PC School Gallery!

2022-2023: Hello all!  Welcome to the website of the Pawnee City School "Pawnee Press" class. To navigate this site, scroll through to read posts as they happen OR click on "Menu" at the top of the page to look for a specific category. Thanks for visiting!! Enjoy!

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Lewiston Invite

By Claire Kaster

On Wednesday, April 26, the junior high track team competes at the Lewiston Invite at their home. The girls’ team got 3rd palace overall and the boys’ team got 11th overall. The results are as follows: 

Girls: 

Taelyn Blecha- 100M- 3rd, 200M- 3rd

Emalyse Gottula- 400M- 2nd, 200M- 4th, Pole vault- 2nd

Kinsley Benson- 400M- 1st, Long jump- 4th, High jump- 4th 

Haylee Plager- Triple jump- 3rd

Adelyn Sisco- Shot put- 3rd, Discus- 4th

Girls 4x200M relay- 5th

Girls 4x400M relay- 1st

Boys:

Colin Fender- Pole vault- 5th

Payton Rose- Triple Jump- 5th

Dylan Layne- Shot Put- 5th

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First "Last" to Last "Last"

On Friday, August 12, the Pawnee City Class of 2023 started school on their first "last" of the year. From that day on, the seniors would experience many lasts: the last volleyball or football game, the last cross country meet, the last Homecoming, and many, MANY more.

On Tuesday, May 2, they experienced their last day of school with graduation practice in the gym. That time ended with a walk through the elementary and cheers all around!

Please join us in wishing them the best of luck as they move on from Pawnee City. Graduation is scheduled for Saturday, May 13, beginning at 2:00 p.m. in the high school gymnasium.

Good luck, seniors!!

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Top Half

By Logan Maloley

Photos provided by Jamie Maloley

On Tuesday, April 18, the high school track team participates in the Falls City Sacred Heart track meet at Syracuse. There were 14 teams competing at this event. Overall, the boys team placed 4th and the girls team placed 6th.

Boys Placings

Hunter Johnson: 3rd Discus

Andy Maloley: 3rd 100m, 4th 400m, 2nd 200m, 2nd 4x400 

Gavin McHenry: 4th 4x800 

Philip Layne: 6th PV 

Jett Farwell: 1st 400m, 1st 800m, 2nd 4x400 

Anthony Kling: 4th 300MH, 2nd 4x400, 4th HJ 

Jesse McLaughlin: 4th 4x800 

Drew Menninga: 4th 4x800, 2nd 4x400 

Dawson Wilkinson: 4th 4x800 

Girls Placings

Mallory Branek: 2nd 4x800, 1st 4x400 

Emily Lytle: 2nd 4x800, 2nd 1600m, 1st 4x400

Madison Lytle: 2nd 4x800, 5th 400m, 3rd 800m, 1st 4x400 

Kenadie Schmutz: 3rd Discus

Madison Fender: 1st 4x400, 4th HJ, 3rd Pole Vault

Madi Osborne: 2nd 4x800 

The next high school track meet is the Pioneer Conference meet Saturday, April 29, at Tri County.

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Blood Drive

By Isaac Seitz

On Thursday, April 6, the Pawnee City Student Council (StuCo) hosts the bi-monthly blood drive at the Poteet Hall. Students on StuCo took shifts to help run the drive and make sure things went according to plan.

When asked about what they all enjoy about helping with the drive, council members Adrian de Koning, Madolyn Gottula, and Cameron Ottersberg said that they enjoyed the work and are glad that they can do something to help the blood drive run smoothly.

When asked about his thoughts on the drive, StuCo advisor Tim Kluck replied, “I enjoy the sense of helping out our community and seeing the devotion our community has towards a charitable purpose such as blood donation. Our Student Council has been sponsoring one blood drive a year for as long as I can remember, and I think it's a great way for our school to help out and participate in something bigger than itself.”

StuCo will be helping to run the Earth Day Cleanup on April 24 as its final project this year.

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Running With the Wind

By Abby Coudeyras

On Thursday, April 13, the Pawnee City junior high track team competes at the PC Invite. The boys’ team placed 10th and the girls’ team placed 6th overall. The running and field results are as follows:

Boys:

Payton Rose- 200M- 9th, Triple Jump- 7th 

Colin Fender- Pole Vault- 3rd

Jaydon Johnson- Shot Put- 7th, Discus- 9th

Dylan Layne- Shot Put- 9th, Discus- 4th

Boys 4x100- 9th

Boys 4x200- 5th

Girls:

Haylee Plager- 1600M- 6th, Triple Jump- 2nd

Ashlyn Puhalla- Discus- 6th

Kinlsey Benson- 400M- 1st, High Jump- 5th, Long Jump- 9th

Emalyse Gottula- 200M- 13th, 400M- 3rd, Pole Vault- 1st

Kailey Hartman- 1600M- 9th

Adelyn Sisco- Shot Put- 7th

Girls 4x100- 4th

Girls 4x200- 6th

The teams will compete again on April 17 at JCC.

