Equipping Students for Excellence

 

Papillion-La Vista South High School would like to congratulate the graduating Class of 2013!

We had 409 Titan students graduate on May 12, 2013 during ceremonies at the Ralston Arena.

This class has had some outstanding highlights throughout their time at PLSHS in the areas of academics, athletics, and the arts:

• $13.4 million dollars in scholarship funds were awarded
• 105 seniors were honored at the Award of Academic Excellence ceremony for a 4.0 or higher cumulative weighted grade point average
• 169 seniors were awarded 632 scholarships
• 149 scholarships were awarded from the Universities of Nebraska at Omaha, Lincoln, and Kearney
• 2 members of this class are National Merit Finalists
• 8 students were awarded ROTC scholarships and 1 was awarded an Air Force Academy appointment
• 85% of the senior class will further their education at a post-secondary institution.

During their time at Papillion-La Vista South, the class of 2013 represented in many ways what is best about being a South Titan. Congratulations to these students and their families, and we wish them the best of luck in the years to come!

Our students are exceptional in many ways. Check out just some of the highlights and achievements in the classroom and in school related activites of South students over the course of the school 2012 - 2013 year.

ACADEMICS

Honor Roll (1st Semester)
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade

Honor Roll (2nd Semester)
9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade

American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year
Christopher A. May has been selected as the 2013 Nebraska Eagle Scout of the Year. Christopher will receive a cash prize of $500. His nomination application will be forwarded to The American Legion National Headquarters for consideration in the selection of The American Legion Eagle Scout of the Year. He will be considered for a first place $10,000 scholarship award or three second place scholarships awards of $2,500 each. 

American Legion Cornhusker Girls’ State and Boys’ State
Selected candidates will campaign for offices, hold elections, take part in band and chorus, compete in athletics and be involved in other varied activities as part of the citizenship training program.  They will set up their own state government and draft bills.

Special lectures and addresses will be delivered by experienced public officials and professional leaders including Governor Dave Heineman and Supreme Court Chief Justice John M. Gerrard. JoAnne Owens-Nauslar is also scheduled to address the Boys’ State group.

Selected candidate for 2013 Girls’ State is Kara M. Harvey
Selected candidates for 2013 Boys’ State are Richard A. Elmore, Seth T. Hackleman, and Robert E. Larsen. 

American Legion Junior Law Cadet
The Nebraska State Patrol offers an opportunity for cadets to learn about the role of law enforcement officers in the preservation of law and order and in providing the service, security and protection required for the public welfare.
Richard A. Elmore has been selected for Junior Law Cadet.
Branden C. Meyer has been selected as the alternate for Junior Law Cadet

ATHLETICS

Boys Basketball

141 Career Assists (#3) Brent Kirsch
91.3 Season FT% (#2) Aaron Rothermund
80 Career 3FGM (#3) Brent Kirsch
70.7 Team Freethrow % (#1)
42.3 Season 3FG% (#4) Aaron Rothermund
35 Points Allowed vs. Millard North (Tied Single Game Low)
18 3FGM vs. Fremont (Single Game High)
11 Lettermen
9 3FGM (Single Game High ) Aaron Rothermund
3.6 Season APG (#4) Brent Kirsch
1 NSAA Academic All-Staters: Tyler Johnson
1 Huskerland Prep Gilson Sixth Man Award: Brent Kirsch
1st Ever District A-6 Championship & State Tournament Appearance

Boys Cross Country
Brady Caverzagie- All Conference
Jake McCain-  All Conference

Girls Cross Country
Fremont Invite 11th/12th Grade Division Champs
Norfolk Invite Varsity Champs
Metro Conference Runner-Up
Lizzy Stanton & Dylan Zinszer named to the Metro Conference All-Academic Cross Country Team
A-4 District Runner-Up
5th straight trip to state
6th place team finish at state
Elizabeth Naber finished 14th at state as an individual

Boys Soccer
Jackson Lawrence selected for the Nebraska Shrine Soccer Classic

Girls Soccer
MSPC Champions

Softball
Nicole Warren, Courtney Schendt, Paige Nekola were All-Neb 1st Team All-State
Bailee Jensen was practice player of the year and Captain of 1213 softball team

Boys Track
Will Jones- All Conference
Ben Lake- All Conference
State Qualifiers- Drew Klein, Kyle Kasun, Alonzo Mercier, Alex Campbell, A.J. Qvern
State Medalist- Drew Klein- 6th place in Pole Vault

