Students form new anti-bullying group

Eight students went to Rachel’s Challenge, an anti-bullying program, at BGM on Saturday, April 28. Students involved in the event included, back row, from l to r: Frank Gillum, Mya Talbert, Siara Broadston, River Webb, and front row, l to r: Alyssa Carl, Tailor Snook and Tania McPherson. Not pictured is Hunter Foubert

by Bridgette Moore

On Saturday, April 28, eight students and three teachers traveled to BGM to attend the Rachel’s Challenge event, which is an anti-bullying program.

The students included Mya Talbert, Frank Gillum, Hunter Foubert, Tailor Snook, Alyssa Carl, River Webb, Siara Broadston and Tania McPherson.The teachers were Ms. Kelsie Sheets, middle school special education teacher, Mrs. Roxanne Goudy, middle school English teacher, and Mr. David Brondyke, middle and high school science teacher. While there, they were instructed on what bullying is and how we can prevent it. 

There are a few main goals for the program. Those goals include creating a safe learning environment for all students and improving academic achievement by getting students engaged in the process with their minds, hearts and hands. They also hope to train adults to empower students to make a positive change. It brought awareness to issues that they all are dealing with, and it didn’t take them long to realize that everyone is going through similar things. 

Sheets said, “The program is designed to initiate a ‘chain reaction’ from the kids. A ‘chain reaction’ is when the students do small acts of kindness around their school and community to make for a safer and more enjoyable environment.”

The event was emotional for students and staff alike. After the seminar the students received gel bracelets that read, “Start a chain reaction.” 

Frank Gillum, an 8th grader, stated, “I thought it was very good and it brought out a lot of inner issues from people. It helped people deal with the hard times that they have or are going through.”

River Webb, a 7th grader, “I thought it was very helpful for people and it could change people’s lives. I learned not to judge people when you first see them because you don’t know what’s wrong in their life.”

Sheets said, “It brought awareness to issues that they all are dealing with and it didn’t take them long to realize that everyone is going through similar things. It was great to see that ‘aha’ moment for the kids. It was like a switch that they realized their fellow classmates, kids from BGM and their own teachers are dealing with similar struggles. We all wear a mask to make it seem like our lives are perfect, but in reality we all carry baggage.”

The students have started a small group called C.A.B. (Children Against Bullying). This group consists of students who attended the Rachel’s Challenge event, as well as the junior high student council members and Mr. Moretz. Eventually, they plan to open this group up to anyone in the junior high, all developing from this motivated group of students. As a group they are looking at the costs and possible effects of bringing Rachel’s Challenge to Montezuma. They also hope to develop posters, presentations and challenges for the entire school to educate them on the effects bullying has on students as well as what to do when they see bullying happen.

JH track competes at Albia

by Elizabeth Ostrem

On Monday, April 30, the Montezuma boys’ and girls’ junior high track teams competed at Albia. Other teams in attendance were Albia, Centerville, Davis County, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Eddyville-Blakesburg (7th grade), Interstate 35 and Moravia.

The boys’ team took third out of seven teams, with a total of 83 points. For the girls, Montezuma placed sixth overall.

For relays, the girls’ team won the 4x100M relay, with a time of 58.6. The girls also took fourth place in both the 800M medley, with a time of 2:23.48, and the 400M shuttle hurdle relay, with a time of 1:26.10.

In individuals, Kate Maschmann won the 100M dash, with a time of 13.67, and the 200M hurdles, with a time of 30.34. Maschmann also took fourth in the long jump, with a jump of 13’9 ½“ to finish. For discus, Hannah Beenken took third place, with a throw of 71’11”.

For the boys’ team, the 4x200M team took first overall, winning with a time of 1:48.00 minutes. The 4x800M relay team placed second, with a time of 10:36.20, and the 1600M medley team placed third, with a time of 4:58.07 minutes.

Carson Losure and Bobby McCulley took first and third respectively in the 100M dash, with times of 12.22 and 12.74 respectively. Losure went on to place third in the long jump, with a jump of 16’8 ½“, and McCulley also took second in the 200M dash, with a time of 26.39 seconds.

Kaleb Kriegel placed third in the 800M run, with a time of 2:25.03.

Ryan Maschmann placed fourth in the 200M hurdles, with a time of 31.95.

Teacher Talk: Carrie Weber

by Natalie Kirton

Mrs. Carrie Weber has been a teacher of the Montezuma Science department for the past 11 years. She teaches Biology, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physics. 

Weber was raised on a farm and is the third of six children. Her oldest sibling is 36 and her youngest is 12. She attended high school at Turkey Valley Community School. While there she played the trumpet for the band, was on the debate team and was even a part of a teaching group, where she taught guidance to junior high students. 

Upon graduation, Weber enrolled in Wartburg College in Waverly, Iowa. Her favorite experiences during college were hanging out with her friends and taking a trip to the rainforest of Guyana, South America. 

Weber student-taught at Sumner-Fredericksburg schools before getting her job here in Montezuma. Her favorite parts of teaching here are all of the interactions and in-depth conversations she gets to have with the students. She loves when students walk away feeling like they really learned something from her. 

If Weber could teach any other subject besides science, it would be social studies because she likes to learn about history and watch documentaries. 

In her spare time, Weber likes to read, go for walks, root for the Packers, play videogames, go outdoors and spend time with her children. She also likes to camp with her family when it is nice out. 

She is married to Adam Weber and they have two children, Aleric and Zander, who are six and three respectively. Weber is a very proud mother and talks about her children’s achievements frequently. 

Some random facts that you may not have known about her are that her favorite books are “The Iliad” by Homer and “Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follet, she loves “The Lion King” and that she has five fish tanks throughout her house. 

Weber loves learning alongside her students and is always looking forward to trying something new.