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Thunderbird Invite

By Camryn Kaster

Photos provided by Heather Lytle and Jamie Maloley

On Monday, April 3, the high school track team travels to Tecumseh to participate in the Thunderbird Invite. The boy's team placed 4th and the girls brought home a first-place win! The results are as follows:

Girls

Mallory Branek - 1st 4x400, 1st 4x800, 4th 3200m.

Camryn Kaster - 3rd Pole Vault, 6th 4x100

Emily Lytle - 1st 400m,, 1st 1600m., 1st 4x400, 1st 4x800

Madison Lytle - 1st 800m., 1st 4x400, 1st 4x800, 2nd 400m.

Kenadie Schmutz - 1st Discus

Madison Fender - 1st 4x400, 2nd High Jump, 2nd Pole Vault, 6th 4x100

Anna Meints - 6th 4x100

Cara Pierce - 6th 4x100

Maddy Osborne - 1st 4x800

Boys

Hunter Johnson - 5th Discus

Andy Maloley - 1st 100m., 1st 200m., 1st 4x400, 3rd 400m.

Gavin McHenry - 3rd 4x800

Philip Layne-  4th Pole Vault

Jett Farwell - 1st 4x400, 2nd 400m., 2nd 800m., 3rd 4x800

Anthony Kling - 1st 4x400, 2nd High Jump, 4th 300m. Hurdles

Drew Menninga - 1st 4x400, 3rd 4x800

Dawson Wilkinson - 3rd 4x800

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The Last Show

By Langden Tozer 

Photos provided by Mrs Laura Dieckgrafe 

On April 4, 2023 the Pawnee City high school and middle school musicians perform on their annual Spring Concert. The evening started with a recital featuring solos and duets that competed at contest. 

The junior high choir started the concert with their three songs, including one that had percussion instruments and one that featured soloists, Zeke Ferebee, Emily Koster, Addison Boverhuis, Bella Seitz, Addison Petersen, and Haylee Plager.

The high school choir also sang three songs on the concert, then the girls sang a separate song called “She Sings,” and the boys sang “We’re the Men.”

After the intermission, the 5th grade band started the second half of the concert with their song, "Regal March.”

The high school band performed their two songs from contest and because they really liked “Cumberland Cross,” they chose to add it to the concert. 

Next up was the junior high band that played “Variations on a March Tune,” “Midnight Sky,” and “African Alleluia.”

Ending the night was the 5th, 6th, and 7th graders who combined to play “All Aboard,” “Dragon Slayer,” and “Starsplitter Fanfare.” 

The 8-12 grade band and choir will be performing at District Music Contest on Thursday, April 20.  Good Luck, Pawnee City musicians!!!

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Cracking Clay

By Anna Meints

Photos provided by Mary Moser

The Pawnee City trap team travels to Nebraska City on March 25. The Pawnee City students who attended the meet include Gavin McHenry, William Vlcek, Isaac Seitz, Hayden Binder, and Norman McHenry on the senior team, and Kolbrin Farwell on the junior team. The team also has students from Lewiston and HTRS, which is coached by Mary Moser.

When asked how the meet went, Coach Mary replied, “On March 25, Levi Koch from HTRS placed 2nd from the 18/19 handicap yardage. At each competition, the competitors shoot 50 targets from 16 yards, then you take their score (the number of targets broken) and divide by 2 to determine where they shoot their handicaps from.  If that number is less than 18 the shooter would shoot from the 18 yard.  They shoot 50 targets from their determined handicap.  So the seniors shoot 100 rounds at each competition and the juniors only shoot 50 from 16 yards.  Seniors are youth in grades 9-12 and juniors are youth in grades 6-8.”

Their next meet is on April 15 in Nebraska City. Good luck!

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Hunting for the Gold

By Claire Kaster

Photos provided by Mrs. Laura Dieckgrafe

The students in grades 6-12 participate in an Easter Egg Hunt on April 7 for PBIS.  Students are nominated by teachers if they have been respectful, responsible, and safe throughout the month. The prizes were candy and some bigger choices if students found a golden egg, like a bag of Takis, $5 gift certificates at the Jug and Shirley's Place, and Oreos.

When asked about the Easter Egg Hunt, Mrs. Bloss said, “I think we should do it again next year! It was fun to see kids off and running around just having fun outside on a great day.”

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Run, Jump, Throw

By Logan Maloley

On Thursday, April 6, the junior high track team participates in the HTRS invite at Pawnee City. 

