“My great-grandma is my biggest influence, she was always around when I was little and she helped raise me. She was just kind of my rock like she was the person I would always go to and it was really hard when I lost her because she was my best friend. She was the strongest person I knew she went through so much, she lost so many people, and she was still able to be a good person she was still there for everyone even when she kept losing people” 

Although Mackowski had a hard time adjusting to life without her best friend, she realized all of the good things that came from being with her all the time. Having had someone so special to be able to connect with so easily was something that Mackowski treasured.

"I was at a wrestling meet, and I won first place. It was so cool because this guy was really tall and I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to win. My team was cheering me on, chanting my name, and it was such a nice feeling. I decided to do something I had never done before: put him in a cradle. I looked at my coach and said, "I'm going to do it", and in that moment he knew I was going to attempt the cradle. My attempt worked, and I succeeded. My coach was sitting there thinking, "what just happened?", and it was the coolest feeling ever. I've won first place before, but I've never won by putting someone in a cradle, so I was really proud of myself."

Moving from Poland just four years ago, Julia Kosobudzka, sophomore from Wheeling, did not speak any English. She had a hard time adjusting to the new atmosphere of her school. She took a special english class to help her adapt and fit in to her classes. 

"I wish I knew that school wasn't as hard as it is in sixth grade because I came from Poland four years ago and I didn't know English and I was pretty freaked out and I didn't know anything. I had a friend who moved here the same year but she spoke a little bit better than me so she helped me. Where I am right now in four years, that's pretty good" 

Madeline McTigue- '19 has been friends with Annie McGuire for ten years. Their friendship began in kindergarten while attending a k-8 school. Annie asked Madeline to borrow a pink marker and later told the teacher that Annie took it. "Which I did not!" Annie said during our conversation. Ever since, Annie and Madeline have been close friends who shared multiple classes and live close to eachother. 

Alex (19) has never really had a great relationship with her brother. He decided to join the military and she didn't really care much for it. She never had trouble saying goodbye until he was assigned to a mission in Iraq. Alex said, "I was scared because he was leaving in one week and Iraq is not the most safe place to go to." 

“I had a my quinceanera this summer. At first the venue looked normal, kinda small. But when we walked in on the day, everything was pink. It made me so happy. There was about 180 people there all my family and friends. The DJ messed up the music in the dance that me and my friends did, my dad helped by telling him to re do it. But my most treasured memory of that day was being the star of that day.” 

"be yourself because it doesn't matter what other people think. i've learned it from older people and family who are more experienced . When i came to high school i was worried about what other people thought but then when i was myself and it went well." 

Alex (Junior) has never really had a great relationship with her brother. He decided to join the military and she didn't really care much for it. She never had trouble saying goodbye until he was assigned to a mission in Iraq. Alex said, "I was scared because he was leaving in one week and Iraq is not the most safe place to go to." 

Steven tun was born and raised in Mayanr, till July of 2017,  then him and his parents moved to America. I asked him if he missed his friends from Mayanr and he said" not raely with facetime and texting I don't miss them that much". A little late in our conversation he asked me if his English is understandable, to me his English sounded perfect. 

Steven tun was born and raised in Mayanr, till July of 2017,  then him and his parents moved to America. I asked him if he missed his friends from Mayanr and he said" not raely with facetime and texting I don't miss them that much". A little late in our conversation he asked me if his English is understandable, to me his English sounded perfect. 

College decisions 

Olivia Walker, graduating class 19' from Wheeling, shows a big smile in the lunch room. September 1, 2017 Walker is still deciding what college to go to with a four hour driving limit. She is still deciding a career. She fears not living up to expectations. She will continue to look into colleges. "I'm thinking about University of Iowa," Walker said. 

Steven tun was born and raised in Mayanr, till July of 2017,  then him and his parents moved to America. I asked him if he missed his friends from Mayanr and he said" not raely with facetime and texting I don't miss them that much". A little late in our conversation he asked me if his English is understandable, to me his English sounded perfect. 

by: Emily Lasky

Freshman year. New year, new school, new chapter in life. For freshman Joshua Ryg, the stress of high school is two fold. Besides the obvious hardships of becoming acclimated to an entirely new environment and getting his bearings in the very large school of John Hersey, Ryg is forced to face the challenge of school itself. School work has never been one of Ryg’s strengths and has found the balance of homework and extracurriculars difficult. He is a three sport athlete, playing basketball, baseball and soccer, and has found that athletics comes much easier to him than math worksheets. The intimidating piles of homework that await as Ryg enters high school proves mildly nerve racking, but he's ready for the challenge. 

“I've always had a hard time doing well in school, like getting my homework in and on time. I don't think I'm very organized..I think in high school it's going to be harder. I guess I'm kind of nervous about more responsibilities.” 

Wheeling Student Serena Schnekenburger '18 smiles while she sports her adorable crutches and boot. Schnekenburger was walking by her Mastif-Pitbull mix dog on Wednesday, August 15th, 2017, the day before school started, when her dog saw another dog and bolted.  "Rex got really really excited and yanked my ankle. It hurt so bad and I heard it crack" Schnekenburger said. Schnekenburger wasn't too mad about the incident; however, she was disappointed she had to start her senior year on crutches. 

Steven tun, freshman at wheeling high school, was born and raised in Mayanr, till July of 2017,  then him and his parents moved to America. I asked him if he missed his friends from Mayanr and he said, "not really with facetime and texting I don't miss them that much". A little late in our conversation he asked me if his English is understandable, to me his English sounded perfect.

Kristina started to collect the bracelets this summer. All brackets take her back to a time and place. Here's the story from a couple of the bracelets

One was from a vacation with family friends

One of from a friends who went on a mission trip to st. Thomas 

Another one was from her boyfriend 

She has a family cabin in Wisconsin where she went to a flea market and bought a bracelet to remember her time there

Kristina doesn't only buy bracelets but she also makes them. Her and her friends got together this summer to bond and create them. Picking different colors and different designs help make everyone unique just like Kristina. Kristina's goal is to wear all their brackets until they either get lost or break.