to feel safe at school and administration needs to recognize the amount of students that don’t feel safe and something needs to change,” Brockway said.
Many students are unable to vote, meaning many must rely on protests and walkouts in order to express political disagreement or advocacy. “Since most high school student are under 18, it means that they can’t vote, and the subject of school shootings directly impacts students,” Abby Headington ‘19 said. “I think that students were tired of being silenced and depending on representatives that they can’t vote for to protect them; which they are not because of the crazy amount of mass shootings.”
Brockway and Headington created multiple outlets for students to get involved, including t-shirts and event pages online. T-shirts stating “enough is enough’ were sold to students wanting to participate. They also hosted a sign making event at the public library April 18. Both students have received support from their peers. “I’ve only felt good feedback from my friends, and they’ve all been on board with telling their friends about it,” Brockway said.
Along with obtaining student support, much of the process had involved talking with administration. Brockway and Headington met with administrators on multiple occasions, in order to make sure that the event would be safe and organized. “The students came about it the right way and talked to us as student leaders,” Ryan Woods said. “We basically just listened to their plan and we asked what they wanted to do.”
The main concern expressed by administration was the safety of students. “When we’re in the building we have locked doors, we feel pretty safe, but once we get outside that brings in a lot of unknown. Now I’m not dealing with just my students and my staff, I’m dealing with what’s out here in the community,” Woods said. The Johnston Police Department was informed about the walkout, in order to ensure the safety of the students. Teachers with planning periods were also utilized to supervise the event.
Parents and teacher were informed on April 9 in an email from superintendent Corey Lunn that all participation would be voluntary, and class procedures would continue as normal.“Please note that student participation for any approved expressive activity will be strictly voluntary - the expectation will be that learning in classes continues for those who do not attend, will require parent permission and that staff may be assigned for supervision as needed.,” Lunn said.
While administration decided to not interfere with student participation, teachers were not allowed to participate in the walkout. School policy disables teachers from leaving their position while teaching. Teachers are also supposed to remain neutral regarding their political views during school opperation.
Administration disallows for teachers to express political views as a way to avoid peer pressure on students. If a teacher were to advocate for a political walkout, students in opposition may then feel pressured to participate. “We teach about politics, we talk about the government system, our role is to be very neutral in that,” Woods said. “We want you to understand how things work, but we should never be telling you how you should vote, how you should believe this or that. We want you to be able to make educated decisions about what you want to believe, but not tell you what you should do.”
Many students were hesitant in participating in the walkout in fear of college punishment. However, many colleges and universities have come out with statements regarding their choice of whether or not to punish potential students who participate in walkouts. The University of Iowa and Iowa state University have both issued statements on Twitter. “The University of Iowa respects the right to peacefully protest,” a tweet from the University of Iowa states. “Admission to UI will not be negatively affected for prospective students participating in non-violent activism.”
A similar statement was issued by Iowa State University, “A message to future Cyclones: Iowa State University values the honest and respectful expression of ideas by both its current and prospective students,” a tweet from Iowa State University reads. “A disciplinary action associated with peaceful participation in non-violent protest will not affect your admission status.”
After multiple steps of organization and clarification between student body and administration, nearly 100 students walked out on April 20. “I Hope that this passion and drive students have doesn’t end now, vice principal Jerry Stratton said. “I hope it doesn’t stop and that they have a voice in a bigger movement.”
The Deciding Factor
Walking down the halls, the multiple name-brands that students are sporting are quite visible: Lulu Lemon, Adidas, American Eagle, etc. Not only does wealth determine clothing, it can determine college choice, experiences and even popularity. At Johnston, it may be possible that money can buy you happiness.
On the financial spectrum at Johnston there are students that spend money like it's their job, and others that consider every penny spent. Yearly incomes range from over $200,000 to under $15,000, which creates a lot of different stances on money. Money is oftentimes seen as an adult issue, yet it is still a large concern among students.
At Johnston, money can oftentimes be a deciding factor of an individual's popularity. Student opinion is gaged from what you wear and who you hang out with. Kayla Bousum teaches financial literacy and has noticed a shift in the socioeconomic standpoint of the community.
