AC/GC Leo’s Club member Payton Policky carries a case of water while Becca Littler places another case of water on an ATV. The water and supplies were donated by the AC/GC community for the Greenfield community after a devastating tornado struck the city on May 21.

NHS collects donations for Greenfield

By Max Sills | Black and Gold Staff Writer

ACGC’s National Honors Society has collected donations for Greenfield to help the people in need after an EF-4 tornado flattened more than half the town.

The NHS collected water bottles, Gatorade, baby items, food, personal hygiene products and other supplies to give to Greenfield after this tragedy.

People can help by continuing to donate and spread information about this tragedy.

“We understand that these people have lost more than we could imagine, so helping out in any way possible would be great,” Charger NHS member Jathan South said.

ACGC and Nodaway Valley are rival sports teams, but that doesn’t matter in this case.

“We might be rivals in sports, but when it comes to people needing help, we are not rivals at all,” South said. “We would do anything to help people in need because that is much more important than any sports game.”

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Tornado hits Greenfield

By Jeslyn Ortega | Black & Gold Staff Writer

Many lives were upended May 21 when a tornado struck Greenfield, but students at ACGC High School are lending a helping hand to our Highway 25 rivals.

The community has come together and is doing a donation drive for those in need. The football team, volleyball team, DECA Leo’s Club and FFA are involved.

“We are coming together as a community, and it’s what you do for those in need. We are putting aside our differences and coming together because that is what they would do if it was the other way around,” DECA advisor Jennifer Betterton said.

Betterton said they are making sure they bring in enough items and goods that would help out the community and are helping with labor with tasks like taking trees down.

Trey Boettcher, Maddox Hammerstrom, Parker Cary, Coach Connor Osbahr, Brayden Galvan, Evan Powell, and Zander Hammerstrom. Photo by Kylee Boettcher

BOYS STATE GOLF

By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer

The Panorama varsity boys golf team has made quite an impact on Panorama. By putting the hours and work into the sport, boys golf has been doing well during their season. Last week, they competed in the determining factor of going to state, state qualifying. These boys had nothing to fear, though. The team won the state qualifying meet on their very own home course.

The boys varsity team consists of Evan Powell, Parker Cary, Maddox Hammerstrom, Trey Boettcher, Brayden Galvan and Zander Hammerstrom, along with their head coach, Connor Osbahr. They will be competing on Monday and Tuesday, May 20 and 21. The state meet is at Cold Water Golf Links in Ames. We wish them all the best as they compete. Congratulations to these boys.

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TEACHER FEATURE: MS. DEB WOOLDRIDGE

By Addie Astley, sophomore, staff writer 

Ms. Deb Wooldridge is an English and language arts teacher at Panorama High School. Ms. Wooldridge grew up in Panora and West Des Moines, where she attended Panora/Linden schools. She has been teaching for 19 years total, and 18 of her years have been at Panorama High School. She coaches drama and speech, both individual and large groups, and has for 12 years, as well as the school play for the last 10 years. When Ms. Wooldridge came to Panorama Schools, she started as a TAG teacher. Then she started to coach speech, and then an English position opened up and she took it. She became the high school English and language arts teacher and has been for the past 10 years.

Ms. Wooldridge’s favorite part about being an English and language arts teacher is getting to work with wonderful students and seeing them grow and mature through the years. She also enjoys her stories and the literature she teaches and how she gets to share it with her students. We are lucky and thankful to have Ms. Wooldridge at Panorama High School.

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2024 GRADUATES

By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer

The time has finally come and is now past. Panorama High School’s graduates have officially left the building. Their new lives are beginning. The final step has been taken. Whether it be college, trades or even working, Panorama High School seniors all have a bright future ahead of them.

On Sunday, May 12, Panorama High School’s seniors arrived at the school, caps and gowns in hand. Once all the family members and friends of each graduate entered the auditorium and took their seats, the graduates all filed in with  eagerness in their eyes. Once everyone had entered, the ceremony began. Valedictorians Mia Waddle, Zoey Hambleton and Maddox Nunn read speeches. Some contained memories, some with advice, and some with words of wisdom and hope. Superintendent Kasey Huebner also read his speech to the graduating class. The ceremony consisted of two videos; one had each graduate’s baby and senior picture. The other video consisted of pictures filled with memories from over the years. Finally, the graduates lined up, ready to take the next step in their lives. Each graduate’s name was called. They walked across the stage, received a handshake, flower and their diploma, then sat back down whilst awaiting the rest of their classmates. Once everyone had received their diplomas, all of the graduates stood up, turned around, and switched their tassels to the other side of their caps. Congratulations, class of 2024, your future awaits you.

