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Students Macie Rosengren and Jess Johns on their third lap. 

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Student athletes Jess Johns and Macie Rosengren decided to join distance runners at a meet in the 3200. These two athletes are sprinters so everyone was excited to see how it would turn out. Both runners started off strong. While running they had the whole girls team cheering for them. After the first mile, Rosengren decided she was unable to finish the 3200. Her teammate Claire Crisham helped her up and gave her water. Jess was still going and wasn't doing too bad. Jess finished with a time of 17.53. The whole team was impressed and proud of both athletes. Jess actually was able to receive All Conference! When asked about her experience Jess said, “I expected worse.”

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Student council had one of their last meetings. They discussed many important and pressing matters, some that cannot be disclosed. Sophomore representative MaryKay Downs said that she was very disappointed when Mr. Olson told her that he had to cancel the sophomore run of Levi Leap due to low ticket sales. All members of the student council gathered together to talk about summer plans and the 2023-2024  student council election. Everyone in the sophomore class that participated in student council this year ran for next year. Some new people from the sophomore class also ran for student council their junior year. An example being Makenzie Duhon, she said she wanted to participate so she could help run junior year prom and help her class as a member of student council.

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As you know volleyball, track, tennis, and now baseball has all had the opportunity at state this year! On May 29th our baseball boys won super sectionals for the first time in many years. Over the past few years this is where our boys fell now they all get to experience this with each other. We’re all excited and hope to get a good place at state!

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Amiya is a sophomore attending Newman, She’s a multi sport athlete playing softball, basketball, travel softball, and track. She enjoys playing with her softball team at Newman. She’s sad that the season has come to an end this early but now is ready for travel softball. Amiyas an outstanding student at school with high grades. She wants to continue her education and sport in college but is still undecided. Hoping for her next school softball season to last longer next year as she’s playing travel.

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Most students say lunch is their favorite class. Me too, lunch is a time when you get to be with your friends that you don’t have classes with, people you don’t see often. It’s a time to bond with friends. As it got warmer out us students got the opportunity to sit outside and enjoy our lunch. It’s a break from school and being able to be with your friends makes it so much better! Above: Macie Rosengren, Brady Williamson, and Ally McGinn.

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As schools coming to an end we’re all either happy or sad. Maybe even sappy. Leaving all of your friends for the summer not knowing if you’ll see them till next school year. That’s why you should be sappy. Happy being you don’t have to wake up early for school, no homework, and no more finals to worry about. Many people cope with school. Come to school to get out of their home. Our school is like a family. We’re small and everyone knows everyone, we’re sad seeing our seniors leave but ready for the next incoming class. Above in this picture is Riley Wiggington and Pyper TerBush, dressed down for finals.

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Seamus is a sophomore soon to be junior next school year. They did wrestling and other fun things too. You can often see him talking to others or complaining about math (who doesn't). A quote from seamus is "Ide like to pray for my geometry grade" Look forward to seeing you next year!

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This year the library club didn't get to do much but one fun thing they did get was the yogurt/cheese cake party after this years spring concert. The librarian took her library club class to go get yogurt and cheese cake at the local arthurs. A quote from me is "The cheese cake is better" We are also hoping to get the library a new couch! What are your thoughts?

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As the school year comes to an end so does math. Finals for each of Mrs. Bonijes classes should be over with. Hope you all passed! While the classes can be tough we hope you had fun this school year and look forward to next years classes! A quote from Mrs. Bonijes is "Oops! My bad. Thanks AJ"
Cant wait to see her next year.

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Max is a sophomore this year, soon to be junior as we close on this school year. He was in charlie brown the musical and used to do band for the school. You can see him hanging out through the halls with other people joking and just having fun. A quote from max is "I have work after this-". Look forward to seeing you next school year max! Lets hope your next musical doesn't ruin your hair.

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It's the final week of school! Not only is it the final week of school but it's also finals week. Students have had about two finals each day. With that means a lot of tired students. Plus a lot of hardworking students. But even after all that the students are excited and have the energy knowing summer break is just around the corner. Zachary Deforest says, "I just want to sit there and cry."

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Knitters club 2023 comes to an end along with the school year

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Knitters club 2023 comes to an end along with the school year

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During knitters club this year they made blankets to donate. They met once a month to make the blankets. Allie Cook taught many people how to crochet. In knitters club you don't actually knit, you crochet. They just call knitters club because it sounds better. Member of knitters club Marykay Downs says, "It was really fun to learn new things with your friends. I'm glad I joined." Overall knitters club was a success.

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Pictured is Makenzie Duhon(ME) eating cheesecake

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Mrs. Accardi's English 2 4A has had a great semester. We have all had so much fun in that class and I think we will all miss Mrs. Accardi dearly. Throughout the semester we read House on Mango Street, Time of the Butterflies, and a play called Fences. They were all so fun to read and they were also very interesting to learn about. English 2 4A was a pretty small class and only consisted of 11 students. We got through things much faster and got more hands on learning than the other English 2 class. I feel like I learned a lot about looking deeper into things and looking beyond the surface. Student Taylor Crownhart says, "I really enjoyed her class. It was a lot of fun and I feel like some of the other girls and I developed a friendship with Mrs. Accardi. I'm sad I don't have her next year for English but I'm taking Journalism senior year so I will get to see her then." We had a great semester and 4A will miss you Mrs. Accardi!!!

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A picture of Carlin Brady during Regionals. 

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The Season Is Coming To An End For The Softball Team. 

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The Season Is Coming To An End For The Softball Team. 

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On Saturday May, 20th the softball team had regionals. Unfortunately the team lost but the whole game was a pitchers dual. The pitchers from both teams pitched a very good game but neither team could hit very well though. Two important players in the game were Ady Waldschmidt and Lucy Oetting, they both made some really good plays throughout the whole game. Both teams did their best and played to the best of their ability. The game ended in a walk off home run. Senior Carlin Brady stated, "The game was very emotional because I was the only senior and everyone was very upset that it came to an end."

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Picture of Lia Delgado and Bella Robichaud outside of the Shrine of St. Therese.

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In the beginning of the year the sophomores went on a retreat to the National Shrine and Museum of St. Therese. At the museum they learned about Therese's childhood and her story of becoming in faith. They saw some of the original paintings and clothing she wore. Then the sophomores went outside on the path where there was a beautiful lake and statues. After that they went to get food which the students got a variety of choices such as Panda Express or sandwiches at Jimmy Johns. "It was really interesting seeing all the religions people and seeing how they slept on hay," said Skye Cantu.

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Pictured is Olivia Clark working on her honors English paper after finishing her work in Algebra 2

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It's the last full week of school which means it's finals. Students are studying and working so hard this week so they can ace their final quizzes and tests. The school year has gone by very fast but I think everyone is ready for it to be summer. To have a break from all the school work and all the stress and pressure is much needed. The teachers are also probably ready for the year to be over. No more grading papers or having to deal with crazy high school kids everyday. Olivia Clark says, "I'm excited to have more time to hang out with my friends. I don't want to have any more homework. I am also excited to be able to sleep in everyday." The whole school just wants to have a nice long break. Fall sport practices start up soon and everyone can't wait!

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Students preparing for chemistry class. 

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On May, 10 students started giving their element debates in chemistry. These debates were part of the students final so these debates were a lot of pressure. Students and their elements got placed in a bracket to see who they were competing against. Students had to research their element and find out why their element is the best and how it has helped change the world. Students who won their first debate got to continue going and if they kept winning then they would get extra credit. The overall winner in my class ended up being Nitrogen. Overall these debates were a really fun activity for students and everyone enjoyed it. Sophomore Bella Robichaud stated, "I liked learning about all the elements and what they do to help the world."