“12 years ago it was all just suburbs kids that were rich,” Bousum said. “Now I think we’re getting more diverse. Now there’s more socioeconomic statuses walking our halls, so I think that’s good. But, I do see a lot of kids that have to wear the Lululemon, and have to wear the Under Armor.”
Wearing name-brand clothing can do more than just make you look nice. Other students take notice, seeing this as a sign of wealth. It is widely known that Maggie Atcheson ‘18 runs a YouTube channel and makes more money than the average student. But with more money also comes more responsibility. Her parents support her less and make sure she puts her money into stocks, rather than spending it freely.
“It's annoying because people know I make the money I make and because they think I'm rich, which I'm far from, that's why I wear Lulu Lemon and drive an Infiniti, but that's not the case,” Atcheson said. “People want to be friends with you because you have money, which is stupid and I hate that.”
While some Johnston students don’t have to worry about paying for clothes, food, or activities, others struggle to pay for even the basics. Erina Lee ‘20 is one of three children that live with her single mother, and has a conservative mindset when it comes to spending money. She explained that after her dad left, she started having a much tighter hold on not only her money, but her mother’s as well.
“Whenever I get money, I have to keep track of it constantly,” Lee said. “If I spend it, I look at my bank account and see what it’s at. If I want to do something that costs money, I have to seriously consider it cause I don’t want to ask my mom for money if I can pay for it.”
Lee is aware of their financial struggles, and she does her part to help out. On the other hand, Atcheson knows she doesn’t need to worry about money.
“I babysit my siblings and I get paid for that, which a lot of people say I shouldn't, but I babysit every week so I get money from that and I use that as my spending money more than my YouTube money,” Atcheson said.
When it comes to the money they worked hard to earn, some students have to stop and think before they make a purchase. They try not to spend money without a real reason, and instead keep it for when they might need it in the future.
“I had to go through this process in my mind,” Lee said. “How low would my money go, and did I actually really really need it. I had to think if I was technically wasting my money, if it was something I just want and not really need.”
But when it comes to their parent’s money, there are more differing views. Some students keep as tight a hold as they do their own money, while others see no reason why they should watch what they are spending. Noelle Amiry ‘18 knows her parents are able to financially support her, and spends the money they give her freely. “I’m like eh it’s not my money,” Amiry said.
Lee, on the other hand, does what she can to refrain from even asking for money.
“I don’t think she’d say no if I asked, she’d give me whatever she could to help me out,” Lee said. “Or if I wanted a dress or something, she’d probably pay for the whole thing, but it’d be my guilty conscience making me not want to ask her. If she gave me money, I feel like I’d be obliged to save half of it, and maybe not even use the other half, maybe buy like one or two things.”
Considering the “rich kid” reputation that Johnston is often given, it isn’t surprising that the district has a high median income of $94,821. Johnston is followed by Waukee ($84,349), Urbandale ($79,909), and Ankeny ($75,069), but this large number is distorted. About 13% of the Johnston population makes over $200,000 yearly, which raises the median income and does not represent the lower class in Johnston.
Amy Ziegenhorn, the high school therapist, has noticed that money is always an issue in schools.
“There's a refugee population in Johnston, and that changes things completely,” Ziegenhorn said. “That's a huge cultural dynamic that changes things. I think that there's a continuum in every school district. There's the ones that are way up financially, all the way to the folks that really have to work hard to cover all their bills.”Because of the wide financial spectrum in Johnston, financial literacy classes are very important. They were not always required, and teachers worked hard to change that.
“We’ve been saying for years the money management class should be required,” Bousum said. “It was like a broken record. Finally, state legislature said through social studies standards that financial literacy needs to be included. The social studies department said ‘We’re not teaching those standards.’ That’s why they came to us and why financial literacy is a required class for graduation.”
While some students do not take the class seriously, others acknowledge the importance of what it teaches. Each year, students do a simulation called the H&R Block Budget Challenge. Bousum mentioned one girl that refused to pay any bills and performed poorly on the simulation.
