Humans of WHS 23-24
Nolan Wieland“My favorite sport is track because it’s the least stressful and I got to meet a lot of new people last year and i am able to set personal goals for myself. I also love my pink spikes.”
Lindsey Mueller“My favorite thing about cross country is my teammates and how hard we work every day. We were only 7 points off from making it state this year, and we are going to work even harder next year to reach our goals."
Mackenzie Ellis“I am thrilled to be a Blue Jay. I have really enjoyed learning about our course offerings at the High School and helping students come up with a plan of study to meet their goals for after high school but also have fun and enjoy their time at high school. My favorite part would be seeing students take responsibility and driving their own path.”
Brian Edler"The thing I love most about being a teacher is the interactions with the students and the teachers. I love being able to take a subject that I enjoyed and share it with others. The thing I love most about being a coach is seeing players develop in their abilities throughout the year. I also love watching them succeed as we get into the season and throughout their high school career."
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Jobe Weber“Well, I skipped kindergarten and at first it was cool to be with a bunch of kids who were older than me and I was doing the same thing they were doing, but now it’s not something I even think about. It’s all I have ever known.”
Kaya Otto“I work at Tropical Sno. The best thing about my job is the pay. It’s 14 dollars and hour, plus tips. My favorite snow cone flavor is wedding cake. It’s cotton candy and vanilla, but instead of vanilla syrup, you put birthday cake syrup and vanilla cream on top. The hardest part about the job is all the stuff you have to do before closing.”
Wesley Schmiedeskamp“My high experience was great because of the nice teachers, My favorite class is German with Frau Johnson because she cares about her students.”
Benjamin Loesing“The only record I have broken is the 55 free record, which is a sprint.I've gone to practice every single day and have been working really hard in practice to get prepared for swim meets. My favorite part about swimming is going to meets and then going to get food after”
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Nele Scholz“I want to experience the American high school spirit and the sports and all of that. And also the feeling of living in another country and to learn the language and all of that stuff.”
Rylee Kinney“Band has been a lot of fun this year! It has helped me form a lot of new and stronger friendships and I really like performing. And I also really like going to the competitions we have!”
Aspen Pieper“I am most excited about the new dresses for color guard. They have a very big visual effect. I started my freshman year but I did a clinic in 8th grade. My favorite color guard memory was last winter; it was very fun and we won state which was very exciting for the team. This year I am excited for 3rd movement because I have a solo."
Abigail Meyer“Shadowing Ian is quite an experience, you learn a lot of weird knowledge. This will be the start of my second year; I started last year around fall sports starting. I've learned a lot more time management skills. After high school, definitely college-looking at the education route for athletic training.”
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Humans of WHS 22-23
Shelby Tallent“I really like tennis. I would play with friends sometimes, but I never did camps or practice that much. All the girls are really nice and I’m friends with a lot of them. The coaches are really nice. They let us choose what we want for practice. During tennis, you have to be really quiet. It’s pretty serious and you can’t cheer or talk during a match. It feels very professional.”
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Mason Theis“I have been playing soccer since I was 6. This is my second year playing goalie on varsity. I prepared for highschool soccer by running, working out and eating well. My main focus this year in soccer is to catch and stop every ball that comes at me.”
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Jared Rennick“The way that I balance being a coach and teacher is having a really good person at home that helps me manage it. My fiance is understanding and understands that it does take up a lot of my time. She is very good at working with me to find time where we can be together, but also finding that balance between home and work.”
