FINDING YOUR FUTURE

By: Jocelyn Nowak & Isabelle Goodnite

Do you have an interest in a career but don’t know how to learn more about it? Job shadowing is a great way to explore careers that you are interested in. When you shadow a job, you get to see what a typical day in that career looks like. This helps people decide if that’s what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Not many people in our school take this unique opportunity, but the benefits that come from job shadowing make the experience worth it. 

Sometimes going to someone’s job for a day can feel invasive, or it can make people feel nervous to try something new. However, once you get past this, job shadowing proves to have advantages. Career counselor Heather Jackson writes, “Job shadowing is one of the best ways for students to learn whether a career truly fits who they are. It gives you a real-life look at what day-to-day work actually feels like… Seeing a career up close helps you make confident decisions about your future”. Southeast junior Scott Fields backs up this claim by saying his job shadow at War Horse Ink, located in Kent, Ohio, helped him make connections. He says this opportunity with Dana Marie helped him decide that this is the “one thing I do want to pursue in life after high school”. 

Virtual job shadowing is another way that you can experience your passion without worrying about liability and transportation. When job shadowing virtually, you will experience the job through a VR headset known as an Oculus. This gives you a realistic depiction of the job. This can be beneficial if you want to shadow someone, such as a surgeon or a tower technician; you no longer have to worry about the risks of liability.

You might not know where to begin when considering job shadowing. It starts with finding something you think is interesting. Fields said that watching his mom get tattoos and seeing them on TV shows is what made him interested in shadowing a tattoo artist. Even on a typical day watching TV, you can find your dream career. If you still aren’t sure about it, you can talk to counselor Rebecca Dunn to get in touch with Jackson or take the necessary steps to find a person to shadow. 

No matter what career path you are interested in, there is a way to explore it through job shadowing.

SOUTHEAST SPOTLIGHT

By: Ava Lenze & Garret Davis

Many people in our school shine as examples and role models to those around us. In this month’s spotlight, we want to acknowledge people who bring a positive and comfortable environment to our school. Courtney Giller, a Junior at Southeast Highschool, and Julia Dillon, an English teacher at Southeast Highschool, are both persistent examples of kindness and striving for the best every day.

Dillon comes to school each day with a smile shining on her face, even in the early mornings. She offers comfort when we are faced with problems while enriching us with knowledge in a subject many people overlook. If there was one thing she would change in our community, it would be the idea that learning isn’t important because she believes it is a valuable thing that we’ve fought for, especially as women. “Your brain is the most important thing to you because it will get you places, all the experiences and lessons, and people don’t care about it anymore”. Dillon chose to be a teacher because of an English teacher she had in high school. She knew she had a passion for reading and writing but didn’t understand at the time how much she truly adored kids. She realized how much of an impact teachers have on students, which brought her to utmost fulfillment in knowing she chose the right pathway. When it comes to her advice, Dillon stated, “You guys are kids but also on the verge of being adults, the more honest advice you are given, the easier some of the things are later in your lives”. She knows that not every kid will follow the advice in the moment, but all mistakes are lessons; later down the road we can reflect and say ‘maybe that was true’. “The more open and honest someone can be, the more comfortable kids will feel to come and talk to you and it’s good for them to have an adult to come to”. Outside of school, Dillon spends her time reading and with her family. Now that her kids are older and don’t rely on her as much in the ways they did when they were young, Dillon strives to be there for her kids and spends a majority of her time attending sporting events to support and cheer them on. Motivation might not be easy but being a part of her students lives and hearing their stories makes the lousy days better. Even though we all leave in the end, she is like a mom seeing us grow and become adults through our four years of high school. Dillon helps to bring the light to our school environment not only teaching kids but being the comfort and guide that many of us need.

