Trojan Tribune Staff

Photo Courtesy of Chelsea Sandahl

The time has arrived once again for West Central High School students to start fundraising for their chance of a lifetime trip to Washington, DC, in the spring of 2013. Every two years, juniors and seniors from West Central take part in a program called Close Up. Founded in 1971, Close Up is a nonprofit organization that educates and inspires young people to become informed and engaged citizens. “This is an organization set up in Washington, DC, that helps students better understand how our government works. Close Up also allows students to see many of the memorials in Washington in a more educational fashion. Another major role of Close Up is that it introduces students from one part of the country and their views on politics to others and their views,” explains West Central Close Up supervisor Wade Tirrel.

Teenagers and supervisors from all over the country come to Washington, DC, for this special event. “Our students and teachers are a diverse group – coming from every state and territory and several other countries. They hail from a variety of ethnic, cultural, racial and economic backgrounds. This diversity greatly enhances the learning that takes place on our programs,” stated Timothy S. Davis, Close Up President. Many past students that have gone on the trip would agree with Davis. “It is a good learning experience, and I still stay in touch with the people I met there,” West Central graduate Chelsea Sandahl explained.

Students get the chance to participate in discussions, see many important monuments, and meet important officials on their trip. Many students who have gone in the past say some of their highlights include visiting Arlington National Cemetery and watching the Changing of the Guard. Other students enjoyed going to the United States Capitol to meet South Dakota’s political representatives.

Along with the many thrills of traveling come the nerves and emotions. “I am not so sure about flying because I have never flown before. I am also nervous about my roommate because you could get a grumpy one from a different state!” exclaimed junior Krista Edberg, who will be attending the trip in April 2013.

Many fundraisers will be completed in the future for students to raise money for their trip. The students plan on working concessions at athletic events, hosting waffle feeds and car washes, and setting up food stands for Jamboree Days to help reach their financial goals. Things such as a haunted house and STI discount cards have been beneficial so far in helping students to raise their amount. “If students decide to make the commitment to go, they will never look back and regret it; much of what Close Up allows people to do in Washington, DC, can never be duplicated,” Tirrel stated.

Trojan Tribune Staff

On November 6, 2012, there will be an election to either reinstate our current president, Barrack Obama, or assign a new President of the United States. From the Republican party, there are four remaining candidates.The two candidates in the lead are Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich. The other two candidates are Ron Paul and Rick Santorum. The Democratic party has one candidate remaining, the current President of the United States: Barrack Obama.

All kids hear debates about politics in some form at home. It might be from the television, their parents, or on the Internet. Some people get very offended when it comes to politics, but most students don’t pay attention to politics. It’s always wise to be informed of how your government works and who is running it. Ask your friends and see how many even know who the candidates are. More than likely, most of them have no idea. Being involved in and informed of your government is very important when you get older. Would it be a smart decision to go out on Election Day and vote for someone you know nothing about?

There are some students who like to be informed and are ready to be a part of the election process. When a citizen turns 18, under normal circumstances, he/she has the right to vote. Senior Joe Schartz is voting for the candidate that presents the best plan for saving the economy. “The candidate I would choose right now is Mitt Romney because he wants to lower taxes,” Schartz says. “I expect that no one will want Obama to be president again.”

Should the self-ascribed “bipartisan” members of Congress, who have to this point opposed many of the potentially beneficial suggestions of the Democratic Party, ever decide to be truly thoughtful of these suggestions rather than constantly looking for ways to undermine the current administration, this country might actually see some progress.  Until our elected leaders can put aside their petty griping (on both sides, mind you) and power struggling, the backbone workers of this country are going to continue to struggle:  economically, socially, globally.  I long for a day when it doesn’t matter which corporate conglomerate paid my representative the most money for his/her campaign; and instead my representative takes into consideration what is best for the constituency (that’s us, the “Joe Schmoes” of America).  I also long for a day when America is about “red white and blue” rather than red or blue.

Trojan Tribune Staff

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Sandahl

Semester tests seem to be the talk of the school as the last few weeks of the quarter roll around. They can either make or break your grade; it all depends on how you prepare for them. There are many things to take into consideration as you get ready to take your exams. One very crucial thing you should do the week of your semester tests is get an ample amount of sleep and eat healthfully. Make sure you drink lots of water and keep yourself hydrated. It is also important to eat a good breakfast because eating breakfast will get your brain working and give your body energy to keep you focused throughout the day.

Another helpful tip while studying for semester tests is to start looking over your materials early. Going over key points just 20 minutes a day will help you to remember many things that will benefit you in the long run. If you are the type of person who crams everything in the night before, chances are high that everything you’ve shoved into your brain will be gone the next morning.

