Allie Gamache

Fremont High School

State Journalism Contest

Headline Writing

2013-2014 School Year

TIGER TALE February 201412

Martinez: ‘I got my heart from an angel.’

Continued from page ???“I have a puppy so I have to wash my

hands every time I pet him,” Martinez stated. “When I board a plane, I have to wear a mask. I burn really easily and that could cause can-cer. I have to take medication. Today, I try not to get sick or share food.”

For Martinez, the hardest part of her re-covery has been dealing with what the illness has taken from her as well as the reactions from others.

“People telling me ‘I thought you were going to die,’” Martinez said. “I don’t really know how to respond to that.”

Martinez’s heart transplant occurred March 11, 2013. Martinez was first alerted to the illness by swelling in her ankles and feet, throwing up, and passing out. She soon became a patient at Children’s Hospital and

Medical Center in Omaha. Her doctors could not diagnose the life-threatening condition at first, so Martinez was then taken to the Univer-sity of Nebraska Medical Center, where it was determined that she had heart failure.

“The flu attacked my heart,” Martinez ex-plained. “The doctor said it could happen to anybody. I’ve had an enlarged heart of one since the fourth grade, which just means that my heart is working harder to pump blood.”

According to the United States Depart-ment of Health and Human Services, approx-

imately 2,000 donor hearts are available per year in the United States. The wait list holds approximately 3,000 people per day.

During her time in the hospital, Martinez said she met several people who helped her through the process of having a heart trans-plant and helped her with her recovery.

““The nurses were very nice,” Martinez said. “They knitted me a blanket. The first year is always the hardest, that’s what they (the staff at UNMC) told me. It is because I see people coughing and sneezing. Any per-son who doesn’t really have a high immune system is scared of that. It gets easier.”

Martinez said she is grateful for the people who stood by her during her illness. Martinez said people who made an impact on her the most during her struggle included her Family, friends and a 17-year-old girl (Hannah), who also needed a heart transplant.

“They brought me stuff in the hospital, kept me entertained and talked a lot,” Mar-tinez said.

As a result of having to go through a heart transplant, Martinez said she learned how fragile her body was and not to judge a book by its cover.

Jazmin Martinez

“To be honest, I was really moody,” Mar-tinez said. “The first three months I had to wear a mask outside. I was wearing a mask at Wal-Mart and people were watching me. I thought how rude. People wearing a mask doesn’t mean that they’re sick. It means that you could cause their sickness. People find it weird. No, it’s not. You may think that, but what would you do if it was you and many people just look?”

Despite all the trials and tribulations that Martinez has gone through, Williams said the FHS sophomore has worked hard to stay healthy and maintain her grades at school.

“She should be an inspiration to us all,” said Williams. “She was so excited to come back to school that it was very satisfying for all of us when she returned.”

Last year Martinez was a freshman at FHS who needed a heart transplant, this year she is a healthy sophomore who appreciates her normal high school life.

“My philosophy now is to stay happy,” said Martinez. “There are always kind people out there that you can never forget. I got my heart from an angel. He or she was an amaz-ing person.” Story by Allie Gamache

FHS student overcomes

life-threateningheart ailment

with help from friends & family.

January 2014 THE RUSTLER 5Senior Spotlight Bookworms take reading to a new level

As Fremont High School senior Caitlin Wilkins opens a book she falls from reality through the pages and finds herself in a world full of magical creatures and spells.

She stumbles into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry where she attends classes taught by professors such as Char-ity Burbage, Rolanda Hooch and Severus Snape.

Wilkins spends her lunches with Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom talking about the latest Quidditch match. When the time comes, Wilkins is the unknown fourth adventurer that travels along with Hermione Granger, Ronald Wea-sley and Harry Potter to put an end to Volde-mort.

Although J.K. Rowl-ing had not written Wilkins into her popular book series, Wilkins has the power-like several other FHS students-to read her way into the story by being a book-worm.

“It’s a special part of my life,” said Wilkins about Harry Potter. “As the characters grew older, I grew older.”

Wilkins, a self-proclaimed bookworm, said bookworms are considered people who often have their heads stuck in a book with an eagerness to read.

“It means always having a book with you to enter a reality that is different from the real world,” said Wilkins. “People who think reading is uncool need to rethink their opin-ion.”

Bookworms have branched out in FHS from the library to the cafeteria, from the classrooms to the gymnasium, and from the halls to the auditorium. From freshmen to se-niors, the reading virus has spread.

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“It’s like watching TV in your head,” said Wilkins. “I read every day. I try to read one to three books a month.”

Wilkins said she prefers to read novels that include the “supernatural, the kind that involve magic, witches, demons and things of that kind.”

Students begin reading in different ways, but Wilkins said that once bitten by the worm they begin to crave the feeling of pages under their hands as their eyes soak in the literature on the page.