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Humans of WHS 21-22
Lily Meza
“Sometimes we think the same things, and then we’ll just look at each other and think, ‘Wow, we thought the same thing’.” |
Bea Meza
“A lot of people tell me, ’Oh you guys look the same, so you guys are kind of alike’, but we’re really not. We’re not like complete opposites. We get along, and we have similar interests.” |
Emily Bruckerhoff
“I just felt happiness to even meet the record or come close to it. To break it, watching that ball fall over the fence knowing that was the record breaker, I felt pure joy. It is crazy to think that I achieved something that many others could not. Now, future students will have to try to break my record.” |
Kerri Flynn
“I started tracking my rides probably a year ago. I really did better when I got Chino. When I got him he was underweight so I wanted to keep track of how much I was working him so I could balance his calories. Riding is a form of therapy for me. I get a lot of endorphins out of it and a lot of dopamine. So if I don’t ride weekly, at least, I start feeling it psychologically and physiologically. So it is a mission that I ride at least once a week. And school is always hard because I’d like to ride more than that. It’s just part of keeping myself sane especially this year because it’s just been so stressful.” |
Rachel Stahl
“It’s a conglomeration of a lot of feelings I’m realizing. I’m going to miss students. This morning when I walked in, my last Monday at Washington High School, [I] felt a little sad, I got a little misty-eyed. But I’m really excited about the opportunities that await me, and I know that there will be many students [where], our paths will cross again. So it’s not a goodbye, it’s a see you later. I’m feeling good about it. I’m going to miss students and staff. The teachers and students at this school are fantastic. |
Katharine Jenkins
“Being a new teacher at WHS has been great! So far I like the 'community' of WHS. I have noticed that everyone is involved in the community and with the school. It feel like I am a part of a family here. I love the community and the students at WHS. Very caring and kind!" |
Nathan Smith
“I plan to become an engineer in either two fields: aeroscience or biomedical. I don’t know which one yet, but I know I want to do one of those. My great uncle was an aerospace engineer and I just really like rockets and space. I have always either wanted to go to space or work on the rockets. I really want to go to NASA someday to become an engineer and do something important for the future of space travel.” |
Abby Raeker
“After high school, I’m planning to go to Truman State University. I want to use their five-year program to get a master's degree in secondary education, and a bachelor's in English. I chose to major in English because I’ve always found written communication very fascinating. I wanted to become a teacher so that I could help empower students, as well as help them reach their full potential. There were so many teachers here in Washington that have inspired me to become a teacher.” |
Evie Bryson
“Volleyball as a freshman is really fun! Over the summer we had open gyms and weights. It was a great way for me to stay active and train for this fall, while also making a bunch of new friends, which made me a lot more confident going into the school year. This year I’m looking forward to learning more about volleyball and getting ready for next season. Let’s go Blue Jays!” |
Alex Barks
“Transferring my junior year has been a struggle so far. My classes have been pretty good, but sports hasn’t been so easy. I made the varsity volleyball team, but then found out the day before our first game that I wasn't eligible to play because of the transfer. We are still trying to work this out so I will be able to play my junior year of volleyball, but it has been a long process. Other than that, I like being a blue jay.” |
Elena Roewe
“My favorite part of my Washington High School Experience is marching with the band. I love playing at the Friday night football games and Saturday morning competitions. I like to hang out with the people in my section. After high school, I plan on going to college and on majoring in English. I have visited Mizzou, Webster University, and Stephens College. Right now it’s a toss-up between Mizzou and Webster University. They are very different schools and have different strengths and weaknesses.” |
Emma Kamp
“I do not believe that online schooling benefited me in any way. Although it was nice being able to choose my own schedule, it was hard to set a pace that I knew would get [it] done on time. I had to pull an all-nighter and work on school work for 12 hours straight just to get it done on time. The actual lessons themselves were hard to understand, and getting help from someone from the school just wasn’t convenient due to having to wait for a response in order to be able to finish a lesson.” |
Humans of WHS 20-21
Emma George
“I started selling earrings back in October. I make seasonal earrings, as well as gummy bears, and other sorts of candies. I am working on making earrings out of Shrinky Dinks, as well as Monster Energy soda tabs. I sell them at Shop Around the Corner located at 1901 East 5th Street. They are at the front counter. I was inspired by websites like Shein and Romwe, so now instead of waiting a month to get them, people can just buy them there. Each pair is anywhere from $2 to $4." |
Amber Lesire
"I started skating at the end of the first quarantine, so like the end of May. I enjoy it because it's very freeing and lets you forget about your problems for a bit and it's just super fun." |
Meredith Duncan
"The schedule change for me was difficult at first, but I got used to it. This year has definitely been a different year, and it has affected how I learn in school. Learning in school for five days is definitely easier because I get immediate feedback from teachers, so going back five days should definitely help improve my grades." |
Allison Graves