ACTIVITIES

Art
Student Name - Work Title - Work Category - Award
Kaitlyn Afrank - Gilded Age - Sculpture - Honorable Mention
Kirsten Arnold - Picasso - Mixed Media - Silver Key
Kirsten Arnold - Maine Shore - Sculpture - Honorable Mention
Alexsandria Bethers - Eagle Eyes - Sculpture - Silver Key
Alexsandria Bethers - Coil Trivit - Ceramics & Glass - Honorable Mention
Ryan Ellis - Marley - Ceramics & Glass - Silver Key
Ryan Ellis - Indonesian Man - Mixed Media - Honorable Mention
Alexis England - New World - Ceramics & Glass - Honorable Mention
Claire Houser - Bronze - Sculpture - Silver Key
Caitlin Lewis - Sgrafitto Bowl - Ceramics & Glass - Silver Key
Ashlyn Pudenz - Africa - Mixed Media - Silver Key
Eleni St. Pierre - Wooden Man - Sculpture - Gold Key
Eleni St. Pierre - Blue Period - Mixed Media - Silver Key
Brooke  Vaught - Atlantis - Ceramics & Glass - Silver Key
Cathryn - Grange - Sailing - Digital Art - Gold Key
Cathryn - Grange - Red String - Digital Art - Silver Key
Alex Liepman - Fragments - Printmaking - Gold Key
Sara Romanus - Nostalgic Living - Printmaking - Silver Key
Logan Spady - A Shadow Of Freedom  Sculpture - Honorable Mention
Bryce Stroyek - The Future Isn't Far - Digital Art - Silver Key
Kimberly Hall - Disolved Mentality - Painting - Honorable Mention
William Jones - Charcoal Still Life - Drawing - Silver Key
Madeline Klasi - Nate's Pond - Drawing - Honorable Mention
Sara Romanus - Time's Passion - Drawing - Gold Key
Sara Romanus - Reminiscent - Painting - Gold Key
Sara Romanus - My Voice Or Theirs? - Painting - Silver Key
Sara Romanus - Gears In Action - Mixed Media - Silver Key

High School NFWC District II Art Show
Grahic Art
1 Cathryn Grange  PLSHS
2 Cathryn Grange  PLSHS
Mixed Media
1 Kim Hall  PLSHS
Pastel drawing
1 Maddie Klasi PLSHS
2 Pearl Mitchell PLSHS
3 Pearl Mitchell
Pencil Drawing
1 Alissa Clarke PLSHS
2 Matthew Jackson PLSHS
Acrylic painting
1 Emily Rohn PLSHS
2 Abigayle Harsen PLSHS
3 Logan Spady PLSHS
Printing
1 Michelle Guerin PLSHS
2 Raina Watson PLSHS
Collage
1 Kim Hall  and Best of Show
2 Mariah Adams
3 Christian Persing
Sculpture/sculpture
1 Ali Bethers  and best of Show
2 Jenny Miller
3 Cody Van Zuiden

Choir

Titanium Varsity Show Choir                       

Grand Championships:
Winter Park Music Festival, Winter Park, CO
The Crusader Classic, Sioux City, IA

1st Runner-up Overall:
Clash of the Titans,  Council Bluffs, IA Jubilation, Sloane, IA
Mitchell Classic, Corn Palace, Mitchell, S.D.

Best Vocals:
The Crusader Classic 
Mitchell Classic

Best Choreography:
The Crusader Classic

Best Male Performer Overall:
Zach Little, Jubilation, Sloane, IA

Best Female Performer Overall:
Emily Tencer, Clash of The Titans, Council Bluffs, IA

Spirit Awards:
Gary Fiscus Sportsmanship Award - Clash of the Titans

Marlene Westergard Sportsmanship Award:
Jubilation

Illumination:
3rd Overall in Women's Division - Fields of Talent
2nd Overall in Women's Division - Jubilation

Titan Express:
1st Overall in the Prep Division - Bishop Heelan
2nd  Overall in the Prep Division - Fields of Talent
2nd Overall in the Prep Division - Jubilation
2nd Overall in th Prep Division - Clash of Titans

Concert Choir: 
Best in Class  4A
Winter Park Music Festival
Grand Champions Overall
Winter Park Music Festival

Nebraska All-State Chorus Members:
Zach Little, Reid Milliken, Emily Smith

District Music Contest Superiors:
Zach Little, Brady Vigness, Emily Smith, Rachel Smith, Alex Campbell, Alyssa Vrable, Joe Opperman, and Men's Ensemble of Zach Little, Jackson Lawrence, Reid Milliken, Justin Hanig, Alex Campbell, David Gowen, Luke Glaser, and Josh Jackson

Debate
Allie Curttright placed in the top five at State Debate.  She also won two first place Student Congress medals this year.  Erin Wiebe won a first place Student Congress medal also.