Wilkins began her love of reading in third grade: “My teacher read us Junie B. Jones books,” said Wilkins. “It made me want to read all of the Junie B. Jones books and I did.”

Junior Hannah Wag-ner is another book-worm at FHS, who voluntarily reads for enjoyment.

“The term book-worm means someone who loves books; some-

one who dives into books and devours them to their very core,” said Wagner. “Being a bookworm has benefited me by allowing me to escape from everything. Books are worlds and when you read, you become a part of that world for a little while.”

For bookworms, the constant time man-agement is an important concept while try-ing to juggle everyday tasks and still keep up with their addiction.

“It’s never not my favorite time to read,” said Wagner. “When I had more time on my hands to read, I could go through two or three books in a week. It was almost ridiculous how often I had to go to the library, but now it might take me two or three weeks to just finish one book.”

Favorite books at FHS vary from classics,

such as Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, to the supernatural Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare, or scientific novels such as Ender’s Game by Orson Scott Key.

“My favorite book changes every time I read,” said Wagner. “I love all types of books and all different genres.”

The application process to become a book-worm is simple, just open a book and read. The acceptance letter may come by owl, be announced in a yearly reaping, or found in the back of an old wardrobe.

For Wagner, the process has resulted in an endless supply of adventures and excite-ment.

“It’s the best time, in my room curled up in my chair with a blanket and a book,” said Wagner. Story by Allie Gamache

Riley Beranek, an 18-year-old senior at Fremont High School, has been selected as this month’s featured senior. In this exclusive interview, Beranek talks about his musical in-terests and future plans.

Rustler: What activities clubs and groups are you involved in and for how long?

Riley Be-ranek: I’m involved in Or-chestra, Jazz Band, Choir and Chorale. Out-side of school, I’m in some Omaha Area Youth Orches-tras. I have also done Student Directed One Acts and I’m

in Thespian Society. I’ve been singing for about two years now. I’ve played the cello for about eight years and I’ve played bass in Jazz Band for six years.

R: What do you do in your free time?RB: I watch TV shows like Doctor Who,

and Breaking Bad. I also like watching mov-ies and playing games occasionally. Another hobby of mine is listening to music.

R: What are your future plans?RB: I want to go to college and major

in an undecided science and maybe have a music minor.

R: Who has influenced you the most?RB: My dad has helped me through a lot

and has been a major influence in my life be-cause he helped me grow into the nice guy I am today.

R: What has been your favorite memory at FHS so far?

RB: I have two: Brigadoon, the FHS musical last year, because it was fun and I liked talking in a Scottish accent and playing in a bluegrass band at the winter concert this year.

Riley Beranek

The RustlerVol. 100, Issue 4

Jack.Denker@fpsmail.orgFremont High School

1750 N. Lincoln AvenueFremont, Nebraska 68025

402.727.3077

The Rustler is a product of the Fremont High School Journalism Department. Opinions expressed in this paper are not necessarily those of the administration, faculty or adviser. Letters to the editor can be submitted in the envelope outside of B34, via email to jack.denker@fpsmail.org, or in person at B34. All letters must be signed.

The Fremont High School Journalism Department is a member of the Nebraska High School Press Association

Jack DenkerAdviser

Andrea ContrerasEditor-in-Chief

Abbie Norris News Editor

Aaron HegartySports Editor

Staff Photographers & Reporters: Colby Bauer, Kristen Brokenicky, Kaitlyn Collier, Jenny Davis, Gina Elliott and Molly Schiermeyer. Graphic Designer: Austin Show. Cartoonist: Susy Graff.

Jenna QualsettPhoto Editor

Allison GamacheAdvertising Manager

Hope MouralOnline Editor

2 THE RUSTLER December 2013News Briefs

German Students of the Month

District One-Act Play Results

The following students were chosen as the December German students of the month

at Fremont High School: junior Rachel Voss, sophomore Kendric Smith, sophomore

Johanna McClure, junior Alyssa Tiedtke, freshman Justin Lassek and freshman Gabe Eisenmenger. FHS German teacher Brenda Schiermeyer said that each selected student received a German pencil, a locker sign and their name and picture in the monthly FHS

Tiger Growl.

The Fremont High School competition one-act play, David & Lisa, placed fourth

out of eight teams at the District A-1 compe-tition on Dec. 3, 2013. Gretna High School won the district title with the play, Mrs. Bob

Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge, while Crete High School finished second. FHS

students Morgan Giesick, Hailee Buenning, Cutty Castillo, Jesse Vitamvas and Krtisten

Cottier were all honored for their perfor-mances at the district one-act play competi-

tion this year.

Every other week Jasmine Hanson, a ju-nior at Fremont High School, does not report to her Tiger Success Time classroom. In-stead, she heads straight into the auditorium to visit with a freshman.

