One more addition to 2018-2019 staff
Mr. Nelson joins the English team
By: Darian Dick
NORTHRIDGE - A late addition to this year’s staff arrived just after the first issue of The Viking Vault, in which new staff members were featured. Mr. Chance Nelson is a long-term substitute in the English department for the rest of the school year, and he said he is enjoying his new position.
Nelson was hired when Mrs. Grow was placed on leave a few weeks into the quarter.
Nelson grew up in Marysville, which is northwest of Columbus and attended Marysville High School. He then went to college at Ohio University and just graduated in May of this year. Nelson was a student teacher at Jackson High School, but other than that, he is new to the teaching world. He actually started teaching at Jonathan Alder this year as a paraprofessional. After he began there, another new Northridge teacher, Ms. Hannah Mitchell, texted a group chat she was in from college and told them about the need for a long term substitute here at the Ridge.
Mitchell and Nelson had college classes together at OU. Nelson was in the chat and immediately jumped at the offer. He likes having more control being a teacher in his own classroom.
Nelson says, “I like it much more here. I feel helpful here, and I’m so happy I have been given the opportunity!”
The classes that Nelson is in charge of teaching are Journalism, English 12, and Advanced English 11. At first it was difficult to pick up what was going in since he came in late and didn’t meet all the students from the beginning like their former teachers did. Still, Nelson said it was pretty easy to jump in and get going.
An Advanced English 11 student, Jake Reese (‘20), says “Mr. Nelson really stepped up and got right into things after having no idea what we were doing the previous week. He’s also a really good teacher so far and is super cool to talk to!”
Another student in Mr. Nelson’s Journalism class, Lauren Aamodt (‘21), says “At first I didn’t know what to expect when he came in after not knowing what was going on, especially since Mrs. Garee had been teaching the Journalism class the last several years and already had a game plan. But I think Mr. Nelson has really helped me since he’s been here and always goes out of his way to make sure I understand the assignment.”
-Darian Dick (‘20) is a staff member of the Viking Vault and a senior spotlight editor
Mr. Nelson joins the English team
By: Darian Dick
NORTHRIDGE - A late addition to this year’s staff arrived just after the first issue of The Viking Vault, in which new staff members were featured. Mr. Chance Nelson is a long-term substitute in the English department for the rest of the school year, and he said he is enjoying his new position.
Nelson was hired when Mrs. Grow was placed on leave a few weeks into the quarter.
Nelson grew up in Marysville, which is northwest of Columbus and attended Marysville High School. He then went to college at Ohio University and just graduated in May of this year. Nelson was a student teacher at Jackson High School, but other than that, he is new to the teaching world. He actually started teaching at Jonathan Alder this year as a paraprofessional. After he began there, another new Northridge teacher, Ms. Hannah Mitchell, texted a group chat she was in from college and told them about the need for a long term substitute here at the Ridge.
Mitchell and Nelson had college classes together at OU. Nelson was in the chat and immediately jumped at the offer. He likes having more control being a teacher in his own classroom.
Nelson says, “I like it much more here. I feel helpful here, and I’m so happy I have been given the opportunity!”
The classes that Nelson is in charge of teaching are Journalism, English 12, and Advanced English 11. At first it was difficult to pick up what was going in since he came in late and didn’t meet all the students from the beginning like their former teachers did. Still, Nelson said it was pretty easy to jump in and get going.
An Advanced English 11 student, Jake Reese (‘20), says “Mr. Nelson really stepped up and got right into things after having no idea what we were doing the previous week. He’s also a really good teacher so far and is super cool to talk to!”
Another student in Mr. Nelson’s Journalism class, Lauren Aamodt (‘21), says “At first I didn’t know what to expect when he came in after not knowing what was going on, especially since Mrs. Garee had been teaching the Journalism class the last several years and already had a game plan. But I think Mr. Nelson has really helped me since he’s been here and always goes out of his way to make sure I understand the assignment.”