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Pictured is Madison Duhon laughing with one of her softball coaches

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Madison Duhon is a junior at Newman. She plays basketball and softball. She got second team all conference for basketball and last year for softball she got all state and first team all conference. The awards for this year's softball season have not been announced yet. Madison is National Honors Society and in honor roll. She has one sister that also attends Newman and she is currently a sophomore (that's me). She is in the CNA program at WACC. She has received her CNA too. She wants to go to the University of Mississippi which is also known as Ole Miss. She wants to major in biology and minor in psychology. She wants to be a nurse practitioner. I asked her what would be her advice to incoming freshmen and she said, "Get your GPA as high as you can because it will follow you through out high school and to do as much as you can because it moves by fast. Your high school years fly by in the blink of an eye." You may see Madison in the halls with a smile on her face and her Kairos cross around her neck or you may recognize her in the Newman parking lot for her horrible parking. Her car is parked basically side-ways in spot 33 everyday.

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Sophia and her team. Sophia participates in volleyball, golf, and softball. As she enjoys all of these sports she ends off her school year with soft ball. Saturday the girls faced Morrison and fell to them for a Regional title. As the score was 0-0 the entire game with extra innings Morrison hit a homerun and won. Ending the season like this is never fun, full with tears, and their catcher Carlin Brady leaves for her last year to continue at Sauk. As most girls say their season definitely would have lasted longer but they are glad they had s good season with each other.

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Pictured: Newman Comet's Varsity Volleyball Team

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As you may know, The Newman Varsity volleyball team went to state in November of last year. They were the first ever Newman Volleyball team to make it to state. They worked so hard last year to push all the way through but they ended up coming home with 4th place. That isn't bad at all for it being Newman's first time down at state for volleyball. As the school year comes to an end that means fall sports will start practicing soon. Volleyball is getting ready for a big season and a title to hold. Last year they were undefeated conference champs. They really hope that happens again this year. Obviously we really need to work hard so we can go back to state again this year but do better and win a higher title. Player Sam Ackman says, "We have a huge season ahead of us and we all need to work hard and put in our best effort at every single game. The only way we can get to where we were last year is working even harder. As we get better and improve as a team, so do the other teams. There is a lot expected out of us this year and we are so excited to get the season started." With their big season coming, as soon as summer starts they will all be lifting and practicing to improve and have a great season.

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some of the Newman tennis boys watching there teammates 

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The boys had a long tough season. They fought there hardest to all make it to state. Logan Palmer made it to state and is going to state this week. They had to say goodbye to 5 seniors this season. Raul Reyes - Zamora, Oscar Navaro, Carson Palmer, Sam Neiswander and one of there managers Micheal Murray. There coach Lupita Serrano said " it was a good season but it wasn't the best one we have had". All the boys said there going to make the next season one to remember and cant wait to start playing with some new teammates but the seniors will not be forgotten.

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On May 17th the class of 2023 officially graduated from Newman. Ainsly Reed was valedictorian and Sara Murry was Salutatorian. It was an emotional day for the class, their friends, and their family. When asked about it graduate Gianna Wildoff said,

It was a bittersweet moment, but I was really excited to graduate. I´m excited for the future.

Who really knows what's next for these graduates. For some college. For some the military. No matter where they go they have the best of luck.

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Maxwell DeForest plays his trumpet for English III 2B

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On May 12th Coach Mags took his English III class down to the film room to watch the Great Gatsby but before the film started he had Maxwell Deforest play a Jazz Music History for the class. Consisting of "Its Been a Long Long Time" and "Rhapsody in Blue". Mags said,

Rhapsody in Blue is arguably the most important piece in 1920s music

When asked if she enjoyed the music Sophia Knudson

Yes, I thought it was interesting.

Next for the class is finishing The Great Gatsby.

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Helen Papoccia, Madelynn Taylor Steffens, and James Stitt pose in the tunnels 

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May 17th Mr. Olson took his 4A APUSH class on a field trip after they helped set up for graduation. He took the class on a tour through the tunnels. At one point Mr. Olson and Lucas Simpson were crawling on their hands and knees where Mia Trujillo and Mary-Kay Downs were duck walking. Helen Papoccia said this about the impromptu field trip,

Even if it was filthy and gross it was fun because we got to see Mr Olson’s adventurous side

Next for the class is working on presentations about the song "We Didn't Start the Fire" and a Local History topic.

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May 15th Sargent Franklin at school to recruit Newman Students to join the Marines. If you managed to do some pull ups you would get a reward. Colin Messer, Sam Mauch, and Liam Schmall all attempted this challenge.
Sam Mauch said this about his attempt

I respect the young man who went out of his way to explain the possible roles I could have in the Marines it sparked an interest in me.

Although Sam's future does not include the Marines Colin Messer's just might.

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Anatomy one A starts dissecting their cats 

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On May 1st the Anatomy classes started dissecting their cats. Ellie Rude, Mac Hanrahan, Sam Ackman, and Leah Kalina started dissecting their cat Kitty. They started dissecting the cats by cutting open the skin of the cat.
Ellie said this about Kitty,

It was big, difficult to open and smelled awful.

Up next was to open the cat further to show the respiratory system

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May 9th was the last day of dissecting for the Anatomy 1A class. Zoey Harrington held down the cat while Coach Accardi cut into the cat's skull. Breaking into the skull was not the only task, there was also a suture kit that Kennedy Rowzee was working on. Sophia Ely said this when asked about it,

I thought it was gross but interesting

Next for the class is working on their final presentations.

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Students talking and working on homework in the library during driver's ed. 

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Driver's Ed Students Enjoy Their Time In The Library. 

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Driver's Ed Students Enjoy Their Time In The Library. 

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While, Mr. Accardi is taking a few of the students in driver's ed driving, the rest of the students in driver's ed who aren't driving get to stay in the library and work on homework and other projects. Students enjoy their free time in the library because they get the opportunity to sit back and work on homework and be with their friends. The library offers such a calm and quiet environment that allows the students to be able to relax and focus on their studies. The library allows the students to unwind and focus on any homework they need to get done and study for any upcoming tests or finals they may have. Sophomore, Bella Robichaud who is in the library during driver's ed stated, "One of my favorite parts of being in the library is that I get to focus on what I need to get done while being in a quiet environment."

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Pictured going left to right: MaryKay Downs, Macie Rosengren, Madison Duhon, Makenzie Duhon, Jaylee Dugger, and Olivia Clark

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Newman's grand march was a big hit. The gym was packed full of family, friends, students, and staff watching the juniors and seniors show off their dresses and suits. It was so fun getting to see all the pretty dresses. Talking to all the upper class men afterwards was a lot of fun too. "Prom was a lot of fun. It was super hot inside but that didn't ruin our night. I brought a digital camera so I could capture these fun moments. The night was filled with lots of dancing and playing lots of fun games. I'm very excited for next year and can't wait to do it all again." says junior Madison Duhon. The theme for prom this year was "Art Gala" so there were some activities you could have done while you were there. There was Uno, painting, and a big raffle. I've heard from a lot of juniors and seniors that it was a lot of fun.

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Maddie Loomis, Pyper TerBush, Jaylee Dugger, and Ally McGinn travel to watch the fresh-soph track team. While watching Amiya Rodriguez and Macie Rosengren was hurt in the hip. On this chilly day all of the teammates were all sitting with each other to keep each other warm. The freshman and sophomore boy teams are way faster than I expected them to be. They also have good throwers.

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Students enjoying their food at JMK Nippon in Rockford during the art and photography field trip. 

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Students Get To Go Out To Eat Together During A Field Trip!

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Students Get To Go Out To Eat Together During A Field Trip!

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On Friday May, 5 the photography and art classes got to go on a field trip to the Anderson Gardens in Rockford and after that students got to go out to eat at JMK Nippon in Rockford. Students loved everything about this field trip and nobody was ready to leave. After walking through the beautiful Anderson Gardens, Mr. Reyes took the students to JMK Nippon, which is a Chinese restaurant where you get to watch your food be made right in front of you. Students loved how they got to watch the food be made in front of them. Sophomore Grace Geske stated, "The food was really good and it was a really great experience." The whole field trip was a wonderful experience for all the students and it was something no one will forget.