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CONTINUE LEARNING OVER THE SUMMER

By Marlee Herring, eighth grader, staff writer

Summer is quickly approaching, and it might be appealing to forget school for a while, but it is important to stay engaged in learning. According to the Wallace Foundation, students who engage in summer learning perform 20-25% better in math and 20-23% better in reading. It also supports obtaining higher scores on social and emotional assessments. It can be a great time to get caught up in subjects you may have struggled with during the school year. Summer learning can also help prepare for upcoming classes.

PrepScholar.com provides four tips for students who want to continue learning over the summer.

1. Get familiar with online learning systems.
2. Set up daily study time and try to focus on a certain subject each day.
3. Use independent learning resources such as doing research, setting goals, and monitoring your progress.
4. Study with friends, which can be a very fun and easy way to connect over the summer.

According to SchoolCues.com, four of the best summer school activities are:

1. Reading programs
2. Stem camps
3. Art classes
4. Music lessons

Start preparing now for how you will stay engaged in learning this summer.

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CHERISH THE TIME YOU HAVE

By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer

Even though people say you should enjoy the time you have with people, and you don’t really think much of it, you should. You tend to think you have more time than you actually do. And after you are out of time, you feel regretful and like you wasted the time you could’ve been cherishing. For example, maybe there’s a grandparent who passes, and maybe you didn’t go see him or her as much as you could’ve. I know for me, personally, that would fill me with regret and sadness.

Maybe it’s not a grandparent passing but a sibling moving away and you didn’t spend enough time with him or her or you weren’t very kind. You will probably feel upset in the end. When you still have the time, you probably just don’t think about what comes after. However, it’s important that you cherish the time that you still have with people or even in a certain place. You will probably regret it if you don’t.

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WRITING VS. TYPING

By Peyton Walker, sophomore, staff writer

Even though typing might take longer than handwriting, is it better or worse for your own brain? Studies looked at 36 university students for the answer. By writing, it might make it easier to remember what you’re writing and learning. They experimented in many different ways by having them do different tests with writing and thinking, while they had a cap of sensors on their head to monitor their brains. The monitors on the brains showed their cell activity and the brain communication.

Typing hardly activated the brain, as it was underwhelming for it. Pressing in the keyboards is not as challenging as writing down the numbers itself. Writing by hand has sensory and motor system skills that help. While writing shows the difference between the letter as typing, all letters are the same. Small parts of the brain are activated during typing but very little. These are just some facts about typing, writing and brain activity.

Information gathered from www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/writing-by-hand-may-increase-brain-connectivity-rcna135880

Front row: Ava Thompson, Miranda Laabs, Alexis Wasson and Taylin Woolheater; Back row: Karleen Ploeger, Brayden Galvan and Brayden Meinecke. Not pictured: Baylyn Herring.

NHS INDUCTION CEREMONY 

By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer

The Panorama National Honor Society (NHS) held its induction ceremony on May 8 in the Panorama High School auditorium. At this annual ceremony, old and new NHS members walk into the auditorium one by one with a candle. Once members are seated, new incoming members, usually sophomores, sit on the stage. Older members, mostly seniors and some juniors, speak about the four pillars of NHS: scholarship, service, character and leadership. Superintendent Huebner also gave a speech focused mainly on leadership.

There were eight new NHS members inducted on May 8: Brayden Galvan, Baylyn Herring, Miranda Laabs, Brayden Meinecke, Karleen Ploeger, Ava Thompson, Alexis Wasson and Taylin Woolheater. These members were each called from their seats, one by one, to sign the book and receive a pin for their varsity letter. Seniors of the NHS were also recognized at the ceremony. Afterward, members provided ice cream and toppings for everyone to enjoy. Congrats to the new inductees.

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FFA STATE CONVENTION 

By Zach Hayden, sophomore

On April 15-16, 14 members of the Panorama FFA chapter went to Ames for the State Convention. These members were Cody Kastner, Abby Zaruba, Evan Johnson, Taylor Fronapfel, Ashton Kunce, Ella Carico, Ava Thompson, Bridget White, Danica Isom, Chris Hayden, Emma Johnson, Sam Hansen, Isabelle Davidson and Malia Jacobsen. Members participated in contests and workshops, spoke to ag businesses and colleges, listened to the main speakers, and watched members Weston Ploeger, Riley Gibson, Hadley Klein and Sarah Westergaard walk across the stage to receive their state degrees. 

