Article 4 Profile Final Draft; Morningside sophomore continues to cultivate her passion for agriculture.

Photo Courtesy of Megan Drey

At first glance, sophomore Megan Drey may not seem like your typical farmer. With her long dark hair and the largest grin ever seen on a person, her welcoming attitude and caring tone wouldn’t lead you to believe she spends her day working alone in a field. But, this young and outgoing woman has a passion for land like no other. 

Drey grew up working on her family farm in Early, Iowa, with her parents and two sisters. Since there were no boys, all three daughters would be on call to help her father with the farm chores.

One job Drey helps with is the castrating of the pigs. This last summer, Drey was helping with this chore, holding the pigs as her dad did the cutting. 

“I don’t have any boots so I just wear his and they are a bit big,” Drey said.

She had just put a pig down and was going to catch another one but felt something in her boot. She told her dad to hold the pig she just picked up while she dumped out her boot, because she felt something in it. 

“I found out that he accidentally threw one of the pig’s balls in my boot,” Drey said. “He just laughed because he knows how much I hate doing that job.”

Despite the messy and unpredictable work the farm offers, Drey enjoyed helping her father as a child. 

“Megan has always been so willing to come help me with any chore that needs to be done. Even when she’s on school breaks, she’ll wake up early to come drive the graincart or wagons and spend the day out on the field until about 6 or 7 p.m.,” Dean Drey, Drey’s father, said.

Even though she’s willing to spend her days on the field and in the barn, she never thought that she would be doing any type of agriculture for a career.

“Once I came to college and was away from the farm for the first time, I realized how much I missed it and that’s when I decided that’s what I really like to do,” Drey said.

Drey decided to come to Morningside College, only an hour away from home, to double major in applied agriculture and food studies and accounting, with a minor in business. 

“My dream job after graduation is to potentially work at a Farm Credit of Farm Bureau office, serving farmers either being an insurance agent or being an ag lender,” Drey says. “I really want to be able to have a job that allows me to be flexible so I can go back and work on the family farm.”

Drey’s love for agriculture is so big that she not only works in Agriculture department, but is also the Treasurer of the Ag Club. The club allows her to be a leader on top of working with familiar materials. 

“Megan works well with others and is willing to participate in a variety of activities. She was actually a part of a group of students that represented Morningside at the 2019 National Future Farmers of America convention in Indianapolis, receiving first place in the categories of ‘Community Service’ and ‘Fellowship’ in the Alpha Tau Alpha Conclave. They competed against 10 other schools including Division 1 schools,” Agriculture Club advisor, Daniel Witten, said.

Only on her second year, Drey has some time to go before she can live her dream of working with farmers as well as on her farm. Until then, she plans to continue working on her father’s farm when she goes back home for breaks and weekends, further increasing her love for the independent, diligent work the farm offers her. 

Classmate Story Redo: A baker arises from burnt cookies

Kristine Honomichl is a sophomore basketball player at Morningside College. She’s from Denver Colorado and loves animals.

As a teenager, Morningside College Sophomore, Kristine Honomichl was unaware just how significant burning a batch of cookies would be in her life, sparking a love for baking in the end.

She comes from a family of bakers, who would always show up to holiday parties with homemade treats. But, it wasn’t until high school that Honomichl fell in love with the art of creating desserts.

“I didn’t get hooked until my freshman year of high school when I was trusted to operate the oven without burning the house down,” Honomichl joked.

One day after school, Honomichl wanted to give baking cookies by herself a try. Finding a recipe, she realized they were out of flour and made the decision the cookies would bake fine without the ingredient. 

“I put the cookies on a pan and remember thinking to myself ‘These cookies suck!’ I baked them anyways and they ended up burnt,” Honomichl said.

Even though she felt all grown up and didn’t want help from anyone, the burnt cookies proved to her that she did, indeed, need her mother’s help. 

“When I called her, she pointed out that flour is very important for cookies to bake correctly. She said that we could go to the store that night and try baking a new batch the next day,” Honomichl said.