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Students Wyatt Widolff and James Stitt shake hands in class. Daniel Kelly poses behind them

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This year was the first year Mrs. Jungerman taught the sophomores. She usually only teaches seniors (Theology 4). So the sophomore class was her first time teaching sophomores. The sophomores were taught "Theology of the Body" which they already finished. It was a very interesting thing to learn about says sophomore MaryKay Downs. "I really enjoyed having Mrs. Jungerman because we would have had the same teacher for three years straight (Mr. Somers) so it's good that we got a different teacher. Her class is very relaxed and a very fun environment." All the sophomores love her class and are sad we don't get her until senior year. You will always see her outside her door smiling at everyone.

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Newman had their Choir Concert on May 10. They sang modern songs like Bohemian Rhapsody and classic songs like This Ol' Man. The group ended the concert with Sweet Caroline. Everyone in the crowd sang along. A part of the choir group Skye Cantu, says "We have been working on these songs for months and it was great to see how fun the audience was and how they sang with us it was truly amazing."

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Art And Photography Classes Visit Anderson Gardens!

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Art And Photography Classes Visit Anderson Gardens!

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On Friday May, 5 the art and photography classes got to visit the Anderson Gardens in Rockford. It was a long and bumpy ride to get there but when we arrived it was all worth it. The gardens were really beautiful and students loved seeing all the natural beauty that was there. Students enjoyed looking at the waterfalls, flowers, ponds, trees, fish, etc. Sophomore Grace Geske stated, "It was a fun and educational experience. The gardens were really beautiful and I felt at peace." Everyone loved the gardens and nobody wanted to leave. After walking through the gardens, students got to go JMK Nippon for lunch.

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Chris Accardi runs the register on Culver's Fundraiser Night for the musical

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Chris Accardi is a junior at Newman. He is involved in football, track, the musical, Ambassador's Club, and National Honors Society. Chris has been a friendly face at Newman since his freshman year. Especially with his involvement in Ambassador's Club, he helps advancement at Newman by welcoming incoming freshmen. After his graduation from Newman, Chris's future plans include attending a four-year university to major in engineering. Chris is continuing his family's legacy at Newman. Chris's dad, Mr. Accardi, is the Athletic Director and Anatomy/Driver's Ed/Health Teacher, and his sister, Miss Accardi, is an alumni and English Teacher at Newman. When asked what his favorite thing about Newman is, Chris said, "My favorite thing about Newman is the food. You rarely see a bad food day here."

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The Blind leaders helping out to serve food for the middle school retreat

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Throughout this blind retreat there were over 140 students that were at Newman. That means by the time lunch hit everyone was famished. The lunch of the day was the infamous walking tacos that Mrs. Somers had provided for these students. It was a hectic lunch period with everyone waiting in line and trying to get all these students through said line. It was a huge help that Mrs. Setting was helping with lunches and also some of the blind leaders stepped in. Blayke Holbrook, Jaesen Johns, and Hayden Witt stepped in to help get things smoothly running. Hayden Witt said “it was a big help from us to help out with the lunches in order for not only the student but for us to eat”.

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The Students of Newman playing religious Apples to Apples on the stormy day we had.

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On what seemed to be a normal day going to mass as usual until it turned upside down. Half way through Father Bruce’s homely about Leonardo Da vinci's painting of the last supper it started to get really dark in the church. Everyone noticed how it started to darken and then there was a sudden noise, yes it was the tornado sirens going off. Mr. Stevenson, Mr.Somers, and Mrs.Kelly told all the students not to panic and go downstairs to Sacred Heart. At first everyone didn’t know what to do but after a while all of the students started to relax. They went on their phones or just talked with their friend until Father Bruce unlocked a closet full of games. Then most of the seniors and juniors started to play board games. The games that were played were apples to apples, spoons, and uno. It was a nice refresher to just play board games for a change. The only downside to this fun adventure was the journey back to school in the pouring rain and mud. Joy Zigler said “The tornado didn’t stress me out but walking back in that rain sure did, I had my brand new shoes on too”.

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All the students including the blind leaders that were at the middle school retreat.

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This new tradition of having a middle school retreat was a true success. The thought process behind this retreat was a marketing idea from Mr. Koerner to get the middle school students to interact with our students at Newman. It was a good idea executed by Mr. Korerner and Mrs. Otteting allowed this new idea. This new retreat was an amazing job done by the following blind leaders. Everyone blind leaders controlled their group with 10 of each of the following 6th,7th, and 8th graders. Which is a big con to the blind leaders for controlling the students they were assigned to because at first they were hyper but they did end up calming down. All the activities that were done throughout the day were very well pariticated by each and everyone one of those 140 students. The only thing that would be changed for next year is adding more time for the retreat/activities. Mrs. Kelly said “Our BLIND leaders did an amazing job including all the students and leading their small groups.  It was a very positive experience for the middle school students and our leaders.  Looking forward to doing it again.”

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Group 3 for the Senior Retreat wearing funny sunglasses in Walmart.

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The senior retreat was probably the best way to end the year for our class. It was full of adventure and oppuritnes to come together as a class. Everyone was expecting it to be boring and just a whole day of lectures but we were so wrong in the ebay way. We had church before we started any of the fun activities which was a surprise. The surprise was brought to us by Mrs. Jungerman, Mrs.Rhodes, and Mr.Somers, it was a fun little scavenger hunt. There were three white short buses that each of the teachers drove us all around sterling to get the pictures for the scavenger hunt. The seniors got to go to Walmart, Menards, and Newman itself. It was a fun way to spend the day with our class coming together. We also got to spend the day outside for most of the day which was so nice because it was a beautiful day outside. Kathleen Withrow saying “it was such a fun day to just run around as a class to do different activities”.

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6th, 7th, and 8th graders doing the commonality activity that they had to do.

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The purpose of this commonality activity is an icebreaker and to get them off their feet. It is also a good way for the 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to talk to the blind leaders as well. This worksheet is a combination of random questions such as “can you sing row row your boat”, “do you play an Instrument”, “do you help out in the community” etc. This activity is a way to show the kids that everyone is similar and has the same traits they do. The people who were called out to share what they wrote down were Leah Kalina, Tyson Williams, and Blaire Grennan.  Leah Kalina “it was a beneficial way for the underclassmen especially with the age barriers.”

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Some of the Senior Girls taking a photo with there crowns at Medieval Times!!

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On Friday, April 28th the English four senior class decided to take a journey to Medieval times in Schaumburg, IL. In english four the seniors all year have been learning about the medieval times sepcifallly the 13th century. From the language to how they acted during that time period, Mr. Mags thought it was a good idea to get a better understanding of that time. The seniors truly immersed themselves in that experience from cheering our knight on to being respectful towards others. It was one of the best experiences the seniors have had for their last final weeks. A big shout out to Mr. Mags, Mr.Olson, and Mr. Mag's wife to go on this field trip and experience it with us. Haily Geske saying “it was a fun way to see the chivalry of the knights and also the knights as themselves”.

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Leah Kalina and Ava Anderson taking a picture before the Blind Retreat.

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Leah Kalina you might know her as the sport photographer for most of her High School career but she is more than that. She is in Volleyball, Softball, BLIND, Key Club, photography, and wrestling staff. Her favorite class is social science because it interested her to be a psychologist. Leah said “she would describe herself as reliable because no matter what she has on her plate she will be there for you anyway she can be.” If she could change one thing about Newman would be the wifi because it cuts in and out and can be slow at times. On her way to school her favorite songs are I love it - Icona Pop, Queen of Kings - Alessandra, and Gossip - Manekin. Leah Kalina is not only a photographer but she is a student/athlete as well.

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Senior 4 Spanish Class working on there beautiful pinatas!!

