Since Journalism was first offered as a course students could take at Brownell-Talbot, I remember opening the course registration page, ecstatic to start writing for a school newspaper. When I first sat down to brainstorm story ideas for the first Edition, the generic stories I could write about activities and recipes came to mind, but I knew I wanted to write stories bigger than that—stories that would illuminate the voices of the people in the community I hold so dear to my heart. Whether the questions asked in each Edition were about seasons, vacation plans over breaks, or favorite foods, the Community Voices section of Verbatim always keeps it real, meaning a recap of the responses over the years deserves a highlight. 

When Community Voices first launched in September of 2020, I wanted to highlight the unusual learning conditions students and teachers were subjected to due to COVID-19. Unlike most schools, BT followed a hybrid learning model—meaning students were still attending school both in person and online. When asked if they preferred in-person or online learning, every teacher and student interviewed expressed their desire to learn in person. Whether it was the comfort of being around peers or the increased focus students and teachers had when they were in-person, being able to continue effective learning throughout the pandemic was greatly meaningful to the BT Community. 

Since COVID-19 persisted, the October of 2020 Edition asked if trick-or-treating was a good idea. While the reasoning behind the answers varied, 3/4ths of the responses promoted trick-or-treating. One response said that children should wear masks when trick-or-treating to prevent the spread of the virus, while others believed trick-or-treating is a tradition that should stay unmasked, as it is something that all children should enjoy without taking extra precautions. When recording the answers of this edition, I was surprised nobody mentioned the wearing of masks on Halloween as a part of costumes. Whether it is a vampire, a clown, or something less scary, masks could have been incorporated into costumes with less effort than you would think.

Our November and December 2020 Editions featured a common trend: Hygee and winter. “Hygee” is a philosophy that relates to finding the positive lights in life—regardless of how much darkness may surround us. This question was posed to members of the BT community during the winter, which is a fairly unpleasant time of year to many Nebraskans. Regardless of the weather surrounding Mrs. Newman, she found joy in the cold, as 2020 was her first year experiencing a Nebraskan winter. Mrs. Newman was welcomed onto the BT Staff as a Chemistry Teacher and Science Olympiad Coach from North Carolina. Unlike the winters she had experienced prior, Mrs. Newman looked forward to experiencing a true Nebraskan winter and moving into her new home. Following Mrs. Newman’s trend of the indoors, a couple of responses stated that they would rather warm up indoors with a holiday treat and a movie instead of face the cold. English Teacher Mr. Darin Larsen added some humor in the December Edition by telling us that he will be “holding the recliner down so it doesn’t move” during break. After coming back to campus in January, Mr. Larsen did confirm that he was successful in holding down his recliner. In 2020, Students were given an extended winter break due to COVID-19 since the pandemic had a tendency to spread when people were forced indoors. This break was a month long—which was two weeks longer than the winter breaks given to the BT community in previous years. Students celebrated this time off by building snowmen and participating in other snow activities, watching holiday movies, and baking treats. Now, in 2022, students are given two weeks for winter break, but that time is still festive and relaxing for all. There was not a Verbatim Edition released in January of 2021 due to the extended winter break.

Would February truly be February without mentions of Valentine’s Day? Regardless of people’s relationship status, members of the BT Community love discussing their Valentine’s Day plans. When this question first made an appearance in 2021, the responses from students and teachers were very creative. Councilor Mrs. Katie Tessin expressed her love for yoga and said she planned to take a couples yoga class with her husband on Valentine’s Day. On the other hand, the responses in 2022 were more relaxed and tasty. Ms. Diehl, science teacher and middle school advisor, stated that her favorite part about Valentine’s Day is going to Walgreens the day after and purchasing the discount candy. I mean, who doesn’t love inexpensive candy? Ms. Diehl is even kind enough to share the treats she buys with her students—and I am lucky enough to be one of those students! One of my fondest memories after Valentine’s Day with Ms. Diehl is my AP Environmental Class’ sour candy challenge. After purchasing pounds of sour candies, Ms. Diehl challenged the members of my class to eat as many sour candies as we could. While sour candy is not my favorite, my peers loved this challenge, as their favorite candies were Wart Heads and Sour Patch Kids. 

Following the sweet month of February, members of the BT community were asked about what brings them luck. Personally, a mini Tabasco bottle that I carry around everywhere brings me luck, but I figured that wouldn’t be the case for everyone else. Unlike the stereotypical answers I was expecting, History Teacher and Tennis Coach Mr. Mark Smith cave me a detailed answer regarding how he gets good luck while playing tennis. Instead of putting his shoes on in any order, Mr. Smith swears that putting his left shoe on first brings him the best of luck when playing his favorite sport. If you’re a tennis player, make sure to try this good luck trick out—or maybe it just brings luck to Mr. Smith, who knows! 

Once April arrives, members of the BT Community begin to look forward to traditions and events such as Prom, the “Passing the Light” Ceremony between the Seniors and Juniors, spring sports, and Graduation. Instead of interviewing Seniors and members of the BT community who were simply looking forward to the school year being over, I found individuals who specifically loved Spring over other seasons. One of these individuals, Mr. Jeff Rohrig, plays a heavy role in the Activities that go on at BT. Mr. Rohrig stated his love for Track season, as well as the beautiful weather that awaits Nebraskans in the Spring. Following the answer given by Mr. Rohrig, PE Teacher Mrs. Ashley Herber described the time she spends with her family in the spring. Mrs. Herber enjoys grilling and playing with her kids outside—two activities that are perfect for Spring! Fast forwarding to 2022, while the weather has been colder than average for this time of year, students still enjoy participating in activities such as Track and Field and embracing the rewards of almost completing the 2021-2022 School Year.

Unlike any year prior, the 2020-2021 threw obstacles and adventures at the BT Community that they had not experienced before—and may never experience in the future. From distance learning, to school dances, sports, and the edition of “Fun Days” to the BT experience, students and staff can mark 2020-2021 as a school year to remember. Since the school year began in a remote learning setting, students felt a mix of emotions. While some students were disheartened by the distance between them and their friends or grateful for the protocols BT set forth to protect the members of the campus, the year ended on a good note. With the introduction of the BT Fund and the 100% in 100 days initiative, BT families felt especially prompted to donate to BT. Due to the great success of this initiative, the BT Administration planned a “Fun Day” for BT students in all grades. Full of snow cones, activities such as volleyball, kickball, and disc golf, students and staff were relieved of their daily duties and stresses. Fun Days were introduced once again in 2022, as the BT community hit over 80% participation in the BT Fund as a community. For many students, this means spinning the wheel that gives grades and HOUSES fun treats like pizza and cookie parties, as well as the gift of wearing jeans on Fridays. Highlighting events such as these in the Community Voices Section of Verbatim brings me so much joy because seeing firsthand how excited members of the BT Community are to partake in exciting events makes my time at BT even more rewarding.

As the 2021-2022 school year concludes, I look forward to continuing the Community Voices Section of Verbatim in the fall. As a senior, I aim to capture the voices of all members of the BT Community and highlight the experiences I have been blessed to receive during my time in this amazing community.