KOVEMBER

KOVEMBER from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Erin and Bri get the low down on KOVEMBER

HCHS Haunted House

HCHS Haunted House from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Erin and Bri uncover the mysteries of the HCHS Haunted House.

Dress Me Up, Before Ya Go Go!

It's a Nightmare on Elm Street. In the dreams of his victims, a specteral child murderer stalks the children of the members of the lynch mob that killed him. But in the hallways of HCHS, a different kind of monster plagues the students and faculty. And that monster is... the glory that is Dress Up Days. For five days the students strut their stuff down the hallways, and the sky is the limit.

For years, anyone and everyone associated with Harlan Community High School have been invited to join in the festivities of Homecoming Week by dressing according to the themed days. Traditionally, Monday has always been Pajama Day and Friday the legendary Red and Black Day. But Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are up in the air. So, I, Danielle Hernandez for School News, have taken on the task of recording the 2010 Homecoming Dress Up Days.



So, Monday rolled around and students rolled right of bed and headed to school. Pajama Day has always been a favorite, for the simple reason that it's easy, comfy, and hard to forget. As previously stated, Monday has always been Pajama Day. So if you forget, I would suggest getting yourself checked out. Best Dressed boy was Mason Fah, who dawned a red onesie, complete with footsies. There was a tie between Alex Hansen and Emily Assmann. And, as predicted, Mrs. DuVal walked away with a five dollar certificate to Cylcone Corner with her ensemble. You go girl!

Tuesday was comparable to a rainbow vomiting on all of the students. Technicolor tights were seen on the ladies below the waist while, unfortunately for many, bare thighs were exposed by the menfolk. This day was definitely a spectacle, as many ladies contributed to Global Warming with their excessive hairspray and gigantic, cheesy scrunchies. But aside from the ecological damage, it was a pretty enjoyable day. Best dressed male went to Alex Markham, who came prepared for tennis at the local country club with exposed white thighs. Best dressed girl was Jandy Johnston, who looked like she walked right out of a Jane Fonda video. Mrs. Lansman earned her title (and her calves for that matter) by jumproping all day long.

Wednesday was a throwback to my freshman year, with Duct Tape/Trash Bag Day making another appearance. Students got creative by designing entire outfits from the supplies easily found at home. A common theme that day was the coveted designer tape, with many patterns and colors being incorporated. David Siebert came to school wearing a trash can, and thus won himself Best Dressed. Chandler Mores was the winner for Best Dressed girl, and Best Dressed teacher was Mrs. Rasmussen.



On Thursday, the theme for those not participating in Powderpuff was Hippie Day. Tye-dye, bell-bottoms, and floral print filled classrooms while the students rocked the peace sign in all their pictures. It was good times to be had by all. Shelbie Jacobson looked postively retro in her dress and boots, and won herself Best Dressed. As did Nick Hadfield, with his torn jeans and laid-back style. Mrs. Rasmussen went back to back with her victories this week, a feat that will not soon be forgotten.

And there you have it, this past week's Homecoming Dress Up Days festivities summed up and accounted for. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. What did you all think of this year's days? Be sure to leave a comment! This has been Danielle Hernandez for School News. You stay classy, HCHS!

Let The Sunshine In! (Spring Fever)

Let The Sunshine In! from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

With winter's last gasping, dying breath, spring made it's grand appearance this week. What does HCHS think of this recent seasonal change? Danielle and Kelsey explore this thought in this video...

Come Sail Away, With Me!

Come Sail Away, With Me! from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

When Kelsey ditches Danielle for fun time in California, how will Danielle operate? I mean, Danielle doesn't even know who she is without Kelsey! And prom is coming up! How is she going to handle THAT?! Oh that's right, she's better off without Kelsey. This video answers any questions you had about prom, and addresses some you probably hadn't even thought of.