Girls Placings

Kinsley Benson: 400 - 1st; High jump - 3rd; Long jump - 4th 

Taelyn Blecha: 4x100 - 2nd; 4x200 - 1st; 100 - 2nd; 200 - 1st

Emalyse Gottula: 400 - 3rd; 200 - 3rd; High jump - 4th; Pole vault- 1st

Breonna Gyhra: Shot Put - 5th; Discus - 5th 

Denielle Gyhra- Due to a possible error in recording, Denielle should've placed 5th in shot put with a throw of 22 feet, but unfortunately did not get her seat.

Ericca Gyhra: 4x100 - 2nd; 4x200 - 1st

Kailey Hartman: 800 - 5th; 1600 - 5th

Adelyn Sisco: Shot Put - 2nd

Kaylee Turnbull: 4x100 - 2nd; 4x200 - 1st

Addison Peterson: 100 Hurdles - 3rd; 300 hurdles - 5th

Haylee Plager: 800 - 4th; 1600 - 3rd; Triple jump - 1st

Ashlyn Puhalla:  800 - 6th; Discus - 3rd; 4x200 - 1st

Boys Placings

Justin Beahr: 4x200 - 2nd

Dante Bassinger: 100 - 5th; 4x200 - 2nd; 4x100 - 4th

Colin Fender: 400 - 5th; Pole vault - 3rd; 4x100 - 4th

Luke Hunzeker: 4x100 - 4th

Jaydon Johnson: Shot put - 3rd; Discus - 5th

Dylan Layne: 4x200 - 2nd; Discus - 2nd; Shot put - 2nd place 

Aidan Peterson:  Shot put - 5th; Discus - 3rd

Aiden Tozer: 200 - 3rd; 100 hurdles - 3rd; Triple jump - 2nd

Carson Duryea: 4x100 - 4th; 1600 - 4th       

Jaiden Howard: 4x200 - 2nd

Payton Rose: Triple jump - 1st            

The next junior high track meet is the Pawnee City Invite on Thursday, April 13, at Pawnee City.

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A Future in Healthcare

By Abby Coudeyras

Photos provided by Mrs. Lisa Blecha

On Thursday, March 30, Mrs. Lisa Blecha takes a group of students to SCC in Lincoln to learn more about the healthcare field. She commented, “The students did a lot of hands-on learning with activities such as packing and dressing wounds, working with IVs, creating dental molds, packaging mock medication, etc.” 

When asked about her favorite part of the day, Cameron Ottersberg responded, “My favorite thing about the day was going to the nursing station because we got to do hands-on stuff with IVs and such.” Cameron said that she could possibly see herself going to SCC for healthcare because they have such good facilities. “Compared to other colleges, SCC has one of the nicest med centers I’ve seen.”

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Preparing for the Future

By Claire Kaster

Photos provided by Mrs. Lisa Blecha

On March 13, some of the sophomores and juniors taking marketing class participate in mock interviews at the Poteet Hall. Many people came from various businesses in Pawnee City to talk to the students about the company and the job. The interviewers gave the students excellent tips and tricks for their future interviews.  

When asked about the mock interviews, Anna Meints stated, “I learned that in an interview, you shouldn't be afraid of your weaknesses as long as they aren't brought up continuously. You should also learn what the job looks for, so if you're shy and applying for a consumer service job, don't talk about being shy a lot. Turn your bad traits into good traits. ("I'm introverted so I like to mind my own business.") I liked the way that each interviewer would talk about the pros and cons of working at the job. In the future, I don't see myself working for any of my interviewers, but I did learn a lot about both their jobs and how interviews work.”  

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Back at it Again

By Isaac Seitz

Photos provided by Lori de Koning, Betsy Ferebee, Cristal Plager, Kim Stahl, and Lola Seitz

On Friday, March 17, the junior high band plays at the HTRS Band Contest for the first time since Covid. The band earned three superior ratings from the judges on their group performance. Some students did solos/duets including Isabella Seitz, with a trombone solo, Haylee Plager and Ashlyn Puhalla, who performed a clarinet duet, Addison Boverhuis, and Lilah Yunghans with a clarinet/alto sax duet, Justin Baehr and Luke Hunzeker with a baritone/snare drum duet, Zeke Ferebee and Payton Rose with a trumpet duet, and Symanthea McDonald and Addison Petersen with their flute/ tenor sax duet. All of the performers got superior on their solo/duets.

When asked about the day, Mrs. Veleba responded, “I was really happy when HTRS decided to host their contest again. We haven't had a middle school contest since Covid hit, and I think the students enjoyed performing there.” 

