Classroom Buzz

The Nursing Assistant students have completed their required clinical time! Students performed skills they learned in class and lab. These include assisting patients with their daily care such as walking, transferring, bathing, shaving and checking vital signs. Students were supervised by Nurse Harriss and the staff at Washington County Hospital. They are now qualified to take a state certification exam to be become Certified Nursing Assistants.

Traditionally nursing students have a pinning ceremony to signify their completion of their classroom and clinical work. This also marks the beginning of their service in healthcare.

Nurse Harris proudly pins NCHS students Aryssa Brehm (above) and Quentin Pedtke (below).

These six CNA students accepted their pins from Kaskaskia College today. Nurse Harriss shared, "I am so proud of each of them. They did a lot of hard work and showed they are dedicated to the healthcare profession and love working with people!" Left to right Quentin Pedtke, Kiley Bowers, Aryssa Brehm, Dylan Benson, Tyne Moore, Annie Culli and instructor/ School Nurse Melissa Harriss. 

Now more than ever the study of the Holocaust is essential as antisemitism has risen by over 360% since the October 7th terrorist attack and Nova Massacre in Israel.  NCHS students under the guidance of Mrs. Kollbaum and Mrs. Robinson have been afforded the opportunity to learn firsthand about the Holocaust and its relation to the rising antisemitism today.  In March and April 2024 both the English IV Honors and English IV students traveled to the St. Louis Kaplan Feldman Holocaust Museum and spent time learning in and from the Permanent Exhibition and the Impact Lab, which is designed to develop students into allies against hate of any kind.  They left with the stories of Holocaust survivors, victims, and liberators and challenged by Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel's words "whoever listens to a witness becomes a witness."   

The Impact Lab offers visitors an opportunity to learn the stories of individuals who have been targeted with hatred, violence, and genocide.

Jaylin Stofferahn listens to survivor Oskar Jacobs' testimony.

In 1923, World War I Veterans adopted a code of conduct with respect to the American flag that was later adopted by both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. The Flag Code establishes the proper way to display and show respect to the flag in various ways in society. In Illinois, students are required to learn the rules of the flag code, and Mrs. Patton's Civics students had the opportunity to learn how to properly fold the flag.

When you get that perfect fold, it's a great feeling. These Seniors did great!

Noah, Sylas, Kinzie, and Alyssa learn about the importance of straigtening and pulling the flag tightly with every fold.

It's okay if you don't have a partner to help you fold. You can do this solo, too!

To learn more about the U.S. Flag Code, visit the American Legion website today!

Mrs. Robinson shared, "My English III - American Literature students recently read excerpts from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay 'Nature' and learned about the American transcendentalism movement.  With the beautiful weather last week, we were drawn outside to try to experience the 'perfect exhilaration' of nature that Emerson describes in the text. We started our lesson by clearing our minds with a five- minute yoga warm-up that included the tree pose, frog pose, butterfly pose, and flower pose."  

Blossoming Flowers: Peyton, Raelynn, and Anna

Mrs. Robinson further explained, "Students then took inspiration from Emerson's quote that says, 'Nature always wears the colors of the spirit' and drew a scene that reflected their mood and then wrapped up the lesson by writing a reflective poem." 

Parker Schoenberg's "Nature always wears the colors of the spirit" scene

Blossoming Flowers: Will, Isaac, Ethan, Hudson, and Parker

Blossoming Flowers: Faith, Angel, Bennet, Aidan, and Crispin

Brynner Inman practices his leaning tree pose.

The Kaskaskia College High School Welding Competition was held over a four-day period, and NCHS had their turn on Thursday, March 7. Although the results will not be posted until April 5, Mr. Kell says his students feel confident about how well they performed in a field of 62 competitors.  As you can see from the group picture below, this year's team is all female, which reflects how the welding occupation is changing nationwide. As a matter of fact, FOX 2 News was on hand doing a story about the changing face of welding. Check out the FOX 2 News story about how Kaskaskia College welcomes this diversity to it's program.

Vita Bartolotta, Anna Bauza, Riley Barbee, Avery Piasecki, and Jaymie Koelling

Jaymie Koelling

Anna Bauza and Riley Barbee

Avery Piasecki

Vita Bartolotta

CNA students under the guidance of nursing instructor Mrs. Harriss learning how to check vital signs. She shared that the "students were excited and enthusiastic to practice these skills."

Brayden checks Aryssa’s brachial pulse.

Okawville student Tyne Moore checks Quentin’s radial pulse.

The Accounting I Team #5 of Griffin Briles, Ethan Pinski, Aidan Morgan, and Dakota Bannert took FIRST Place.

Shoutout to the Accounting II Team #13 of Kinzie Klingeman, Peyton Lingle, and Merytt Zgonina for winning FIRST as well.

Slow and stead wins the race with this relay. Parker Schoenberg gets great coaching by Aubrey Rhine, Belle Schmale, and Ty Schoenherr.

Congratulations to Makenzy Pedtke! She was awarded a $250.00 Scholarship for Accounting II!

It's always a good time when you roll with Mrs. Heggemeier. I'll bet Keeghan Renth made friends on the way home with those delicious snacks she took home from the raffle (right).

Grace Stein and Isabelle Lovin work on the construction of their challenge.

NCHS students took home great raffle prizes. A $25.00 Amazon card for Ty Schoenherr (above) and SIUC Swag for Sylas Ridgeway and Parker Schoenberg.