Some of the contests and workshops include the following. Poultry judging was participated in by Ashton, Evan and Abby. The middle school leadership development workshop was participated by Chris, Sam, Malia, Isabelle and Emma. Cody and Ella received a silver rating in their chapter display, and Danica received a bronze rating in the Greenhand exam. Ava, Bridget, Ashton, Cody, Taylor, Abby and Danicka packaged meals for Meals of the Heartland as part of community service. 

Some members said that the convention went well and was fun. Others said that it had many people and that it was a great way to socialize and meet people with similar interests as you. A few said it’s a good experience for new and old members, and you will have many different learning opportunities.

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FUN THINGS MATTER 

By Addie Astley and Peyton Walker, sophomores, staff writers 

Fun activities in school help students. Kahoot, Blooket and Quizlet are fun learning activities that get students engaged in school subjects. Activities like these enhance students’ motivation, enjoyment, engagement and concentration. These are positive tools that can help students learn in positive ways. Students get excited about getting to participate in playing these games. They really do promote positive and active learning in classes and help students study.

How do Kahoot, Blooket and Quizlet work? A teacher will make a quiz with multiple choice questions. They can be true or false, or however they prefer. Then the students will join. Some of the websites have different types of games they can play. However, the goal of the game is to answer learning-based questions correctly. These games are appropriate for all ages and can be used in every classroom. 

Not everything in a classroom is supposed to be fun, and we all know that. Having a few fun activities planned for your classroom can help the kids want to learn and help them memories better by having fun. By doing fun activities in the classroom, it releases dopamine that improves memory, attention and motivation. These things don’t just have to happen in a classroom. Having fun outside of school is more important than you think. By having fun, it can boost your emotional well-being. 

Sometimes, exploring new activities can be stressful. So when you want to have fun, do something you know you’d like to show yourself. You could develop a strong social connection by just scheduling a time with family and friends to have fun and bond. You could be better at problem solving, as you can learn faster by seeing other people. You could get your spark back. What I mean by that is that you could’ve been feeling sad and you could push yourself to go out and feel like yourself again. These are just some reasons why having fun is very important for you and everyone around you. 

Information from

https://www.bryan-harris.com/why-fun-matters-more-than-you-may-realize

https://www.bravethinkinginstitute.com/blog/life-transformation/benefits-of-having-fun

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SCHOOL IS ABOUT TO END 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

School is almost over, and it’s time to say goodbye to the seniors. Remember to show your love and support when they graduate and at their grad parties. For non-seniors, the last day of school is slowly approaching so make sure all your grades are in check, homework is turned in, and your locker is clean.

As sports like golf, soccer and track and field are ending and preparing for a chance at state, softball and baseball are slowly starting. It’s important to show support to the sports teams and give the seniors’ last game an extra round of applause. What a great school year we all had. Next year will also be a lot different. New schedules and new teachers. See you next year and don’t forget about school over the summer.

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CHOOSING CLASSES FOR YOU 

By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer

It’s important to choose the right classes for you and your future. High school is where you should start thinking about your career and what you want to do. You can get prepared for what you want to major in while still in high school. For example, if you want to be an engineer, there are many engineering classes that you could take whether it’s through your high school or through a college. There might even be classes you could take in high school so you don’t have to take them in college, which could open your schedule up. 

I want to study psychology and/or psychiatry. So, while I’m in high school, I plan on taking psychology courses through my high school or through college. You should pick what classes are best for you. You shouldn’t take a class just because it’s easy or just because one of your friends is taking it. This being said, it’s also good to be open minded and try new things. However, you should take classes that will help your future the most and that you have the most interest in, even if they’re difficult. 

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DRONE DEMO 

By Miyah Small, eighth grader, staff writer

The eighth-grade science classes had a drone demonstration on Tuesday, May 7. Two biologists gave a presentation about drone safety, flying and about the different types of drones. They used a DGI drone to capture about 100 photos of the area demonstrated. The drone flew by itself on the route created before takeoff. Soon, the photos will be transformed into one photo and sent back for student observation.

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TEACHER FEATURE: MR. CAMERON LITTLE 

By Peyton Walker, sophomore, staff writer

Panorama’s business teacher and assistant baseball coach, Mr. Cameron Little, has been teaching at Panorama for 12 years but has been coaching baseball since out of high school. The thing that inspired him to start teaching was his love for coaching. He started coaching baseball because baseball was his favorite sport, and Mr. Bahrenfuss got him into coaching right after high school. He played baseball in high school, and he loved it. Mr. Little chose to teach business because before he decided to be a teacher, he started to go into a business major. 

