Events

Friday Night Game Pep Rally

By: Hannah Sprouse

Friday the 19th, we hosted a pep rally at the stadium. The school's pep rally was full of energy, pride, and excitement as students, staff, and community members came together to celebrate their school spirit. The cheerleaders and other students participated in our event, which included field games, basketball, and a limbo contest. Olivia Fenema was our 2 time champion; it was a close tie with Ondrea Calvin. The school's band echoed throughout the stadium, helping the cheerleaders lead chants. Our spirit stick was given to the seniors. Hannah Sprouse states, “I hope we have the spirit stick all year, that would make everyone's senior year”.

Homecoming court was announced, each grade's attendants, and the Queen! Our freshman attendant is Johanna Ford, sophomore attendant is Alayna Housholder, junior attendant is Sarah Thompson, senior attendant is Riley Tice, and our Queen, Ryane Bing! Each attendant represented their class with pride and joy. Homecoming will be held on October 4th at 7 pm, with a theme of “Under the Sea”. Be ready for the festivities of homecoming week, bring your friends and your best dance moves!

The students became alive with excitement when they heard others being called to the field to participate in activities. Each grade cheered everyone on, nobody doubting one another. This pep rally wasn’t just about preparing for our first home game- it was about celebrating the pride and coming together as a village to support our team. Go big blue!

Photo by: Jennifer Marshalek

McKinley Elementary Field Trip

By: Reagan Smith 9/20/2025

Last Friday, the senior football players and cheerleaders had the opportunity to travel to McKinley to visit the kids and discuss various topics with them. Only the football and cheerleaders were allowed to visit the kids at McKinley Elementary School to discuss various topics with them. In this article, we will provide information about what happened on the trip.

What exactly happened on the McKinley trip? According to Marcus Miller, “we spent time with the kids in their lunches and went out with them on the playground.” Miller is a senior on the Blue Devils football team. Miller also said it was just the football and cheerleaders from the Blue Devils football teams.

What were the kids' reactions? Miller's response to this question was “they were excited and looking forward to meeting the football players and the cheerleaders.” They also got to play with the kids on the playground outside at McKinley Elementary, and just got to sit and eat with them at their lunches, and get to know them better.

What was talked about with the kids on the trip? Miller said, “Just a lot of introducing ourselves, getting to know them, and playing with them on the playground.” According to Mr.Miller, the children seemed to enjoy the seniors visiting them and being able to get a visit from their peers, knowing what they can look forward to if they take that path.

In conclusion, the trip to McKinley was enjoyable for everyone involved, including seniors, students, and all who attended. The children who got the visit from the seniors will have one of the most memorable experiences by far. They were able to play with their peers on the playground, discuss various topics with them, and learn new things that they might not have known before.

The Johnny Appleseed Parade

By: Elianna Alicea 9/21/25

The streets of Lisbon lit up on Saturday, September 20, as families, students, and visitors gathered downtown for the annual Johnny Appleseed Parade, a community tradition that has been celebrated since 1968.

The parade, part of the larger Johnny Appleseed Festival, featured a mix of marching bands, school groups, local businesses, and community organizations. Colorful floats rolled down Main Street, children scrambled for candy, and spectators cheered for performers.

“To me, it builds community spirit,” said Judy Noel, executive director of the Lisbon Area Chamber of Commerce. “Get together for two days of food, activities, contests… and it’s a tradition in Lisbon.”

Marching bands, cheerleaders, and youth sports teams added energy to the streets, while themed floats honored Johnny Appleseed’s legacy with apple blossoms, baskets, and costumed performers. Several historical demonstrations, including a replica log cabin, provided children with a hands-on experience of life in early Ohio.

“It gives the children a role model to look up to and just build tomorrow’s — even like building the log cabin — you’re setting work ethics, and I’m letting the children do it. I’m teaching them how to do it so that as they get older, they just have a little bit more to go on,” said Jerry Tyson, portraying Johnny Appleseed during the parade.