“She kept saying ‘This isn’t how real life is. I wouldn’t pay my bills online in real life.’ So a year later I saw her and she was working at a fast food restaurant here, locally. She had dropped out of high school...she said ‘I really should have paid attention.’”
Money is a deciding factors for many students, whether it’s about college, clothing, or even meals. With the diverse range of socio economic standpoints within the district, the viewpoint of money changes greatly from student to student.
Sleep is for the Weak-end
With a constant flow of school, extracurriculars and work, it is no surprise that sleep is often a student’s last thought. Some students stay awake until the middle of the night in order to get all of their assignments accomplished. However, studies have proven that these habits can have devastating effects.
According to sleepfoundation.org teenagers should get around eight to 10 hours of sleep a night. However, a poll taken of 200 students revealed that most get four to six hours of sleep. Sleep deprivation can have negative effects including loss of productivity, or more severe cases such as sickness.
Sleep deprivation has a variety of effects on a student’s ability to participate efficiently in school. Students that consistently do not get enough sleep may feel tired during school and risk falling asleep in class. “Sleep deprivation can noticeably affect people's performance, including their ability to think clearly, react quickly, and form memories,” the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development stated. “Sleep deprivation also affects mood, leading to irritability; problems with relationships, especially for children and teenagers.”
For some students this fight to stay awake is a normal occurrence. Lauren Gabby ‘19 typically gets five hours of sleep and frequently feels tired throughout the school day. Gabby’s involvement in extracurriculars is one the most prevalent reasons for her sleep loss. She often times does not get home from dance until nine, and then delves into hours of homework, causing her to stay up until the early hours of the morning.
Joy Mielke ‘19 is another example of a student not getting proper sleep. With a busy schedule consisting of school and late nights working at the Des Moines Playhouse, the only free time Mielke receives is in the middle of the night. While most students would not be able to function properly on the low amount of sleep Mielke gets, she finds it to be her best option. “Really early morning between midnight and five in the morning is when I’m usually at my best because I’m also majorly introverted so the only time I get time to myself is at night,” Mielke said.
History teacher Jessica Dowell has seen this pattern in sleep deprived students, and the effect it can have on the classroom. Considering the workload put onto her students by other classes, Dowell tries not to assign homework that takes longer than 30 to 45 minutes. “Especially with an AP course, I know a lot of my students are taking more than one AP course, so when I’m constructing a reading calendar for example, I’m trying to be really mindful of how many pages of actual text are there, and about how long would it take the average student,” Dowell said.
Dowell has noticed that long homework assignments and consecutive days of videos are two instances where students seem to lose productivity. “Due to some of my students sleep levels, I generally cannot do two days of a video, and have them stay awake the second day,” Dowell said. “Even if it’s really interesting, their sleep deprivation seems to catch up with them. There then needs to be something to keep them accountable, so they have something else to focus on.”
As well as observing sleep deprivation in students, Dowell experiences the same situation. With having to balance her family life with at home work, Dowell is often times forced to run on as low as four hours of sleep. “Having small children I personally refuse to do any school work if I can avoid it until my kids go to bed, so they get the personal undivided parental attention,” Dowell said. “Which means I’m not starting work until 8:00 or 9:00, and if there’s three or four hours of work that puts me to be at somewhere between 11:00 and midnight and I get up at five.”
Sleep deprivation in high school students has been observed across the nation. That is why Chicago Public Schools are implementing new ideas in ways of combating student disengagement due to sleep deprivation. Different solutions such as pushing back testing times in the morning, nap centers, and brighter lights are being discussed.
While it may not be the most important item on some students’ lists, sleep has proven to be crucial for development and general health. Going to sleep early can often result in better productivity the next day, rather than staying up late to study for a test or finish an assignment. Getting proper sleep is crucial in restricting sleep deprivation from controlling a students day.
School-to-work creating connections
A handful of students are not part of the wave of their classmates fighting to get out of the crowded parking lot and go home when the 2:50 bell rings. These students are part of the School to Work class, and spend their afternoons at various internships.