-Darian Dick (‘20) is a staff member of the Viking Vault and a senior spotlight editor
Best Buds forever
By: Ali Zigo
NORTHRIDGE- We all know the best friends from here at NHS who hang out constantly. Every day, 24/7. They could practically be siblings, and some might even mistake these people for exactly that… Although, at the end of the day, these types of friends are always the ones you know you can count on. In each grade level, there are some pretty obvious standouts.
For the freshman class, Gabi Smith (‘22) and Camryn Wigal (‘22) are bestfriends and have been for as long as they can remember! Each girl explained that they met because their families were friends. Their moms had been friends as well as their brothers, but the trend didn’t stop there because Camryn and Gabi have been friends since before preschool, according to Smith. Throughout these years of friendship, these two have made many memories together.
Smith says that her most favorite memory was, “When Camryn jumped on this ball and it slipped out from under her really quick … She completely wiped out! It was so funny!” Wigal’s favorite memory was a little bit different … “When we were really little and would play hide n’ seek in her basement together,” she explains.
Gabi wants to let Camryn know that, “You are a really great friend and I can always count on you to be there for me … Ps. Thanks for shoving a baby bottle in my back!!!” Camryn would also like to tell Gabi, “Thank you so much for always being a great friend and always taunting me with diabetes jokes!”
For the Sophomore class, the good friends are Jared Yorde (‘21) and Josh Spinosi (‘21). Like the last two, this pair has been friends since they were “really, really young” according to Spinosi. How they met though is a different story, for both of the boys. According to Yorde, “We met before we were seven, at least ... We were on the same wrestling team.”
But, according to Spinosi, “We definitely met in a class at school a long time ago.” The two also have different favorite memories. Yorde says, “My favorite memory is when Josh and I went to the lake house and went tubing and did flips off the dock” while Spinosi says, “Well, I mean, we played darts at Seth’s house yesterday…”
Next is on to the Junior class with Luci Holbrook (‘20) and Molly Bruck (‘20), the definition of true friends. The two have been together since they were five years old. Both had a matching story on how they met: “It was the first day of kindergarten and we both decided to sit by one another on the school bus.”
Bruck’s favorite memory with Holbrook is, “when the two of us went camping in Michigan and we jumped on the little kid’s lake inflatable.” Holbrook’s favorite memory between the two is a little more sentimental as she explains, “My favorite memory is from when you moved and you lived on Northridge Road so we lived really close and got too see each other all of the time.”
One thing that Luci wants to let Molly know is, “Thank you so much for the past 11 years, I love you so much!!” Molly wishes to let Luci know, “You’ll always be taller but I’ll always be older… Ps. Thanks for always being the realest, I love you!”
For the last pair of best buds at Northridge, Madie Legg (‘19) and Savanna Verhovec (‘19) are the perfect match. The two of them both explained the same story on how they came to meet: “Our sisters were actually really close and we were on the same softball team in fourth grade. It was U10 for Pat Shea’s team.”
Both girls had a really hard time trying to pick just one story or memory that they thought was best to share, but eventually, they both came to one for each. Legg says, “It was November 14, 2014 at my house and me and Savanna were just in my room and all of the sudden Savanna just starts writing me these note cards. There are 12 cards and they are about how close and how great of friends we are, and I still have them to this day. I was 13 when she gave them to me and I still cry everytime I read them.”
For Verhovec, her memory is a little more humorous: “One of my favorite memories would have to be the time Madie and I were on the four wheeler and Madie was driving. All of the sudden there was a cornfield and Madie just started driving right through it... She didn’t even stop and she started knocking down all the corn,” Verovic states as she laughs out loud.
One thing that Madie would like to tell Savanna is, “Thank you so much for being such a great friend throughout all of the years in school… Even when we fought, you were always still there for me and I knew that I could count on you. Savanna says that she would like to tell Madie, “Thank you so much for always being there for me madie, you are truly a forever friend”.
-Ali Zigo (‘20) is the Junior Print Editor for The Viking Vault
By: Ali Zigo
NORTHRIDGE- We all know the best friends from here at NHS who hang out constantly. Every day, 24/7. They could practically be siblings, and some might even mistake these people for exactly that… Although, at the end of the day, these types of friends are always the ones you know you can count on. In each grade level, there are some pretty obvious standouts.
