I don’t even know where to begin. I have never felt a sense of belonging like I have with Omaha North. I am so grateful for the people that have helped me and the people that have let me help them. While I’m thankful for the relationships we have built, I can’t help but blame these relationships for the gut wrenching feeling of saying goodbye. These relationships are more than just the friendships I’ve made with the
students, if anything I’m most grateful for my teachers. Which is why I want to thank each one of you individually.
Mrs. Schmidt- I am so grateful to you. Without you I may never have found my passion for writing.
Thank you for exposing me to the newspaper and pushing me to work hard.
Ms. Bowden– I have so many reasons to be thankful for you. But my favorite reason is
that time you rescued me sophomore year when I got stranded at Jimmy John’s after the
homecoming parade, thank you.
Ms. Connor– I am going to miss you so much. I’m going to miss our banter so much. Thank you
for always putting a smile on my face.
Dr. G– I seriously don’t know where I would be without you. Thank you for always being
patient with me, thank you for your contribution to our newspaper program, thank you
for your snacks and water bottles. But most importantly thank you for always believing in
me. Even though sometimes I didn’t understand why you were pushing me so hard, I’m so
thankful for it. I could write a whole story on what you’ve done for me, but I’ll stop here,
thank you.
Mrs. Murphy- You are one of the kindest teachers I have ever had. Thank you for always
making me feel heard and all of your academic support over the years.
Coach Pierce- Thank you for taking a chance on me. I had absolutely no cheer experience when
I decided to try out for cheer, honestly, I am still surprised I made it. Thank you so much for
showing me my love for cheering and supporting me on the sidelines and in the classroom.
The Golf Team– Thank you for always being patient with me and understanding my frustrations when it came to golf. My biggest temper tantrums happened on the golf course.
Mr. Degner– Thank you for letting me keep my clubs and not getting mad when I didn’t
turn them in (I will get them to you eventually). The support you have shown me on
and off the course fueled my passion for golf. I’m so thankful to have had a coach as
fun and lighthearted as you.
Mrs. Kozak– Thank you for always helping me on the golf course and emotionally.
The Cheer Team– Thank you for putting up with my crap for the last two years. I know that may seem harsh, but it is so true. Cheer was never a plan of mine but I’m so glad I gave it a shot. My favorite memories will always be cheering on Friday night football games. I can’t wait to reminisce in years with my children about all the amazing experiences I got to share with all of you. I cannot wait to stalk you all on social media years from now and
see all the amazing things you have accomplished.
Mr. Janecek– I don’t even know where to begin. I can’t believe someone that I’ve known for three years and see five days a week has made such an impact on me. You never fail to make me laugh and I am going to miss you so much. Thank you for your support whether it’s emotionally or supporting my insanely overpriced fundraisers.
Ms. Schmeits– I am so proud of everything we have accomplished this year. Without you I may have not qualified for state, which is my biggest accomplishment this year, besides graduating. Figuring out how to become a teacher became so much easier once you shared your insights, thank you.
Mrs. Hotze– Math has always been quite a struggle for me. Thank you for always being patient
and understanding when it came to helping me. Thank you for always saying hi to me in the
hallways and continually being a warm presence.
Mr. Sailors– Its proving to be very difficult to sum up one of my favorite teachers. I’ve never
been to one of your classes and not smiled or laughed. Thank you for always being friendly
and welcoming. You have no idea how many times I’ve come to your class in a bad mood and
left in a great one.
Mr. Zimmer– I really appreciate your welcoming and fun attitude. Thank you for
continuously being kind to me and saying hi in the hallways.
Mrs. Prusha– Summing up the best science teacher ever is hard. Thank you
so much for being there for me for the last three years. Your support got me
through high school, and I am so grateful for that.
Ms. Urwin– Thank you so much for your kind and gentle approach to teaching. Thank you
for always being understanding and thank you for everything you have taught me.
Mrs. Koch– Thank you for being my only friend in engineering. I loved talking about
golf and Runza with you.
Ms. Alati– Thank you for always being a kind soul. My favorite memory of you was when you dressed up as Weird Barbie for spirit week. No one will ever live up to that.
Mr. Stein– Thank you for always taking the time to clean your room with Fabuloso, my nose and
immune system really appreciate it.
Mr. Renfro– Thank you for keeping me in check and for your humorous hall sweep
announcements. Your dedication to keeping North safe is inspiring.
Mr. E. Johnson– Thank you for coming to our golf tournaments, the support you show for the
school helps more than you can even imagine.
Mr. S. Johnson– Thanks for excusing my lunch detention junior year, my mom would have killed me.
Mrs. Franks– Thank you so much for letting me sit in the office and talk your ear off during
my open block. I appreciate the snacks and goodie bags so much.
Mr. Juranek- My funniest teacher ever. Thank you for making your classroom a safe and fun place.
North– My past three years writing for the North Star has been the highlight
of my high school career. Thank you to my past editors and advisors who
have pushed me to reach my full potential. Thank you, Omaha North and
thank you, Dr. Nero, for providing me with amazing teachers, students and
opportunities. Thank you everyone for making this possible.
Thank you,
Olivia McCrossin
Co- Editor in Chief