Giller brings an abundance of fun and enthusiastic energy to everything that she does. She lives by the motto, “It doesn’t really matter in the end”.  She realizes that every problem might be a struggle, but it’s only temporary, one day, whether it’s tomorrow or ten years from now, it won’t matter. Every day is a fresh start, so why dwell on all the bad things? Giller tries to treat everybody the way she wants to be treated, an attitude everybody should follow and adapt too. Her positivity and exuberance that she brings to school everyday affects more than just herself; it affects all of those around her including people at her school and at work. She’s involved in FCCLA, link crew, and the cheer team for both football and basketball season. Her favorite extracurricular activity of them all is cheer “…because of all the bonds I have formed mixed with the people” Giller said. She finds that the best part of her day is going to her human anatomy class. The human anatomy class will help guide her on her journey to becoming a military travel nurse, which is one of her biggest dreams. Giller shows a tremendous amount of passion in the activities she is involved in, her honesty and carefree attitude joined together creates an energy that welcomes others and shows true compassion.   

Dillon and Giller alter our school environment by showing positivity even when things seem dull. They show up with a smile on their faces and a shoulder to lean on. They stood out among others as they always bring themselves to show selflessness and gentleness.

MORE THAN JUST CAROLS: SOUTHEAST BAND AND CHOIR

 By: Emma Wood & Leila Evans

Close your eyes: now imagine the lights dimming, and the first breaths of a chord hanging within the air, and now think to yourselves: what do I feel? If you feel serene, calm, and perfect in this space, then you are imagining the annual winter performances of the band and choirs at Southeast High School. 

With every note that is sung, and every pitch that is perfected, from the brass section of the band to the dance breaks in the choir, one truth rings out above all: our band and choirs are some of the best around, and deserve to be acknowledged for this. 

We have two choirs at Southeast: Swing Choir and Concert Choir. The winter concert will delight the audience with many soft, languid (and clapping) tunes, while the Swing Choir will dance and sing their hearts out. 

The dance feature is to a song called Gettin’ In The Mood For Christmas by Mac Huff, where the dance feature will be Alexis Crum, Hunter Nutter, and Jason Benecke. The former two are a hallmark couple that explores the traditional hallmark movie (as well as the misunderstanding), and Benecke is the Santa Claus with a breakdance feature that brings them all together. Their performance will stand as proof that music is not just something you can hear, it’s something you feel and see. Director Joel Kithcart leads them. Junior Elise Kennedy says that she is most looking forward to “…all of the fun choreography that Emma [Wood] made.” Through sharp choreography, contagious energy, and vocals that will carry the entire room, please enjoy the Southeast Choirs! 

We also have two bands! Jazz Band and Concert Band. Jazz is the elite band that includes our best performers. They also have a different group of instruments than a concert band, such as a guitar and drum sets. They play higher-level tunes and more upbeat jazz. They do a lot of solo parts and play a bunch of carols. Songs the bands are doing this year that they are excited for include Most Wonderful Time of the Year and Christmas Flourish for Concert Band, and for Jazz Band, they will do Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree and Big Band Holiday. The concert band takes the same approach to music as the Concert Choir. Both are led by director Melanie Jackson. They just had chair auditions, so make sure you congratulate them all when you see them! 

While the audience sees the final result, it’s important to remember that the real story lies behind the curtain. Students sprinting between rooms, tuning in corners, running harmonies at theatre practice in the hallway, adjusting uniforms, and, as always, trying to steady their nerves. People don’t realise what goes into it; they are not just learning music, they are building an entire experience. 

LIST OF UPCOMING PERFORMANCES:

• December 12th: Playhouse Square performance for the Swing Choir.
• December 13th: The big concert with both band and choir and grades 5 and up. 
• December 15th: Swing Choir is going to the Middle School and performing with them. 
• Miscellaneous performances include the Liberty Bible Church performance, a nursing home performance, caroling around the school, and more!

