Westside Wired’s editor staff put together the Top 10 Stories of the 2015-2016 school year to wrap up a long two semesters. The 10 stories were chosen based off of total views and interactions of each story. Here’s the breakdown of Westside’s most memorable news stories and features from this school year.

10. Boys move hundreds of miles away from home to play hockey

“There’s so many pieces to the puzzle, I don’t think people realize how hard these kids work,” said Jennifer Faulkner, the Billet mother for Logan, Matthew and Thomas.

Freshman Thomas Jarman and sophomores Jack Faulkner, Logan Will and Matthew Allen are students of Westside that live in Omaha to play hockey. Faulkner and his family host the three boys in their home for the duration of the school year, and after the season is over, Will and Jarman will travel back to their hometowns for the summer. Allen left Omaha in October to play for a team in Maryland. Will and Jarman will return to Omaha before the 2016-2017 school year, although Faulkner will be moving to Cleveland, Ohio to play for another organization. Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/23088/feature/boys-move-hundreds-of-miles-away-from-home-to-play-hockey/

9. Student employees held at gun point

“In my head I only thought maybe once that he was going to shoot, but most of the time I was just thinking, ‘hey, he’s just trying to threaten us because he is really desperate for money,” Kruger said.

On Tuesday, Oct 20, junior Erin Kruger and sophomore Kaylee Navarette, former employees of Smoothie King, were held at gun point a few minutes before close. The gunman ordered a smoothie, and as Kruger was beginning to make his drink, he put up his gun and demanded the girls give him all of the money in the cash register. Read more here: https://www.westsidewired.net/24496/news/student-employees-held-at-gun-point/

8. Basketball team honors coach’s relative

“I liked seeing her after the game was over because no matter win or lose she would always say, ‘Just get better, it’s going to be alright’ and I’ll always remember that,” senior AJ Meeks said.

Boys varsity basketball head coach Brian Nemecek preaches to his team, it’s the importance of family. When Nemecek’s mother in law passed away in December 2015, the team began to embrace the family aspect even more by remembering her and her legacy through a breakdown in huddles. Now, the team breaks the huddle on Nemecek’s mother in law’s initials, “CW’s” (pronounced see-dubs). Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/25420/sports/basketball-team-honors-coachs-relative/

7. Westside hockey player potentially banned for upcoming season

“The referee was saying that I had maliciously attacked him with my hockey stick, and had us call him an ambulance,” Gatzemeyer said.

In a regular season game, the Westside hockey team was facing Millard North and tension between the teams was high. Junior Jack Gatzemeyer skated over to his bench to congratulate the team. As he was skating, he passed the Millard North bench, slapping his hockey stick on the ice from excitement. The referee mistook this action as ‘taunting,’ so the referee stepped in front of Gatzemeyer to stop him from continuing to skate. Read more here: https://www.westsidewired.net/24902/feature/westside-hockey-player-potentially-banned-for-upcoming-season/

6. Recent fights lead to questioning of protocol

“Any time dealing with behavior, rules, culture, climate, our student body has a big responsibility in that also,” Wagner said. “I think students that video tape it and post it, and broadcast it should bear some fault or some burden. […] If that’s the culture they want to have, then that’s unfortunate,” Dr. Jeff Wagner said.

In November of 2015, four fights took place in one week at Westside, with another occurring the next week. While each fight was broken up, they were all handled differently, which begs the question, does our school have a procedure for breaking up fights? We wanted to find out. Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/24541/news/recent-fights-lead-to-questioning-of-protocol/

5. Westside alumni give inside perspective on Creighton Prep Rivalry

“To me what the rivalry means is passion.  Passion from the players and fans.  But mostly the passion by both teams to play hard and excel. When I was in school a lot of Prep kids grew up in the same neighborhoods as Westside kids, so you knew each other well and sometimes were good friends.  But during Prep week you wanted nothing more than to walk away with a victory.  The passion to win drives both teams to play their best,” alumni Terry Beutler (Class of 1987) said.

Our staff asked Westside Alumni: The Westside-Creighton Prep rivalry is one of the best and most followed rivalries in all of high school sports. This year several past Westside Warriors gave their input on the rivalry. Our staff asked Westside alumni: What does the Westside-Creighton Prep rivalry mean to you? and What is your favorite Westside v. Prep memory?. Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/23344/feature/westside-alumni-give-inside-perspective-on-creighton-prep-rivalry/

4. Westside to face $5 million dollar deficit 

On Feb. 29, the Westside board held its weekly board of education meeting, focusing on the budget for the 2016-2017 school year. Superintendent Blane McCann outlined the revenue and expenses for the upcoming year, ultimately announcing that the district will face a $5 million cut in the budget for next year. Should all the budget cuts proposed go into effect, there would still be a $1.6 million deficit. Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/26665/news/breaking-westside-to-face-5-million-dollar-budget-cut/

3. Homecoming Candidates Announced

In a day filled with school spirit, (parade, pep rally, themes,) the first official day of homecoming week ended with the announcement of homecoming court. The court is composed of ten senior boys and ten senior girls voted on by their peers to represent the senior class. Check out the King and Queen candidates and read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/23684/showcase/homecoming-candidates-announced/

2. Senior faces hardships after publishing book of poetry

“My mother [reacted negatively],” O’Donnell said. “My sister doesn’t talk to me. I moved out of my father’s house…I had been the first person to put our family’s story out there, and [because of it,] I slowly faded out of the picture,” O’Donnell said.

Out of the original shipment of 150 books, senior Andrew O’Donnell keep six copies in their room. Originally, these books were meant for each of O’Donnell’s family members. However, none of them would be delivered. O’Donnell doesn’t talk to their family anymore. Read more and watch the video here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/23916/feature/senior-faces-hardships-after-publishing-book-of-poetry/

1. Ricketts Announces Retirement

“Thank you to all the people who have given me opportunities and the wonderful experiences I’ve had at Westside,” Ricketts said. “It has been a journey, it truly has.”

Monday Nov. 9, Principal Maryanne Ricketts announced her retirement at a staff meeting after school. After 42 years in education and 37 years at Westside she feels this is the right time. Ricketts is not counting down the days and will enjoy the time she has left here. Westside will always feel like home to her. Read more here:  https://www.westsidewired.net/24644/news/breaking-ricketts-announces-retirement/