He was inspired to start teaching by his mom, Mr. Bahrenfuss, and Mark Johnston; his favorite part about teaching is being able to help the kids. Mr. Little was homeschooled but duel enrolled at Panorama. He stayed to teach at Panorama because his family, friends and the things he loves are here. His favorite part about coaching is being able to share his value with his players and their families. Mr. Little loves working at Panorama. What he’s learned most from being a teacher is to put kids first, but to put God above all. 

Nate Geckler, Gage Thorn, Noah Poldberg, Cooper Jordan, Natacha Inaty and Anita Gale, Retired Boeing engineer who worked on Space Shuttle program, Current CEO of National Space Society (NSS), and founder of competition.

PANORAMA STUDENTS TAKE NASA TRIP 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

A group of Panorama students traveled to Texas in March for the NASA trip. While on the trip, the students were able to hear, learn and design on their own. They participated in The Space Settlement Design Competition, which allows students to begin with a design idea, problem-solve and present their idea to a panel of professionals. The competition is a high-intensity simulant event, where students get professional roles and are given specific challenges. They have to give and come up with realistic solutions. The competition is STEM-enriched and rigorous. Students interested in applying have to explain how they have been successful.

The event spans over a few days. Professionals volunteer to support the students in designing a futuristic space settlement and help with their pretend company. In each company, students are then divided into four engineering divisions. One company is crowned champion, and a portion of the company will advance to an international finals. From Panorama, Cooper Jordan, Noah Poldberg, Natacha Inaty, Gage Thorn and Nathan Geckler participated in the space competition. They all did a great job together with other students from Iowa and Texas.

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HOST AN EXCHANGE STUDENT 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

Did you know that you could host an exchange student? Well, here’s the reason why you should. There are so many young people in other parts of the world who would love to come to America to experience high school. Both the student, family and school can learn from this experience. Some of the main goals for exchange students are to learn about culture and improve their English skills. While hosting, you build friendships, understanding and cooperation. The exchange students allow people to get a better understanding of differences and appreciate similarities.

There are many benefits to host, and you can even change the world. Exchange students and their families usually keep in contact even years later and may visit each other. You will feel like you adopted a new family member and will, most likely, have a special bond with them. But it also comes with a lot of responsibilities. The students will be prepared to help out the family by doing chores and showing appreciation for the family by making food or showing you their culture.

There are a lot of different agencies that can help you if you are thinking about hosting. Pan Atlantic Foundation, Rotary International, CIEE and EF are some of them. They will help you with choosing a student who fits you and your family and guide you through the process. There are lots of students from all over the world waiting for you to host them. 

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SLEEP IS IMPORTANT 

By Addie Astley and Peyton Walker, sophomores, staff writers

Do we all need a good night’s rest? Yes, sleep is essential for the body, as it affects our mental and physical health the next day. Getting enough sleep every night helps reduce stress, maintain a healthy weight, lower the risk of health problems, get along with people, think more clearly, and improve memory. Lacking sleep can make you hungry through imbalances in the body. Your ghrelin levels go up and your leptin levels go down, which leads to increased hunger. 

Ages 6-12 should be getting nine to 12 hours of sleep per day. From ages 13-18, you should be getting eight to 10 hours of sleep. Ages 13-18 years old need about eight to 10 hours of sleep for every 24 hours. Adults 18 and older need seven or more hours of sleep each night. It’s important to get the right amount of hours for your brain, mood and health. 

Some students think their parents are lying when they tell them to go to bed early. They’re just trying to help them so their mental health and performance are better. When students go to sleep earlier, they have proper brain function, and it improves concentration and academic performances. Sleep is important for student athletes because they have to do all that work during school and then after school have sports practice. Children who don’t get enough sleep struggle with mental problems, and they fall asleep during school and compromise their education. 

Schools could be teaching proper sleeping habits to show what’s happening. Parents could help by taking devices early and showing them proper sleep schedules by doing it. If children don’t want to listen, parents could have them go to the doctor and have the doctor tell them.

Information for this article was gathered from: https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sleep.htm#:~:text=Students%20should%20get%20the%20proper,concentration%2C%20and%20improve%20academic%20performance.