BEYOND THE BASELINE: GIRLS BASKETBALL

  By: Bradley Dillon & Caden Dillon

The Southeast Pirates girls’ basketball team is coming off a hot 24-25 season of sixteen wins and seven losses. This brings fire and excitement for their current season. The girls are coached by Ashley Callihan, Mike Stiles, Rachel Neer, and Brooke Kline. Junior Jenna Canale, senior Bailey Morris, and sophomore Lylia Lavinga look to lead this team to another winning season. Canale said, “My goal for this year is to have a fun and successful season. I hope for everyone on our team to continue improving our skills and team chemistry”. Canale knows that to have a great team, it takes leadership and chemistry. Some games that the girls are looking forward to playing are Garfield, Labrae, and their last game of the season, Crestwood. Canale feels that from last year to this year, the girls have improved most on pushing the ball and being versatile by learning different roles. Lavinga stated, “I feel good about this season, we have really grown as a team from the first day of practice till now so I’m excited to see how we will turn out.” The girls are feeling good about this season, but they still feel that they have some things to improve on from better communication on the court to better ball handling. The girls lack a lot of size, so they have to play quickly and efficiently to beat other teams. The girls had their season opener against Springfield on November 22nd, winning easily with a score of 55-18. They also played and beat Jackson Milton by a score of 55-33. Come out and watch our girls’ next home game against Champion on December 15th at Southeast High School.  

THE “PIN”-NACLE OF SUCCESS: WRESTLING

 By: Tyler Shaw & Alaunte Massrock

Southeast’s wrestling team is one of the most successful sports in school history, and that trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon after a MVAC title last year. The Pirates are returning many talented wrestlers while also gaining a very talented wrestler, freshman Damian Kemble, as a strong addition. His older brother, Dominic Kemble, is heading into his senior season strong, qualifying for multiple state playoff appearances in a row with aspirations to qualify again and go even further. Some key senior contributors have the potential to make deep impacts; these include Landon Durstine, Trevor Osborne, and Braeden Martin. These athletes are expected to produce and win matches at a high level and end their wrestling careers on a successful note. When head coach Shane Kuberry was asked about the team last year, he said, “They were pretty young and had limited experience”. However, after their season last year, they gained valuable experience, and last season’s juniors being seniors this year is going to make the Pirates a strong opponent for any team on their schedule. Durstine said, “I’m excited for this season, and my number one goal is to go and place at state”.  He also commented, “I feel our team has gained a lot of experience in the offseason, and we are expected to win a lot of tournaments and duals”. Durstine has shown a fierce mindset and confidence throughout his whole career, and that’s not changing. “I’m excited to wrestle everyone that steps out on the mat. I’m ready to show what I’ve been working on”. Don’t be surprised if you see some major improvements from Durstine and his teammates this year. The Pirates are looking to keep their aggressive approach going and meet their high expectations. Good luck to our wrestling team, and go Pirates.

STRIKE YOUR FANCY: GIRLS BOWLING

By: Cali McPeak & Abi Lenze

Not many students are aware of Southeast’s bowling team, for it’s not a very well-known sport, and is not very marketed within the school; however, this year they are reaching an all-time high point-wise and are incredibly promising as a group. The Southeast High School bowling team launched this season with real promise. They had dropped their opening match by a slim one-point margin. That tight loss showed their grit and determination, for right afterwards, they had grabbed a solid win in match two. Momentum now rolls their way by a mile.

One of their promising players, Freshman Emily Morrison, stepped up big for the Lady Pirates. She just recently topped the team with a 304 game series score. For a new face on the team, that mark sets a strong tone and image for the entire group. The roster grew incredibly fast this year. Six players returned from last season, while seven fresh talents joined. The team more than doubled in size. Juniors Sophia McKibben, Lizzie Mix, Kinsley Luke, and Laine Streem came back ready after last year. Sophomores Anna Holstein and MaKayla Diehl add experience as well. Seniors Sarah Craver, Penelopei Sutliff, Aubree Varga, and Kylee Mayville bring leadership as newcomers, while Freshmen Emily Morrison, Emma Smith, and Bailey Adamski fill out the squad with energy.