Summer Lovin' by Victoria Thomas

Ask a student if they’re ready for summer and their answer will always be yes. Sure, students enjoy hanging out at school and learning, but what beats soakin’ up the sun in a small town? You got it, nothin! As the weather heats up, the students get restless in school. What are we all so anxious about? What will we spend our summer doing? I wanted to find out.
I asked a few students around the school what their summer will consist of. Working? Vacation? Friends? Their answers were pretty much all the same; all of the above! I found out it really depends on the student, and what they are involved or interested in. One student said she would be working at her job 4-5 days a week, and in between, a vacation to Okoboji, and hanging out supporting our school at baseball games.
Another student I asked said that she would be babysitting some of the time, also vacationing in Okoboji, and hanging out with her friends. Some kids don’t have jobs, but seem to have hard work to do around their houses. A lot of kids said they would be attending the races in the summer too.
I spoke to a senior here and there and most of them said they would be readying themselves for college or college classes. Some will spend their summers on a job hunt to take up some of their time. A lot of the seniors said that they were just going to be relaxing and hanging out with their friends before they go away to college. Others are moving in the summer to a different town, some to a different state entirely.
A lot of students I talked to are just taking on small jobs and hanging out at the pool or skate park with friends. Some people said they were just going to sleep all summer, and I don’t blame them. Those who work hard in school and have after-school jobs get worn out and just want to relax in the short months we have out of school.
Obviously students just want to relax in the summer, but as my class is growing up I’m seeing more and more kids trying to get jobs, help out at home, or do good in the community! I know that the day summer hits I’ll be on a plane to Ft. Myers Florida to see some of my family. When I get back? Work and friends! This is my last summer before graduation, and I’m going to take advantage of it! You should too! Have a safe and fun summer. Stay healthy, tan, and happy!


Pictures- Victoria Thomas

Mentoring

I signed up for mentoring my first semester of my senior year by asking the guidance office. It was simple to get me signed up-- we took my 7th hour study hall and matched it up with a time that an elementary teacher was looking to get some student help. Because I don't drive myself to school, it was easiest to find a teacher at West Ridge so I could just walk there. Soon, I was signed up to work for Mrs. Angel's 7th grade class.
My experience with mentoring has been incredible. Each day, I arrive at the class and work where I am needed. 2nd graders are at the best age, and they adored getting to work with a high schooler. I made some great bonds, and plan on inviting them all to my graduation party.
I don't know if this has been every mentor's experience, but for me, Mrs. Angel has been such a relaxed leader. If I had too much homework or was sick, all I had to do was email or call and say that I could not make it in. I realized that the kids were waiting on my arrival, so it was important to let them know when I couldn't show up.
Mentoring gave me added priveledges and benefits-- I was able to attend their elementary holiday parties (for which I made each of them some holidays gifts) and Mrs. Angel was a great referrence when applying for scholarships. Mentoring has given me a chance to solidify what I had previously suspected-- I want to work with kids! I love the idea that just a smile is enough to influence their growing lives, and mentoring has helped me to see that I would be good working with children for life.
I would encourage anyone who is interested to volunteer. Currently, mentoring is worth a quarter of a credit per semester, but I know that most people would volunteer their time without the credits. Have you ever mentored or considered mentoring? What has your experience been like? Commment on this blog; I'd love to hear your stories!

Moondance Film Fest!

The Sundance Film Festival went incredibly well this year. Lots of famous guests arrived, the films were fantastic, the ... Wait, Sundance? No, I meant Moondance. Yeah, that went well, too. So what was the Moondance Film Festival? Well, my silly, ignorant friends, HCHS had its annual film festival several weeks ago. And since then, the winners have been fending off the paparazzi and the enjoying the finer things of fame. The VIP who planned this event have also been living the high life, and I suppose that you readers would love to hear all about. I'm Danielle Hernandez for School News, and this is what went down.

For those of you who don't know what exactly the Film Festival entails, here's the jist of it. Students submit videos, whether they be class assignments or done in the students' free time, and a panel of judges reviewed them and gave out the awards. In previous years, the judge panel consisted of only teachers. But this year two guest judges, Chelsey Havick and Mark Langenfeld, also gave the student perspective on the videos. Judging this year happened after school on Wednesday, and on Saturday the awards night was held. The awards night consisted of musical numbers, costume changes, and of course, well... awards.

