Bighorn news: First assembly and Cantaloupe Festival

Senior Spotlight: Gabriella Stiehl

Senior Class President Gabriella Stiehl started at Oasis in third grade. Her experience at Oasis has been one of growth and making memories.

“I was very shy during elementary school, then in middle school I grew out of my shell,” Stiehl said. “I realized how much life had to offer.”

Those middle school years lead her to a change in her focus.

“I started spending time focusing on school work and making memories with friends. In high school, I was so nervous, but I’ve ended up having some of the best years of my life,” she said.

Those memories include a favorite core memory.

“One of my favorite moments here at Oasis was when my friends and I were coming back from lunch and the sprinklers were on outside,” Stiehl explained. “It was really hot, and we all decided that we would cool off by running through them. Even though we went to class soaked, we all enjoyed the time spent together.”

Along with the memories Stiehl knows the value of the education she has received at Oasis.

“Being a student at Oasis Academy has provided me with a good education along with the experience of growing up,” she said. “I’ve learned so many things about myself and others here at Oasis and don’t regret anything.”

Stiehl has one teacher she’d like to thank for his dedication.

“One teacher that I would like to thank is Mr. Eric Grimes. He was the most fun teacher that I had,” Stiehl said. “Even though I was not a fan of history, he made sure that I was still on top of my game. He showed me what an involved teacher at school looks like. He was and still is a teacher that demonstrates dedication and compassion toward students.”

Along with academics Stiehl has been very involved in student council. She is currently the Senior Class president and has taken the lead or helped organize many of the school events and dances.

“My favorite class has been and is currently student council. During that class, I have gotten to experience what it is like to be a part of something much bigger and gotten to be part of the decision-making process,” she said.

Stiehl will graduate in May with her Associate of Arts degree and high-school diploma. She then plans to spend one last summer with family and friends while getting ready to attend Grand Canyon University.

“My advice for future students is to realize now that everyone is going to change and grow, so don’t get too caught up in the past,” Stiehl said. “Also, involve yourself in school activities. You only get four years of high school. Therefore, make the most of them and encourage others to participate at events as well.”

Cantaloupe Festival and Kiss the Pig

The Cantaloupe Festival was a busy time for Oasis Academy. Along with Oasis being a sponsor for the annual festival, students volunteered in various ways, students and staff participated in the rodeo, students submitted items for the fair, and of course the annual Kiss the Pig fundraiser.

“Every single year The Cantaloupe Festival grows so making sure Oasis is a part of the annual event is important,” said Melissa Mackedon, chief executive officer. “It is important for us to have a presence and answer questions the community has on what a public charter school is. It’s also important for our students to be represented in all aspects of the festival. Every year they impress me, whether it’s their winning art or their goats … our students are amazing.”

This year’s Kiss the Pig fundraiser candidates were Rob Carnahan, Banner Churchill Hospital chief executive officer; Adrienne Snow, Fallon Cantaloupe Festival executive director; Fallon Police officer Chris Bloomfield; and Brandon Bird, Churchill County Juvenile Detention director and Oasis Academy softball coach.

The winner was decided by donations received from the public at the festival. This year’s highest earner was Brandon Bird. Although he was first to kiss the pig, every other candidate was auctioned off for additional money and they too puckered up to kiss the pig.

“Kiss the Pig has become a tradition at the Cantaloupe Festival. Oasis FFA is so grateful for our amazing community members that participated this year and for everyone that voted through donations,” said Jackie Bogdanowicz, Oasis FFA adviser. “They each brought their own flair to kissing this year’s pig. This is the first year we’ve had props involved in the kissing thanks to Brandon.”

Kiss the Pig raised over $800 for Oasis FFA. The group raised additional money through their goat feeding pen. The funds will be used to help the students attend the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis this October.

New year, new spirit

High schoolers ran down the bleacher stairs, calling out numbers, “49!” “62!” “34!” in an effort to find their matching number. Games like this and more made the year’s first assembly a hit. New and old students alike met new people and reinvigorated their school pride for the upcoming year.

Intended to be the first school-wide event of the year, student council organizers started the assembly by introducing the new student council leadership team. They also recognized athletes participating in fall sports.

Alyssa Ayers and Fenn Mackedon served as emcees for the event.

Along with finding their number matches, classes battled to see who the ultimate dodgeball would be and collaborated with thoughtful conversation cards.

“It was a lot of fun getting to start the year off with games and getting to meet some of the underclassmen. I think it really helped everyone get more comfortable during their first week back,” said Amora Routt, senior and Student Council liaison.

Under the new leadership of Eric Grimes, the high school student council is working hard to get students involved, excited, and engaged about the opportunities available to them. Students will have weekly events to look forward to throughout the year.

— Hunter McNabb