For the freshman class, Gabi Smith (‘22) and Camryn Wigal (‘22) are bestfriends and have been for as long as they can remember! Each girl explained that they met because their families were friends. Their moms had been friends as well as their brothers, but the trend didn’t stop there because Camryn and Gabi have been friends since before preschool, according to Smith. Throughout these years of friendship, these two have made many memories together.
Smith says that her most favorite memory was, “When Camryn jumped on this ball and it slipped out from under her really quick … She completely wiped out! It was so funny!” Wigal’s favorite memory was a little bit different … “When we were really little and would play hide n’ seek in her basement together,” she explains.
Gabi wants to let Camryn know that, “You are a really great friend and I can always count on you to be there for me … Ps. Thanks for shoving a baby bottle in my back!!!” Camryn would also like to tell Gabi, “Thank you so much for always being a great friend and always taunting me with diabetes jokes!”
For the Sophomore class, the good friends are Jared Yorde (‘21) and Josh Spinosi (‘21). Like the last two, this pair has been friends since they were “really, really young” according to Spinosi. How they met though is a different story, for both of the boys. According to Yorde, “We met before we were seven, at least ... We were on the same wrestling team.”
But, according to Spinosi, “We definitely met in a class at school a long time ago.” The two also have different favorite memories. Yorde says, “My favorite memory is when Josh and I went to the lake house and went tubing and did flips off the dock” while Spinosi says, “Well, I mean, we played darts at Seth’s house yesterday…”
Next is on to the Junior class with Luci Holbrook (‘20) and Molly Bruck (‘20), the definition of true friends. The two have been together since they were five years old. Both had a matching story on how they met: “It was the first day of kindergarten and we both decided to sit by one another on the school bus.”
Bruck’s favorite memory with Holbrook is, “when the two of us went camping in Michigan and we jumped on the little kid’s lake inflatable.” Holbrook’s favorite memory between the two is a little more sentimental as she explains, “My favorite memory is from when you moved and you lived on Northridge Road so we lived really close and got too see each other all of the time.”
One thing that Luci wants to let Molly know is, “Thank you so much for the past 11 years, I love you so much!!” Molly wishes to let Luci know, “You’ll always be taller but I’ll always be older… Ps. Thanks for always being the realest, I love you!”
For the last pair of best buds at Northridge, Madie Legg (‘19) and Savanna Verhovec (‘19) are the perfect match. The two of them both explained the same story on how they came to meet: “Our sisters were actually really close and we were on the same softball team in fourth grade. It was U10 for Pat Shea’s team.”
Both girls had a really hard time trying to pick just one story or memory that they thought was best to share, but eventually, they both came to one for each. Legg says, “It was November 14, 2014 at my house and me and Savanna were just in my room and all of the sudden Savanna just starts writing me these note cards. There are 12 cards and they are about how close and how great of friends we are, and I still have them to this day. I was 13 when she gave them to me and I still cry everytime I read them.”
For Verhovec, her memory is a little more humorous: “One of my favorite memories would have to be the time Madie and I were on the four wheeler and Madie was driving. All of the sudden there was a cornfield and Madie just started driving right through it... She didn’t even stop and she started knocking down all the corn,” Verovic states as she laughs out loud.
One thing that Madie would like to tell Savanna is, “Thank you so much for being such a great friend throughout all of the years in school… Even when we fought, you were always still there for me and I knew that I could count on you. Savanna says that she would like to tell Madie, “Thank you so much for always being there for me madie, you are truly a forever friend”.
-Ali Zigo (‘20) is the Junior Print Editor for The Viking Vault
Fun and creative costume ideas
By: Claire Wasem
NORTHRIDGE- Halloween in a fun time for people of all ages to dress up and be something they aren't for a night. Although its only one night a year, it's a fun way to get creative!
Rustic Knolls is a campground in Mt Vernon Ohio that celebrates Halloween early at Halloween weekend on October 13 - 14. Fun activities at the campground include Trick-or-Treating, haunted corn maze, and a costume contest.
