November Hawk Talks 

On October 1st, at 12:01am, the government officially entered its fifth major shutdown since 1981. And as of writing this article, it is the second longest shutdown in US history. (26 days as of publishing, the longest being 35 days in 2018-2019.) This shutdown was enacted due to disputes over federal spending, health insurance subsidies, and things such as foreign aid. The words “government shutdown” may sound intimidating at first, and while they are major events, and can disrupt certain things, they do not do much to the average citizen and their daily lives. During a government shutdown, all non-essential government services are shut down, and all non essential government employees are furloughed, and their pay ceases until the shutdown ends. However this does not include services such as postal services, since they act as independent agencies, and are technically separate from the government. Online, many government employees have been resorting to getting second or third jobs in order to make up for the lack of pay.

The military however, being a federal body, is affected by the government being shut down. The biggest problem faced by the military during a shutdown is delayed paychecks. During previous shutdowns, military members were still required to perform their regular duties, however their pay was postponed, and they were later backpaid. In this instance however, President Donald Trump ordered Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to pay service members using 8 Billion dollars, pulled from research and development plans. Additionally, millionaire Timothy Mellon allegedly donated 130 million dollars in order to help pay military members. This move, along with Trump’s cash pull from R&D has sparked some ethical debates in the political world. 

As of writing this article, congress has not yet reached a conclusion, and the government is still undergoing a shutdown. There is no telling when the shutdown will end, however the average person should not stress about being affected by the shutdown.

Hiawatha High School’s schedule now features a combined 52-minute Guided Studies and Advisory period, a notable shift from the previous model of two separate, shorter sessions. This change has sparked a wide range of opinions from students and teachers, creating a school divided on the new block of time.

This schedule change was discussed last school year, among administration and teachers, said social studies teacher Linda Miller, adding that they knew this was a possibility. Other teachers, like social studies teacher Cody Jiru and English teacher Nicole Jewett, said the majority of the teachers voted on the schedule, which includes this new change.

Some students reacted positively and liked the new change; however, some didn’t. Teachers also have varied opinions about this.

“I don’t mind it. It’s better than having 30 minutes of Advisory,” sophomore Abella Woessner said. 

Yet, students, like seniors Adison Williams and Phoenix Entrikin, said that it is a waste of time and that most kids don’t have anything to do so they just sit or mess around during this period. They also say that it messes up the third period.

“I like the time it has. It’s enough work time for the kids. We also have time for my non-advisory to do stuff,” C. Jiru said. On that note, Jewett said that she likes it and grouping it together makes it more meaningful.

Students and teachers also had diverse opinions about how useful Guided Studies and Advisory is.

“They’re useful, because they allow team practice or meetings and other special student events and clubs and they make a designated time for clubs and such meetings. It also allows students time for homework and seeing a teacher as needed,” Miller said.

Some students, like sophomores Kenley Noll and Tyson LeMay, said that it gives them time to relax during the day and for study hall, while senior Karson Henry said that it is not useful because nobody does work there and people just sit around during this time.

Students were asked when they prefer this combined period in the school day.

Students, like Woessner, LeMay and Entrikin, agreed that Guided Studies and Advisory should be at the end of the day because it is a good time to unwind before leaving school, while students, like Noll and Williams, stated that it should be in the middle of the school day since it’s like a break from all the classes and people wouldn’t check at what time they’re leaving.

Looking back at the old system, opinions are diverse.

“I prefer the old one, because it gives a break and has more options for guided studies,” Henry said. Meanwhile, Jewett said that the new system chunks time better.

As much of a positive this new schedule change is, teachers face some challenges.

“The biggest inconvenience, I would say, is SEL, and only because it is the same day as team practice,” Miller said. “I’m not a fan of the divided third hour, because students return to class excited and in a mindset to be social with their friends and consequently educational time is lost while they refocus.”

       College is something that we are told that is one of the most important parts of our lives. College prices and experiences have changed drastically in the past century and it leaves you to wonder: is college really worth it now?

As high school students, we have been given many different ideas and opportunities when it comes to colleges and jobs. Something we often aren't told about is college debt. One of the biggest reasons people rethink college is because of the debt.

