It’s hard to believe that the school year is nearly ending. Along with the closure of school comes the departure of the Class of 2022. For the final Senior Snapshot story, we’ll take a look at all the seniors in Journalism: Calvin Billig, Jack Cenovic, Riley Hawkins, Kidman Ip, Audrey Klinefelter, Akshay Mehta, and Kate Ohnoutka.

What has been your most memorable moment of high school?

Calvin Billig: “My most memorable moment of high school would have to be the lip sync battle from freshman year. I was in Hitchcock house that year and we sang “Cruise” by Florida Georgia Line, but we didn’t win.”

Jack Cenovic: “It’s hard to pick a single moment, but one time that comes to mind is JuSTEMagine’s advocacy conference at Nebraska’s Capitol. I loved being able to advocate for something I am passionate about alongside my closest friends. It was also a time that much of the work I had done in high school came together in a meaningful way.”

Riley Hawkins: “My most memorable moment of high school was probably coming back after Covid at the beginning of my Junior year. There really was nothing quite like seeing everybody again, and actually having class in person. Everything felt more real, and it was incredible just to be surrounded by people again.”

Kidman Ip: “I think my most memorable moment in high school has been winning state speech my junior year. Because of COVID-19, speech meets were online. I had never done a speech meet virtually and had to learn to adapt quickly. Even with COVID-19 and the questionable Ramada Inn, we were able to win state, and I made some incredible memories along the way.”

Audrey Klinefelter: “My most memorable moment of high school was winning state cheer in 2021. Even though our team faced many challenges, we all came together and had fun while doing our best.”

Akshay Mehta: “My most memorable moment of high school would probably be scream singing fire burning on the prom dance floor with friends.”

Kate Ohnoutka: “My most memorable moment of high school was winning the lip sync contest at the 2022 House Olympics.”

How has journalism impacted your years in high school/what have you taken away from journalism?

Calvin Billig: “This year is my first year taking journalism, but I have taken away the great experiences that I have had exploring the different small businesses and restaurants in Omaha.”

Jack Cenovic: “Journalism has allowed me to explore my interests in a more in-depth way. I have written stories about topics including COVID, the Hallmark Channel, wildfires, and Social-Emotional Learning. Across all of these topics, my stories have helped me to learn more about the world, express my views, and improve my writing skills. I also have enjoyed the opportunity to interview impressive, inspirational, and fascinating people while writing my stories. Journalism has also provided me with a great sense of community since I often collaborate with peers on stories.”

Riley Hawkins: “Journalism has been amazing! I only started my Senior year, having done yearbook instead every year since Sophomore year. Journalism has been really great—I’ve enjoyed the creative freedom to write a piece as I like (yearbook is quite formulaic), and I love being part of such a great publication. I intend to write for the newspaper in college, so I feel I’ve been set up for success.”

Kidman Ip: “I took journalism as a fine art credit my junior year. However, I realized I loved journalism. I enjoy writing for Verbatim and have been able to write incredible articles. Because of journalism, I have been able to get involved with The Ivy and the Ashlar, which has been an amazing experience!”

Audrey Klinefelter: “Journalism has impacted my high school years by teaching me about initiative and creativity. When I first joined journalism, the publication was completely student run and has since transformed into a website supported by a class. Journalism has also sparked my creativity through exploring photography, creative writing, and website design.”

Akshay Mehta: “From journalism, I have gotten a lot of experience in writing and journalistic writing specifically. I got to experience writing an opinion page and just talking about whatever came to my mind as well as learned how to make professional podcasts. For me, journalism taught me essential communication skills.”

Kate Ohnoutka: “From journalism, I have taken away being able to find the wonderful restaurants and bakeries in Omaha most people may not know about.”

What is your advice for incoming freshmen?

Calvin Billig: “My advice for incoming freshmen would be to not be afraid to really put yourself out there, and to really try to achieve the goals that you have set for yourself.”

Jack Cenovic: “I would tell incoming freshmen to not be afraid to explore all of the topics that interest them! High school is a great time to discover what you are passionate about, and journalism is a great way to do so. The flexibility of our newspaper allows students to cover topics that truly interest them. I would also tell freshmen to not be afraid of failure, and to embrace the saying “shoot for the moon, and even if you miss, you’ll land somewhere in the stars.”

Riley Hawkins: “My advice for incoming Freshmen is not to worry too much. I would advise Freshmen to try their best, of course, and try new things—go out on a limb, try different activities, and don’t let anything hold you back. Ultimately, though, high school is just one part of your life. You have time to find yourself, and chances are high school isn’t going to be exactly what you expect. That is fine—I certainly wasn’t expecting a pandemic to be part of my high school experience. I think that things have a way of working themselves out, so however high school goes, as long as you do your best and try new things, you’ll be fine.”

Kidman Ip: “I want incoming freshmen to try various extracurricular activities and to be open-minded. I have never done theater, speech, and journalism prior to BT but have loved it since! My senior year, I joined Science Olympiad, and our team won 5th overall. Don’t be scared to try new things.”

Audrey Klinefelter: “My advice for incoming freshmen is to explore your personal interests in Journalism, as the curriculum is very flexible and there is lots of opportunity to write about personal passions.”

Akshay Mehta: “My advice for incoming freshman is to not stress about school too much, prioritize your mental health, have fun with friends, and take care of yourself. It’s very easy to take your time here for granted, so make sure to enjoy the journey.”

Kate Ohnoutka: “My advice for incoming freshmen is to get involved in many activities to find what you like and make new friendships, while not being afraid to give yourself boundaries.”