"It was interesting because in my AP [Government] class we were talking about what was happening that day with the certification of the electoral vote. I knew that there was going to be a protest that day from Trump supporters, but I did not realize that they were actually at the Capitol and storming the Capitol. Altogether I really do think it was unfortunate, it never should have happened. I really hope people look at that and see it as a really negative moment and not something that people are proud of. People can use it to better educate themselves or to just find better ways of speaking their minds." |
Lillian Gildehaus
"I am currently the Franklin County Beef Queen. This opportunity means so much because I have looked up to the former beef queens all my life. This tradition has gone on for generations, so being part of this history is an honor. Some of my responsibilities are to attend as many cattlemen meetings as possible, represent Franklin County as a contestant in the State Beef Queen Contest, I will have to attend the county fairs this coming summer, and throughout my reign, I will have to recruit new members to the Cattlemen’s Association." |
Kaylie Rowe
"Theatre has always been a huge factor in my life. I've been involved in theatre all four years here at WHS and have performed in every show possible. Another way I am involved is that I am Theatre Guild Co-President. I help make show choices, recruit new people, and help Ms. Holtmeier. This is a very exciting position because it lets me be more involved than in previous years. Now, with it being my senior year, I am grateful for all that I have learned and I hope to put my best into my final shows." |
Ian Althen
"AP Seminar is a great class that provides you with skills you will need if you choose to move forward with a form of higher education." |
Kaylie Rieger
"Colorguard is about being big and bold. Everything you do has to be dramatic, even if it's wrong. At the end of the day, nobody knows your work like you do. The more confident you are, the better your show will look." |
Andrew Mundwiller
"My favorite thing about camping is being able to sit back and relax. Being able to get away from it all, especially now with COVID. Also, being able to hang out with friends and family is a lot of fun." |
Kinsey Kamper
"I've been swimming since I was about nine for our city swim team and I enjoy the sport, so I was definitely excited to try high school swim. It's definitely a lot of work and energy, but it really pays off. The swim team is like a little family in a way since we see each other every morning at 5:30. By the end of the season, we all become really good friends." |
Caroline Heimos
“I make handmade rings and necklaces! I started in the middle of quarantine because I wanted to do something other than being on my phone. I like making them because it gets my mind off things, and I like giving them away to people because it makes me happy seeing them happy!” |
Devon Deckelman
"Wrestling has been affected by COVID. We haven't been able to wrestle as many matches because people are canceling events or wrestlers get quarantined. Our team has split into two different groups for practice so that we don’t have as many people in the room. I like wrestling because it teaches me self-discipline and hard work. Wrestling is probably the most physically demanding sport. You have to really work and strive to be different from other people." |
Ashlyn Hartley
“I decided to post my makeup looks on TikTok because it would be cool for more people to see my looks and possibly even be known for it one day. My dream is to be able to do actors' makeup on set and I thought TikTok would be a great place to start!” |
Ella Scott
“I’m incredibly excited to be the new [School Board] representative. More than that, I appreciate the experience that I gained in a student-led election. It’s almost crazy to see the support I received from my peers, and I’m very grateful for it! Honestly, despite its faults, social media was my key for campaigning! I made a flyer and asked people to share it, primarily on Snapchat and Instagram. With COVID-19, this school year has been beyond difficult, so it’s important to me that the student body is well represented in this time, and I believe that I’m capable of doing so.” |
Jack Trentmann
"My favorite things about roller hockey are seeing the guys and girls, just going out there almost every weekend, having fun, and pushing myself to get better every day. It's just really fun to talk to the coaches and teammates. They're all a great group." |
Amy Fecke
"AP has changed in a few ways during the hybrid schedule. Instead of spending class time working on practice AP problems, students are completing these problems at home. This limits the amount of questions they ask and therefore the amount of feedback they receive from me. When completing these types of problems in class they have the opportunity for one-on-one explanations, something that does not occur with at-home assignments. One positive has been a smaller number of students working on labs at one time. This allows students to spread out, alleviating the stress of a cramped lab area. The smaller number has also made it easier to prepare labs for my students and more easily monitor chemical and equipment usage. Overall the hybrid schedule has not hindered our ability to stay on track with the curriculum. We are on pace to finish about a month before AP testing, with plenty of time for review." |
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Lydia Maune
"My first year on the cheer team this year has been a great experience for me. I love cheering at football games, especially when the weather transitions into fall. It has allowed me to make so many new friends and become closer to all of my teammates." |
Lydia Bush
"COVID-19 obviously has affected me negatively, but since I've been stuck at home for a while, I've been able to practice my hobbies and pick up new ones. I've been cooking a lot, touching up on my drawing skills, and teaching myself how to play songs on the piano. I think that even the worst of situations can have some sort of positive effect." |
Jessica Fitzgerald
"I see some challenges with the fall semester hybrid schedule with students working, especially with time management when working at home. However, I see that the hybrid is working because we have had low numbers of positive cases at our school. Another bonus is that I like the smaller class sizes because we can do more individualized learning which is nice." |