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In Spanish 4 Honors the seniors are having a competition of who can make the best pinata. Not only do they have to do a pinata, they also have to do a Spanish and English translation of the history of their pinata. The competition is not only judged by Mrs. Zamora herself but by all the teachers who are willing to participate. The winners of this competition will receive food from Mrs. Zamora herself whether it is her cooking or ordering something for those students. So far the pinatas who are looking good so far are Gianna Widollfs/Monica Healys, Carlin Brady/Haily Geske, and Hayden Witts/Kenny Boesen. These pinatas are all different themes from animals to cartoon characters, Mrz. Zamora gave the seniors free reign on what they wanted to choose. Gianna Widolff said “This Spanish class has been stressful this year so it is nice to do something fun and stress free”.

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Ady Waldscmit pitching in the game against Mendota 

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The Comets took control with a five-run third inning. The main players who played well throughout the whole game were Sohpia Ely, Amiya Rodriquez, and Ady Waldschmidt. Sopia ely was 2 for 5 with two runs and three RBIs. Amiya Rodriguez hit two-run home runs for Newman. Ady Waldschmidt added three singles, a run, and an RBI. Carlin Brady said “After taking the win in our first game against them we were excited to get to play them again.  Both teams had a pretty good day at the plate with multiple home runs packing the game with action. Overall it was a good game and helped many of our players get their confidence back in the box.”

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Skye Cantu and a few of the other girls doing experiments. 

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The Physical Science class learned about static electricity. They spent the class rubbing the balloon against their head to create static then they would experiment with different objects to see how they would react. They learned that a static balloon can pick up salt and pepper and how two static balloons will try and stay away from each other when the students try to bring them together. Physical Science student Skye Cantu says, "It was fun watching Allie Cook messing up her hair with the balloon and it was also fun losing to her at balloon volleyball."

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Newman Softball Girls jumping for joy because they just had won!!

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The Newman Comet girls scored in every inning they had against Hall. The top players of this game were Addison Foster, Jess Johns, and Maddy Duhon. Addison Foster ripped a two run single, Jess johns went 2 for 4 with an RBI and two runs scored, and Maddy Duhon had a solo home run and a RBI triple to lead Newman. The Comet girls completely destroyed Hall, the final score was 11-1. This Game against Hall was a fairlyeasy one for the softball girls. It was chill laid back game where they could just have fun with it. Leah Kalina “They adjusted really well to the slow pitcher that they had”.

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Allie Cook and Kat Verdick taking a selfie at the Japanese garden.  

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The art classes went on a trip to a Japanese garden. The garden was filled with flowers, trees, and waterfalls. They also had geese, ducks, and coy fish in the ponds. After the Japanese garden the group then went to JMK Nippon Japanese restaurant. The students got to experience the chefs making their food in front of them. The food was excellent and all the students enjoyed it with some of them getting sushi, steak, onion soup, rice, and more. Student Skye Cantu who went on the trip says" Pretty flowers and pretty good food."

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Chris Accardi pulls intestines out of the cat

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On Friday May 5th, the anatomy class had their 3rd and final day of dissecting. The class went deep into the digestive system. Key player Chris Accardi was very excited to dig deeper into the cat. Jaesen Johns and Chloe Everly found babies in their cat! The digestive system shows everything the class as learned about over the year in the cat! It helps the class to understand anatomy by actually seeing the organs inside. The class was very thankful to be able to dissect. It was a fun opportunity for them. Chris Accardi stated, " I wish I was this tall" The class will have to present slide shows to review the dissection next class.

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Senior Carlin Brady taking a picture during senior night with her parents.

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On Friday, May 5 it was senior night for softball. The softball team played against Monmouth-Roseville High School. One key player during the game was Madison Duhon who started the game off with a solo home run which got the team fired up right away. Another key player was Carlin Brady who pulled through with a triple at the end of the game to score two runs. It was a pretty packed night for the team, with it being senior night on top of the game but everything did work out well for the team after they won the game. Senior Carlin Brady stated, "It was really great to be able to able to have a night for me. There have been times where I haven't always enjoyed being the only senior because it can be very difficult to lead a team as the oldest player. Being able to play together like we did last night is all I wanted to happen on my senior night. We had so much energy and through all our struggles and challenges I will always be grateful for this team."

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A picture of the Sophomore geometry class

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Study up sophomores for geometry has a storm of tests and quizzes coming in. Mrs. Bonjes has a few quizzes and test in stored for the sophomore class before the end of the year. Mrs. Bonjes says "Even if you're resting at a D now any kind of test or quiz can make you drop so keep giving it your all." Theres going to be a few retakes tomorrow may 9th so study up!

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The spot light is on Newman senior student Kathleen Withrow. Kathleen is the light you need when you feel dark and low. She is so kind to everyone and always greets them in the morning. You could laugh with her for hours with her crazy jokes. She is always there when you need advice about anything and she always makes sure to give you the latest news. It will not be the same without her after she graduates but she plans to teach young kids and she will become be a light for them. Kathleen says, “It’s nice to have a good year in the midst of all my other years being quarantined. It’s nice that there is a light near the end of the dark tunnel.”

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The choir kids in a parashoot while Liam bust it down on the saxophone

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The choir team have been practicing for months getting ready to sing for you at the may 10th concert. They'll be singing new and old songs that im sure the crowd will love. Make sure to pull out your phone flashlight for dust in the wind! Even though the concert is so close you always have to take a break and be a kid again, Which is what we did! Allie Cook says "Liam has great performance skills and it's great taking a break from practice." The choir kids found a parashoot and had a fun break and rested their voices. Cant wait to see you at the concert!

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The hard working Math Team made it to State. The team medaled in 6th place with the team composed of Sam Neisewander and Ainsley Reed. The Newman Math Team Leader, Mr. Sotelo said, “For us, going to the state competition is something we always look forward to and is always a lot of fun. But for the last three years, we have qualified for state, but there was no in-person event for us to go to. For some of these students, they qualified for state every year of high school, but never got to go until now. It was a long time coming, but we were very happy to be able to finally get the full, in-person experience. You could say, it was a "glorious day”.

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Espen Hammes presents his poem, "Sunlight for Sale: Circa 1969," to an audience of family, friends, and students. 

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On Sunday, April 30, the staff of the Salesian, Newman's new literary magazine, celebrated the completion of their magazine by hosting a premiere for artists to present their works. Artists featured in the magazine presented essays, poetry, paintings, memoirs, and photography. A key part of this event was Mrs. Spencer, who is the advisor for the magazine. Michael Murray also took the lead, being the editor in chief. Claire Crisham took a part in planning the premiere itself, and she was assistant editor. Many proud families and friends gathered to see the artists present their works. When asked how she thought the premiere went, Monica Healy, a member of the design team, said, "I thought it was very well organized and professional. It was a lot of fun to host with my classmates."

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Katie Grennan and Gianna Widolff pose for a picture

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On May 3rd, 2023 the seniors got there last retreat. They were told that they would be playing a game which required them to take pictures around the area. While in Menards the seniors found a porch swing and needed two seniors to pose for a nice picture. While the retreat was fun it brought the class closer together. " It was a really fun last hoorah for our class", says Gianna. It was a nice last chance for all of us to bond before we have to leave our high school behind.

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Senior Class on a field trip to Medieval times on Friday April 28th 

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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Senior Class Field Trip 

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Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament Senior Class Field Trip 

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As we started the Semester off Seniors were reading the Macbeth play als followed we watch the movie after each scene. At the beginning of the semester our favorite teacher Mr. Mags told us he wanted to do something with out class since the year was coming to an end and we will be graduating shortly. So second Semester came and he went deep down and got tickets to go to Medieval time after we got done with the play we were reading because it was related to what we were doing this whole semester. The Medieval time offered multiple things but one of the biggest parts of the field trip was the food and the show. We had a knight to us and we were almost inning but are knight fell into second place. Gianna widolff stated “It was one of the best field trips i have been on and it was also really fun and entertaining and I can’t forget the food was amazing!”  Mr. Mags had a wonderful time and was so happy he got to do this with his senior class.

