The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express
The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express
The student news site of Stillwater Area High School

The Pony Express
Mira LaNasa

Mira LaNasa, Print Editor-In-Chief

Mira LaNasa is a senior and a Print Editor-in-Chief of the Pony Express who manages the photography department. She was born in South Korea and now lives in Hugo. She is a member of Amnesty International, Youth for Sustainable Solutions, and Feminists of SAHS.

All content by Mira LaNasa
Hear him Kaul: teaching beyond blackboards

Hear him Kaul: teaching beyond blackboards

Mira LaNasa, Print Editor-in-Chief
April 3, 2018
Seniors Maggie Jones, Chelsea Lai and Hannah Gilsdorf light 17 candles for the 17 Parkland victims during the March 14 walkout. "It was kind of metaphorical. When the candle was lit, it represented their life, so it was emotional," Jones said.

Remembering Parkland victims with walkout, demanding safety

Mira LaNasa, Print Editor-in-Chief
March 16, 2018
Senior Erica Lemcke and juniors Hannah Sween and Anna Weirz announce the names and ages of each victim of the Parkland shooting while other students light candles, one for each victim.

Seniors Maggie Jones, Chelsea Lai and Hannah Gilsdorf light 17 candles for the 17 Parkland victims during the March 14 walkout. "It was kind of metaphorical. When the candle was lit, it represented their life, so it was emotional," Jones said.

Select students made protest signs for the student-led walkout on March 14 to protest gun laws and school safety. "It was powerful to step through the doors with everyone, right at 10 a.m," Maggie Jones, senior and student leader said.

[Photo] Know your rights: guide to exercising First Amendment

Hannah Boardman, Print Editor-in-Chief
March 10, 2018
Senior Sintra Nichols plans to take a gap year to travel to Brazil thanks to a scholarship program called Global Citizen.

Gap year in Brazil means more than traveling to Nichols

Mira Lanasa, Layout Editor-in-Chief
February 12, 2018
Shaffer always comes back to family and perseverance

Shaffer always comes back to family and perseverance

Mira LaNasa, Editor-in-Chief
January 30, 2018
Brice Hafemeyer, long-lasting nickname 'Saudi'

Brice Hafemeyer, long-lasting nickname ‘Saudi’

Mira LaNasa, Print Editor-in-Chief
January 20, 2018
Racial colorblindness, declining to acknowledge one's race, negatively impacts colored people in more ways than one. "Research has shown that hearing colorblind messages predict negative outcomes among Whites, such as greater racial bias and negative affect, cites Psychology Today.

Racial colorblindness, a secret enemy

Mira LaNasa, Print Editor-in-Chief
December 7, 2017
River Grove provides 'nature-filled' elementary education

River Grove provides ‘nature-filled’ elementary education

Mira LaNasa, Editor-in-Chief
November 25, 2017
Vogel looks over her lines within her practice binder. “I’m glad we’re doing Grease. I think the whole cast is having fun with it,” Vogel says. Students are smiling and their energy and excitement can be felt during practice. The show will be a lot of fun to watch.

Sophie Vogel stars in ‘Grease’

Mira LaNasa, Editor-in-Chief
October 20, 2017
Freshman Rachel Folden utilises the lunchroom to socialize with friends. Despite many enjoying the social aspects of lunch, some students do not agree with how lunchtimes have recently been shortened. "I have to eat in class, so not happy," senior Tommy McGuire says.

[Photo] Four lunches cuts lunch time to 25 minutes

Jameson Stahl, Online Editor
September 1, 2017
The Ponies football team huddles during the homecoming game. “We all stand as one school,” Megan Ramberg says.

[Photo] Homecoming brings 1000th game and first-ever parade

Kaitlyn Kirby, Business Editor
September 18, 2017
District 834's transition from a junior high school to a middle school is bringing along many changes, including the addition of Pony Time, a study block surrounding lunches.

Pony Time study block instated soon

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
May 6, 2017
Ing-Mari and Dennis Ryan share thoughts on current curriculum. “I still enjoy doing it [teaching]. If you’re going to leave teaching, you usually do it within the first five years,” Dennis expresses. “These last two years I’ve had really nice kids. I wish they’d work a little harder sometimes, but they’re nice kids.”

Ryans maintain a 21 year marriage at SJHS

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
April 27, 2017
Junior James Wagner and seniors Matthew Dietrich, Jennah Slayton and Hailey Concepcion pose for their last note in their serenade. “Overall, Student Council does a great job at generating excitement for the week and I am very proud of all the effort I’ve seen being put into making this week as wonderful as it can be,” Balok says.

BLAST week provides opportunity for community to come together

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
February 17, 2017
Junior James Wagner and seniors Matthew Dietrich, Jennah Slayton and Hailey Concepcion rehearse their serenade audition in hopes of gaining a chance at being a part of the BLAST week festivities. “This year, we are dedicating February 15 to students and are showcasing the wonderful talents our student body has to offer,” Balok says. “As always, we will end our week with a school-wide pepfest to celebrate our students, complete with a student teacher basketball game.”

Seniors Jennah Slayton, Hailey Concepcion and junior James Wagner circle the chair during their serenade rehearsal. “Jennah chose the song Lucky by Jason Mraz. It’s a fairly simple, cute song and has a theme of love. For me, personally, it has been a good way to begin to sing music. The song is challenging at times to find my pitch, but with the help of my serenade group (especially Jennah), I have never been overwhelmed. It was, and is, a great choice for the occasion,” Wagner says.

