Senior spotlights with Braydon Rupert, Ginny Bytnar & Ross Booker

Ross Booker

Clubs & Activities
Football (1 year)
Maroon Platoon, FFA

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Older brother

Hobbies:
@orking on the farm, landscaping, working outside, and working on motors.

Favorite SJO memories:
During his freshman year, he started FFA and it was fun for Ross to get to know everyone. Two years later sometime during his junior year, he started to consider playing football at SJO. He followed through his senior year thoroughly enjoying every minute of it. He also really enjoyed all of the FFA events he participated in during high school.

Favorite classes:
Into to Ag, Consumers Ed, Ag Mechanics, BSAA, and all of his FFA and Agriculture classes.

Favorite teachers:
Mrs. Olson, Mrs. Mathis, Mrs. Max, and Mrs. Schoudel at PVO and Mr. Shawn Skinner, Ms. Pensinger, Mrs. Katie Duitsman, Mr. Marshall Schacht, Mr. Robert Glazier, Mrs. Jennifer Brooks, and Mr. Don Beckett at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
Parkland College, majoring auto mechanics with an emphasis in diesel mechanics.

Advice to future SJO students:
Do not take senior year for granted and to cherish every moment of high school because it is a fun and fast four years.

Ginny Bytnar

Clubs & Activities
Marching Band (4 years)
Spanish Club, Spanish Club Leader, We The People, Drama Club

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Hobbies:
Singing, reading, and hanging out with friends and family.

Favorite SJO memories:
Her favorite memory from high school is the Disney Showcase that she was a part of during her junior year. During her senior year, she really enjoyed the circle of memories band meeting for seniors this past fall.

Favorite classes:
Spanish, Physics, Economics, and all of her history classes.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Dunn at St. Joseph Grade School, Mr. Risley at St. Joseph Middle School, and Senor Zak Sutton and Mr. Kevin Simondsen at St. Joseph-Ogden High School.

College:
University of Illinois majoring in Electrical Engineering

Advice to future SJO students:
Use your time well and to ask for help because the staff and teachers are nice.


Braydon Rupert

Clubs & Activities
Basketball (4 years)
Maroon Platoon

Hometown:
St. Joseph

Siblings:
Three older sisters

Hobbies:
Watching movies, listening to music, and hanging out with friends and family.

Favorite SJO memories:
Playing basketball all four years. He enjoyed being a part of the basketball team, as it was a great family of players.

Favorite classes:
Intro to Ag with Mrs. Katie Duitsman and Algebra II with Mr. Kiel Duval.

Favorite teachers:
Mr. Duval, Mr. Kevin Simondsen, and Mrs. Stacey Kietzman

College:
Parkland College majoring in Construction Management

Advice to future SJO students:
Be prepared and to work hard.




Text & photos provided by St. Joseph-Ogden High School.





Food & Dining |
Recipe-of-the-week: 3 Layer Arkansas Possum Pie

The star of your next spread can be hidden away in the refrigerator for a surprise delight for your guests. It's topped with chocolate syrup and chopped pecans, and your loved ones just may vote it to be their favorite dish.

It's an Arkansas Possum Pie, made with three delicious layers and crunchy toppings for a show-stopping dessert.




Recent study suggests childhood trauma could haunt Illinois adults for life
New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 75% of U.S. high school students said they have had at least one adverse childhood experience, or ACE.

Research has shown ACEs can alter a child's brain chemistry and produce a prolonged toxic stress response. Experiencing at least one ACE as a child is linked to having alcohol and substance use problems in adulthood, and chronic diseases such as diabetes and obesity.


Op-Ed |
Tipped wage system isn't working, removing taxes won't save it
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What will? Replacing the subminimum wages that tipped workers make with one fair wage nationwide.

The federal minimum wage for most workers is just $7.25. But for workers who get tips, employers are allowed to pay them $2.13 an hour. If tips don’t raise your hourly pay to at least the ...
Health & Wellness |
Is it depression, ADHD or bipolar disorder?
Lavender Zarraga, APRN, a behavioral health provider at OSF HealthCare, says it’s not uncommon for her patients to ask for a medication that isn’t the right fit.

The culprit? She says symptoms of common mental health issues like depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and bipolar disorder can overlap. So, it’s important to stay in contact with your provider to make ...

In case you missed it |
America is ready for cheer, brightness and hope
When I was a child, I thought Christmas would never come. The weeks dragged by while I wore out the toy sections of the Sears and Penny's catalogs hoping Santa might stop by. I always looked for Santa Claus and tried to stay awake on Christmas Eve just to catch a glimpse of the jolly big guy.