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GIRLS CONFERENCE TRACK MEET 

By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer 

The girls conference track meet took place May 1. Its original date of April 30 was postponed due to bad weather. The meet took place at West Central Valley, and the participating teams were ACGC, WCV, Panorama, Woodward Granger, Earlham, Des Moines Christian, Van Meter, Madrid and Ogden. With a tough conference, the Panorama girls competed their hardest to win some relays and races.

With Panorama’s girls entered in almost every open and relay event, competition was fierce from other teams. Some of the relays that placed for Panorama were girls distance medley, who placed sixth overall, along with girls 4×8, who placed third overall. For individual placings for Panorama, Arilyan Steenblock placed second overall in discuss, Mary Fett eighth overall in the open 800, Laicey Lutz eighth overall for girls 1500, and Kylee Rochholz sixth overall for girls 1500. Everyone worked their hardest and fought with the terrible weather on the first day of the meet. However, with the meet being postponed to the next day, May 2, the weather brought sunshine to allow the running and field events to have a good end to the conference meet. For Panorama, three of the events set new best season performances, and six girls set a total of eight new personal records. Great work, girls!

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DRIVE SAFELY AND STAY ALERT

By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer

It’s important to drive safely. Not driving safely can put you and others at risk. When driving, you should be giving your undivided attention to the road. For example, you shouldn’t be on your phone whether it’s texting or watching videos of. Even if you think you’ll be fine doing that, being on your phone for even a second can end with disaster. 

You should also not drive if you feel sleepy or just feel like anything would keep you from giving your full attention to the road. Driving while you feel sleepy can be just as bad as driving drunk. When you’re sleepy, you will fall asleep a lot of the time, which is obviously dangerous when you’re driving. You should be awake and alert to avoid any accidents. It’s important to not be distracted, so you keep yourself, and everyone else on the road, safe. 

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MAKE YOUR END-OF-YEAR PREPARATIONS NOW

By Marlee Herring, eighth grader, staff writer

Summer is coming, so you need to prepare for the end of the school year. Classes are coming to a close, and that means everyone needs to be turning in late or missing assignments. Library books also need to be turned in the week of May 13. No library books can be checked out after May 6. There are also many end of year tests, so be prepared to study. Make sure to keep learning this summer and come back next year full of new knowledge. 

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ARE ENERGY DRINKS TERRIBLE FOR YOU?

By Maggie McCarthy, sophomore, staff writer

Many people wonder if energy drinks are terrible for you. An energy drink is a carbonated drink that contains caffeine and other ingredients that boost energy levels. Monsters, Alani, Prime and Red Bull are considered energy drinks, but coffee and some sodas are not. Furthermore, studies have shown that caffeine is not bad for you. However, too much caffeine can cause increased heart rate, nervousness, insomnia and other side effects.

What does caffeine do to the human brain? When a person consumes beverages with caffeine, that caffeine blocks the adenosine receptors in the brain. These receptors are proteins in the cells of the brain that contribute to the conception of feeling drowsy. When the caffeine blocks the receptor, it doesn’t activate the energy in the cell; it just takes away the feeling of being drowsy. However, when the caffeine wears off, it piles up on the receptors, and then you get what is called a crash.

In conclusion, drinking energy drinks only temporarily helps with feeling drowsy. 

Information for this article was obtained from: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LH2qNZtxqMU&pp=ygUtU2lkZSBlZmZlY3RzIGFuZCBiZW5pZml0cyBmcm9tIGVuZXJneSBkcmlua3Mg

ACGC FFA ATTENDS STATE FFA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

By Lilah Heinz and Stella Largent | ACGC FFA Chapter Reporter

The 96th Annual Iowa FFA State Convention was held April 14-16 in Ames. The ACGC Chapter had 32 members attend and participate in multiple events and competitions throughout the convention.

This year, the chapter had three members who qualified to compete in the Leadership Development Events. Two members, Nora Langgaard and Calleigh Wolfe, competed in the Greenhand Quiz contest, receiving a silver and bronze rating, respectively. Gavin Sloss qualified his Treasurer’s Book to be judged, and he also received a silver rating.

The chapter had six Career Development Events compete at the 96th Conference as well. The ACGC Chapter Exhibit received a Gold rating. Members that competed in this contest were Shay Lemke, Belle Fagan and Camdyn Richter.

The Marketing Plan team, which consisted of Rylee Robson, Irelyn Wirt and Ava Sneller, received eighth place as a team and a silver rating.