Maddie Grimes
"I wouldn't specifically say I have the best time management, I totally have room for improvement, but I guess it’s decent. I would say you just have to have your priorities in check. For me, it’s school, then soccer, and then my job. After that, it’s other extracurriculars. You can’t just let everything overwhelm you all at once. Also, just use the calendar app on your phone. It’s a literal godsend." |
Courtney Crabtree
"Balancing band and cheer is something I've gotten really good at. I've been in band since 5th grade and I don't plan on quitting anytime soon. I started cheer with a few friends freshman year and now it's a really important thing in my life. My teammates are like the sisters I never had. This year things with both band and cheer have changed a little bit with COVID, so they overlap sometimes. There are some days I have to miss band, and some days I have to miss cheer. But when you have great coaches and amazing, understanding directors, you can do everything you're passionate about." |
Grace Landwehr
“I’m a senior, and this is my first year playing golf. It’s really enjoyable, and I’ve learned a lot from playing more and being with all of the girls. My favorite club to hit with is my driver because it goes the farthest.” |
Taylor Brown
"I have been playing softball for five years. I love so many aspects of the game, it’s hard to pick a favorite. Being one of the primary pitchers as a freshman, I knew I really had to step up to the plate and challenge myself with different pitches and know where to place the ball. Although I have had a lot of personal success this season and have received many post-season honors, I really just enjoy playing softball with some of the best teammates I could ask for. I’m excited to see what is to come in the next three years." |
Kaleb Burr
"I thought being the student representative on the school board would be interesting and a way to learn more about our school and town. I never knew much about the school board and it has become insightful on how and why some choices are made. COVID has made it interesting as we have had virtual meetings. It has caused a lot of people to come to the meetings." |
Shelby Whitacre
"Wrestling positively impacted my life by making me get my butt into that room, and work with the best girls I know. It also has made me look at things differently, especially taking small things into consideration. My confidence was boosted up from wrestling. It has also given me a healthy outlet in my life, and has made a positive change for me." |
Donece Brown
"Going to a BLM protest was an amazing experience. This directly affects my family and I. I’m passionate about this because I want to be a part of the change. I think what motivated me to go was definitely seeing what’s been happening around me and all over the US. Do your research; look up different events and organizations for which you can go to and donate towards; advocate as much as possible; realize your take on it is important and this is definitely something worth fighting for." |
Madelynne Schmitz
“My friend got me the James Charles palette, and all the colors gave me so much inspiration. I started playing around and after a while my eyeshadow looks started to all come together, and now it’s looking really good!” |
Chris Hinnah
"I'm not a huge fan of the online school. I would much rather be at school than be at home attempting to keep focused on school. At least being at home lets me focus on my training regimen and use my time wisely." |
Jessie Tovo
"Volleyball has been crazy recently due to COVID. At the beginning of the pandemic, the end of my club season was canceled, and I was scared about how it would affect how I did at tryouts. The high school is doing a really good job at enforcing social distancing and reducing contact time with the players. We wear masks while we are not actively playing. As for games, there is a limited amount of people, so it's disappointing not having everyone there. It isn't ideal, but the volleyball program makes the best of it!" |
Emma Lock
“I recently got this new horse named Lena. It was kind of just an unexpected buy. I just fell in love with her. I’m super proud of myself because I bought her with all of my own money. My parents didn’t help at all. I really just fell in love with her because she was just a great all-around ride and then I bought her because I want to start doing lessons out here and I think she would be a really great kid horse.” |
Cole Nahlik
“I started playing rugby my sophomore year after one of my football coaches suggested it. My favorite thing about the sport is the brotherhood. With rugby, you have to keep getting up, even when it hurts. That brings out the best in people.” |
Emily Molitor
"I’ve been driving for almost five months. I’m looking forward to driving in Colorado in a couple of months because it’s a different scenery. What I like about driving is you get to hang out with your friends more often because you don’t have to have a parent drive you around. Something I dislike is having to pay for gas. Tips I have for new drivers is to practice a lot before taking your test and to stay off your phone as much as possible while driving." |
Ashley Frick
“Being the only freshman on the dance team was very difficult at first. I didn’t know how to do some things and I didn’t have many friends or really know anybody. But I made friends quickly and they all helped me when I needed it! The dance team has been very fun so far. I have made so many new friends and they have all helped me out with school in general as well. It is different though because of coronavirus. I don’t get to experience a student section for my first year, which is kind of sad, but there are many years to come!” |
Rylie Kruse
“I decided to do fully online school because I need to work more to save up money for college. Also, going to school for two days a week is still exhausting. I feel like being at home more helps my mental health. I think I’m getting the same education I would’ve gotten with hybrid learning, and I get to work more, and be less stressed.” |
