HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

By: Abi Lenze

What if I told you that the story of America could not be told without the stories, traditions, and voices of Hispanic people? Roughly 20.5% of American citizens are Hispanic, coming out to about 68 million people– from civil rights leaders and astronauts to actors, musicians and writers, Latino Americans have helped shape our country into what it is today. Hispanic Heritage Month is an opportunity to recognize these contributions and highlight the culture that continues to influence our lives today.

Hispanic Heritage month began as a week-long celebration in 1968, and was extended to be a month long under president Ronald Reegan in 1988 to allow for more time to properly recognize contributions made by the Hispanic community. Today, Hispanic Heritage month begins on September 15th and ends on October 15th; this time frame may seem unordinary, but is actually intentionally set to include as many Hispanic independence days as possible. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico, Chile, and Belize all celebrate their independence days during the United States Hispanic Heritage month. 

Hispanic Americans have made major contributions in media and entertainment. Pedro Pascal is a Chilean-American actor best known for his roles in The Mandalorian, Gladiator II, and The Fantastic Four and has earned 4 Primetime Emmy nominations, 1 Golden Globe nomination, 1 Screen Actors Guild win, and multiple MTV Movie & TV Awards. He was also nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor for his role as Joel in The Last of Us in 2023 and 2025, being the first Latino to be nominated for the category since 1999. Other influential Hispanic actors and actresses include Jenna Ortega from Wednesday, Rita Moreno from West Side Story, Edward James Olmos from Stand and Deliver, and Oscar Isaac from Star Wars. Lin-Manuel Miranda is also a popular figure in the entertainment industry as a songwriter, actor, and producer. He is most known for his musicals Hamilton and Into the Heights, as well as his work on the musical production of Moana, Encanto, and the live action remake of The Little Mermaid. Bad Bunny and Shakira are two incredibly popular Hispanic musicians, both introducing listeners worldwide to Spanish culture.

Hispanic Americans have also made large strides in the scientific community, with many winning Nobel prizes for their contributions. Mario Molina won a Nobel prize after he discovered how chlorofluorocarbons damage Earth’s ozone layer and Severo Ochoa for discovering the synthesis of RNA. Ellen Ochoa was the first Hispanic woman in space, serving on a 9-day mission aboard Discovery and later became NASA’s Johnson Space Center’s 11th center director in 2013.

For 30 days, Hispanic Heritage Month gives people an opportunity to recognize these important contributions– but the stories and accomplishments extend far beyond one month. Hispanic figures continue to inspire people today, and recognizing their stories helps us appreciate the impact diversity has had, and will continue to have, on America.

SENTIMENTAL SENIOR SHOWCASE

By: Ava Fox & Taylor Mix

Last Friday’s football game on September 18 was Southeast’s Senior Night. This year’s senior night took place earlier than usual to recognize the many seniors who dedicate themselves to fall sports at this week’s football game. Some of the fall sports that had seniors are: football, soccer, cross country, tennis, boys golf, band, and volleyball.

 Patrick Youel, Southeast Football coach and athletic director, shared his feelings on the earlier senior night, “As the athletic director I scheduled it, so I feel good about it. The reason is that I wanted to honor all fall sports and I believe football games are community events not just about the football team”. An earlier senior night actually helps to honor many seniors in their sports before they have commenced for the season; football tends to be one of the last fall sports still competing. Every senior no matter the sport puts in dedication and effort and deserves to have a night to be recognized.

When participating in school activities, memories are made that last forever. Senior band member, Lizzie Mix, reminisced on what that memory was for her, which was “Last year playing taps in Deerfield for a memorial day ceremony”. This was a core memory for her because it was an important event and day in front of so many people. She also mentioned overcoming her fear of playing in front of large crowds, and this helped her become a better band member. Senior night is a chance for our seniors to reminisce and say “goodbye” to this chapter of their lives. 

Lastly, junior Ethan Fox shared his feelings about his football teammates being seniors. He said “I’m going to miss them a lot. They’ve been with me for most of my years of high school since we’re a year apart. They’ve been really good leaders to the underclassmen and I’m going to miss playing with them next year.” Seniors leave lasting impacts on the underclassmen who look up to them from being teammates, being leaders and giving advice, to building friendships. We wish all our seniors the best of luck and congratulate them on finishing their final season playing Southeast Pirate fall sports!

HEADING TOWARDS SUCCESS: BOYS AND GIRLS SOCCER

By: Caden Dillon, Colton Dillon, & Lylia Lavigna

Continuing to grow as programs, the soccer teams have attacked the pitch with force this season. The boys are enjoying more success as the season progresses, and the girls continue to turn out solid performances. 