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Gianna widolff receives multiple bags of kisses from her school mates

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As we started off the last full week for our Newman Seniors Key Club kicked off Kiss a Senior Goodbye. Kiss a Senior Goodbye is a tradition that the key club puts together in honor of our seniors graduating. If you were interested in buying of of these bags of kisses for a senior you could get  5 kisses for $1. I feel like this is a good tradition to make our Newman Seniors feel loved and that we will miss them when they leave Gianna widolff stated “I am very grateful for this sweet treat at the end of the year”. Even though not everyone will get one of the little baggies with kisses in it because it goes off who buys one for you in the school. Seniors only have a week of school left before they have graduated. Yes only a week, this school year has flown by in a heartbeat and with the key club making seniors feel loved at the end of the year seniors have been so excited.

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Seniors Monica Healy, Haily Geske, and Gianna Widolff smile for a selfie

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Being in National Honors Society requires having a spring service project at the end of the year. The service project consists of doing 1 hour of outdoor work (raking leaves, picking up garbage, plant flowers, etc.) for a neighbor, friend, or relative.  Consider finding someone for whom this kind of work is difficult. Monica Healy, Haily Geske, and Gianna Widolff went over to St. Andrews to pick up leaves and sticks around the church and school. It was a cold Saturday morning on April 29th but the girls fought the cold and cleaned! Monica Healy stated, "I'm so glad we got our project done and it was really fun and rewarding!"

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Newman's softball team going up against rival, Sterling on Friday Night. 

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Newman Softball Team Gets Defeated By Their Rival, Sterling

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Newman Softball Team Gets Defeated By Their Rival, Sterling

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On April, 28 the softball team played against their rival, Sterling. There was a big crowd that came to watch the two teams face off. Both Newman and Sterling had some really big hits, and both teams also made clutch plays in the field. Both teams played a tough game and the pressure was high between the teams throughout the whole game. Both teams had their ups and downs through the game. Unfortunately, Newman did not pull out the win and Sterling got the win, but both teams played to the best of their ability and everyone on the team gave it their all. Carlin Brady stated, " Going into this game both teams were very excited to play. We had one big inning and we took the lead but unfortunately couldn't pull through to get the win. This was such a fun game and a great experience for both teams."

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A Kiddie Kampus preschooler works on his litter bag for Earth Day

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Early Childhood Education Says Goodbye for the Summer

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Early Childhood Education Says Goodbye for the Summer

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On Friday, April 28th, the Early Childhood Education program celebrated their preschool graduation. This was a bittersweet event for many of the students, as they had a great year teaching the kids. Sadly, the main preschool teacher, Mrs. Atilano, was sick during graduation, so Mrs. Neubauer stepped up to fill her role. Mrs. Neubauer read a letter for each of the preschoolers heading to kindergarten and awarded them a certificate and a medal for all their hard work. Many parents and grandparents came to support their hardworking kids. The three Newman students in the class are Gianna Sagel, Laurel Chavera, and Kathleen Withrow. ECE student Gianna Sagel reflected on the ceremony, saying,

"It was definitely hard to say goodbye, but I'm so proud of our kids and everything they've learned this year. I'll always worry about them and miss them, but I have so much confidence that they'll be successful. I hope they never lose their curiosity and love for learning."

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Jaesen Johns and Hunter Luyando prepare their cat for dissection

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The anatomy class started dissection May 1st. The class separates into groups of 4 and 5. The class will take a couple classes to dissect and make sure they take time to understand the cat's anatomy. Big key players are Mr. Accardi and Mrs. Verdick who both lead the dissections. They are very helpful with the groups and make sure everything is going alright. Another key players is T.A. Dylan Garland. Dylan jumps in groups when they need him and helps with the dissections. Dylan stated, "It was fun dissecting again, I like helping out with it!" The anatomy class will continue on the next week or two with the dissection.

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Kathleen Withrow (Front) Cece Marruffo (Left) Skye Cantu (Right Back) Allie Cook (Right) Pose for a picture.  April 18th 

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While in choir all of a sudden the fire alarm went off. We were told that it was at 10 o clock however, we were so into the song that we didn't even get a chance to look at the clock. The next thing we knew was that we were rushing outside into the coldness. We had blankets on because the room was so cold when we first walked in that we had to take them outside because it was even colder. Of course, we, unfortunately, had to wait for someone to tell us that it was okay to go back into the building. " It was nice to get outside for a little bit rather than be in the choir room the entire period."

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Gianna Sagel sprints the straightaway during her leg of the 4x800

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Newman Comets Face Off Against Fulton Steamers

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Newman Comets Face Off Against Fulton Steamers

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On Tuesday, April 18th, the Newman girls track team faced 10 other teams at Fulton High School. A key runner was Helen Papoccia, who ran a 1:08 in the 400, earning 10th place overall. She also ran in the 4x400, which got a 4:58. Hannah Britt was a standout for shot put, earning 9th place with a throw of 22.88 meters. The 4x800, made up of Claire Crisham, Gianna Sagel, Gianna Widolff, and Monica Healy, earned 5th with a time of 11:52, their fastest time to date. When asked how she felt about the meet, Mia Trujillo, who ran the 200, said, "I thought everyone ran super hard and super fast today. The times were great, the sun was out, and it was a great day." Next up for the girls is the Co-ed Rock Falls Rocket Invite.

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Gianna Widolff leads the pack in the 1600, heading for a PR

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On Tuesday, April 25, the girls track team traveled to Augustana college for a meet. There were nine teams present. A couple standout athletes were Gianna Widolff and Claire Crisham, who both had PR miles. Gianna Widolff ran a 6:21, earning 12th place, and Claire Crisham ran a 5:56, earning 7th. Another standout was Brooke Sanchez, who earned 4th place in triple jump with a jump of 9.75 meters. Brooke recently broke the school's record for triple jump, and she continues to improve each meet. Frances Haley had a big PR in discus, throwing 28.20 meters and earning sixth place. When asked how she felt about the meet, Gianna Widolff said, "It was really cold but not windy, so it was nice running weather."

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The middle school students gather to listen to Kris Noble. (Photo taken by Gehrig)

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The middle school middle B.L.I.N.D. retreat took place April 25th. 140 middle school students from all four feeder schools gathered together and were assigned randomly in groups of 10 with 2 blind leaders. The students participated in many activities like assets pandemonium, commonalities, stop 5 things they think about activity, and lunch. It brought many students together and realized they are more similar than they thought. A key player is Debbi Kelly who organized the B.L.I.N.D. retreat and brought everything together. Another key player is Claire Crisham who led the introduction when all the students arrived. A key moment is when all the students left with big smiles on their faces, knowing they bonded and had some fun. Senior leader Jaesen Johns stated, "The retreat was really cool, it was fun to show kids what they're going to experience in high school."

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BLIND leaders and middle schoolers chat while waiting for instructions

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BLIND Leaders Extend Their Reach to Middle Schoolers in the Feeder Schools

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BLIND Leaders Extend Their Reach to Middle Schoolers in the Feeder Schools

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On Tuesday, April 25th, the BLIND team ran a new retreat, for the middle school students. 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from St. Mary's Sterling, St. Mary's Dixon, and St. Andrews all came to Newman for the planned retreat. They were mixed into small groups with all three schools. They played games like commonalities, name games, and Asset Pandemonium. They also did deeper activities like exploring the meaning of kindness and listing the top five things they think about most. The goal of this retreat was to help the middle schoolers see that they aren't so different from each other. This will be expanded on in their freshman retreat, but the BLIND team felt it was a good introduction to BLIND and to Newman in general. When asked how she felt the retreat went, senior leader Ava Anderson said, "It went better than we expected. Everyone was a little intimidated by the middle schoolers, but I thought it went well considering everything."

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Max Williar teaching new member Seamus McDonnell how to play chess. 