The ACGC Team Ag Sales received a silver rating as well. The members on that team were Tucker Carroll, Bo Arrasmith, Gavin Sloss and Tyler Thomas.

Chase Slaybaugh, Xander Harwood and Jack Sheeder participated in the Poultry Evaluation contest, receiving a bronze rating.

The Agricultural Communications team of Lilah Heinz, Stella Largent, Caydence Boals and Lucy Knutter received a bronze rating.

Team of Carley Fagan, Casey Young and Gracie Hodges participated in the Farm Business Management CDE and received a bronze rating as well.

There were three members who received awards on behalf of the chapter and for their individual accomplishments this year. Carley Fagan received the ambassador award for our chapter, which was a Gold rating, while Tucker Carroll received the Supreme National Chapter Award and the ACGC FFA received a silver rating. Jarrett McClain was recognized for winning the State Proficiency category of Agriscience – Plant Systems.

To round out the awards given at the State Conference, the chapter had four members receive their pins for their Iowa FFA degrees. These members included Belle Fagan, Shay Lemke, Jarrett McClain and Gavin Sloss.

Members also toured the career fair and listened to visiting state officers from around the country. Isabelle Rouse and Laurin Davis also got to participate in the State FFA Band, and Emmarae Ellis, Allison Drake and Montana Douglas participated in the State FFA Chorus. Camdyn and Carter Richter also served as delegates for the chapter. On Sunday, all members got the chance to listen to the keynote speaker of the convention, Nick “Sunshine” Tokman.

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CARLSON IS EXCITED FOR WHAT IS AHEAD AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

By Max Sills | Black and Gold Staff Writer

Being a senior in high school is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but ACGC senior Kelsey Carlson also eagerly awaits for the next chapter of her life.

Carlson is a bubbly, determined young lady who enjoys hanging out and doing things with her family. One of her favorite hobbies that she’s had since she was younger is baking with her mom.

Carlson looks back on when she was younger, and one of her memories is a time when she, her siblings and her cousins went to their grandma’s house and she had to chase the neighbor’s goats out of the yard with a broom.

Carlson’s favorite classes have been psychology and physics. “Physics was a fun class that I learned in and laughed every single day. Psychology was a very interesting class in which I learned so much about the brain. This class solidified my desire to major in psychology,” she said.

Carlson has been interested in sports her whole life. Some sports she’s been in are soccer, basketball and cross country.

Carlson plans to go to Dordt University so she can major in psychology and biology on the pre-med route and play basketball.

“I plan to either attend medical school to become a pediatric psychiatrist or attend graduate school to become a clinical/counseling psychologist in pediatrics,” she said.

Carlson stayed busy during her high school career by being involved in many clubs and activities including basketball, AAU basketball, soccer, cross country, large-group speech, choir, musical theater, student council, academic team, neuroscience club, National Honor Society, Leo’s Club, 4-H, Phi Theta Kappa, FCA and FCCLA.

The thing that has impacted Carlson the most has been staying busy, as she has learned time management and many other important life skills.

“Being involved made me a well-rounded individual and opened my eyes to the diverse world around me. In addition, it brought me to the most influential and amazing people,” Carlson said.

Carlson is incredibly thankful for all of the people who made her high school years memorable and supported her through her endeavors.

“Although I’ll be sad to leave, I’m super excited for what lies ahead,” she said.

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KENT PARTICIPATES IN INDIVIDUAL ALL-STATE SPEECH

By Jeslyn Ortega | Black and Gold Staff Writer

Natalie Kent is a senior at ACGC High School who participated in Expository Address for Individual Speech. Kent has been in speech for quite a while and has performed amazingly in every competition.

The all-state qualifier for individual speech was Monday, March 25. Kent presented her speech that was called “Death with Dignity,” which was based on her experience with her grandma when she was going through a hard time with her health. Kent’s grandmother had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, known as ALS, which could not be fought off, and she soon after passed away. This made Kent’s speech touch a lot of people as her story had a meaningful background about her grandmother.

Kent made it to All-State along with her head coach, Jessica Fridley, who was by her side for this huge accomplishment. Over the years, Ms. Fridley has been coaching individual speech. This was one of her proudest moments for her student and her career overall.

When asked how she felt about going to All-State, Kent stated, “I wasn’t super nervous, I don’t think. I felt pretty confident in what I had to present. I knew my stuff, but it was overwhelming because I had never been there before. I had no idea what to expect. It was kind of like, ‘Oh, wow this is kind of a lot and a lot is going on,’ but it was super-cool and I was super-grateful to be there. It was awesome.” 