Being relaxed and focused while you are studying will be beneficial on the day of the test. It has been proven that chewing gum helps you remember things, too. So when you are studying, pop in a piece of gum, but save one for the test day as well. One very crucial tip that many students don’t do is listen. Teachers often try to prepare their students for tests by telling them exactly what will be on it. Teachers usually will tell their students the format and what types of questions will be on the test. Listening to the little things the teacher says may immensely increase the test score.

These tips are just many of the important things to take into consideration while preparing for your semester tests. Stay healthy, get a good amount of sleep, look over your notes a little bit every night, listen to your teachers, and you will do just fine. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask a teacher; that’s what they get paid to do. Good luck!

Trojan Tribune Staff

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Sandahl

This year, West Central High School has had many students transfer from area schools. Sophomore Kaitlin Peterson is one of those students. Peterson transferred from McCook Central in hopes for better opportunities and changes. When asked about what she enjoys about West Central, Peterson said, “The lunches are way better here than at McCook.” She does not like the size of the school, saying that it is much bigger compared to McCook.

“I am not in any sports or activities this year, but I really want to try soccer next year,” Peterson exclaimed. “I think it will be fun to try and see if I am good at it.” Peterson says Spanish is by far her favorite class. She added that it’s fun to have Macs and that it’s a great learning tool. If you ever see Kaitlin in the hallway or in class, don’t be afraid to say hello and welcome her to West Central!

Trojan Tribune Staff

The fourth quarter raps up as the referee blows his whistle. We had just beaten Jackson County 47-7, an upset that no one was expecting. Just like any other home game, everyone leaves and goes on their way and that’s that. What people don’t know is what happens when everyone has gone home, or what happens that next day.

The garbage won’t pick up itself to be sure, but luckily for West Central, a special community member comes in to help. Ron Sechser, a long-time member of the Hartford community, said in an interview with WCNN, “I saw things that had to be done and somebody had to do it.” Fortunately for us, Ron was energetic enough to do it. Those things that Ron was talking about was the garbage he picks up after every home football game. He doesn’t do it for pay or for any reward, but for the love of his community. Ron said he just wanted to do something for the community and give back in some way. He enjoys it, and it’s something he’s able to do.

Ron has been doing this volunteer work for about six to seven years now. He not only picks up trash after football games, though. He also picks up trash or twigs around town. If he sees something lying around, he will go over and pick it up. “Otherwise if they aren’t picked up, they will land in someone’s yard,” Ron stated.

Ron’s high spirits and love for his community should be an example for everyone. Jayde Sechser, his granddaughter, said, “He is always out helping people and taking pride in his community.” To that comment, Ron replied, “If more people take interest in their community, it will be a better and nicer place to live.”

As we wrapped up our chat, Ron said, “I like to be more behind the scenes than to be in the front and get the glory.” This just shows how modest and thoughtful Ron is. So the next time you see Ron Sechser around Hartford or even at the next football game, show your appreciation for his hard work and use his pride for our community as a model. Like Ron said, if we all take interest in our community, and we all help keep it clean, it will be a better and nicer place to live.

Trojan Tribune Staff

Photo by Maty Skinner

Many don’t know that West Central offers the students a chance to experience a career first hand. Students need to start thinking about their plan after high school and what they want to accomplish, and these programs are designed to help them figure that out.

Juniors are expected to go on job shadows to learn more about the career they are interested in. Seniors have the option to go on another job shadow if they choose. A few juniors have already gone on a job shadow and seemed to have a fun time. Katie Bunde shadowed at KRRO radio and stated, “I really enjoyed this job shadow! I sat in on their morning show, and Ryder taught me how to do sound editing for commercials. I did my own commercial, too. I don’t want to be a radio DJ anymore; I’d rather have a music production career.”

Maty Skinner also went on her job shadow at KSFY, and she learned a lot. “I shadowed their executive producer of three of their shows. I really loved it; it helped me see that this is what I want to do for a living. I learned so much! For example, the hours a producer works are crazy because she works all of the time! She basically writes the whole show, and other reporters just get the stories for her. I want this for a career, but I’d rather work at a larger media area. My dream is to produce The Today Show.”

Seniors have the chance to intern at businesses that relate to their future career. Payton Steen and Shelby Sieverding are placed at Avera at two different units. “I’m interning in the Labor and Delivery unit,” Steen explained. “I’m not having any difficulties there so far, but sometimes they’re too busy for me to follow anyone. My goal while being there is to figure out if this is the type of medical field I want to work in. I look forward to going to my internship every other day; they always make me feel welcome.” Sieverding has been placed in the surgery department at Avera. “They have been telling me exactly what’s going on so I don’t have any problems. My goal is to see if this is the type of field I’d like to go in to after I get out of college. I’m not sure if I could handle the surgeries, so I needed to get into the room and see how I felt about it. The people that work there are very open to me being there, and always help me out with my questions.”