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Chess Club has continued to be an amazing club and students can see it. Many more students have joined since the beginning of the year. Chess Club members have been really welcoming to anyone that has joined. Members have been so patient to help teach the students the rules of chess. I went to one of the Chess Club meetings and had a blast! They were all so fun and totally kind to show me how they run their club. It has made me think of joining the club myself! New chess club member Seamus McDonnell says, "I'm glad I joined the chess club I have been having so much fun hanging out and playing chess."

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Mr. Olson getting his blood drawn and feeling good. 

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Key Club is a club offered to the whole school. Key Club is run and put together by Mrs. Zamora the Spanish teacher. Key Club does many interactive things for Newman. We do things like carnations on Valentine's Day, Kiss a senior goodbye and many more fun and creative things to help pout our school and even our Community. When you sign up to help with the activity it is put towards your Community service hours and looks good on your college and job applications. I am in Key club and I think it is a fun way to get involved with your school and Community. If you are interested in joining Key club next year talk to Mrs. Zamora for more information and the same fee of $10.

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Sophomore, Bella Robichaud reading a book in the library. 

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Students Are Loving Their Time In The Library!

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Students Are Loving Their Time In The Library!

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The library here at Newman is a great place for students to sit back and relax. When you first think about the library, you may think about reading books, but that's not the only thing that you are able to do in the library! Students are able to do homework, read, play chess, do puzzles, and simply just relax. Some students are even part of the library club where students get to make bookmarks and decorate the library for the upcoming holidays. Sophomore, Bella Robichaud stated, " I enjoy having the opportunity to be able to sit down and relax in the quiet environment that the library offers." Overall the library is a great place for all students and the library gives everyone something to do.

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B.L.I.N.D. advisor Kris Noble talks during the meeting

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On Thursday April 20th, B.L.I.N.D. leaders met after school to discuss an exciting event happening next week. On Tuesday April 25th, all four feeder schools will be coming to Newman for a retreat. There will be 140 middle schoolers. B.L.I.N.D. leaders will be in groups of 2 with 10 middle schoolers. A huge key player is senior Claire Crisham who volunteered to lead the introduction and introduce B.LI.N.D. Two other key players are Mrs. Kelly and Kris Noble who are both B.LI.N.D. advisors and are very excited to try this retreat out! Mrs. Kelly stated, "We've never done this before so we're really excited to see how it goes. I feel like the middle schoolers really need a retreat like this!" The B.L.I.N.D. leaders are very excited and can't wait to see what Tuesday brings!

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Carson Palmer and Christina Wolfe pose for a picture (picture taken by Tricia Vorhees) 

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Spotlight on March Student of the Month: Carson Palmer

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Spotlight on March Student of the Month: Carson Palmer

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March Sauk Valley Bank student of the month is Carson Palmer. Carson is an Illinois State Scholar and a College Board National Rural and Small Town Award recipient. Carson is also a member of National Honors Society, Math Team, Science Club, Key Club, Scholastic Bowl, and a B.L.I.N.D. leader. He is a member of St. Anne's parish in Dixon. He will be attending the University of Illinois in the fall to obtain a degree in physics and then aspire to fly commercially. A big congrats to Carson! At this mass, a tornado interrupted the service. Carson stated, "A tornado tried to take this award from me!" Carson is extremely grateful for this opportunity even if a tornado interrupted this surprise!

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Senior Kenny Bosen trying to pass the ball to his teammates. 

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The Varsity Boys Basket ball had a decent season. They had a tough season but fought hard till the end. They had 5 seniors Kenny Bosen, Nolan Britt, Ayden Batten, Tyler Garman, Gabe Padilla. These boys had so much fun with the other kids on their team. Some of them said that if they could go back to the beginning of basketball season and take it all in again.... They would. They said that they can't wait to see what the rest of their teammates seasons bring for them and how they changed into the best person they could be. Good luck to our seniors with their after high school careers.

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Some of the Sophomores working on the Geometry homework. 

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Newman has a lot of math programs and many different options. The Geometry class is learning about shapes. 2-D and 3-D shapes to be more exact. Mrs. Bontjes is one of the Math teachers at Newman. She enjoys what she does she says. Mrs. Bontjes loves to travel, one of her dreams is to travel the world in her life. She teaches Geometry and Algebra 2. Mrs Rhodes who is one of the other math teachers in this school. She teaches Algebra 1 to the Freshman and Honors Algebra 2 to upper class man and some Sophomores. There is one more math teacher at Newman. Mr. Sotelo who teaches pre-cal and the higher math classes. I think it is safe to say that Newman takes their math programs pretty serious.

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Garrett Matznick reaches to catch a ball. 

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On April 20th the Newman baseball team beat Hall 2-1 for the first time under coach Kenny Koerner's leadership. Junior Brendan Tunink pitched six innings and Senior Nolan Britt came in for the seventh. Senior Jaesen Johns had two hits and an RBI. Freshman Garet Wolfe had one hit and one RBI.

When asked how it feels to beat Hall for the first time Johns says,

"It felt great. They are always a good team and it was a good test for us to see where we are at. It's a pretty big accomplishment for us."

The team plays Hall again Friday April 21st.

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Carlin Brady attempting to catch the ball 

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Senior Carlin Brady is involved in many academic activities including softball. She is continuing her academic career at Sauk Valley Collage. She is a catcher for Newman and is doing outstanding and her best work. Carlin Brady Stated “ I knew this would be a difficult game. Even when we were put into a stressful situation with their runners on base our defense would pull through. We got into the last inning and everyone was ready to battle. We scored 2 runs and had an opportunity to keep this rally going but their defense pulled through”. Newman has won many game this season and will keep pushing for those wins. Their are only a few more weeks of softball and Carlin is heartbroken that she won’t be able to play with her teammates she has been with over high school time. Many of the softball girls will definitely miss her. Carlin does a lot of the softball team including braiding most of the girls hair before a game. She is excited o start her career at Sauk. Good Luck Car!

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Students working on homework in the Library 

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Library Club was launched during the 2021-2022 School Year in honor and memory of Rev. Francis McDonnell.  The Library Club is open to all Newman students.  During club meetings students plan social and service events.  They have cleaned up the yard at a nursing home, decorated the Library for holidays, made cards for the Newman Staff, enjoyed a movie night, created bookmarks, and are planning an end of year social event.   Library club is a a great place to go and read books and enjoy piece and quiet. Tricia vorhess our librarian is always excited to see her students faces each and everyday and that is what she enjoys the most about coming to school each and every day. If you need help with anything she will be right their and try and help as much as she can. Tricia Vorhees stated ""Library Club is whatever the students want it to be.  The club allows students who have differing extracurricular interests to come together for social time.  I enjoy mentoring the students and am thankful to the family of Rev. McDonnell for their continued support of the Newman Library."

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Brendan Tunink is a key player on the Newman Comets baseball team. Going into Regionals he has hit twelve (12) home runs and is leading in the state. The Junior has already committed to the University of Notre Dame as an outfielder and batter.  For the Comets he is the teams only lefty pitcher and one of few left-handed batters. In the field if he is not pitching he is the star center-fielder. Isaiah Williams said this about having ¨Tuna¨ on the team.

He helps us with our swings but makes it fun

Next for number #27 is Regionals hosted at Newman from May 15th to May 20th.

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Carlin Brady working on her project as she spills glitter!

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The Senior Spanish class is finishing the year off with making do it yourself pinatas. Mrs. Senora Zamora always finds fun things to do with her classes especially her upperclassmen because they only have such a short time till they graduate. They have taken class time to work on their projects many students are making incredible pinatas from scratch. Carlin brady and Haily Geske are one of them students that go above and beyond what they are told to do. Senior Carlin Brady and Haily Geske stated “ This is a very fun project but is definitely very messy”. Students are working hard to get this project done by the deadline and they are very intrigued into the projects they are making. Mrs. Zamora is overwhelmed with it all but she wants to give the students some freedom and think outside of the box and come up with outstanding ideas. The Senior class is very upset that this is their last year with Mrs. Zamora because she is so sweet and the funniest. Each class had their ups and downs but Mrs. Zamora’s class will always be one to remember.