Overall, Kent’s last year was a success in getting to all-state, and she wants to continue to participate in speech in college. 

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ACGC LARGE GROUP SPEECH EXCELS IN ALL-STATE COMPETITION

By Bryan Beer | Black and Gold staff writer

ACGC’s Large Group Radio Group, KWST, participated in the All-State competition on Feb. 17. The group performed well at the competition but fell short of the top award.

Participants of KWST radio group were Carter Neff, Lance Bunde, Ashton Zekucia, Noah Kading, Bo Arrasmith and Producer Andrew Mahaffey.

“The boys and their broadcast were given a great review by our judge. Unfortunately, we were not able to bring back the award for best of the day, but we did very well for a 1A school going up against 4A schools,” Coach Colin Shawgo said.

ACGC was a 1A school competing against larger schools in Ames. Unlike in sporting events, large group speech teams can compete against any sized school in a competition.

“What makes radio so great as a category is we do everything pre-recorded, and so all we really had to do was show up and press play on the computer,” Shawgo said.

ACGC’s radio group pre-recorded their voice lines before they performed, Shawgo said.

“This also meant that we were able to dress up for our performance without having to worry about acting anything out, and so it was with that in mind that we put on some cowboy attire for the actual performance itself.”

The radio group’s theme was wild west, so the group dressed up as cowboys and performed.

Though ACGC was an underdog in the competition, they still placed well and enjoyed the competition.

“Overall, the boys had a good day and were happy with how we did,” Shawgo said.

Left to right: Mr. Huebner, Ava Thompson and Lydia James

NHS BLOOD DRIVE 

By Miranda Laabs, sophomore, staff writer

On April 22, Panorama Schools held a blood drive in the middle school gym. Panorama National Honor Society helped pass out snacks and drinks to those who donated blood. Donating blood can impact many lives. Each time someone donates, they help three people on average. The blood goes to those who need transfusions due to loss of blood from surgery or injury. Studies have shown that those who donate blood have lower risk of liver, lung, colon, stomach and throat cancer. Those who are wanting to donate must have their iron levels, hemoglobin levels and past medical history checked. Donating can save many lives. If you are eligible, be sure to consider donating to those who need it. After donating, you will get a letter in the mail. In this letter, you will receive your blood type and donor card, as well as your results from the tests they run in the lab. Donating is a great way to help others and improve your health as well. 

Forty-seven people were on the schedule to give at the drive, and 44 were registered to donate. Nine were first-time donors, and 36 were able to donate. Thirty-nine units of blood were collected, and up to 117 lives were saved or sustained.

Information gathered from the event, LifeServe, and biospecialty.com. 

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: HADLEY KLEIN 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

Hadley Klein is a senior at Panorama High School. She grew up in Yale but was born in Kansas. After high school, she plans to go to community college for two years and then transfer to Iowa State for animal science. During her high school years, Hadley has been involved in football cheer, golf, speech, drama, FFA, NHS and band. She is proud of her accomplishment of earning her Iowa degree for FFA. If she could go back and tell her younger self something, it would be: Don’t be afraid of what others think. Hadley’s advice for underclassmen is to be outgoing and not spend all day in your room.

If she could describe her last four years, it would be fun, memorable and hard. One of the biggest challenges for Hadley was staying focused on doing homework and getting it in on time. When she looks back on the year, she will mostly remember her friends and all the good times they had together. Hadley’s favorite teacher is Mr. Hameister because she can ask him for advice. In her free time, Hadley likes to ride horses, listen to music and hang out with friends. She wants to be remembered for being kind to others. She looks up to her mom because she is strong and independent and has taught Hadley she can do anything. In 10 years, Hadley imagines herself living on a farm and having a good job. Good luck, and we wish you all the best in the future. 

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: WESTON PLOEGER 

By Holliday Mertens, freshman, staff writer

After high school, Weston Ploeger plans to attend Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture. During his time at Panorama High, he participated in basketball, FFA, trap shooting, NHS, the Space Settlement Design Competition, the TEAMS competition and 4H. His favorite teacher is his own mom, Mrs. Ploeger. His advice to underclassmen is to “keep working hard.” He is most proud of his high-point titles from ranch horse shows. He plans to achieve his goals with determination, and he strives to meet the goals he sets for himself. He describes his high school experience as “busy, fun and intense.”