School to Work is a class offered to seniors and juniors that allows students to get out of the classroom and into the work field. “It’s an unbelievable opportunity for kids,” associate principal Jerry Stratton said. “We have people who are engaging in what they think is maybe a career and have a huge leg up on competition.”
Kristine Volesky teaches the class first semester, during which time students learn the principles to operating in the workplace. Because students in the class can earn eight DMACC credits, Volesky has to follow DMACC curriculum during first semester. During second semester, students intern at an array of locations to learn about job fields that they’re interested in. “In the spring where we don’t have any classroom content, so there’s definitely much more initiative to make sure you’re doing what you’re exactly suppose to be doing,” Volesky said.
Volesky works with students to help match them up with internships and make sure it is something they are genuinely interested in. “We did a lot of career research to start off the bat to make sure that they know that they knew what they were going into,” she said.
For students in School to Work, their schedule is harder to work with because they need several free periods in order to have enough hours to intern. Associate principal Jerry Stratton deals with schedule changes. “We manipulated their schedules to make it most effective for them to work with their employers,” Stratton said.
Often, students only have time to take a few core classes, since electives take up too much time in a schedule. As a result, students involved in music classes like band and choir have rarely been able to take School to Work.
There are high expectations for students in the School to Work class, and they are expected to be top-level employees. “Whatever happens to a student in that (work) environment, if they do not follow through, that could cause us to lose an opportunity for a student in the future,” Stratton said.
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Adina Blazevic
Adina Blazevic ‘18 is an HR management intern at Johnston HyVee. As part of her internship, Blazevic deals with customer complaints, supervises the front end which includes checkers and courtesy workers and directs them when the managers are not there.
Blazevic performs other tasks like helping the HR manager with the work schedule, and other more big-picture things. “We talk about markups and gross profit, like how we can make money as a store, what we need to sell items as to make money, etcetera,” she said.
Out of all of her classes, Blazevic believes that School to Work is one of the most helpful. “I think it’s probably the only class in this high school that prepares you for after high school and after college,” she said.
The class has played a major role in helping her decide what she wants to do after high school. “I want to go to college and it helped me decide that I want to go for business management HR, so it helps you get a light on ‘do I actually want to commit x amount of years college and money to this field’,” she said.
Blazevic is a unique case since she is the only junior in the School to Work class. The class is ideal for seniors so that they can get internships throughout the school year that hopefully last through college. “I was just lucky that I got in as a junior,” she said.
Blazevic now 17, was 16 when she started. “I was like the youngest supervisor they ever had,” she said. “I was literally supervising people that were seniors that are checkers so that was little awkward.”
She said it took a long time to gain people’s respect. “People would blow me off and say stuff under their breath but it got better eventually,” she said.
There have also been some difficulties from a time perspective because Blazevic had to maintain the hours she was already working at Hy-Vee prior to her internship. “I worked like 25 hours a week during school even before School to Work because I have a lot of stuff to pay for,” she said. “It makes it a little bit more difficult because I have less time to get stuff done.”
Nevertheless, valuable opportunities have come out of the School to Work class. For example, Volesky brought in professionals from local businesses like Pioneer to conduct mock interviews with the students. “The guy who interviewed me from Pioneer offered me a job,” Blazevic said.
Additionally, Blazevic has gotten opportunities from her internship. “[HyVee] told me that they want me as an assistant this year and this summer, so I’ll probably just work as an assistant my senior year,” she said.
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Chioma Nwizu
Chioma Nwizu ‘17 is a paid intern in the Johnston HyVee pharmacy department. She is currently a registered pharmacy tech trainee, so she can do most of the tasks that a pharmacist does excluding finalizing orders and putting things on shelves, among others.
Even before taking School to Work, Nwizu was considering going into pharmacy. “Pharmacy is definitely up there on my top three of what I wanted to do after college,” she said.
Interning at a pharmacy is demanding, but Nwizu enjoys it. “It’s fast-paced and you don’t really know how fast time is going, which is really nice because I really enjoy being there,” she said.