These two programs are really helpful for the students at West Central. It’s suggested to go on a job shadow first before you decide to intern at a business. Job shadows are very helpful and make students realize what that certain career is like. To intern, students need to have a firm career in mind for their future.

Trojan Tribune Staff

Photo by Emily Stahl

Summer has ended and a new school year has begun. Some students feel melancholy about the summer days being over. However, others feel excited for the new school year. For freshmen, it’s a new step in growing up. For seniors, it’s the year they will graduate and move on to their adult lives. No matter what grade, students need to set their alarms and pick up their textbooks because the school months have arrived.

Freshman year can be a big change for students. Transitioning from middle school to high school may seem like going down the ‘totem pole’ to some. “It feels a little bit like the start of middle school. I’m the youngest grade again and don’t have ‘seniority’. I like it though, being in high school,” said freshman Jacoby Odegaard. However, many think of freshman year as a big step in life with more opportunities. “We’re expected of more and don’t have the same people in our class. We get more freedom this year and it’s not that difficult,” said freshman Kylie Hanisch. Most students starting high school find themselves excited for the new opportunities it can hold. Freshman Seth Titus, for example, is excited for the football games and dances. He believes he has more freedom as a high schooler and enjoys getting to know older students. Odegaard is also excited for new possibilities that come with high school. “I am excited for the sports! The sports are what I’m looking forward to the most, but besides that, I’m excited for the different class opportunities.” All in all, most find their freshman year as a new, exciting part of life.

Although it’s an important time in school, some students may find themselves less than enthusiastic about their sophomore year of high school. “It feels the same. There isn’t that big of a difference from freshman to sophomore year,” said sophomore Cole Tirrel. Sophomore Sadie Swier finds herself a bit more excited about her sophomore year, saying, “It feels fantastic. Now I can tell the freshmen what to do!” Although enjoying her new-found authority over freshmen, Swier finds herself not looking forward to the semester tests coming later in the year. However, these sophomores don’t think it will be all bad. Tirrel is excited about homecoming and jokes that his sophomore year will be easier without the presence of Mrs. Hawks as his teacher. Swier is looking forward to sophomore T-shirts and getting older, and hopes to get good grades and excel in the sports she is involved in.

Junior year is considered one of the toughest years of high school.  It’s the year colleges look at when considering a student, and the year important college-related tests are taken. Students try to prepare for their future and take classes that will benefit them in college or in the career they plan on entering. “I feel like during your junior year, you kind of cram everything in because you want to get all of your hard classes out of the way so you can take the fun classes senior year.  Junior year just drags on because you’re not really taking the classes you want, just the ones that will look good for college,” said junior Jorry Lammers. Even so, most juniors are excited for the year and for being upperclassmen. Junior Maty Skinner says it’s “awesome” and believes this year will be a lot more fun than previous ones, but feels strange being considered an older student. However, Skinner is nervous about taking tests for college, saying, “It’s like one test determining your future.” Junior Andrew Kapperman has mixed feelings about being in his third year of high school. “I love being an upperclassman, but it would be a lot more fun if we got some respect from the underclassmen.” Many juniors feel they should stay involved and receive good grades. Kapperman is excited to take part in Student Council, FFA and TATU, and wants to keep straight A’s, while Skinner hopes to maintain her 4.0 and do well in track and soccer. Lammers also plans to receive good grades and wants to continue being involved in rodeo.

For most, senior year is the most exciting year of high school. You get to take fun classes, be involved in many activities and finally be the “top dog” at high school. Senior Alex Qualm is enjoying his last year of high school. “It’s nice to know that you’re the oldest in the school, so everyone respects you and looks up to you.” Senior Annie Misar is also enjoying her last year.  Misar says being a senior is “cool” and enjoys having open period. However, some seniors are nervous about moving on past high school.  “I’m nervous about college because of my money situation, and I’m scared that I won’t keep myself afloat. I don’t really want to move away from my parents,” said senior Tori Kock. Qualm, however, is more excited than nervous for college, but thinks he’ll miss high school. Misar is ready for college, saying, “I’m not nervous for college because it’s better than high school.” No matter what opinion you have on graduating, all seniors begin thinking about their futures. Qualm doesn’t have a set plan yet, but wants to go to college and thinks it would be cool to start his own business. Misar also plans on going to college and would like to “make money” after high school. Kock also has a general plan for after high school. “I want to be a journalist or an author of some kind, but after high school I’m probably just going to work and get money.” Kock’s advice for younger students is, “ Don’t make your teachers angry because they will stay angry at you.” Qualm also has advice for younger students at West Central: “Be active in as many things as possible. Enjoy high school all you can.”