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Turkey Creek Relays

By Abby Coudeyras

Photos provided by Jamie Maloley

On Tuesday, March 28, the Pawnee City track team competes at the Turkey Creek relays in Friend. The boys' team placed 3rd and the girls’ placed 4th overall. The running and field results are as follows:

Girls 4x100 - 7th

Girls 4x200 - 6th

Girls 4x400 - 5th

Girls 4x800 - 1st

Girls 400 Sprint - 3rd

Girls 1600 Sprint - 4th

Girls Distance 3-6-6-12 - 5th

Girls Distance 16-4-4-8 - 1st

Madison Fender - High Jump - 6th, Pole Vault - 2nd

Camryn Kaster - Pole Vault - 4th, Long Jump - 13th

Cara Pierce - Long Jump - 15th

Kenadie Schmutz - Shot Put - 11th, Discus - 3rd

Cameron Ottersberg - Shot Put - 13th, Discus - 12th

Shayla Puhalla - Shot Put - 14th, Discus - 17th

Mixed 4x400 relay - 1st

Boys 400 - 6th

Boys 800 - 2nd

Boys 1600 - 2nd

Boys 3200 - 3rd

Boys 1600 Sprint - 4th

Boys Distance 3-6-6-12 - 2nd

Boys Distance 16-4-4-8 - 4th

Anthony Kling - High Jump- 9th

Philip Layne - High Jump - 14th, Pole Vault - 3rd

Trey Kling - Pole Vault - 7th

Kaminn Koester - Pole Vault - 10th 

Hunter Wake - Long Jump - 16th, Triple Jump- 15th

Wyatt Blank - Long Jump - 19th, Triple Jump- 12th

Garrett Duryea - Triple Jump - 14th

Hunter Johnson - Shot Put - 3rd, Discus- 3rd

Mason Fisher - Discus- 14th

The teams will compete again Monday, April 3, at JCC. 

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The Best of the Best

By Anna Meints

Select photos provided by Heather Farwell, Kim Tegtmeier, and Shannon Vlceck

On Tuesday, March 7, the Pawnee City speech team competes in the D1 District Speech competition! Though the team was small, they went home with third place, with everyone making it to finals. 

(Third, Second, and First make it to State!)

Alex Farwell - third in Informative Speaking

Taegan Rottman - fifth in Poetry and first in Serious Prose

Emma Meints  - sixth in Duet Acting and second in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Kennadi Benson - sixth in Poetry

Madison Fender - third in Duet Acting

Anna Meints - sixth in Duet Acting, fifth in Persuasive Speaking, and second in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Cameron Ottersberg - second in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Cara Peirce - second in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Madolyn Gottula - second in Oral Interpretation of Drama

Kaitlyn Svoboda - fourth in Entertainment Speaking

Logan Maloley - third in Persuasive Speaking 

Abby Dietrich - fourth in Humorous Prose

Larkyn Vlcek - third in Humorous Prose 

Tyler Tegtmeier - Third in Duet Acting

On Friday, March 17, the team then traveled to State with the qualifying speakers. Alex placed sixth in State Finals, and the OID of Emma, Madolyn, Anna, Cara Peirce, and Cameron also placed sixth in State Finals.

Congratulations to the speech team!!!

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Visit to Midland

By Logan Maloley

Photos provided by Lisa Blecha

On Tuesday, March 14, students from the sophomore and junior classes visit Midland University. There, they got to see the dorms, training facilities, and the cafeteria. Some of the staff members from the college gave a presentation on what to look for in your future college and career. They also got to talk to a few of the students about what their favorite part of Midland was and what made them decide to go there. 

When asked about the college, Jesse McLaughlin said, “My favorite part of the college was the dining hall. Being able to have a bunch of choices and eating all you can is great.”

Midland is a smaller college, which varies with preference of people. Isaac Sietz said the size and community is exactly what he is looking for, but Jesse said the small class size was his least favorite part. 

Jesse and Isaac were also intrigued by the wide variety of activities offered there: from the common sports at Pawnee to bowling, trapshooting, esports, etc. 

Overall, the diversified activities seems to be the biggest plus of Midland for students, and the size of the community and college seemed to be the heaviest deciding factor on if they can see themselves going there in the future. 

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Madison Plager, Class of 2023

By Abby Coudeyras

Madison Plager has been a part of the senior class at Pawnee City since fifth grade, but she is doing her senior year at the Iowa School for the Deaf. Madison is the daughter of Erin and Dan Plager. Madison has two siblings: a brother, Teagan, and a half-sister, Faith. 

In middle school, Madison participated in volleyball and basketball. Madison also played the clarinet for three years. When asked about her favorite memory of Pawnee City, she replied, “My favorite memory was when I was playing with my best friend, Taegan Rottman, because she and I have fun while hanging out and working together. 

Following Madison's time at the Iowa School for the Deaf, she plans on going to Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C.