Junior James Wagner and seniors Matthew Dietrich and Jennah Slayton rehearse for Valentine’s serenades, a BLAST week tradition. “Generally, the vast majority of the money we make goes towards BLAST grants that Student Council gives out to teachers to help pay for things in their classrooms, such as new materials and fun additions to learning experiences,” senior Emera Balok explains.

Junior James Wagner and senior Jennah Slayton rehearse their audition song for Valentine’s serenades. “The officers of orchestra host auditions where the different groups audition for the serenades. The money goes to the concert orchestra organization. We use it to go towards the tour that we will be taking in March to Pittsburg,” senior Emma Pelletier explains.

Jeff Ranta reads the Pony Express paper while visiting SAHS. “I got so involved as a student, as a student board member and as a student director, and I saw how busy everybody was and they didn’t have time with their families. So I did a shift, went back to school about 23-24, and got my teaching certificate,” Ranta says.

Ranta stays involved with school after retirement

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
January 6, 2017
Jeff Ranta poses for a photo after visiting with a past student. “I miss connections with students, and as soon as I see a student I’m so excited to see them, but I enjoy it. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how quickly I’ve been able to adjust to it after 36 years,” Ranta says. “I think I’m right where I expected to be, I really do. I think that I’ve always looked forward to every big change I’ve made, so I think I’m as happy as I could be.”

Jeff Ranta strolls through the halls of SAHS on a visit. “For the first two three months [of retirement] it was probably travel across the United States and Canada. From the mountains for a few weeks to being with my daughter down in Indiana and Ohio for a week, to up in Duluth for a week with my daughter who moved up there. Just traveling, and extended weekend trips. Doing wild rice harvesting, and fishing which I hadn’t been able to do,” Ranta explains.

Jeff Ranta reads the Pony Express and discusses his future plans. “Right now I’m focused on volunteering. I’m looking at getting involved with a couple of international schools, either Africa or South America. I’m looking at getting involved with a tutoring or food program. But I’d like to get involved with Habitat for Humanity, but those are all volunteers. I’m throwing around right now possibly helping with student teachers. Subbing, not yet, but I’ll probably work with the college level,” Ranta says.

Jeff Ranta visits SAHS and catches up on school news. “I’ve been to a couple of sporting games, and went to a bunch of soccer games. I went to the soccer game when they won the state tournament,” Ranta said. “It hasn’t exactly been a step back. I’m quite involved with the next astronomy teacher. I’ve met with her many times. It’s only my second time back here at the school though.”

Becky Mazzara, ASL teacher and NHS adviser, gets ready before an NHS meeting. "Just being part of the education community [is the best part], and…I’ve subbed in other districts and so far wherever else I’ve been this still feels like home," Mazzara says.

Becky Mazzara takes over as NHS adviser

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
November 16, 2016
Becky Mazzara prepares for an upcoming NHS meeting. “I’m really excited for Coffeehouse. I can’t wait to be a part of that. I know it’s a lot of work, but I keep thinking that if I have to work too hard, then I’m not doing the advising job right, because the students should be the ones who are really involved. I should more be…backstage,” Mazzara says.

Becky Mazzara, NHS adviser and ASL teacher, prepares for a Tuesday morning meeting. "These NHS kids are amazing. I mean they’re not only all super academically smart, but they’ve got such great common sense and they’ve got such good goals and morals. They’re academically great, they’re athletically involved, they’re involved with their school community, they’re involved in their home community. They just have so much to offer. They’re just such great, great kids, and that’s what I’m loving," Mazzara says.

Camyrn Davis, senior and NHS president, works on classwork. "If she has an idea, she’ll bring it up, and she’ll definitely follow through, and I saw that with Student Council too, but Mr. Engler has been a really awesome adviser, and really reliable and a great person," Davis says.

Camryn Davis, senior and NHS President, studies in class. "She definitely has [fulfilled the role], but we’re still kind of in transition mode. I still have to go to Mr. Engler sometimes because he’s kind of training her in right now, but the officers have met with her a couple times so far and she seems to know what’s going on, so that’s good," Davis says.

Meyer's morning advisory class meets to kick the day off. "It's what the school makes it. If the school makes it a valuable piece of the curriculum, it becomes a valuable piece of curriculum to the kids too," VanScoy says.

School board considers advisory for incoming ninth grade students

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
October 10, 2016
Students in an SJHS advisory class gaze around during instructions. "I really think it's that mindset, and that willingness to try, and that willingness to change when things aren't working," VanScoy says.

AJ Gunderson and David Helgeso have a friendly Rock, Paper, Scissors competition to get warmed up for the rest of the day. "I think that if the teachers don't buy into it, it will be wasted time. If everyone buys into its purpose and uses it in a productive manner I think it can be a great thing," Meyer says.

Students relax while listening to morning announcements. "Usually in advisory kids just don't do their homework like they should, or get random announcements that they don't really listen to," Smith says.

Jordan Eiselt, a ninth grader at SJHS makes it to the final round in an activity during advisory. "It [advisory] gives those kids a place where they can feel like it's home," Meyer says.

Students involve themselves in political clubs

Mira LaNasa, Layout Editor
September 25, 2016
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