Albree Ashbrook (‘24) and a group of friends enjoyed the festivities at the campground. Ashbrook said, “Trick-or-Treating at the campground is so much fun! I love dressing up with my friends and hanging out. I dressed up as a scarecrow, but I didn't want to spend a ton of money of on a costume so I found a cute flannel and straw hat that I already had.¨
Ashbrook and her friends continued to prove that costumes could be cute on a budget when they explained their other costume ideas: “We made M and M costumes so we could do Halloween on a budget,¨ said Alexa Wilson (‘24). Sarah Koker (‘24) talked about how they made the costumes: “We all went to the store together and bought the materials for the tutus, matching t-shirts and bows, and iron-on transfer paper. We cut out the M´s and used the iron on paper to transfer them to the front of the t shirt. We finished off our look with the tutus that Alexa's mom put together for us.¨
High school camper Sydney Koker (‘21) also took part in the festivities at Rustic Knolls campground, where she and her boyfriend Clayton Orr (‘21) dressed up as Superman and Supergirl for the night. ¨We fought a lot on what we wanted to be,¨ explained Sydney. ¨I really wanted to be a superhero couple costume, but Clayton really wanted to be a cowboy.¨
Sydney said that they decided on being superheros in the end, but it turned out to be an expensive choice because she did not go the DIY route. “My costume was $56 from Party City, and Clayton’s was $38 from Amazon.”
Lileigh Berling (‘20) thinks that making your costume from scratch is the way to go: ¨I've always made my costumes for as long as I remember,¨ she said. ¨Last year I made a cute angel costume with just a white t shirt, some cheap wings from the dollar tree, and a halo I made from a headband and some pipe cleaners.¨ Berling explains that she loves thrifting, and she says it's ¨a great way to put clothes that don't necessarily go together with each other to make a unique costume that nobody else will have.¨
Berling adds, ¨Halloween is a fun time to dress up and come up with creative ideas, but you can do it on a budget!¨
- Claire Wasem is the Entertainment Editor for the Viking Vault.
By: Claire Wasem
NORTHRIDGE- Halloween in a fun time for people of all ages to dress up and be something they aren't for a night. Although its only one night a year, it's a fun way to get creative!
Rustic Knolls is a campground in Mt Vernon Ohio that celebrates Halloween early at Halloween weekend on October 13 - 14. Fun activities at the campground include Trick-or-Treating, haunted corn maze, and a costume contest.
Albree Ashbrook (‘24) and a group of friends enjoyed the festivities at the campground. Ashbrook said, “Trick-or-Treating at the campground is so much fun! I love dressing up with my friends and hanging out. I dressed up as a scarecrow, but I didn't want to spend a ton of money of on a costume so I found a cute flannel and straw hat that I already had.¨
Ashbrook and her friends continued to prove that costumes could be cute on a budget when they explained their other costume ideas: “We made M and M costumes so we could do Halloween on a budget,¨ said Alexa Wilson (‘24). Sarah Koker (‘24) talked about how they made the costumes: “We all went to the store together and bought the materials for the tutus, matching t-shirts and bows, and iron-on transfer paper. We cut out the M´s and used the iron on paper to transfer them to the front of the t shirt. We finished off our look with the tutus that Alexa's mom put together for us.¨
High school camper Sydney Koker (‘21) also took part in the festivities at Rustic Knolls campground, where she and her boyfriend Clayton Orr (‘21) dressed up as Superman and Supergirl for the night. ¨We fought a lot on what we wanted to be,¨ explained Sydney. ¨I really wanted to be a superhero couple costume, but Clayton really wanted to be a cowboy.¨
Sydney said that they decided on being superheros in the end, but it turned out to be an expensive choice because she did not go the DIY route. “My costume was $56 from Party City, and Clayton’s was $38 from Amazon.”
Lileigh Berling (‘20) thinks that making your costume from scratch is the way to go: ¨I've always made my costumes for as long as I remember,¨ she said. ¨Last year I made a cute angel costume with just a white t shirt, some cheap wings from the dollar tree, and a halo I made from a headband and some pipe cleaners.¨ Berling explains that she loves thrifting, and she says it's ¨a great way to put clothes that don't necessarily go together with each other to make a unique costume that nobody else will have.¨
Berling adds, ¨Halloween is a fun time to dress up and come up with creative ideas, but you can do it on a budget!¨
- Claire Wasem is the Entertainment Editor for the Viking Vault.