DECA

National DECA Results:
National DECA took place in Anaheim, CA
Katie Rogers—placed in the top 20% on her exam in the Principles of Marketing category
Cody Tomlinson, Andrew Driscoll, Sam Roberts—placed in the top 18 out of 166 teams in their School Based Enterprise project

Other DECA Interesting Facts:
Raised over $4,000 for Breast Cancer Awarness
Raised over $200 for Muscular Dystrophy
Raised over $100 for military families
Attended two leadership conferences, Fall Leadership Conference in La Vista, NE and Central Region Leadership Conference in Detroit, MI
Cody Basch is the newly elected State DECA president for Nebraska
Donated over $500 canned items to a local food pantry in Papillion
Donated over 135 coats to a local shelter in Papillion

Drama
International Thespian Festival Qualifiers
Zach Little & Brady Vigness- Duet Musical Theatre
Alyssa Vrable- Solo Musical Theater
Gracie Murtha- Monologue
Ben Thornburg & Jenna Lower- Duet Acting
Marissa Todd-Set Design
Kelsie Stessman-Costume Design

International thespian Honor Society new Members
Joe Cudney, Nic Caberos, Lauren Feden, Hannah Glaser, Allison Johnson, Tasha Knowles, Max Lambie, Juliette Morales, Jared Ott, Rachael Packard, Chelsea Palafox, Matthew Parker, Morgan Parriott, Emily Peter, Marissa Todd, and Alyssa Vrable

Honorary Member Robyn Little

2013-2014 International Thespian Honor Society Officers
President: Zach Little
Vice President: Maz Hauze
Secretary: Maggie Murtha
Clerk: Sadie Denker
Historian: Kelsie Stessman
Web Masters: Tyler Nordbrock
Publicist: Abby Feden

4 successful shows this season
West Side Story
Holiday Spectacular
The Foreigner
10 years in review

2012-13 Titan Acting and Dramatic Achieve Awards
Outstanding Supporting Actress—One Act - Chelsea Palafox
Outstanding Supporting Actor– One Act - Max Lambie
Outstanding Actress—One Acts - Morgan Ellerbeck
Outstanding Actor—One Act - John Spinks
Outstanding Student Director - Cassidy Thomas, Grace Murtha, Chelsea Fry
Outstanding Newcomer - Jarod Ott
Most Improved Female - Kelsie Stussman
Most Improved Male - Nic Cabraos
Special Directors Award - Brenna Boyd
Outstanding Technical - Gage Gauchat, Zach Little
Outstanding Cameo Role - Abby Feden
Outstanding Supporting Actress - Maggie Murtha
Outstanding Supporting Actor - Brady Vigness
Outstanding Actress - Grace Murtha
Outstanding Actor - Frank Hupp
Service Award - Matt & Lisa Riccinni
Outstanding 4-year Male & Female Performer - Kim Hall, Mason Stoots
Outstanding Male & Female ITS - Luke Glazer, Nicole Riccinni
Titan Theatre Scholarship - Frank Hupp

National French Test
Miranda Kuzela (9th) ranked 2nd on the state level and 3rd on the national level
Jase Hueser (10th)  and Abby Feden (11th) ranked in the top 25% on the state and national levels
Allison Johnson (10th) and Rebecca Munoz (9th) ranked in the top 50% on the state level 

Journalism
NSAA State Journalism All-Class Finals
-David Daniel, 1st, Sports News Coverage
-Hannah Payne, 6th, Column Writing

NSAA State Journalism Class A1 Results
-Hannah Payne, 1st, Column Writing
-Haley Wert, 2nd, Column Writing
-Shelby Cornett and Katelyn Rowan, 3rd, Yearbook Theme Development
-Papio South, 5th overall

UNO High School Media Contest
-Titan Legacy, 3rd, Best Newspaper
-Katelyn Rowan, 1st, Best Sports Photograph
-A.J. Qvern, 1st, Best Cartoon
-Sarah Summers, 3rd, Best Feature Story