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Newman students sit with the St. Mary's junior high for Mass

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Theology III 1A Class Shares the Love at Mass at St. Mary's Dixon

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Theology III 1A Class Shares the Love at Mass at St. Mary's Dixon

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On Thursday, March 23rd, the Theology III 1A class traveled down to Dixon for one of their last feeder school visits. Mr. Koerner has been a big part of planning these visits, planning 30 visits throughout the year. He mentioned that 15 of these visits have been about Catholic identity, spreading the Newman message in the feeder schools. Though it might seem simple that Newman juniors just sit with St. Mary's students for Mass, staff like Mr. Somers and Mr. Koerner hope it has an effect on the students. Mr. Koerner said in the State of the School Address, "I see the kids' faces light us when our Newman students walk through the hall. They really look up to them." The students were of course a key part of these visits, sometimes showing up early to school to be on time to Mass at the schools. This theology class has really enjoyed these visits since they got to have a hands-on experience spreading their faith to the feeder schools.

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Senior Jaesen Johns pitches against Amboy. 

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Newman Comets baseball pulled ahead beating the Amboy Clippers 13-3 on March 24th winning by run rule in four innings. With Jaesen Johns starting on the mound and Nolan Britt catching. Brendan Tunink hit another home run, and a single scoring twice. The boys played an amazing game with Britt catching while starting catcher Johns pitched. When asked how the game went Johns said

"It was a good team win we battled through their first pitcher early and took advantage of how bad the second guy was and 10 run ruled them"

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Brendan Tunink and head coach Kenny Koerner celebrate after the junior hits his fourth home run in four games. 

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On March 30th the Newman baseball team beat Kewanee 7-3 during a home game. With Kyle Wolfe as the starting pitcher, pitching five innings and his younger brother Garet Wolfe coming in after him to pitch the last two. The younger Wolfe also had two RBIs (runners batted in). Brendan Tunink continued his home run streak into a fourth game. Joe Oswalt had two huge hits with two outs against the team.
Johns said this about how the team played,

We played well as a team it was cool to have control of a game from start to finish.

The next game for the baseball team is a double header against Orion.

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Senior Carlin Brady steps up again with her talents. She practices on Senior Haily Geske 

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Newman students take joy in what they do!!!

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Newman students take joy in what they do!!!

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Carlin Brady steps up again. Carlin is the girl that finds things that takes away stress and occupy and calms he. She dug down deeper and started to do acrylic nails for one of her art projects. She just started to take joy in this and she is loving it. In each art class she does one of her class mates nails to get better at doing them before she goes and does people for extra money. When she first started it wasn't the best but it didn't look like she didn't know what she was doing as weeks went on she got some new stuff and started to get better. Carlin Brady stated “ I enjoy doing these and it’s fun and relaxes me”. Carlin finds a lot of things to do on her free time and she pushes to accomplish everything. Maybe we can have a NEWMAN Nail Salon!!! Senior Carlin Brady has a lot of head of her for the next year and a lot of dedication. Keep up the good work!!!!

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Student Spotlight on Freshman Grace Tobias

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Student Spotlight on Freshman Grace Tobias

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Grace is an incoming Freshman who is a part of key club and plays tennis. She has had such a great time at Newman. she is so glad that she came to Newman. she has had so much fun with tennis and has so many memories just from her freshman year. Grace did say her favorite memory that definitely would have to be when Micheal Murray hit her in the head with a tennis ball on accident at a tennis meet. She has a quote that she like from her freshman year ¨ Romeo is in his sad boi hours ¨ - Ms. Accardi.

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Above are two finished glass etchings made by Symantha Porter

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The photography class started a new and fun project the Glass Etching. Students get to open up and decide what they want to etch on a glass. The picture must be in black and white and the thicker the lines the easier it will be due to after you find the picture you have to trace it and then cut out what you want the etching to be so therefore the thicker the lines the easier it will be. Adalyn Waldschmidt stated “ I enjoy doing the glass etching project because it gives me an opportunity to get creative with art”. Many students were very excited to get to do this project because it is very calming but difficult at the same time. Mr. Reyes the art and photography teacher is very overwhelmed but very happy his students are enjoy this project. This project could take up to at least 4 days to finish from the first step to the last step depending on how hard the image you chose is. We have about a month left to finish up any art project that we would like to complete. Especially seniors since they will not be available to be in art class with Mr.Reyes. Let’s have a fun rest of the 4th quarter !

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Daniel Kelly and Cody McBride pose for a picture during homecoming 

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The 2022 Homecoming was themed ¨Night at the Movies". We had many fun dress up days. Such as Color Wars,Favorite character day and 2 other fun themes. The people that went said that they had fun. We all were very nervous about how homecoming was going to be since it is the first homecoming inside since before Covid. Overall the Senior class took it under control and made it a homecoming one to remember. Homecoming Queen and King was Seniors Katie Grennan and Nolan Britt. Some of the Freshman said ¨ For it being my first homecoming it was good and i will always remember it ¨.

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Brenleigh Cook is up in a stunt cheering on the Newman Comets basketball team. 

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Basketball cheer had a coach change right before the season started. They handled it well, but they had to get used to a new coaching style. They did very well in games but they definitely looked different than how cheerleaders looked before. Much more traditional and more of a college like style. It did change the look of the Newman Comet cheerleaders but they still look amazing. Brenleigh Cook says, "It was a tough change because we really liked the old coach. But the new coach is very good so we really are enjoying it." Speaking of cheer leading. Cheer tryouts for football season are very soon. Email coach Bailey Boesen for the details. Virtual tryouts are due Friday, April 21st and in person tryouts are Sunday, April 23rd. If you are doing virtual, all the videos to learn are on the Newman Cheer Leading Facebook page.

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Students gather around for one of the last key club meetings of the year. 

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On April 18 Key Club had one of their final meetings of the year. During the meeting we talked about the blood drive and how that went along with talking about Kiss a Senior Goodbye, where you are able to buy a bag of kisses for seniors to show them your appreciation. Kiss a Senior Goodbye will probably be the one of the final things that Key club will host. Unfortunately, key club is coming to an end for this year, like other clubs because we are getting closer to the end of the school year. The students here have loved being a part of key club, because they enjoy how they get the opportunities to help the community and make a difference for the people around them. Sophomore, Grace Geske who is a part of key club stated, "I really enjoy making a difference in the community and helping those in need."  Key Club will be selling kisses for the Seniors beginning next week.

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The second week of April brought many smiles and happiness. Students were finally able to dress in t-shirts and shorts. They were able to spend time outside with friends. Students Gianna Sagel, Monica Healy, Gianna Widolff, and Julia Rhodes took advantage of the warm weather and spent some time outside. After their dinner they got ice cream and went to the riverfront to talk, take pictures, and walk around. The fun didn't stop there as Gianna Sagel got asked to prom that night! It was a very special moment as Gianna is never surprised and this was a very surprising moment. Gianna stated, "Oh my gosh, thank you guys, I'm never surprised but this got me, I had no idea!" Hopefully more warm weather starts soon and students start having more fun and happiness again!!

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Enjoying the nice weather while eating lunch 

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Sophomore boys eating lunch outside with the nice weather 

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Sophomore boys eating lunch outside with the nice weather 

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Sophomore boys Ryan Partington, Cody McBride, Hiram Zigler, Joe Oswalt, Daniel Kelly and Wyatt Widolff. They are eating our school tacos outside. With this finally nice and enjoyable weather the outside seating has been opened up for the students to eat outside. This nice weather has been awesome for the students. It is giving the students the opportunity to go outside for class and lunch. The teachers and students enjoyed the lovely weather while it lasted last week. It's a lovely start to the spring and hopefully the spring weather will come back. The Sophomore boys love sitting outside and talking with their friends at lunch.