A highlight of the festival each year is the crowning of the Johnny Appleseed Festival queen. This year’s queen, Abby Ammon, said the event is all about community and fun. “We just focus on, like, bringing your family out. Have a great time! We offer rides, a variety of delicious food options, great bands, and exciting performances. "It's a great opportunity to enjoy quality time with family and friends," Ammon said.

As the last floats passed and the crowd began to disperse, the parade left a lasting impression on attendees. The Johnny Appleseed Grand Parade continues to celebrate Lisbon’s heritage, bringing together families, schools, and local organizations in a weekend of fun, tradition, and hometown pride.

Johnny Appleseed

By: Abby Miller and Sydney Trimmel 9/21/25

This year, the Johnny Appleseed Festival was held downtown Lisbon, Ohio, on September 19-20. The festival featured a wide range of activities and booths, including things like: JAF’s Got Talent, JAF Royal Court, Little Miss Apple Blossom, Duck Race, and several carnival rides. This year's first-place winner of JAF’s Got Talent was Abagayle Miller. Abagayle Miller sang for her talent and ended up winning the first-place cash prize of 100 dollars. Here’s a statement from Miller: “I had so much fun doing what I love. I didn’t expect to get first place this year. In previous years, I’ve only placed third; needless to say, I was extremely excited!” Miller stated. A local student of David Anderson, Olivia Fennema, ran for the Johnny Appleseed queen title. The two girls selected for court were: Olivia Fennema of David Anderson and Addie Butream of United. Addie Butream was selected as Queen of the JAF. “I’m very honored to be on the JAF Royal Court this year; it’s such a privilege, and I know I have big shoes to fill. As part of the royal court, Addie and I will get to travel around Ohio and visit multiple festivals this year, meet new people, and spread the positive word about our village. I’m very excited for this opportunity, and I can't wait to see what the future holds.” Fennema Shared. They had many cool and unique booths, ranging from jewelry to children's toys and clothes. Several food stands selling the famous apple fritters, apple ice cream, and apple dumplings were packed full both days of the festival. The village of Lisbon can’t wait for next year's festival!

Photo by: Facebook

Breaking The Ice in New Settings

By: Reagan Smith 9/11/2025When kids come into a new setting for the first time, there might be some anxious behaviors circling through their minds. They might be too nervous to even approach new people and talk to them, or they might try to hide away. In this article, we will dive into the effective ways to break the ice and initiate conversations in a new setting.
The first way to strike up a conversation is to talk about your similarities. For example, if you go to school together, you can talk about your route to school, what you packed for lunch, what you did over the weekend, and many other things you and your friends might have in common. Say that you are starting a conversation with a new student. After you say pleasantries, you can ask them what they like to do in their free time, what they did over the weekend, and what they plan to do throughout the school year. Just try to break the ice and figure out what new things you can learn about the other person.
Another way to get your anxiety out is to join clubs that you like to do. For example, if you like to do Spanish, join the Spanish club. Or if you like to do theater, join the drama club. Studies show that about 29% of girls and 24% of boys join different clubs each school year. (Census.gov report and Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation Poll.) Marlie Mills, a former student here at Lisbon David Anderson Jr. Sr. High School, said in an interview: "Make observations. If you have anything remotely in common, just go from there.” Mills has been a student here her whole life and is remarkable in her classes. She is a helpful student to her classmates and always lends a hand, a shoulder to lean on, or a pencil to borrow in the classroom. Elianna Alicea, another former student at DAHS, said in an interview: "Make a presentation for icebreakers.” Alicea is another great student, and she is also there to help when people need it the most.
One final way to get to know someone better is to invite them places and see what they like to do. If you notice someone who likes to golf, invite them to go to a putt-putt course. Or if they like musicals, take them to a play at the theater. Whatever they like to do, or want to see, take time out of your day and do things with them. If you both like the same things, then that will strengthen your relationship with the person.
In this article, you've learned different ways to talk to someone to get to know them better, how to break the ice when meeting a new person, and what to do when you get to talk with someone. But remember, just because one person likes one thing, and you like another, doesn't mean you have to go out and not go with them. You can find something you have in common and do that thing together. Even if your favorite things are way different, you can still find things you have in common, or try different things together.

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