After that incident, Honomichl had a newfound love for the challenges and satisfaction that baking presented. She continues to hone in on her passion almost five years later.

Kristine Honomichl’s dream cake creation. Honomichl has a Pinterest board titled “Cakes” that includes more than 300 pictures. Photo courtesy of Pinterest

“Now, I love baking cakes,” Honomichl said. “I’m working on the decorating part, but I really enjoy the patience and detail that goes into making a cake!”

Honomichl hopes to one day open her own bakery, where she can pursue her passion of baking and selling birthday cakes and other tasty treats.

Story #3: Three Broadcast Stories Script

It’s a good Morning here at Morningside College! It’s Kassidy Hart here with the three of the latest news stories.

First up, with the release of Apple’s AirPod Pros on Wednesday, will more students be purchasing the earbud?

Sophomore Jaedyn Mauck uses AirPods opposed to regular earbuds to listen to music daily.

“I like airbods because they are easier to use on the chords because the cords get in the way.”

To improve the original AirPods model, Apple added additional features and a new design for the new AirPod Pros. These features include silicone design tips, noise cancellation and sweat and water resistance.

With this new product, students may be tempted to pay the expensive price for a better listening experience. 

Next up, lawmakers in New York City looking to ban tackle football for children under the age of twelve because it may be “too dangerous”.

As the year 2020 approaches, New York is one of the first states to consider banning dangerous sports and creating a safer sporting environment for children. 

Sophomore Carlie Wilson says that danger was a part of her everyday life and she turned out fine.

“I used to jump out of my six-foot-tall playhouse to see how far I could get.”

The reason they are banning the sport is a bit more than a few scrapes and scratches though. The sport may be causing chronic traumatic encephalopathy, also known as CTE.

Whether the sport is a cause of CTE or not, one thing is clear: with the advanced developments in science, the world is pointed towards becoming a safer place for future generations of children.

Last, but not least, what is the best tip you’ve ever received? For this server in Missouri, it was a fifty-thousand-dollar lottery ticket.

Taylor Russey said that the regular who left her the ticket usually buys the rest of the regulars in the bar when the lottery is high a ticket. 

Sophomore Maleah Richter comments on what would she would do with the winnings if she were in Russey’s position.

“I would use the fifty-thousand-dollars to make off student loans and give a little back to the guy who gave me the winning lottery ticket.”

Fifty-thousand dollars is definitely a hefty amount and many students would use the money to pay off student loans.

And that’s all for today, folks. Have a great day and Go Mustangs!

Story 1. https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/30/tech/apple-airpods-pro-available-today/index.html

Story 2. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/10/31/new-york-considers-ban-youth-tackle-football-sparks-cte-debate/4107795002/

Story 3. https://abcnews.go.com/US/bartender-tipped-winning-50000-lottery-ticket/story?id=66613850

Article #2 Revised: Full-time students at Morningside College work diverse jobs, on and off campus.

Morningside College students give insight on the advantages and disadvantages of working different types of jobs while in school.

Photo courtesy of http://www.ciu.edu/campus-life/career-experience/on-campus-employment

Before even applying for a job, students must first decide if they want to get a job on or off campus. Those who are offered work study through financial aid have an easier time making this decision.

Maddie Dotzler, Morningside’s work study and student financial coordinator, works directly with students on finding jobs and keeps them up to date with open positions on campus via email. Dotzler encourages getting a job on campus for any student involved in athletics or extracurriculars. 

“Campus employers manipulate the work schedule to go around their open times when they do not have practice and classes,” Dotzler says. 

Maleah Richter, sophomore and soccer player, was offered work study on campus and now has two jobs on campus: one in the business office and one on the campus set-up crew.

“I knew Morningside had basically guaranteed me a job on campus when I saw that I was eligible for work study. I thought it was the smarter choice to go with a job they had for me here because it eliminated the need for transportation and gave me flexible hours,” Richter said.

Students not eligible for work study might consider working a job off-campus, gaining outside benefits that the school’s campus payroll could not offer them through a job on-campus.