The U.S. has had an accumulative $1.7 Trillion in student debt. College tuition has had an increase of over 180% in the last 20 years and as of now, the average American with a degree has nearly $40,000 in debt. 

Even with these setbacks, college does have its benefits. People that graduate college generally earn more money in the long run, have more job opportunities and have a lower unemployment rate. 

For some, a four-year college isn't the most ideal and there are some more appealing alternatives to a traditional college. Technical schools and online programs have become very popular with the motivation towards attending a traditional college declines.

 Tech schools allow students to earn a certificate in a certain field in a short amount of time. Online programs can help students work at their own pace and are good for people who have a busier schedule. Students find peace of mind in doing online college, earning a degree while also saving money.

“Its more convenient for me and also a lot cheaper,” senior Emmy Cheek said. “Being able to stay close by is also important to me; I like knowing that I’ll have a support system readily available to me.”

In the end, success in 2025 isn't just defined by your bachelor's degree. If college isn't something you want to pursue, there are many other options and might be worth looking into if you're second guessing college.

Hiawatha High School head volleyball coach Brenda Siebenmorgen finished up another year of coaching on Oct. 25. A Hiawatha alumni athlete, Siebenmorgen returned to coach the Hiawatha High School Varsity volleyball team in 2015. 

She returned after playing volleyball at the collegiate level. For the past eight years she has worked for the state of Kansas, Judicial branch. She is the Administrative Assistant to John Weingart, the Chief District Judge of the 22nd Judicial District. Along with work, she has a family and spends most of her days in the gym with her kids. This year she is coaching with Junior Varsity coach, Kathy Lindstrom, and C-team coach, Nicole Jewett. 

Coach Siebenmorgen has been around the game her whole life. 

“One of my first memories of volleyball is going to as many youth camps as my mom would let me,” Siebenmorgen said. 

Siebenmorgen said she realized in her freshman year that she wanted to play in college; She started her journey at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kansas. After two years there and many other offers she ended up going to a division 1 school called Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana after her winning seasons at Barton County. She ended up winning her conference in 2003 and went to the NCAA tournament. After playing for so long she said she never really thought about coaching until her friend asked for her help.

She opened her coaching career with a club team called Zoom KC in 2013. She fell in love with coaching right then and there. The next year she went and coached for the freshman team at 6A school, Gardener Edgerton High School.

In 2015 she moved back home and knew she needed to coach; Luckily the head coaching job for the HHS volleyball team opened up.

One of her most memorable seasons was 2021. Her team had a 38-4 record and were the Big Seven League champions. They ended up being runner up in the Sub-state that year.

“I’d probably still cry if I could bring myself to rewatch that film. I never have and never will,” Siebenmorgen said.

That year was her favorite, she said, not just for the wins but the atmosphere.

“There was never an empty seat in the Round House,” Siebenmorgen said.

Coach Siebenmorgen has built relationships with every team and has a special connection with each and every player. She strives to make everyone accepted and seen as a player and person. She said that sports helped her through the hard times and she hopes that it can help others too.

“She never made me feel less than, no matter the mistake,” senior volleyball player Quinn Boye said.

President Donald Trump has passed his 100 day mark of his second presidency and some people are not happy with his actions. One of the most controversial actions he has done is his effort to silence the media. 

According to hks.harvard.edu, his administration has threatened to weaponize the federal government against news broadcasters and media outlets because he does not agree with their statements. Trump has even accused the different types of press as being, in his words, an “enemy of the American people.” While attacks on the media have taken place throughout his whole campaign- his previous actions have been concerning the American people.

But what is he doing exactly? Trump has been lowering funding towards companies that are against him or he simply does not support. According to ACLU.org he has cut 1.1 billion dollars of public broadcasting funds towards NPR and PBS stations, as well as a 10 billion dollar lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal. He has done this because he accuses these outlets of being incapable of sharing “fair, accurate, or unbiased reporting.” Many U.S citizens see him doing this as a violation of the amendments.  