Months ago, Student Council began planning for this event. Joe Schmitz was the deputy in charge of well, just about everything. Kelsey and I wrote the script and took care of the announcing and costume changes. Erin Markham, Bri Nelson, Seth Lansman, and others were in charge of the prestigious Barbie Awards. Wait, Barbie Awards? Are you slightly confused? Well, similar to the Oscars, HCHS's film festival also gives away small, metallic, and creepy people. In the case of the Best Canine Cameo, however, the award was a small golden Barbie dolphin.

So what sort of awards were given out? Well, some of the honors included Best Foreign Film, Best Supporting Actor, Best Music Coordinator, and Best Actor. This year the highest number of films were entered, and Miss Gray, the Student Council advisor, was very pleased. According to the Facebook event page, over forty guests were in attendance.

The big winner of the night was the smash-hit Parody-normal Activity, directed by David Siebert and starring David, Jordan Siebert, Mason Fah, and Mitch Anderson. It won six awards, including Best Supporting Actor (Mitch), Best Canine Cameo (The Sieberts' dog Ginger), and Best Picture.

All of the entries to the Film Festival have been posted on the Newsblog, and if you haven't seen them, I would very much recommend doing so. Please comment and let us all know what you though of the festival and/or the films. Also, if you have any thoughts about what we could differently next year, we'd love to hear about those as well. This has been Danielle Hernandez for Harlan Community High School News.

Fairly Career-tastic: The Real Deal

Fairly Career-tastic: The Real Deal from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

This is the follow-up video to Kelsey and Danielle's previous video about the upcoming Career Fair. You guessed it! It's the actual career fair! Complete with presenters, planners, and participants (wow, that was a lot of words that began with 'p'!) this video has it all.

Senior Survivor Recap

Senior Survivor Recap from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Who's the new Senior Survivor? Why don't you watch and find out?! We've got a recap of the entire week of Senior Survivor right here!!!!

Come Sail Away With Me-Emily Bierl

What do you think about Harlan's prom? Does it make you feel like your money was well spent? Is ours better than other schools? I'm going to get the inside scoop on what our students think.

First we start the night with The Grand March. The Grand March is where everyone who is attending the prom is announced to the Harlan community. Dylan Garrison said, " I think it's a good thing to have, so everyone will get noticed." The students each go on stage with their dates, get recognized, and pause for pictures. Some of the couples like to get creative by doing either a hand shake or a dance while on stage. In my opinion, it's a great thing to have so that our familys can see us before we leave for the dance.


Nate Pattee and I being announced at The Grand March. (Not very visible due to the darkness in the auditorium)

From there, we head to the Lauritzen Gardens in Omaha for the dance. Some schools don't even leave their own town for their prom, so we have a good deal. When we arrive there, we get in line to have our picture taken. The pictures turn out really nice, due to all the flowers in the background. After having our pictures taken, we get to enjoy an awesome meal. The meal consists of chicken, roast beef, potatoes, fruit, and best of all, cheesecake! Once our stomachs are full of food we get to watch our fellow classmates be hypnotized. This is probably my favorite part of the night because it is so funny to watch! After that is the dance.

Finally, we head back to Harlan after all of the fun. But, it's not over yet! The schools offers a Casino Night at the high school. You get a chance to win some great prizes. I like casino night, but it felt like a really long activity. Some students didn't really enjoy it but others did. Nate Pattee said, " I liked how you had the chance to get some cool stuff, but it seemed to run a little long. I think I would like it better if it was around an hour instead of two." I think it is cool how so many people donate money for us to have Casino Night. They serve us sandwiches and pizza too.