Boys’ soccer

The boys have bounced back this season with a 4-2 record after a 3-12-2 record last season. The boys are led by captains senior Cole Bruno, juniors Garret Davis and Bradley Dillon. According to Dillon, “The team has improved on mostly everything but mainly passing. We can pass, dribble and shoot way better than last year.” These developed skills are leading the boys to their success this season. 

The team had an outstanding first win against their rival Ravenna, winning 2-1. The team seemed to work in sync, and came up with a corner kick that scored and Dillon’s first goal that was a direct kick on goal. Dillon’s goal was the catalyst to get the Pirate season rolling, which also is the captain’s favorite memory of this season. The success that the team is cultivating can give them the chance to achieve the best record in Southeast boys soccer history. The team is looking forward to their senior night game against Campbell Memorial on Monday October 5th. Come out and support the boys at Freedom field at 7:00 pm. 

Girls’ Soccer

After coming off of a winning 2025-2026 season, the girls varsity soccer team is hoping to break away with more victories in and outside of the conference. The Lady Pirates are steered by seniors Cali McPeak and Olivia Dix, and junior Grace Wheeler. The girls are off to a steady start with a record of 4-4-1. The girls had a well-rounded match against Newton Falls. It was named game of the week from Trumbull Area Sports Network in which the girls went on to win 11-0. In Monday’s contest against Newton Falls, multiple girls found themselves on the board, many with their first ever goal. Wheeler stated, “ My favorite moment from this season is how we’ve grown as a team. We gave confidence to people who didn’t really want to do it at first, and they are actually liking the sport now.” The Lady Pirates soccer team has collected multiple girls to add to their roster. The girls play Waterloo at freedom field on September 28th at 5:00 pm. Come out and support our Lady Pirates.    

COMEBACK SEASON

By: Cameron Singleton, Liam Adkins, Brody King, & Prince Khanal

Moving forward, the team needs to focus on the second half of the game. Several times the Pirates have been ahead going into half time, but lose their drive and energy in the third quarter. Youel stated, “The second half has been really tough for us this year but…” has become a top priority to fix for the remainder of this 2026 season. 

The Pirates face a tough opponent today as they take the field against the Garfield G-Men. The team will be led by seniors Nathan Muccino, Daniel Clint, Aidan McCann, Cameron Fultz, Tristen Finch, Bruce Nelson, Josh Donovan, and Nathanael Rivera. Come support the team at freedom field at 7:00 pm.

SHS SPOTLIGHT

By: Gavin Cantera & Joey Jares

Kirk Marsh is a dedicated social studies teacher at Southeast High School. He’s taught at Southeast for six years. Marsh loves his job and the unique opportunities that come with it. In an interview, he stated “I try to make connections with my students” showing his continuous effort to get to know his students and to relate on more of a personal level. Marsh was a college undergraduate in education with a minor in history and has his masters degree in special education. Outside of the classroom, he is a happy husband and father and continues to provide for his family and his students. After graduating, he worked hard in a factory job, subbed for schools, delivered pizza, and quickly paid off his college debt. This is a major accomplishment for Marsh because he has financial freedom. Marsh takes pride in his religion and helps lead FCS. “I have a higher purpose in God and I think that he put me here to influence students around so I believe everyone has a purpose.” This shows his commitment to his beliefs. He is one of the students’ top favorite teachers, and it’s understandable why.

Braedyn Walden is entering his senior year at Southeast High School, where he is a dedicated multi-sport athlete. Walden is aiming to succeed in both baseball and basketball. Walden considers himself a strong student because he shows up every day ready to work and truly locks in when it matters most. He looks up to junior Alaunté Massrock as a mentor and role model. He admires him for his strength, kindness, and character. Walden says “He’s strong, a nice guy, black and handsome.” Outside of sports and academics, Walden loves listening to music in his free time. At the top of his playlist, sits rapper Drake, and pop artist Frank Ocean. A motivation for Walden as he stated was “I wake up for my family and God every morning.” Walden told us that his family has supported him behind every step of his academic and athletic journey. Walden also exclaimed that “…God has blessed me in so many ways,” and that’s why he lives for God each and every day. Some of Walden’s best achievements include winning the MVAC Championship in both basketball and baseball. With his strong values, dedication, and high level ball experience, Walden is well prepared for his senior year campaign.

