|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
||||
|
|
|
2007 Pound Middle School Scholarship Winners Kara Mieth Remembers Mr. Young Pound Middle School had a great impact on my life and helped develop me into the person that I am today. While at Pound, my academic interests changed quite a bit. I had never enjoyed science until the day I walked into Mr. Young's science room. Sure, Mr. Young had the reputation of being strict, but what I experienced with Mr. Young was his desire to help individual students excel. As the year started, I was in the regular science class. Right away, Mr. Young saw that I was a bit different from a majority of the kids in my class and noticed that I might appreciate being placed into the Diff Science class, there I could push myself to my fullest potential. He talked to my parents at parent teacher conferences about this and I was surprised to hear that he had noticed so much about me in so little of a time period. I was soon placed into the Diff Science class and Mr. Young made a point to make me feel welcomed. One of the most important things Mr. Young taught me was the importance of good study habits. Never before had I been asked to memorize so many facts and numbers except for when we memorized our states and capitols in fifth grade. Almost weekly we had a test in science over things such as the periodic table and elements and it was imperative that I had studied before them. Mr. Young made sure we realized the importance of studying before these tests and helped us think of ways to study to learn faster and memorize more efficiently. Besides his teaching, Mr. Young also made an effort to make class enjoyable for everyone with his daily humor. I remember walking into class and sitting down. If someone had a boyfriend or girlfriend in the hallway, he would wait for the bell to ring and start singing a love song about them. Today as seniors in high school that might not be so funny, but when we were in eighth grade it was absolutely hilarious and embarrassing. With the knowledge and skills I had gained in Mr. Young's eighth grade science class, I have been able to be very successful in my high school career. The skills of studying have helped me do well in not only my science classes, which I still enjoy, but in all of my classes. I am glad that I can look back at my experience at Pound and have so many happy memories that have helped me get to where I am today. Jacob Leuenberger Remembers Mary Ann Tomlinson Mrs. Tomlinson influenced my life in my eighth grade year when I was in her Creative Writing class. It was in her class that I began to really enjoy writing fiction, and it was due to her encouragement of my writing. I strove to make my writing the best it could be in that class, and looked for different styles that I enjoyed. She helped the class explore many different ways to write a story, and the one that stuck with me the most was when she had us each write a sentence and pass the story on. Now, in high school, my friends and I have started a similar idea, only we each write a page before passing it on. Our story is turning out to be quite complex and interesting, and we are going to try to see if anyone would be interested in publishing it once we finish, and it is thanks to Mrs. Tomlinson that we got the idea in the first place. I also explored a more serious side of fiction writing during that class, and I have begun writing a novel. Mrs. Tomlinson was always kind and supportive of her students' writing, and would often have us read our stories to each other so that we could appreciate each others' work, as well as learn more about different writing styles and receive constructive criticism. Mrs. Tomlinson was also supportive in her main role as a counselor. While she was not my grade's counselor, she was always available to talk to and would give students advice if they were struggling. She was a good listener, and loved to listen to students about either their lives or their stories that they were writing. I enjoyed having her as a teacher because of the supportive role that she played. Mikaela Kleeb Remembers Jim Schulz The Scales I had heard stories about the man. Everyone said he was mean, hard, and intimidating. I even knew what I was getting myself into when I signed up for band. What other teacher was there? None other but Mr. Schultz (sic), and I was terrified of him. Most of the rumors were right. Mr. Schultz was one of the most intimidating people I had ever met. He always looked at you with an unwavering eye, spoke in a clear, loud, confident voice, and expected a lot out of you. He was whole-heartedly pleased with your successes, and also whole-heartedly disappointed with lack of ambition. Mr. Schultz loved the scales...oh, those scales. From the chromatic scales to the blues scales to the dreaded fishbowl scales, I played that clarinet until I knew them like the back of my hand. My most vivid memory from Pound Middle School was walking into Mr. Schultz's scary little office and picking out two random scales from the fishbowl to play right there in front him. I swear I was trembling from head to toe, but I was bound and determined not to let him see my nervousness. At one point, I was even privileged enough to be first chair clarinet in Mr. Schultz's band. Oh boy, was I proud of myself for that one. To gain the respect and acceptance as a good clarinet player was no easy task, and it seemed I had accomplished it. This didn't mean I was any less terrified of Mr. Schultz, I just felt more confident. I'll never forget Mr. Schlutz's reaction when he found out I was not planning on continuing with clarinet in high school. I had decided that between school, sports, and music I would just not have enough time. Mr. Schultz did all he could to convince me otherwise, but I would not budge. In the end, I felt that I had failed him. I've seen him here and there since then, and he is always genuinely interested in me and my life and, of course, adds in that he's disappointed in my choice not to continue clarinet. I'll admit, at times I have regretted not playing clarinet in high school. I hear about band competitions that Southeast has won, or listen to them play beautiful music, and wonder what it would be like to be a part of that. Then I remember that it's not Mr. Schultz up there to conduct us. It's not Mr. Schultz in the confident way he carries himself and continuous support of our young dreams. It's not Mr. Schultz and his extreme passion for music. And I know, deep in my heart, that no matter how scared I was going to band everyday, and despite all the stories I heard, I'm so glad I took middle school band and was taught discipline, hard work, and confidence from none other than Mr. Schultz. 