So, overall I think our prom is pretty awesome. Hanna Bissen explains, "I love being able to dress up nice and have fun with my friends. The whole night is just amazing." We get to go to Omaha and even ride in nice coach buses. I heard that some schools have to ride in their school buses and that doesn't sound fun at all. We get good food and great entertainment. We are really fortunate to have a prom as nice as we do.


Dylan Garrison, Becca Stein, Nate Pattee, and me before The Grand March.


Some of the senior girls and myself before the big night.

Leprechauns, Green, and Gold: Oh My!

Leprechauns, Green, and Gold: Oh My! from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

We dig deep into the legends and traditions of St. Patrick's Day, with a special appearance by the holiday guru. We will also reveal the legend of St. Patrick. Once again, there's a surprise at the end of the video. (hint: where the most desks are besides in a classroom)

Fairly Career-tastic!

Untitled from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Kelsey and Danielle bring you some news on the upcoming Career Fair, scheduled for March 25th. This video wouldn't be complete without an informative interview with Mr. Angel and several students.

Toilet Paper? Say WHAT?!

After hearing the announcement about the Toilet Paper last week, I’m sure many of you were very confused. You were probably thinking something somewhere along the lines of, “Read the toilet paper? Huh? There’s nothing on it!” Well, worry no more Toilet Paper-readers; I’m here to tell you what all this “business” is about.

Every couple of weeks, or actually about once a month, we are assigned a blog story, which is pretty much just a miscellaneous blog, for those of you who have experienced one of Mr. Bruns’s classes. For those of you that haven’t, it’s pretty much just a paper that’s about a page long, giving your opinions or a recap of something. Anyways, because none of you ever read these stories that we put an enormous amount of effort into, Danielle and Kelsey came up with the idea of creating the Toilet Paper.

The first editions of the Toilet Paper came out last week, and they were updated with four new ones this week. There has been a lot of talk about the paper, some positive talk, and some negative talk. One of the things that student’s were confused by was the MLIA’s on the side bar. MLIA stands for My Life is Average, and it is a lot less depressing than the also popular FML’s. I really enjoy the MLIA’s, and think they are quite hilarious to read while you’re doing your business.

Some of the positive feedback we have received is basically the same. When asked if they liked the Toilet Paper, Bailey McGrath said, “Yeah, I like it! Especially the MLIA’s.” Amanda Petersen stated, “I don’t really notice it...” and Ben Reinig said, “I haven’t really paid much attention to it, but when I was talking to someone about it, nothing good was really said.”

In my opinion, I think the thoughts about the Toilet Paper are split into two categories: Girls=Positive and Boys=Negative. I think the girls appreciate it more because they spend A LOT more time in the bathroom than boys, and boys just like to get in and get out of there. I also think boys don’t like it as much just because they aren’t really concerned with social issues like girls are.

That pretty much “wraps” it up for me. (Pun definitely intended) If any of you have any comments or feedback on the Toilet Paper, or things you would like to see added to it, feel free to contact either Mrs. Daniels, Mr. Bruns, or any other School News members. Or just feel free to visit the News Blog and comment!

Senioritis (The Silent Killer) by Victoria Thomas

As the end of the year nears, more and more seniors are beginning to experience senioritis. What is senioritis you ask? Well, the Urban Dictionary describes senioritis as ‘a crippling disease that strikes high school seniors.’ A crippling disease? Yes and a killer to grades. Is the disease contagious? Of course; any student slacking off in class has fun, which rubs off on the students around them. Symptoms often include repeated absences, lack of studying, and excessive wearing of ugly sweatpants.
Many students don’t feel the need to try at schoolwork anymore, and can’t get their mind off of graduation. Most seniors who get the disease do not know how to cure it, or don’t care to. Senioritis is most commonly caused by stress, among many other school issues. The disease sometimes shows up after an individual has been accepted into college. This student feels as if they no longer have to try, because all their after high school plans are all laid out. Seniors do not realize that colleges can still reject them. They begin to feel tired, bored, and annoyed of the routine. They begin to realize that most of their important tests are over, and that they no longer need to gain high school level knowledge. Another cause is senior festivities such as prom and ‘Senior Survivor.’ These activities free seniors’ minds, and let them relax.