Students who aren’t (and are) related
By: Anna Kohler
NORTHRIDGE - Having the same last name as someone else in your school can be very frustrating sometimes. Jessica Koehler (‘19) and I have the same last name, and I am constantly asked if we are sisters or cousins. Our last names aren’t even spelled the same way, but yet teachers always seem to ask if we’re related. There are a few other students who deal with this struggle, also.
Emma Garee (‘20), for example, is not related to freshman Olivia Garee (‘22), but other students and teachers often ask if they’re sisters.
Emma states, “This year at least three people have asked me if we are sisters.”
When asked if it gets annoying always being asked if they’re related, Olivia claims, “No, not really anymore because I’m used to it. It definitely was at first though. Every teacher asks me every year.”
Another student that deals with this struggle is Addyson Williams (‘20). Addyson is always asked at the beginning of the year by teachers if she and Kylee Williams (‘20) are related. Her answer is obviously no each year, which sometimes surprises teachers.
Addyson states, “Teachers always assume me and Kylee are related and are surprised when I tell them we aren’t.” No matter the struggle with that surprise, both girls’ older sisters had it worse in the Class of 2017: Ashlee Williams (Kylee’s sister) and Ashley Williams (Addyson’s sister) were, of course, also not related and shared the exact same name throughout school.
Only a few students struggle with the assumption that just because they have to same last name they’re related, while other students have the secret of being related to other students with different last names.
Many may not know, but Alexis Adams (‘20) and Kylee Williams (‘20) are cousins. Many cousins have the same last name, but Alexis and Kylee do not because they are very distant cousins.
More people you may not know are cousins include Kendra Martin (‘19) and Kobey Nichols (‘20). Many people are unaware of this because they have different last names, and the only people who really know are Kendra’s close friends.
Martin states, “When people find out they always seem so surprised. We used to go to family functions together, but now we really just talk at school.”
Martin also is related to Mandy Shults (‘19) through marriage. People are unaware of this because not only do they not have the same last name but they don’t attend family functions together or really talk about it.
Having the same last name may not always mean students are related and having different last names may not mean they aren’t. But the mysteries are fun to unravel.
- Anna Kohler (‘20) is a Social Media/ Publicity Editor for The Viking Vault. [email protected]
By: Anna Kohler
NORTHRIDGE - Having the same last name as someone else in your school can be very frustrating sometimes. Jessica Koehler (‘19) and I have the same last name, and I am constantly asked if we are sisters or cousins. Our last names aren’t even spelled the same way, but yet teachers always seem to ask if we’re related. There are a few other students who deal with this struggle, also.
Emma Garee (‘20), for example, is not related to freshman Olivia Garee (‘22), but other students and teachers often ask if they’re sisters.
Emma states, “This year at least three people have asked me if we are sisters.”
When asked if it gets annoying always being asked if they’re related, Olivia claims, “No, not really anymore because I’m used to it. It definitely was at first though. Every teacher asks me every year.”
Another student that deals with this struggle is Addyson Williams (‘20). Addyson is always asked at the beginning of the year by teachers if she and Kylee Williams (‘20) are related. Her answer is obviously no each year, which sometimes surprises teachers.
Addyson states, “Teachers always assume me and Kylee are related and are surprised when I tell them we aren’t.” No matter the struggle with that surprise, both girls’ older sisters had it worse in the Class of 2017: Ashlee Williams (Kylee’s sister) and Ashley Williams (Addyson’s sister) were, of course, also not related and shared the exact same name throughout school.
Only a few students struggle with the assumption that just because they have to same last name they’re related, while other students have the secret of being related to other students with different last names.
Many may not know, but Alexis Adams (‘20) and Kylee Williams (‘20) are cousins. Many cousins have the same last name, but Alexis and Kylee do not because they are very distant cousins.
More people you may not know are cousins include Kendra Martin (‘19) and Kobey Nichols (‘20). Many people are unaware of this because they have different last names, and the only people who really know are Kendra’s close friends.