Nwizu said working in the pharmacy is a group effort. “We all take turns doing different things,” she said. “If the pharmacist needs us to help her do anything we’ll help her do it, and it’s like a big system.”
Nwizu is the youngest person working the in the pharmacy, but she does not feel like she’s treated any differently. “It’s not really weird, it’s kind of just, ‘Oh you’re new, you’re younger, we kind of need to teach you’,” she said.
There are also interns from Drake working in the pharmacy, so although Nwizu is a few years younger, they share a similar experience. “It’s kind of a learning experience for the (Drake) interns and me because we’re all trying to pursue pharmacy, and since they’re already in the pharmacy program I get the opportunity to ask them questions.”
Interning at HyVee has opened some doors for Nwizu.“[HyVee] said I could work [in the pharmacy] during college and after college if I wanted to,” she said.
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Natalie Stewart
Natalie Stewart ‘17 spends her afternoons surrounded by the second-grade class at Wallace Elementary School. She is an unpaid intern who assists all four of the second-grade classrooms. Her day consists of taking the students to lunch, helping teachers organize assignments and preparing lessons.
“My first couple of weeks it was kind of scary just because I didn’t know the kids,” Stewart said. ” I was kind of just put into this and then had the teachers saying can you do this, this and this.”
Stewart plans to attend college in hopes of becoming an elementary school teacher. School to Work class allows her to gain experience that would only be obtainable as a college student.
“It’s nice because I’m a senior in high school and not a senior in college, so I’m not rushing to get my student teaching done because there’s a lot of them coming into third and fourth grade,” she said. “They’re all rushing to get their last one in and I already have practice. I’ll have to do it but I will be more prepared.”
Stewart enjoys spending time with kids and getting to know them. After three hours at Wallace, she goes to a local daycare where she works for four more hours. She appreciates seeing activities she had done in elementary school, done by the students.
One memory she has from her childhood, that is reflected by the students is participating in a mock farmers market. The students sold small candies or items for 25 cents.
“I remember doing that in second grade and I brought care bear rings and little Lifesaver candies, and I sold that for 25 cents. Just seeing that I was like ‘oh my gosh,’ life was so easy back then,” she said.
Another aspect of Stewart’s day is helping students who may have trouble paying attention and following the rules. Some students respond better to her as they are with their teacher for much of their school day. One experience she had was with a student who had gone into the teacher’s closet, an area they are told not to enter.
Stewart is forced to find alternative ways of helping troublesome students. “We asked him to grow his brain because that’s what we have to talk about,” she said. “I was like, ‘okay let’s go grow our brains and do science.’ He really likes science so we kept him out in the hallway and did a mini-lab.”
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Ethan Bettis
Ethan Bettis ’17 spends his days balancing school, hockey and work. He works at AquaOasis Pool and Spa, a small business located on Merle Hay Road. Bettis is an unpaid intern who assists in sales of chemicals, hot tubs and pools. He works every day after school to fulfill the 170 hour minimum the students must achieve.
“I’m a salesman so I go in there and I’m able to watch over the store with my co-worker, Phil. We sell chemicals for pools and hot tubs, so they will keep your water clean, and we also sell pools and the hot tubs,” Bettis said.
Before going into the school to work program, he had known that he wanted to go into the sales field. Volesky assisted him in finding the right internship for his preferences. With some interest in small business, Bettis chose to work for the small sales company.
“I wanted to go into sales and it’s given me a big range of skills that I wouldn’t have learned here at school, and it’s also taught me other parts of small business, which is something I could always be interested in as well is starting my own business,” Bettis said.
Last semester his schedule consisted of five periods, including the school to work class. He would then spend the rest of his day working. Second semester Bettis only has four periods of classes, allowing him more time to work at AquaOasis.
Unlike some other students, Bettis does not completely know what his plans for college and after college are. “I still don’t really know what I want to go to college for,” Bettis said. “I’m trying to figure out what I can do with hockey in college.”
Bettis was offered a job at AquaOasis upon graduating. He enjoys School to Work because it allows him to experience working before he receives the job. It creates many real-world situations that students would not be able to experience in a class at school.