Professionals say that the only known cure to ‘senioritis’ is to receive your diploma. What do you think? Do you think you can beat the disease? Or will you be doomed to procrastinate in school for the next few months?

If you are experiencing senioritis, please, don’t hesitate to speak to a counselor, a friend, anything! There is help for you! Senioritis can be a fun thing to experience, but there is also a serious side to it, as sometimes it will lead to a student trying drugs/alcohol for the first time. Seriously, if you notice one of your friends starting to fall behind, or think about doing something unintelligent, talk to them, see if they need help.
Do not let the disease go unnoticed. If your friends are slacking off in class, give them a little punch, whip them into shape. Senioritis is killing America. Our kids are getting lazier and lazier towards spring. We must prevent senioritis. Many teachers may try to kill the disease, but it is not up to them, it is up to you, the senior. Good luck in beating this widely spreading disease, and farewell.

Cell phone usage

Cell phone usage from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Does cell phone usage in the hall ways really matter

Flying Sharks Swim Team

Untitled from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

This video is just a little info about the Swim Team that Britanny Burmeister and I are in. It explains some strokes, an interview with Brit, and some info about our state meet. Enjoy!

by: Hannah and Alex

The Conned Princess

It’s finally time for the epic night to come around again. It is the night that young girls look forward to since they enter the world of school. It is the night that a girl gets the chance to look like a princess and go on a date with there high school sweet heart. That’s right it is time for prom once again. But is this year going to break every teenage girl’s wallet?

How much do you think girls are willing to spend on a dress? Is it around fifty dollars, a hundred dollars, two hundred dollars?? No most HCHS girls have been spending close to four or five hundred dollars on a dress. It seems that since there is such a lack of stores around this area teens have been going to stores like Glam to get there dresses. At stores like this the chances of you getting a dress fewer than three hundred and fifty dollars are almost slim to none. So I, Kelsey McDaniel, am posing the question. Is it just simply the fact that girls spend this much money cause they have to or is it teen girls looking for a materialistic item that will provide them with one night of feeling like a princess?

Well yes it is true that stores do price dresses high, but stores such as Glam are not the only stores that sell these dresses. There are many stores that sell cheaper dresses even in a reasonable driving distance. These stores are ones that many people here are familiar with and ones that girls maybe are not. When a girl is going dress shopping they are aware of the fact that they are going to have to spend some money. The problem is that teenage girls tend to look past the fact of the price and more towards how they look in the dress. Which is perfectly reasonable, you want to look good in the dress, but what you want to do is find a happy medium, a medium between price and brand.

Okay girls are you ready for this… I have one word, bargains. Yes it is possible to find a dress for a hundred dollars or less. Here are some ways. You can go to a half and half store and buy a nice used dress. Go online and buy one off of eBay or Craig’s list. There’re always stores such as Deb that aim for low prices. Also there is always the option of asking a graduated girl about borrowing there dress for the night. Than there is a possibility that if you have some one in your family or a close friend who is good at sewing. They could make a dress for you. All you have to do is pay like a hundred dollars for the fabric. There’re many ways to avoid spending to much money.

Basically girls I am trying to encourage all of you to not buy the first dress you try on. Take your time. So based on the facts that I have just given you I leave you with the question. Is it just simply the fact that girls spend this much money cause they have to or is it teen girls looking for a materialistic item that will provide them with one night of feeling like a princess? What do you think?

New Vending Machines

This is a video on the spectacular vending machines. It includes what students think of them. Enjoy!

Untitled from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

"Wanna Be My Valentine?" Cookies!

"Wanna Be My Valentine?" Cookies! from Chad Bruns on Vimeo.

Tara and Austin ask Miss Ickes and Emily Assmann about the Valentine's cookies and when they will be handed out. We also show you what each color represents! Enjoy, and Happy Valentine's Day!