Martin states, “When people find out they always seem so surprised. We used to go to family functions together, but now we really just talk at school.”
Martin also is related to Mandy Shults (‘19) through marriage. People are unaware of this because not only do they not have the same last name but they don’t attend family functions together or really talk about it.
Having the same last name may not always mean students are related and having different last names may not mean they aren’t. But the mysteries are fun to unravel.
- Anna Kohler (‘20) is a Social Media/ Publicity Editor for The Viking Vault. [email protected]
Aidan Cupp: first male field commander in 10 years
By: Madison Legg
NORTHRIDGE- Many people see the guy in the front of the band waving his arms around and wonder what the heck he is really doing up there. Well, I’m going to tell you a little about it and the person behind those hands.
Aidan Cupp (‘20) does many things on a day-to-day basis. Along with being the field commander, he plays Overwatch and other various games on the Xbox, he reads occasionally, and he also enjoys playing the mellophone.
When questioned what exactly his role is in the band, he explains that, “I am the field commander, which is another way for saying band director. A field commander is the person who keeps everyone together while playing so we don't sound bad or off tune.” Cupp loves the role he plays and said he "wouldn't want it any other way.”
This is only his first year doing this, and Cupp cannot contain his excitement about continuing to fill this role in the remaining year of his high school career.
Before Cupp was the field commander, he played two different instruments in the band. These included the mellophone and the French Horn. Cupp said he loved playing these instruments in the band, but when he heard that the field commander position opened, Cupp strived to be the best that he could at it. In order to fill this role, he had to attend the “Drum Major Academy,” which is a camp that teaches field commanders and drum majors what to do and how to do it. Cupp reveals that, “I love being a field commander. It’s a wonderful position and if it was possible to love it more than I do then I definitely would!”
Something interesting that I learned when talking to Cupp is that he is the first male field commander in the past 10 years, in which Tyler King was the band teacher here at the Ridge. Aidan plans on attempting to continue to be the field commander in the 2019-2020 school year, but he is also still undecided about if he will do anything after high school with these skills he has learned.
Cupp claims “Friday nights are scary but something even more scary is Saturday night when I’m in front of a bunch of people I don't know.” He said that friday night he is never scared because he knows all the people in the stands and if he messes up noone will make fun of him.
- Madie Legg is a senior member of the Viking Vault. [email protected]
By: Madison Legg
NORTHRIDGE- Many people see the guy in the front of the band waving his arms around and wonder what the heck he is really doing up there. Well, I’m going to tell you a little about it and the person behind those hands.
Aidan Cupp (‘20) does many things on a day-to-day basis. Along with being the field commander, he plays Overwatch and other various games on the Xbox, he reads occasionally, and he also enjoys playing the mellophone.
When questioned what exactly his role is in the band, he explains that, “I am the field commander, which is another way for saying band director. A field commander is the person who keeps everyone together while playing so we don't sound bad or off tune.” Cupp loves the role he plays and said he "wouldn't want it any other way.”
This is only his first year doing this, and Cupp cannot contain his excitement about continuing to fill this role in the remaining year of his high school career.
Before Cupp was the field commander, he played two different instruments in the band. These included the mellophone and the French Horn. Cupp said he loved playing these instruments in the band, but when he heard that the field commander position opened, Cupp strived to be the best that he could at it. In order to fill this role, he had to attend the “Drum Major Academy,” which is a camp that teaches field commanders and drum majors what to do and how to do it. Cupp reveals that, “I love being a field commander. It’s a wonderful position and if it was possible to love it more than I do then I definitely would!”
Something interesting that I learned when talking to Cupp is that he is the first male field commander in the past 10 years, in which Tyler King was the band teacher here at the Ridge. Aidan plans on attempting to continue to be the field commander in the 2019-2020 school year, but he is also still undecided about if he will do anything after high school with these skills he has learned.
Cupp claims “Friday nights are scary but something even more scary is Saturday night when I’m in front of a bunch of people I don't know.” He said that friday night he is never scared because he knows all the people in the stands and if he messes up noone will make fun of him.
- Madie Legg is a senior member of the Viking Vault. [email protected]