FFA Ag. Communications wins first in nation

L to r: Natalie Wheeler, Aly James, Kendra Cranston and Halley Ogan proudly display their award for first place in Ag. Comm. Not pictured is Tyler Swenson. 

(Kendra Cranston photo)

by Rachel Ranfeld

After competing in the FFA state competition in April earlier this year, two teams from Montezuma advanced to the national competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. Wednesday, Oct. 19 through Friday, Oct. 21, the two FFA teams of Ag. Communications and Business Management were hard at work, earning the positions in the top five. 

“We really showed what a little town in Iowa can do by placing first and third in the nation,” said Kendra Cranston.

Aly James, Natalie Wheeler, Tyler Swenson, Halley Ogan and Cranston make up the Ag. Communications team. They received first in the nation. 

The team attended a mock press conference and took notes to later aid them in completing their individual practicum. The practicum was different for each member. James wrote and recorded a two-minute radio broadcast.  Wheeler wrote a 300 to 400 word press release while Cranston wrote a story to be published in the newspaper. Ogan designed a three-page magazine layout whereas Swenson designed a website for the company that put on the conference. 

Individually, Ogan placed first in the nation and Swenson got tenth.

Meanwhile, the Business Management team got third in the nation, which consisted of Kendra Doty, Carrie Graham, Nathan Wheeler and Stephen Vavroch. 

This team was given the financial records of the past five years to an actual business in the United States. Then, they took a three-hour written examination where they interpreted and applied financial concepts to those records.

They also had to calculate the tax records and the financial records for the business as well as evaluate the budgets and determine the proper marketing strategies. 

Many FFA members have said this was the hardest test they had ever taken. However, Graham walked away with second in this competition.

This was the eighteenth time that the Business Management team and the seventh time that the Ag. Communtications team made it to nationals. 

This year marks the second time that the Ag. Communications placed first in the nation. The only other time Montezuma FFA achieved this was in 2004.

Teacher Talk: Sarah Laudner

by Chelsey Moore

At the start of this school year, a new program began called the Parallel Program. The Parallel Program is a preventive intervention program designed to keep kids from dropping out, prepare them for life after high school and allow them to receive a Montezuma diploma. This program offers an alternative route to graduate from MHS. 

The head of this program is Sarah Laudner.  Laudner came from Rockwell, Iowa, to teach at Montezuma High School.

She said, “The main things I enjoy about my job now is the ability to help high school kids get through the daily struggles of school and look beyond MHS into their careers of choice.” 

Before teaching here, Laudner taught at Walnut Community School District in Walnut, Iowa, and did Title 1 reading. 

Her second year was at BCLUW Community School District in  Conrad, Iowa.  She was a second grade teacher for four years. This is now her fifth year as a teacher. 

She took this position because it was the chance to do something different.

She said, “I like helping students regardless of age. My previous position was teaching second grade, so this is quite different! Rather than teaching the basics of each subject, I am now helping high school students with their post-secondary plans.”

She chose to become a teacher because of her experiences in high school.  

She really liked working with kids and participated in peer helping. During college, she had the opportunity to be in a classroom helping with students often.

Laudner notes that there are many perks to teaching in Montezuma. 

One of the highlights of working in this district is the feeling of community that surrounds the school.

Laudner said, “ I enjoy Montezuma High School because of the small school atmosphere where teachers and administrators can work together towards student growth. The staff is wonderful and the community of Montezuma is supportive of the school.” 

Students voice opinions on block scheduling

by Vincent Bushong

When the students of Montezuma were introduced to the idea of block scheduling, they were unsure of whether it would be a good idea to sit in a single class for 85 minutes. However, after nine weeks of classes on the block schedule, students are starting to see the benefits block scheduling can offer.