The two discuss topics such as television shows, everyday life, high school and grades. The two students are part of a mentor and mentee program-called New Directions-that has been a part of FHS for the last six years

“New Directions is a program in which up-coming freshmen can get the advice-for what it’s worth-of upperclassmen,” said Hanson, who has been a mentor in the group for two years. “The freshmen have someone to talk to and rely on. They can also get help with their homework. The incoming freshmen that are in this program are not bad kids, but some have started on a path that will not come to a good end. This program allows them to find a new direction, hence the name New Direc-tions.”

FHS Vice-Principal Myron Sikora, who serves as the sponsor of New Directions, said the program allows the freshmen to get one-on-one time with upperclassmen to learn good habits they can put to use during their high school years. There are a total of 44 FHS students who are involved with the pro-gram this year.

Estalishing Goals“Goals for our ninth grade students are to

graduate high school in four years, do well and earn all of their credits their freshman year, be involved and do activities, and be connected in the school,” said Sikora. “It is a mentoring program to help students navigate their high school years.”

The 2013-2014 New Directions mentees were introduced to the program before the school year started. This program is a con-tinuation of the New Directions class held at Fremont Middle School.

The students in the class were invited to go to a summer orientation from June 24-28, at FHS. The students who attended then became the mentees in New Directions. The mentors are chosen based upon an application process that took place at the end of the 2012-2013 school year.

“Part of what I like is that our mentors ap-ply because they want to be a part of the pro-gram,” said Sikora. “I look for students who are involved in a variety of activities, because

we want the mentees to become involved. We are looking for mentors with a high academic standard, have good social skills and who are willing to help ninth graders be successful. A few times we’ve had mentees become men-tors.”

The mentors are expected to help the ninth graders with problems, such as school work, or give advice on anything that the mentee wishes to talk about.

Giving Back“I am driven to continuously mentor fresh-

men because I feel that it is giving back to the community, helping another student out, and all-around the right thing to do,” said Han-son. “I love this program. I love being able to help someone on a one-to-one basis and possibly making a difference in their lives. This program has helped me by allowing me to interact with kids that I wouldn’t normally. I enjoy being able to help someone, even if it is just being a listening ear.”

The mentor and mentee relationships grow during the school year as the mentors constantly give advice to the freshmen.

“New Directions is a program where up-perclassmen are taking consideration of mis-takes they made their freshmen year and help

other students do the right things,” said junior mentor Jacklyn Friedrich. “I didn’t study as much as I should have and I didn’t take my classes as seriously as I should have. Now that I’m in Chemistry, I wish that I would have paid more attention in physical science.”

Ashley Leedom, a junior mentor at FHS, said she appreciates the friendly setting and open environment of the News Directions program.

“What I like is even if your mentee isn’t there, you can go speak with another men-tee,” said Leedom. “It branches out your so-cial interactions. I love meeting new people. It’s giving the freshmen a chance to vent about their feelings of school and it’s nice to talk to an unobjective person.”

Growing RelationshipsLeedom said the mentor and mentee rela-

tionship isn’t just a way to help freshmen out with homework, but also to help guide them to success throughout their high school years. Leedom said being a part of the program has created a sense of pride for her.

“It’s been a neat experience,” Leedom said. “As much as the high school boasts about us being a close knit family, it’s nice to experience it.” Story by Allie Gamache

Students find a new direction in club

ON THE COVER: Fremont High School senior Dreyah Bohlen strums her guitar

and sings a song she wrote for the Christ-mas season. To read more about Bohlen’s

family traditions during the holiday season, turn to pages six and seven. Photo by Jenna

Qualsett

Freshman Ashley Burch and junior Jacklyn Friedrich, both members of New Directions at FHS, carry on a conversation during Tiger Success Time earlier this month. New Directions meetings at FHS give mentors and mentees time to catch-up on their daily lives. It also gives the mentees a chance to get help with their school work. New Directions meets every other week in the audito-rium. Photo by Hope Moural

Cornhusker AwardThe Fremont High School Black & Gold

yearbook won the prestigious Cornhusker Award at the Nebraska High School Press

Association (NHSPA) Executive Board meeting in Lincoln on Dec. 6, 2013. The

Cornhusker is the highest award a high school publication can earn in the state of

Nebraska. The Black & Gold, one of only three Class A2 schools to earn top honors

this year, also won Golden Kernels for photo technical quality and visual consistency and

unification throughout the book at the fall convention. It has been 34 years since FHS was last awarded Cornhuskers for both the newspaper and yearbook in the same year.

Ugly Sweater Contest

The Fremont High School student council held an ugly sweater contest on Friday, Dec. 13, 2013. Award winners were recognized in

a variety of categories.