“Government officials should not be able to withhold taxpayer dollars, designated by Congress to promote private speech, from news outlets whose coverage they disapprove,” said Ellessandra Taormino, an ACLU journalist, according to ACLU.org.

The potential violation of amendment rights is a major problem in rural towns such as Hiawatha because it limits access to local news and educational content because large news sources are the primary source of information.

“This restricts the audience by not letting them see the whole picture of the various stories,” Sophomore Aya McPeak said. 

While this issue has been shown recently, Trump’s power to censor the media and lower accessibility of sites that are against republican ideals has been happening since before he was re-elected President. 

According to theconversation.com, another example of him having power to silence the media was in October 2024 when he sued the Paramount Company for 10 billion dollars. He claimed that the CBS television network (a Paramount subsidiary) “deceptively edited” an interview he did with Kamala Harris.When he had officially been sworn in as president he then upped the ad damnum from 10 billion to 20 billion dollars. 

The case was later considered by lawyers to have not broken any laws, but Paramount wanted to merge with Skydance media, which was subject to the Trump Administration’s approval. This leaves people to believe that Paramount was vulnerable to blackmail, extortion, and subornation, which later led them to settle with Trump when they completed the merge in August of 2025. 

Along with situations like this, according to rsf.org, the major damages his media interference has caused is: 8,000+ US government web pages getting taken down, 3,500+ journalists at risk of losing their jobs, and 180 public radios at risk of closing. From the information given, it appears that opinions other than his own are at risk of being silenced, which should never occur between the government and the people (according to our very constitution).

Freedom of speech and press are important parts of the United States constitution and the potential of losing it has been triggering for U.S. citizens. This issue can cause controversy among different political sides, but since it affects everyone, politics should be set aside so that censoring of news never happens.

If you were to search the school for Hiawatha High School Principal Rhonda Wright at 8:30 a.m. on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Fridays, you might be surprised to find her leading a classroom of math students. For 80 minutes on these days, she transitions from her principal role back to her roots as a math teacher.

Wright took on the responsibility of teaching trigonometry this year to help out HHS and offer a higher-level math subject to students in person. ‘

“I am glad that she decided to teach the class in person because I think we are learning more than we would have learned if the class was online,” said student Aya McPeak.

Many of the trig students said that she is a great teacher with student Max Smith giving her a “trig. out of ten” when he was asked if she was a good teacher.

This might lead you to wonder how teaching Trig. has affected Wright’s principal duties, such as meetings. It turns out that vice principal Mr. Kettler has to sit in on meetings that happen during trig. class, so everything is still handled administratively. Even with this, teaching still is a lot of work and Wright still has a lot of other duties, which leads to the question of when she is able to grade papers.

“I normally have to grade all the work on the weekends or before I go to bed,” Wright said.

If using her free time to grade papers was not enough she has also offered students the opportunity to go to Washburn's Math day on Nov. 18th. This is something that would not have been offered if it was not for Wright taking on the role of trig. teacher.

On Oct. 3, 2025, Taylor Swift released her most recent record, “The Life of a Showgirl.” Since then, all the songs on the album have occupied the top 12 spots on “Billboards Top 100.” The album itself has broken countless records such as the most streamed album in a day on Spotify, the most vinyl sales in a week, and the lead single, “The Fate of Ophelia”  became the fastest song ever to reach one-hundred million streams in Spotify history. 

A music video was created for “The Fate of Ophelia.” The video was released in theaters along with a behind the scenes look on how it was created. The release party featured the lyric videos for all twelve songs on the album. Across the country fans flooded theaters with extravagant outfits, dancing, and lots of bracelet trading. Another prominent track from the album is “Elizabeth Taylor.” This track has been widely appreciated and senior Garrett Morey said that it is one of the best off the album. Morey also said that he enjoys the album’s more bouncy and upbeat vibes. 

This is very different to her last album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” which had a vastly different sound featuring more of a depressing and sad tone. Most people attribute the change to Swift herself being in a much happier place. If you listen close enough you might even be able to hear some references to her fiancée, Chiefs tight end, Travis Kelce. 