“The best benefit of working an off-campus job is probably the pay, but it is a bit more difficult to adjust my schedule,” said freshman Kelly Nguyen, a Wal-Mart employee. “At first, my work schedule did interfere with tennis practices because of the amount of hours I was working.”

To balance working almost 26 hours a week, on top of being a full-time student athlete, Nguyen keeps a planner with her daily responsibilities.

“I also try to throw study sessions into my day, like when I’m waiting for my next class to start,” Nguyen said.

Most students are grateful to be paid higher wages and get scheduled more hours at an off-campus job, but many do not understand the difficulties of balancing a part-time job with classes and activities until they have experienced it first-hand.

Sophomore Karlie Reagan worked as a server at Texas Roadhouse her freshman year but chose to get a new job when she returned to campus. Reagan now works as a tutor and study hall proctor for the wrestling team.

“Texas Roadhouse had better pay but couldn’t compete with the ease of a campus job. On campus, you don’t have to worry about driving anywhere or working with people you don’t know or don’t trust,” Reagan said. 

For Reagan, a new job meant yet another hiring process. She said that the school had an effective way of hiring students, especially if they previously had any sort of on-campus position. 

“You don’t have to do paperwork, you just have to contact the right people,” Reagan stated.

Other students have decided that the experience of the job is just as important as the money earned is. Because of this, they actually have two jobs – one on campus and one off campus.

Junior Hailey Barrus works both as a Morningside student ambassador in the admissions office and as a barista at Stone Bru Coffee. This has proved to be challenging, but also possible because Barrus is determined and strong-willed.

“I have class most days from 8am-3pm then I usually go to work from 3:30-6:30 and, then, in the evening I usually catch up on homework or have rehearsal for something I am involved in,” Barrus said.

Even though she is busy, Barrus sees having an additional off-campus job as a way to network and practice professional skills required for her anticipated career.

“It is a different atmosphere that allows me to branch out to people that are not on campus. Both of these jobs, I feel, prepare me for the future because I am constantly using my communication skills,” Barrus said.

Whatever job a student may decide to get, Dotzler encourages them to communicate with friends, teammates, and classmates about their work experiences. 

“I think that a lot of communication helps students figure out what they would like and not like in a job, especially while they have other obligations to school,” Dotzler says. 

Positivite Attitude, Positive Life

Photo courtesy of https://twitter.com/alexjwatters

Alex Watters, a City Councilman of Sioux City and the Career Development Specialist at Morningside, has tried his hardest to live a life that radiates positivity and self-support.

He came to Morningside in 2004 as a freshman in college on a golf scholarship with a dream to become a teaching pro. “When I was 18, like many teenagers, I was very self-centered and worried about three things: making money, talking to girls, and golf,” Watters said. 

Just two weeks into his freshman year, he was involved in an accident that left him unable to move from the waist down with limited functioning in his arms. 

Although life-altering, this accident did not stop Watters from achieving great success, going back to school and furthering a career in political science, an area he is very passionate about.

“I think you can really make a difference in politics. Politics are so perverted and misdirected now that people forget politicians are there to make a difference,” Watters explained.

Watters has worked on multiple campaigns throughout his life, but he realized how big of an impact he had during his time working for former President Barack Obama as a field organizer here in Sioux City. A volunteer came in who wanted to help but was unable to knock on doors, so Watters hired her as the office manager. Even though it doesn’t seem like a big deal to most, this woman felt like Watters gave her life purpose.

Along with his achievements in politics, Watters also finds inspiration in focusing time and effort into his advisees here on Morningside’s campus. 

“The most fulfilling part of my job is seeing students succeed and being a part of that success!” Watters said.

Watters says he understands there’s privilege in the world, but ultimately, people determine their destiny. 

The best piece of advice Watters had to offer was that “You truly determine your destiny, what you’re going to do, and what you’re going to achieve.” 

Article #1 Final: Morningside students are surprised when Sioux City Police show up on “Survivor Night”

The weekend before fall semester classes began, Sioux City Police patrolled the Morningside area, seeming to be aware that students were planning to participate in “survivor night”.