2006 Pound Middle School Scholarship Winners Pound Winner Andrew Ganz Remembers Mrs. Gould Over the course of my three years at Pound, I encountered many teachers who made an impact on my life. It was difficult to decide which teacher was the most influential, but the person that stands out the most in my mind is my 9th grade geometry teacher, Mrs. Karen Gould. As much as she taught me in geometry, it was our shared passion of world affairs that allowed us to form a bond. Although I always did well in her class, Mrs. Gould could tell that math was not where my true interest lay. One day after class, she inquired as to what topics piqued my curiosity. I told her that from a young age I had always had an interest in the events that shape our world, especially those taking place in the Middle East. Coincidentally, Mrs. Gould was reading a book detailing the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Over the course of the rest of the year, Mrs. Gould and I recommended many books to each other and had many exciting discussions on current events, which were particularly intriguing in the post-September 11th world. Even after she moved to Kansas, Mrs. Gould and I stayed in touch, and she sent me multiple articles about issues in the Middle East. After 9th grade, I continued to pursue my interest in world issues. As this interest grew and expanded, it became clear to me that I wanted to find a college with a program that would suit my interests. Thanks, in part, to the encouragement of Mrs. Gould, I will be attending George Washington University≠s Elliott School of International Affairs in the fall, where I can pursue my interests to their fullest potential.
Pound Winner Meagan Smedjir Remembers Mr. Bougger As a freshman who was supposed to be in high school, I was stuck attending Pound Middle School. When I was in ninth grade, I looked at this as being the worst situation because many of my other friends were in high school, and I was stuck in middle school. As I look back on that year now, I am very grateful that I went to Pound for my ninth grade year, and waited until my sophomore year to attend Southeast High School. One of the reasons that I am most grateful to have attended Pound during my freshman year is because of my Civics teacher, Mr. Bougger. While I may not have been thinking about college at that time, Mr. Bougger taught me many things about our government, as well as many valuable lessons that were not included in the official curriculum for ninth grade Civics. Today, as a senior at Lincoln Southeast High School, I am on the path to college, and faced with the huge decision of deciding my future. The things that Mr. Bougger taught me in ninth grade are still influencing me today. The first thing that Mr. Bougger taught me was to have faith in our government. The faith that he helped to instill in me when I was only fourteen years old has driven me to actively pursue my knowledge of various political candidates in an effort to be an informed voter. In order to be an informed voter, one, of course, must be a registered voter, and due to the influence of Mr. Bougger, I now feel confident expressing my beliefs and faith in this country. The second was to appreciate the fact that we get to live in this country, under a representative democracy, and to appreciate the basic freedoms that we receive simply by living in the United States. In light of many of the current situations and conflicts in the world today, I am especially grateful for the fact that I live in the United States, which is partly due to the passion that Mr. Bougger had and willingly displayed during his class. The third, and possibly most important, thing that Mr. Bougger did for me was to capture my interest in our government and history in general. Since Mr. Bougger≠s class, I have gone on to take many more advanced history classes and participate in the We the People State Competition. I have also decided to study history when I go to college at the University of Nebraska at Kearney. The lessons that Mr. Bougger taught me have influenced me way past getting a grade in his class, and I am proud to say that because of Mr. Bougger and his ninth grade Civics class, I had an amazing start to my high school career. Pound Winner Kara Maize Remembers Senora Swanson My first experiences with the Spanish language occurred at Pound Middle School in the eighth grade. Most students take Spanish to fulfill the two year high school graduation requirement in the LPS system, and I, myself, may have signed up for the course for the same purpose that year. However, once immersed, I fell in love with the language and it was apparent that there was ≥mucho más español≈ in store for me. My emerging passion for the language was no doubt influenced by my teacher, Senora Swanson. And, equally significant, my interest in the culture of the Spanish people was instigated by Senora Swanson. I was impressed with her worldly nature; I was amazed by the many stories she told of her traveling experiences abroad. She shared a strong sense of respect for other nationalities and the traditions and languages that embodied their ways of life. In the class, I learned much more than how to conjugate verbs or use Spanish vocabulary to tell people my name. I learned about the diversity of humankind. I was introduced to the pleasure one could have while studying the unique lifestyles and languages of societies worldwide. My experience in Spanish class at Pound made a huge impact upon my life. As I began high school at Lincoln Southwest, I continued to take Spanish courses and was presented with an unforgettable opportunity during my sophomore year. I heard about and eagerly signed up for the LPS immersion trip abroad to Spain, a trip that Senora Swanson would be chaperoning. While in Spain, I stayed with a local host-family and participated in all their daily activities. I had an amazing time applying my language skills that had been founded in Senora Swanson≠s Spanish class at Pound Middle School. I was able to experience first-hand the cultural diversity she had taught us about. I was able to begin creating for myself a more worldly attitude like the one my admired teacher possessed. The influence of my Pound Spanish experience has extended even beyond high school experiences. I have recently decided that I would like to pursue a major in Spanish during college, in addition to the one in elementary education that I had been planning on. Additionally, I am looking forward to studying abroad in a Spanish-speaking country during my college career. Back in middle school, I never would have expected that language would become such an integral part of my studies and future. And, had it not been for Senora Swanson and the positive introduction she gave me to the language, it is quite possible that I would have only fulfilled the two year graduation requirement and missed out on an unforgettable ≥experiencia española≈!