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Ryan Partington accepting his first place medal

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On March 25,2023 the Boys tennis team had a Fresh/Soph invite with Sterling High school. Ryan Partington won 1st place while playing #1 singles in the invite. Riley Wigginton and Nathaniel Burger got 3rd place while they were playing #1 doubles. Boys tennis has just started their season. They have been having a decent season. Jameson Ryan says ¨ This season hasn't been my best, but it is only the start of the season. I am hoping that this season ends in a good way.¨

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4-A English class outside soaking in the sun and reading the book 

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Sophomore 4-A English class enjoying the nice weather ! !

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Sophomore 4-A English class enjoying the nice weather ! !

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With the nice weather that came, the Sophomore class took advantage of it while it lasted. They finished up their book " The Time of the Butterflies" outside. Ms. Accardi was reading to them while they followed along but also enjoyed the nice sunny warm weather. 4-A Sophomore class says that they enjoyed The time of the butterflies. Sophomore Bella Ribichaud Says ¨ The Time of the butterflies was a good book, it wasn't as interesting at first but it got better at the end of the book. They need a better ending than what they have.¨ Time of the Butterflies is a book about a group of sisters and their life before everything slowly goes down hill. If you need a book to read it is a good book with a lot of different events.

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Freshman Elise VanderBleek and Emmy Burger teaching their classmates for a Spanish project 

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1-B Spanish having some fun doing a class project 

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1-B Spanish having some fun doing a class project 

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The 1-B Freshman Spanish class was doing a fun project. They are acting like they are the teachers and teaching their fellow classmates. They are playing games, having them write notes, and many more fun things to help them learn and remember their alphabet and vocab. In this picture Elise and Emmy are instructing and helping out the class while they are all playing a Kahoot game that Elise and Emmy made. Every pair of partners was to do a different kind of activity so that they will all be different types of learning experiences. Elise VanderBleek said ¨ I loved being able to teach my classmates. It was a really fun and awesome experience to be able to have.¨

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Lucy Oetting prepares before her run as Ellie Rude holds her blocks. 

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On Tuesday April 11th, girls track was off in Clinton. The Clinton meet is a very interesting meet as Iowa runs all of their meets differently. They add events and have a different order than typical Illinois meets. This meet is hard for the girls to adapt to because there are typically no recognizable faces. That didn't stop the girls from bonding and having fun together at the meet. Huge key players are Claire Crisham, Gianna Sagel, Monica Healy, and Gianna Widolff who took 3rd in their 4x8. The girls hyped each other up before they ran and worked as a team to secure 3rd place. They all ran extremely hard and pushed together. All of the girls on the track team ran very well, they had some extremely difficult competition at this meet. Coach Warkins stated, "Good job, I know some of you aren't happy with your times but there was some tough competition here today." The girls compete again on Thursday April 13th in Riverdale.

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Outdoor Season Begins with Beautiful Weather

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Outdoor Season Begins with Beautiful Weather

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On Thursday April 6th, girls track started outdoor season at Kewanee. The meet went extremely fast, with only three girls and three boys teams. The weather was perfect, a light breeze, sunny, and 60 degrees. The girls had a lot of fun bonding together and supporting each other. A huge key player is Helen Papoccia who won the 100m dash with a time of 14.22. Another key player is Claire Crisham who won the 1600m run with a time of 6:01. One last key player is Brooke Sanchez who won triple jump with a jump of 9.57m. Freshman Reagan Hammes stated, "I am so happy to be back running outdoors, It's very exciting." The girls compete again on Tuesday April 11th in Clinton.

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Lucas Schaab strides through the 1600 on the Riverdale track

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Newman Track Faces Tough Competition at Riverdale

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Newman Track Faces Tough Competition at Riverdale

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On Thursday, April 13th, Newman Track traveled to Riverdale for a co-ed meet. 13 teams competed that day. A standout race was the 1600 (the mile), where Lucas Schaab ran a 4:46.16, earning 2nd place for the boys. Claire Crisham ran a 6:01.43, earning 9th place for the girls. Brady Williamson earned 3rd place in long jump with a jump of 5.30 meters. The boys 4x800 (Wyatt Widolff, Carver Grummert, Lucas Schaab, and Lucas Simpson) earned 2nd place with a fast start and a final time of 9:01.81. Hannah Britt was a standout for the throwers, earning 7th with a discus throw of 24.11. Next up for track is a girls meet at Fulton on Tuesday, April 18, and a boys meet at Rockridge on the same date. When asked how she felt about the meet, Claire Crisham said, "Riverdale is competitive meet yearly, and it's been exciting to watch our growing girls team rise to the challenge and run some great times so early in the season."

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Seniors Claire Chrisham and Sarah Murray posing for a picture together. (Picture by Sarah Murray)

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Sarah Murray is a part of many clubs and activities here at Newman. One key part of Sarah is that she participates in many different clubs, she is president of Key club, and she is part of the Literary magazine, book club, B.L.I.N.D., Ambassadors club, Model UN, Student council, Math team, as well as Science club. On top of that Sarah is part of the tennis team, cheer team, and track team. She is a captain of the tennis team as well as a captain of the cheer team. When asked about her favorite part of Newman, Sarah stated, "My favorite part of Newman is my English and Stats class." Sarah is a very hard worker and she cares a lot about her studies and due to that Sarah is an AP Scholar. After attending Newman Sarah plans to attend Loyola University in Chicago and double major in political science and chemistry.

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Students and staff chat in the basement of Sacred Heart during a tornado warning

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On Tuesday, April 4, the staff and students made a sudden descent to the basement of Sacred Heart. Part of the way through Mass, during the homily, the tornado siren went off. The students and staff hurried to the basement to take shelter from the storm outside. Thankfully everyone was safe. At first people were nervous, calling family and friends to make sure they were okay. Eventually, everyone was playing games and talking to pass the time. Though it made everyone nervous to have a tornado warning, it brought everyone together in a way. A key player was Father Bruce, who finished Mass while everyone stayed in the basement. Once the storm settled down, everyone was able to receive communion. When asked how she felt about the whole situation, junior Julia Rhodes said, "I was very scared, but I had my friends with me."

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Monica Healy sprints to the finish during the 800 meter run. She earned fourth with a time of 2:54.

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Girls Track Team Breezes By at Their Last Indoor Meet

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Girls Track Team Breezes By at Their Last Indoor Meet

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On March 29, 2023, the girls track team competed at Westwood one last time before the beginning of their outdoor season. There were 10 teams competing that day. The 4x800 relay team, Claire Crisham, Monica Healy, Gianna Sagel, and Gianna Widolff, took 2nd place, only thirteen seconds behind the winning team. This was a great race considering the race had three Newman seniors on senior night. Amiya Rodriguez took 2nd place in the 60 meter dash finals with a time of 8.55 seconds. Claire Crisham was also a standout, earning 3rd place in the mile with a time of 6:09. Gianna Widolff says, "It was a little bittersweet since it was senior night, but I'm super excited to start outdoor season and see how our team improves."

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On Wednesday March 29th, Newman girls hosted their last home meet at Westwood. Since it was the last home meet, Newman presented the seniors. Seniors girls for track this year include Sarah Murray, Gianna Widolff, Monica Healy, and Claire Crisham. These are all very key players in this years track team. All the senior girls had personal bests at the meet. They ran and threw their hearts out at this meet. Monica Healy placed 4th in the 800 with a time of 2:54. Claire Crisham placed 3rd in the mile with a time of 6:09. The girls 4x8 took 2nd place, Gianna Widolff, Monica Healy, Claire Crisham, and Gianna Sagel all participated in this event. Monica Healy stated, "It was a great senior night and I enjoyed being recognized with my fellow senior girls!" The girls run again on Thursday April 6th at Kewanee.