What’s next for Swift? On Dec. 12, there will be a six-part docuseries with a behind the scenes look of her record smashing “Eras Tour.” Additionally, an updated film of the show including the “The Tortured Poets Department” set will be released on that same date.

Music is one of the few things that truly touches the soul. It's a sort of language that reaches the deepest emotions a human can have. As the seasons change, having specific playlists to fit the mood and environment is satisfying. Here are some cozy, fall songs to add to your fall playlist to match the state of mind during the season: 

• “Sweater Weather” by The Neighborhood: This song has a moody tone that matches the feeling of crisp fall air on your skin. The lyrics are beautifully written, leaving the listener with an emotional longing. The season's atmosphere matches this song perfectly with the mix of nostalgia and intimacy. 

• “Roslyn” by Bon Iver : Having this song in the famous movie “Twilight” (known for being one of the best fall movies) only proves that this song needs to be listened to during the season. The song focuses on the echoing harmonies and a soft guitar. The tone and vocals of the song gives it a haunting effect and a mysterious mood. This song matches the side of fall when thinking about memories and change. The song wasn't made to just listen to; it was made to be deeply felt. 

• “Dark Red” by Steve Lacy: Although this song doesn't necessarily talk about the actual fall season, it sure fits the mood. The lyrics are full of worry and fear of something bad happening. The song is about overthinking and not knowing what is going to happen next. This matches the fall season because fall is all about change and mystery. “I love this song and Steve Lacy because it reminds of when he got popular during the season in 8th grade of 2022,” Remy Siebenmorgen said. “I remember all of my friends listening to him during fall.” 

• “Linger” by The Cranberries: This song is simply the best for someone who has missed someone that they wish had stayed longer with them. This heart heavy song has lyrics that are about holding on to something longer than you should (lingering). The song is not modern, it's a classic. The lyrics match the beauty of fall with talking about love and regret. The instrumentals offer an upbeat tune to the vocals. Things end slowly and fade away in fall; this song talks just about that feeling. 

• “Call your mom” by Noah Kahan: Fall days are usually gloomy and cloudy, all the plants are dying, so it can leave a depressing feeling. This song talks about how you can overcome that sorrowful emotion. These lyrics are raw with understanding and ache. The artist teaches the listener reasons to keep going when things get hard. This is the kind of song that people should listen to when the fall days get rough. “This song is a very emotional song and you can tell it is from Noah Kahan's heart, Myriah Lee said.” “All of his songs have really good meanings to them. You can tell there was a lot of care that played into ‘Call your mom.’”

This year, Hiawatha High School (HHS) students are putting the tinsel on hold until the turkey is finished. This comes as a new survey of 92 students revealed that 68% of HHS students plan to wait until after Thanksgiving to tune into Christmas music, showing a clear start to the holiday season, and the associated family time, traditions, gifts, and excitement.

This survey also asked students what their favorite Christmas traditions were. 23% of responses claimed that spending time with their family was their favorite part of the holidays, showing just how important the holidays can be for human connection. That being said, the largest percent was the theme of presents, with 34% of responses claiming that either giving or receiving gifts was the highlight of their holidays. Food came in third place with 22% of respondents claiming either Christmas dinners, baking, or family recipes are the best part of the whole holiday season. The remaining 21% of favorite traditions were vastly split up between things like decorating, viewing light displays, listening to music, Minecraft realms, and watching Christmas movies.

This variety of responses shows that while people may not agree on when the holiday season starts, or what the best part of the season is, the student population is united by their desires to do traditions during the holidays.

HHS Junior Bradford Aller furthers this idea, saying, “I listen to Christmas Music because it gets me into the right mood, but only during December. I do not particularly like or dislike it, it just feels right. When people are opening the gifts I gave them and the music is in the back, it feels perfect.”

HHS Sophomore Aya McPeak says that she starts listening to music before Thanksgiving because “it's just so happy and jolly and it just makes me feel so happy, and everyone knows it so it just feels so fun.”

So, whether it's family, gifts, food, or music, Hiawatha students’ favorite traditions all point towards one goal: to capture the warmth, connection, and happiness that the holidays are capable of.