Nebraska High School Press Association Fall Convention
-Cornhusker Award, The Torch, with Golden Kernels for Readers Aids and Coverage
-Award of Distinction, South Star yearbook, Golden Kernel for Writing

Key Club
Key Club Officers for 2012 – 2013:
Morgan McCullough – President
Bailee Jensen
Emmalie Harris
Jessica Buckley
Rachel Robey

Leo Club
Sam Kim, Becca Mann, and Alexis Mills all were awarded scholarships based on community service hours

NJROTC
Distinguished Unit with Honors (3rd consecutive)
National High School Drill Team Championships
Unarmed Drill Overall Runner-up
1st place Armed Drill Team Exhibition
1st place Unarmed Drill Team Exhibition
2nd place Unarmed Drill Team Regulation
4th place Armed Drill Team Color Guard

Robotics
PLS Robotics had two teams compete in regional and national events including in a brand new event though AIM Institute. The AIM Institute challenge involved building robots around an open source computer board called an Arduino and doing custom electronics.  Our VEX Robotics groups worked hard to design and build partially autonomous robots that scored game objects, bean bags, in an elevated goal.  Both teams competed at the National Competition this year. 

Science Club
Physics Field Day at Creighton
1st in Chalk Talk (Prepared speech on an assigned physicist) – Josh Mueller
2nd Physics Quiz Bowl – Josh Mueller, Courtney Cournoyer, Cody VanZuiden
3rd Death Star Laser Aiming (optics) – Luke Brown, Cody VanZuiden, Justin Hezeltine

Science Olympiad
Our science Olympiad team consisting of  Courtney Cournoyer (12), Josh Mueller (12), Allie Curttright (12), Megan Yank (12), Becca Mann (12), Cody VanZuiden (12), Nicole Eagin (12), Emily Nelson (10), Lexie Stephenson (11), Rachel Cournoyer (11), Eliza Snyder (11), Vincent Nguyen (11), Aaron Ramsey (10), Summer Stanton (10), Mary Ann Yi (9), Zip Delong (9) placed 9th out of 28 teams at the Nebraska state science Olympiad. Below are the events and participants who earned medals.
Astronomy – 6th -  Becca Mann (12), Eliza Snyder (11)
Dynamic Planet – 6th -  Josh Mueller (12), Zip Delong (9)
Elastic Glider – 5th - Vincent Nguyen (11)
Experimental  Design – 6th - Megan Yank (12), Allie Curttright (12), Mary Ann Yi (9)
Materials Science – 4th - Josh Mueller (12), Nicole Eagin (12)
Remote Sensing – 6th - Josh Mueller (12), Megan Yank (12)
Tech Prob Solving – 5th - Nicole Eagin (12), Vincent Nguyen (11)
Thermodynamics – 3rd - Zip Delong (9), Courtney Cournoyer (12)

Environmental Science Award:  Brooke Vaught for having artwork selected for the 2014 Nebraska Environmental Calendar

Skills USA Medalists and National Qualifiers

• Cody Belding - Bronze in Diesel Technology and Service
• Jorden Morris - silver in Architectural Blueprint Reading
• Sarah Tetschner - silver in Early Childhood Education
• Clarissa Weers - silver in Advertising Design

State Champion Gold Medalists from Papillion LaVista South High Included:

• Mattie Cunningham for Early Childhood Education
• Josh Weinand for Architectural Blueprint Reading
• Clarissa Weers for Prepared Speech
• McKenzie Summerfield for First Aid / CPR
• Katelyn Rowan for Digital Photography
• Adam Morales for Job Demonstration Action Skills
• Zach Turner for Cabinetmaking (National Division)
• Dan Greco for Cabinetmaking (State Division)
• Alexis Cone, Katelyn Rowan and Mattie Cunningham for Promotional Bulletin Board.

Student Council
Megan Yank - All State Student Council
Lindsey Yank - elected the new NASC State Secretary

Ashley Blunk - recipient of the Dwight D Eisenhower Award.  She received this award for character, service and leadership.

Titans Helping Others
Gaming Club was able to raise $50 and 50 cans of food/toiletries for the TriCity Food pantry during our annual Game Day in March.

Teachers
Dr. Mellanee Kvasnicka is the 1st Teacher of the Year recipient

Jeff Nienhueser has been inducted in to the Educational Theatre Associations Hall of Fame

Mr. Nate Cate - BYU Golden Apple Award for Teaching Excellence