Block scheduling is a system where classes are twice as long as normal periods, but students only have each class every other day. Montezuma’s block schedule is a hybrid of a conventional block schedule and the school’s previous eight-period system; period one is only 45 minutes, and period five is 55 minutes.  These classes meet everyday. Periods two, three and four are 85 minutes long and alternate classes every other day. To make sure students go to the right classes, each day at school is either an “A” day or a “B” day. 

Although it is quite a change for them to get used to, most of Montezuma’s teachers think block scheduling is moving in the right direction.

Keith Siestra said, “As a teacher, I love it because it adds more instruction time, and if students have a problem the teacher is now there to help.” 

Many other teachers share Siestra’s opinion.

The junior high English teacher Roxanne Goudy said, “Block scheduling allows more time in class for kids to understand what they are doing.”

John Gallagher, the guidance counselor at Montezuma and person in charge of students’ schedules, said, “A majority of the students and teachers like [the schedule]. There’s some adjustments to be made, but overall I think it’s going well.”

However, this year is only a test of the new system, and no new system is perfect. Some students and faculty have reservations. 

The Spanish teacher Carrie Stockman said, “I love the opportunity to spend quality time in one day on listening, writing and speaking. However, I find that having classes every other day makes it difficult for students to keep track of what day it is. It also makes absences and make-up work challenging.”

Dwain McClure, the shop teacher at Montezuma, said, “Some students don’t like it because they don’t have study halls, and some feel like they get cheated time during the week since they only see teachers every other day.”

A survey was taken from a random selection of students. The survey consisted of asking the participants if they liked the new schedule, prefer the old schedule, or have no preference. Then, participants were asked to explain their choice. Of the 97 people surveyed, 54 responded that block scheduling is better while 14 preferred the previous 8-period schedule. The remaining 29 people had no preference. 

Most of those who chose the block said they did so because it allows them time in class to get their homework done and breaks the repetition of having every class everyday. The general thought of those who preferred the 8-period system was 85 minutes was too long to be in a single class.

The high school principal Brian Moretz said, “I believe students and staff have done a wonderful job being flexible with block scheduling, and we’re getting done what we need to with learning.”

In spite of its rough spots, the block schedule has opened up new opportunities and has exposed students to a brand new type of learning.

Chicago trip to bring exposure to Mexican and Spanish culture

by Natalie Kirton

On Saturday, Nov. 5, Carrie Stockman, known as Señora to her students, will be taking a group of 32 students and chaperones on a trip to explore the Mexican culture of Pilsen, a neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. 

“I like to take students on this trip so they can get hands on experience of things they wouldn’t be able to in the classroom. They have better retention of the things they learn in the classroom after going on this trip. I think it’s a great way to immerse them into the Spanish culture,” says Stockman.

The Spanish group will arrive in Pilsen around noon. There they will be able to enjoy a meal in an authentic taquería, a taco restaurant, before visiting a Mexican fine arts museum. Afterward, the group will complete their day with a scavenger hunt of Pilsen and a stop at a local Mexican bakery to compare foods found there to bakeries back home. 

The crew of 24 students and eight chaperones will then check into their hotel rooms and have free time the rest of the night. Some activities they will be able to do are visit Navy Pier, the John Hancock building, go shopping or attend a Blue Man Group performance. 

Sunday’s activities will include visiting Millennium Park, lunch at one of five eateries, free time and dinner at Café Iberico, a restaurant that serves Spanish ‘tapas’, or appetizers. Monday the large group will tour the Field Museum and the Shedd Aquarium before heading home. 

“It’s going to be fun,” says sophomore Kane Barker. “I will be able to actually eat the food we learn about in class. I’ll be able to spend time with my friends outside of school while still getting my splendid education.” Barker is excited to see the inner cities of Chicago and to watch a Blue Man Group performance.

All students participating in this trip must have at least an 80% for their Spanish grade. This trip is open to all Spanish 2, 3 and 4 students. Students have all had the opportunity to fundraise money to go toward their trip funds. 

This is the third consecutive year of the Chicago trip. Each student will come away from the trip with more knowledge and appreciation of Mexican and Spanish culture.