THE GATEWAY TO FAITH

By: Logan Blankenship & Landon Youel

The Fellowship of Christian Students, also known as FCS, is a Christian based group that focuses on spreading the Christian faith. The club has run at Southeast high school for about 14 years. The meetings are led by social studies teachers Douglas Craver and Kirk Marsh. They take place in the auditeria two times a month during the advisory period. The crew focuses on following faith and creating fellowship between one another. When asked about what got them into FCS, Marsh stated, “As I have grown over the years… I found my way back to the church.” Craver said, “Years and years and years ago…there was a need for it [and] we had kids asking for it. They hadn’t done it in years, and we thought it was a way to offer something to kids during advisory.” When asked why people should come to FCS, Craver stated, “It’s a good break up of the week, we have all sorts of kids in there so it is not like I’m not a Christian so I’m not going, it’s not that way.” Everyone is welcome, no matter what. Come join the FCS squad at the next meeting for camaraderie, worship, and the fantastic free snacks. Don’t forget to bring your friends!

CREATIVE CORNER IS BACK!

By: Rebekah Smythers & Shelby Ace

Poetry is a beauty of words. 

Poetry is a type of literary art that uses the aesthetic, rhythmic, and sound qualities of language to stir the imagination and evoke deep emotional responses. 

It is important to use art and poetry on a day to day basis because it is an amazing form of self expression, communication, and creativity.

In this segment of Creative Corner, we highlight some of our own Pirate poets. Poetry that touches a person’s soul is raw and relatable. This is evident in our first poem as the poet delves into the depths of grief and sorrow.

This young anonymous poet stated, “I felt very upset, and I wanted to write about my feelings.” She described her writing process as, “I kind of zoned out and just kept writing and ended up with that, it made me think of my father and mother.” This statement is made obvious throughout the duration of the poem.  The vulnerability shared by this author allows the reader to connect to the desperate loss of a loved one. 

Another poem the Poetry Corner received was the following poem that was written by homeschooled student Nateli Sobie. She portrays the impact of failure on the human psyche. 

This young poet described the writing process, “My feelings while writing these poems were mainly eagerness to express myself through my writing.” Sobie’s use of imagery creates a lasting impression upon the reader as she describes the bone crushing defeat of failure.   

The third poem is by Juliana Eyring, a talented freshman girl who says, “I have to really feel motivated to write poetry.” She also commented that, “I do like writing poetry…I just have to really feel it”. Eyring’s poem “Shine On” encapsulates what it means to have hope, and to persevere even when life seems impossible. Her positive outlook on the hardships of life is refreshing, and a message to us all. 

Thank you for all the poetry submissions. We are looking for new poems for our next several volumes of The Pirate Post. Please look for our form via email to submit your work. Remember, keep creating and keep writing. 

FUEL AND FRAUDULENCE

By: Bradley Dillon, Seth Dillon, Alaunté Massrock, & Tyler Shaw

Have you been affected by the recent rise in fuel prices? If so, you are not alone; many other Americans have suffered the same fate due to the recent ongoing conflict with Iran. Tariffs and controversy have ruffled the feathers of many American citizens. Gas and diesel are the backbone of the country, diesel powers freight, shipping, and farm equipment. This crisis on gasoline is affecting not only Americans but other countries. The United Kingdom, Indonesia and Lebanon have suffered an extreme rise in fuel prices. Nigeria has even seen a drastic 92% increase in diesel prices, so this Iranian war has affected a lot more than just American consumers, according to CNN. Gas isn’t even the worst part, American diesel has gone up sixty to seventy percent since the start of the Iranian war. Diesel has shattered past records coming in at $6.31 cents per gallon according to CNN. History teacher Monica Kiskadden shared some of her thoughts on the current crisis, “Horrible. Gas and oil companies want to turn a profit and they will use any excuse to raise prices.” Kiskadden says that the current wars in Iran are a large part of why the current gas prices are so high today. The wars are not only a factor in gas prices but diesel and oil as well. Gas prices are also feeding into the cost of groceries, produce, and manufactured goods. Because diesel prices have skyrocketed, families relying on oil tanks to heat their homes are facing projected winter heating bills that are $800 to $1,200 higher than last year according to CNN; it is thought that domestic drilling could be the solution to the dire problem happening in the eastern hemisphere. Its thought is to eliminate the shipping of oil to the United States completely. Others want to cut out gas altogether by replacing it with renewable energy also known as green energy; such as solar, wind, and geothermal power. These alternative ways of energy would allow people to achieve lower costs on bills and receipts nationwide. It would also strengthen national security and the climate crisis could be solved. Families are now worried about how they will heat their homes and get their kids and themselves from point A to point B.

MEET OUR CREW