Streem said, “Having (the team) more than doubled gives us more opportunities to make friends within the team, be able to teach each other what we know, and gives us more flexibility when attending matches”. Veterans help to pass on tips, like sparing pickups or when to hook shots. And rookies share fresh eyes as well. Lineups and matching them, gain more options for success. When someone is sick, it is easier to put others in. A bigger team helps the entire group way, way, way more. Streem also shared that, despite bowling not being a typical sport, hard work and technique still play a major role in the team’s performance. “Every bowling alley has a different oil pattern on its lanes. Your ball will react differently at every single bowling alley… You have to do test throws when you’re not at your home alley and adjust your placement depending on how the ball reacts.”  

The bowling team is built on positivity, support, and instruction, creating a structured yet upbeat environment where athletes can thrive. Coach Mike Hammond says, “I focus on building strong fundamentals while encouraging athletes to think, ask questions, and take ownership of their improvement”. The team’s expectations are clear: give your best effort, stay focused, and demonstrate sportsmanship, respect, and teamwork. Off the lanes, athletes are expected to maintain good academic habits and represent the team with respect. Key qualities a Coach looks for in a bowler include coachability, effort, focus, and a positive attitude. The team’s goal is to grow together, build consistency and confidence, and develop solid fundamentals and mental toughness. Through dedication and mindset, each athlete can achieve measurable progress and pride in their accomplishments. Good luck to our lady Pirates!

POVERTY DOESN’T PAUSE AT CHRISTMAS

  By: Alexis Crum

It’s officially Christmas time. Snow is falling, lights are up, and presents lie at the bottom of large trees, but one house looks off. There are no lights, no tree, not even presents. Everything is bleak and dull, everything is… cold. There’s none of that ‘Christmas cheer’ that everyone else is always raving about.

It appears that the family is together, but in all reality they’re squirming and screaming at one another as winds of winter nip at their fingers. Christmas, spent so differently, and at what cost? This is the reality of what a home that is facing poverty can look like during even the most merry time.

 To those students who chose that quite a few students are in poverty on the form I sent out, you would be correct; 38% of students at Southeast High School are in poverty as of now. This can tear families apart when they need nothing more than being together. It has so many different effects on the children of these families, that at times you might just call them troubled or disobedient, but this Christmas, we ask you to help them. Be the person that they might just need above all. 

With a lack of financial stability, families will often-times begin to argue, fight, and break apart from the inside out. It’s not that they don’t love each other, or that they don’t have the means to love, it’s merely the increased stress and unhappiness that follows with this lack of essentials that can ruin even the closest bonds.   Guardians of these students often live to pay their essential bills and are barely making it past that. These bills could be anywhere from rent to groceries. Guardians spend every waking second working as hard as they possibly can to make it to their next meal. However, this can also be the case in terms of splurging. Splurging is when you get a hunch to buy something really expensive, but you don’t have the means for said purchase. Guardians spend their last bit of savings on a brand new TV that they can’t even use because they don’t have enough to pay for their internet and electricity bills. As a way to help prevent these measures from further decline, our school has a list of many organizations within Portage County that are more than willing to help these families in poverty. 

These organisations include the following:

-Community Action Council

-PRC program

-Catholic Charities

-Salvation Army

-Center of Hope

-Housing and Emergency Support Services

 -CCMEP program for teens

These are only a few of the abundance of organizations out there here at Southeast, and we are so blessed to have as many programs as we do. 

Dear families in need, don’t be afraid to reach out for a helping hand when one is necessary. Our social worker here at Southeast, Kelly Szydlowski, is here to support all families experiencing these harsh conditions this season. So this Christmas, if you happen to be fortunate enough, donate to your local communities so these families can receive a Christmas worth remembering.

MEET OUR CREW

Writers:

Abi Lenze, Ava Lenze, Cali McPeak, Alexis Crum, Emma Wood, Jocelyn Nowak, Isabelle Goodnite, Bradley Dillon, Caden Dillon, Tyler Shaw, Garret Davis, Alaunte Massrock

Pictures:

Photographer: Kristen Dillon

Editors:

Kristen Dillon, Isabelle Goodnite, Jocelyn Nowak, Emma Wood, Mrs. Dillon