Weston looks up to his dad, because “he works hard with extreme dedication for his goals.” The coach who impacted him the most was Coach Peasley because “of the opportunities I have had playing in his basketball program and the relationship we have built.” His most challenging tasks as a senior was coming up with good answers. Three words that describe him best are “handy, laid-back and hard-working.” Finally, he wants to be remembered for “being a great teammate and friend.”

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SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: MIA LLESHI 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

Mia Lleshi is a senior at Panorama High School and grew up in Ankeny and Linden. Her future plans involve getting a job, a farm and a family. During her last year of high school, the most challenging task was getting through the year and staying positive. But even through all the hard times, she still managed to get through it because of her favorite teacher, Mrs. Horak’s support, and her family’s unconditional love. 

Her favorite things to do in her free time are cooking and watching “Breaking Bad,” her favorite TV show. She’d like to be remembered for her cooking, and she’s proud of her accomplishment of being able to eat 12 McChickens. Her favorite meal is mashed potatoes and gravy with BBQ chicken, corn and rolls. We wish you the best of luck.

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Front row: Landon Kirtley, Joel Cooper, Brayden Galvan and Gage Thorn; Middle row: Gracie Recker, Jadyn Lawrence, Mia Waddle, Kaitlin Kent, Evelyn Hummel, Faith Recker, Maddy Carstens and Ella Gaffney; Back row: Miranda Laabs, Hailey Hellman, Jessy Randol, Sarah Westergaard, Jaidyn Sellers, Tyme Boettcher and Kelsey Laabs.

CLEANING DITCHES 

By Maddy Carstens, junior, staff writer

On April 24, members of the school community joined together. Panorama High School’s NHS, Student Council, and Service Program joined forces. Together, kids were transported to ditches and roadsides to pick up trash. With everyone working together, things got done faster than planned. Way to go, everyone.

Cleaning ditches has been a part of Panorama High School for a while now. Kids go out in their neon green traffic vests and orange trash bags to help pick up litter across the roads. When kids work together to benefit their community, they can understand something. They can realize they can make a difference in our environment. Thank you to teachers Mrs. Kylee Boettcher, Mrs. Carla Church and Mrs. Angie Clouser for helping transport and run the cleanup. 

Caption: Front row: Landon Kirtley, Joel Cooper, Brayden Galvan and Gage Thorn; Middle row: Gracie Recker, Jadyn Lawrence, Mia Waddle, Kaitlin Kent, Evelyn Hummel, Faith Recker, Maddy Carstens and Ella Gaffney; Back row: Miranda Laabs, Hailey Hellman, Jessy Randol, Sarah Westergaard, Jaidyn Sellers, Tyme Boettcher and Kelsey Laabs.

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MUSIC FOR YOUR MOOD 

By Lillie Greenlee, freshman, staff writer

There’s a type of music for every mood you’re in. For example, there is sad music you can listen to when you are down in the dumps. Sometimes listening to music that fits your mood is just a way to express yourself. I love listening to all kinds of music in all of the moods I have. There are so many different types of music, and it is fun to discover what you like best. People relate to different lyrics, and music can help people describe what they are feeling.

Sometimes, it’s also nice to have music to listen to when you want your mood to change. For instance, if you’re sad, listening to fun or happy music can boost your mood greatly. Music is such a diverse thing, and, if you think about it, it is really cool how there’s such a contrast in the same thing. It’s really awesome how something as small as music can bring people together. Everyone likes different music, and it’s fun to be able to share what we like with others. 

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SOFTBALL COMING SOON 

By Miyah Small, eighth grader, staff writer

The 2024 softball season officially began on Monday, April 29. The Panorama Softball teams will begin practicing and eventually have games. The weather is nice for some outdoor fun. There have been about one open gym or more per week. Athletes have been putting in effort and getting in reps in the gym, on the field and maybe even at home while prepping for the upcoming season.

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CONFERENCE ART SHOW 

By Bjoërg Skovgaard, sophomore, staff writer

On Monday, April 29, Panorama will be part of the Conference Art Fair. The participating schools will compete to win their art category. Panorama will be competing against ACGC, DMC, Madrid, Ogden, Van Meter, WCV and Woodward Granger. The art conference will be hosted by Van Meter High School and is open to all art students enrolled in an art class this year. 

The conference is a judged art show. Three judges will look at the art, discussing pieces, and placing the categories from first to fifth place. There are 30 categories, and Panorama will be competing in almost all of them. Monday will be a field trip for the students who are participating and students who would like to watch.