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Scotus Central Catholic Volume 17 • Issue IV • February 7, 2017 Columbus, Nebraska 68601 http://issuu.com/scotusjournalism Wilson competes for crown By Eastyn Klink Staff Reporter Many students at Scotus participate in a variety of activities outside of school. One particular student is senior Alayna Wilson. On January 13-15, 2017, Wil- son competed in the Miss Nebraska Teen USA pageant. “I wanted to try something new,” Wilson said. In order to participate in the pageant, all contestants had to send in an application and be approved by a selection committee. There were two separate pageants going on at the same time: Miss Nebraska Teen USA pageant and Miss Ne- braska USA pageant. “There were a total of 22 teen contestants and 18 miss contes- tants,” Wilson said. Contestants from all over Nebraska traveled to Omaha’s Rose Theatre to compete for the crown. “I prepared for the pageant by staying active, eating healthy, studying interview questions, and practicing my walk many times,” Wilson said. Each contestant of the Miss Teen Nebraska USA and Miss Nebraska USA had to walk on stage wearing a variety of outfits, so the judges could critique and eliminate some women the first night. “The categories of the pageant were active wear, interviews, and evening gown. My favorite catego- ry was the evening gown portion because I loved my dress,” Wilson said. On the second day of the pag- eant, the contestants and audience found out who the ten contestants were that would compete again. After the ten contestants compet- ed, five of them were chosen to be finalists. “I was a semi-finalist and Miss Congeniality,” Wilson said. The five finalists then had to complete an interview on stage by answering one question from one of the contestants and another question from a judge. “My favorite part about the pageant was meeting so many new people,” Wilson said. On both days of the pageant, the contestants had to do a variety of activities as a group until it was time to do their own hair and make- up for the competition. “My least favorite part about the pageant days was having to wake up at 5:30 in the morning,” Wilson said. This was Wilson’s first pageant, and she is planning to compete in the Miss Twin Rivers/Sandhills Pageant in North Platte on February 5, 2017. “It was an experience I will never forget,” Wilson said. Senior Alayna Wilson is awarded Miss Congeniality at the Miss Nebraska Teen USA pageant on January 14, 2017. Wilson was one of twenty-two contestants and advanced to the top ten. PHOTO COURTESY ALAYNA WILSON By Mallory O’Hearn Staff Reporter Scotus has recently adopted a new protocol for emergency responses called SRP, which stands for Standard Response Protocol. This comes from the “I Love U Guys” Foundation that was started after Emily Keyes was held hostage and killed by a shooter who came into her high school on September 27 th , 2006. While being held hostage with six other girls, she texted her parents “I love you guys” and “I love u guys. k?”. The parents of Emily, Ellen and John-Michael Keyes, started this foundation in an attempt to help in any way possible. The I love u guys foundation has a precise mission in place. According to their website, “The ‘I Love U Guys’ Foundation was cre- ated to restore and protect the joy of youth through educational programs and positive actions in collaboration with families, schools, communi- ties, organizations and government entities.” Crisis team implements new safety protocol Rock Bottom See SAFETY, Page 2 Scotus students march for the voiceless By Emma Ruskamp Staff Reporter A group of Scotus students marches along with other members of the Archdiocese of Omaha at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. There were 800,000 people in attendance at the March for Life this year. KEATON KUDRON/YEARBOOK STAFF “When I say, pro, you say, life! Pro! Life!” Chants like this could be heard from the 800,000 protestors at the March for Life this year. Nearly forty Scotus students marched for the right to life in Washington D.C. at this year’s annual March for Life. “I marched this year because I wanted to give a voice to those who don’t have one,” senior Naomi Kosch said. “All life has value re- gardless of their social status, race, and lack of development.” The March for Life was pow- erful for many of the students that went. “My favorite experience was seeing people on the March and witnessing their conversion of heart was a good experience,” senior Tatem Vance said. The students marched all the way to the Senate House in Wash- ington D.C. “During the March, there were people on the streets holding signs that said, ‘I regret my abortion’ and ‘I regret my lost fatherhood’,” senior Mallory O’Hearn said. “This hit me because it was incredibly brave of them to do that, and I think that speaks volumes for women who think pro-lifers don’t understand.” Students left on Wednesday, January 25 th and spent a week tour- ing Washington D.C. and Pennsyl- vania. However, the climax of the pilgrimage for many was praying in front of an open abortion clinic in Philadelphia. “It is one thing to hear about abortions and Planned Parenthood, but it is another to actually see girls going into Planned Parenthood to get an abortion,” O’Hearn said. “It makes it so much more real and makes us that much more passionate about being pro-life and standing up for life.” Students stayed at the abortion clinic for more than an hour. “Praying for the women, work- ers, and babies at Planned Parent- hood was very powerful,” Kosch commented. Some other stops the pilgrims made were the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the National Shrine of St. Katherine Drexel, the National Shrine of St. John Neumann, and Reading Termi- nal, which gave the students a short break from the pilgrimage. “The Reading Terminal was awesome!” said senior Anthony Sprunk. “It was fascinating to see hundreds of people of different cul- tures and food in one place.” Although the students are on a bus ride for more than twenty hours going to the March, they traveled with their friends and students from other schools. “The bus ride was really fun,” senior Alison Zoucha said. “I was surrounded by my friends so we got to play games, talk, jam to music, and have fun.” The students attend the March in hopes that their protests will end abortion. “I hope one day when abortion is illegal I can tell my children that I helped end this holocaust of over 54 million innocent children,” Kosch said. For anyone considering attend- ing the March for Life next year, many students from Scotus will tell anyone wanting to go that it is completely worth it. “I think that the March for Life is an once-in-a-lifetime experience and I encourage everyone to take advantage of the opportunity,” se- nior Emerson Belitz said. “There’s nothing like standing up for what you believe in.” The boys’ basketball team continues on their path to the state tournament. Sports 6 & 7