2005 Pound Middle School Scholarship Winners Pound Winner Nicole Pepperl Remembers Madame Beller I first met Mary Beller when Cathy Christiansen, the gifted facilitator and an English teacher at Pound Middle School, told me that she had found the perfect mentor. She was right. Mary Beller was my French mentor at Pound Middle school for two years. A vivacious woman, she loved to learn and to teach, but most especially to teach a love of learning. Born in Istanbul, Turkey, she moved to Brazil to escape Nazi activity, and finally made her home here in Lincoln, Nebraska. She had shared many lively anecdotes from her adventuresome life with me, unfortunately my knowledge of French was not always up to the challenge of translation. Madame Beller, as I called her, taught not only French grammar and vocabulary, but also a desire to learn languages and marvel at their intricate beauty. She herself spoke English, French, Greek, Portuguese, Turkish and Romanian. She taught that language was not just linguistics and semantics, but also culture. Her favorite classroom activity was to read French folk tales aloud, which provided an opportunity to teach a moral lesson and correct my pronunciation at the same time. Eagerly, she came to class each day; my 88 year old mentor refused to be restricted by her age, going so far as refusing to admit she even had a birthday. The word most often used to describe Madame Beller was sweet. She won the hearts of everyone she met. Our classroom was in the media center and before class she would always chat with the media specialists. She enjoyed teaching and she radiated that joy wherever she went. She sought to share knowledge instead of merely teaching by rote. There is a certain amount of repetition necessary to learn any, language, nevertheless Madame Beller deftly interspersed the dull, but necessary activities with new and interesting ones. I continued to take lessons from Madame Beller for another year after graduating from Pound. On June 11, 2003, she died. As a testament to her teaching and kind generosity she founded a scholarship for French students. Her living legacy was the students she left behind, those who had shared in her gift, who had learned her love of language and learning. Before I met Madame Beller I had never quite understood the lure of languages. I could comprehend the practical uses for translation and business, but had never wanted to learn one for fun. I discovered that learning a new language not only grants material benefits, it also helps one to better understand the world and one≠s own language. By learning another language one learns new patterns of thought. I am disappointed that Madame Beller is no longer here to continue to teach, but she gave me a solid foundation to build upon and a desire to make it a glorious building. Driven by her love of scholarship, she spread that love to everyone she met. As her life had been a source of learning, her death was a time for solemn remembrance and reflection. I am just now beginning to appreciate what Madame Beller taught me about French, about learning, and perhaps, about life. Pound Winner Nicole Rathbun Remembers Mrs. Kuszak's Assignment and Her Grandfather While attending Pound Middle School, I had many experiences that I will never forget. I was involved in many activities, and had a number of teachers that really stood out in my mind. I feel that I really took advantage of my three short years, and enjoyed my time spent there. Looking back on my young adolescent years, one particular even really stands out in my mind. In my seventh grade English class, Mrs. Kuszak gave us an interesting assignment. We were told to interview a grandparent, or older individual in our life. We were to find out what their life was like growing up, and how times are different now. The assignment couldn≠t have come at a better time. My grandfather had been recently put in a Lincoln Hospital where he was battling cancer, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to spend some stress free time with him. I went to the hospital everyday after school, and we would visit until they brought him his dinner. I learned so many things about him, and never laughed so hard. It was a good break from reality for everyone. After two weeks, my grandfather≠s health started deteriorating, and the laughs became fewer and fewer. One afternoon, I approached my grandpa≠s bed, and he immediately asked me if my paper was done. I told him I would bring it the next day, and he told me it was very important that I did. I walked in with my paper, and he asked me to read it out loud. It was very hard to hold back the tears, as I proudly read my dying grandfather≠s accomplishments to him. After I was finished, he told me he loved it, and was proud of everything I do. I gave him a kiss, and left the hospital. That night, we received a call that he had passed. I honestly believe without that one assignment, I wouldn≠t have known everything what my grandpa did. I became closer with him in those last few weeks. I feel there was a reason he stayed strong that one last day, and I feel closure with his death. This one experience at Pound has changed not only the way I look at my grandpa, but the way I look at life as well. I will never forget the time I spent with him, and I have Mrs. Kuszak and an English assignment to thank for it. |
|
||||
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
||||||
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
||||