Photo found: https://siouxcityjournal.com/sioux-city-police-patrol-car/image_6e4f3f06-90c1-5bc7-a3f7-231fb79d3f38.html

“Survivor night” is an end of pre-season tradition where multiple off-campus houses host parties throughout the weekend. These parties were meant to celebrate the survival of pre-season conditioning and practicing before the semester begins for the college students. 

“It’s a weekend where we can just relax and enjoy the time we have with our newfound friends on our sports’ teams, a break in between a stressful time of conditioning and practicing every day that turns into classes and homework as well as preparing for seasonal games,” an anonymous source said.

Typically, the athletes wanting to take will choose a date that is two or three weekends before school starts, ensuring only pre-season athletes would be in attendance. Some students were shocked to learn that this year’s gaggle of parties were planned to happen only days before the first day of classes. 

With it being that close to the start of the school year, many who were not a part of a sports’ team and already on campus for pre-season, attended these parties, almost doubling the size they would have originally been.

One reason the amount of people attending the parties that weekend was unexpectedly high could be that Morningside welcomed the third-largest freshmen class in the last two decades, according to a Morningside press release. This increase for sure bumped the party attendance up quite a few notches.

The number of students attending the multiple off-campus parties was the leading reason police were able to find the parties so quickly. They were quick to follow students who were wandering the streets at late hours of the night. The police weren’t looking to make any arrests but they did want to ensure that students saw their active role in the community.

In fact, News 7 KWWL reported that police in Dubuque, Iowa, did this same thing by going out at the beginning of the semester “not to just bust parties, but rather to talk with students… about practicing safe habits this school year”.

This seemed to be the same goal Sioux City Police had in mind when they went out.

Although they knocked on doors and stopped students walking around at night with back-packs, police decided to give students simple warnings instead of handing out fines or arrests, one anonymous student said.

“They said that if we were not 21, we just had to dump out the alcohol and then we could be on our way for the night,” said the source. “But, they warned us that this would not be the case for every weekend.”

One attorney’s office, Worgul, Sarna, & Ness Criminal Defense Attorneys, warns of the consequences that ensue when a house party is busted. Police will bust a house party due to complaints, but they usually can’t enter the house unless they suspect illegal activities. Drunk teenagers outside of the house can be enough cause. If found to be partaking in illegal drugs or drinking when you’re a minor, serious consequences most likely will occur that align state guidelines and consequences.

Cookies, a Goat, and a Journal.

Let Me Introduce to You, Kristine Honomichl

08.25.2019

Meet Kristine Honomichl. Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, she ended up at Morningside College by being recruited to play on the basketball team. Fascinated by learning about the human brain and how it works, Honomichl chose to major in Psychology and minor in Business. Even though she loves learning about the world of psychology, she is not sure where her Psychology degree will take her after graduation. She does know that she could one day use her business degree to share her passion of baking with others, as well as her delicious chocolate chip cookies, when she opens up her own bakery!

Kristine Honomichl comes from a family full of bakers. Every holiday, a relative would show up with some sort of treat they made. “I didn’t get hooked on [baking] until high school, though, when I was trusted to operate the oven without burning the house down,” joked Honomichl. As a perfectionist, Honomichl was presented with a challenge every time she tried baking something new, yet never backs down. This was how she fell in love with baking!

Another hobby of Kristine Honomichl’s is keeping a journal. She uses it to regulate her daily thoughts and emotions, analyzing the events she may have encountered. “It helps me to de-stress after a long day,” Honomichl explained. Along with journaling, Honomichl said that she loves animals. Currently, she owns one cat named Elizabeth, however she has owned a couple of other animals throughout her life. At one point, her family had a Pomeranian who ran away. Shortly after that, her family entered a raffle at a rodeo and won a goat! They decided the goat would be a great friend for their horse, but unfortunately the two did not get along. Honomichl’s family decided to sell the goat after only two days.

Kristine Honomichl, though seemed quiet at first, was more than willing to welcome me into a piece of her life as I interviewed her! She bubbled over with joy as she told me about her family, animals, and hobbies. It was great getting to know her and learning about what makes her, her!