September, 2015
THE MOUNT
5
FEATURES
New Juniors from Around the Globe
More than Meets the Eye:
Nick
Snyder
Joey Recker |
Guest Writer
graphic by Kevin Arul
Former NFL player joins
Maintenance Staff
Christian Burbach | News Editor
Over the summer, Clinton Barley, who
football.
moved to Omaha recently, was hired
Clint graduated college with a degree
by Mount Michael’s maintenance team.
in business. After college, he was a free
During the last few weeks of summer,
agent and was drafted by the Washinghe began work with summer work study
ton Redskins. With the Redskins, Barley
students Andrew Schneider and Joseph
played with the defensive practice squad
Coldiron. “Clint is a great guy,” said
for the 2010-2011 season.
Schneider, a freshman who worked a
Barley sharpened his skills and fully
week with Barley, “He’s cool to work with embraced playing football at the profesbecause he’s
sional level.
easy to talk
After his season
to.”
playing for the
Barley grew
Redskins, Barley
up in Kansas,
moved around
and went to
from program
highschool
to program. He
in Wichita
stayed involved
Heights,
with professional
where he gradfootball, spenduated in 2006.
ing time with the
In high school,
Seattle Seahawks
he started out
and Tampa Bay
photo courtesy of Clinton Barley
participating in Clinton Barley, former Washington Redskins player, at- Buccaneers at
sports during tempts to make a tackle against the Cleveland Browns. their training
all seasons,
facilities, and had
including football, basketball and basea stint in the Canadian Football League
ball. As a baseball player, Barley played
from 2012-2013 with the Saskatchewan
catcher but eventually gave it up.
Roughriders. He then played in the Arena
“The reason I quit playing is because
Football League where he most recently
the pitcher was so good,” Barley said,
was involved with the Omaha Beef, a
“my hand felt broken every practice.”
professional football team located in
The same pitcher went on to play profesNebraska.
sional baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Barley ended his football career as a
By the end of high school, he focused on
family man. Last year, he had his first
football.
child, Clinton Jr., and moved to Nebraska
“For me, football meant the most,”
to live with his family. “My job here at
Barley said , “I had the most success with
Mount Michael is temporary for now,”
it”. Barley played on the defensive line
Barley said. He plans to use his college
in highschool as a noseguard. After he
education for business and entrepreneurgraduated high school, Barley went to a
ship.
junior college, and then to the Univer“When I was in college, guys would
sity of Illinois. There he played college
want to party constantly, and didn’t take
much time to study” Barley said, “I enjoyed having fun, but I knew why I was in
college to begin with.”
Barley reads books on business and
marketing in his spare time. He mentioned
ideas for new business such as moving
back to Kansas and starting a barbeque
restaurant. Barley is already the owner
of a successful dog kennel business that
makes him money on the side.
Barley’s work ethic shows up in everything he does. “I owe success to my
coaches and my family,” Barley said,
“they ingrained in me a hard working
ethic that stuck with me for life.”
advertisement by Kevin Arul
In tight knit communities, such as
Mount Michael, people have the chance
to really get to know each other, especially
if the community is small. People who
see each other every day also start to form
what they think is a relatively accurate
idea of who the others surrounding them
are, but in reality, they can be wrong.
Take Nick Snyder for example. He is the
ideal student. In fact, one of his goals this
year is to make a 4.0 grade point average.
He is focused, organized, and extremely
relaxed. A calm and collected guy.
“He listens,” said Spanish I teacher
Carolina Westling. “There is nothing bad
about him.”
Mrs. Wessling also praised him for being
very studious when he was in her class as
a freshman
“He is a great representative of the
Mount Michael community.” she said.
Fellow classmate Jacob Idra said something along the same lines.
“Nick is a cool dude, he will listen
to anything.” While another classmate,
Tommy Weekly, noted that Nick is very
tolerant and patient.
“He let’s me steal his Pepsi,” Weekly
said. The two clearly get along very well.
But there is so much more to Nick’s
character than these things. Idra met Snyder on the tennis courts freshmen year. He
made friends with Nick easily, and the two
enjoyed the season together.
“We always had a good time, he made it
a better experience.” Idra said.
In fact, the two became close enough
that Nick persuaded Jacob to join choir
sophomore year, an activity that Idra
never would have seen himself doing if it
was not for Snyder.
Classmate and friend Tommy Weekly
appreciates Snyder’s sense of humour,
specifically because they find the same
things funny. But what is most important
to Weekly is that Snyder “is a good friend
to keep around.” Tommy remembers sharing shows and books with Nick, and of
course, he always listened.
Snyder is also a ‘car guy’ according to
his close friends. One of his favorite hobbies is to work on his car on the weekends, a ‘92 Pontiac Firebird.
“It needs some work,” Nick commented.
“It has panels coming off, no stereo or
air conditioning.” But this does not phase
Nick. He is passionate about putting in
work on his car, and really enjoys driving
on the weekends. One of his idols is Elon
Musk, the founder of Tesla Car Company.
In Snyder’s eyes, Musk is a visionary and
someone to model himself after.
In fact, one of his dreams is to become
the CEO of a big company when he gets
older, but this is only one of his dreams.
He said that he could see himself becoming a doctor or an engineer. Whatever it
is that he chooses, his ambition and great
communication skills will get him there.
And he will probably listen to the people
around him.
What to do without Zohner?
Patrick Halpin | Features Editor
As students turn the corner heading east
to talk to when it comes to her science.
into the Science wing they will more than
However, she says there is no need to
likely hear the enthusiastic voice of Mrs.
worry. Dr. Peck, a friend of Zohner’s, will
Zohner (more commonly known as Ms.
be subbing in for her during her maternity
Z), speaking on and on about the wonders
leave. She has studied general chemistry,
of chemistry. Whether it’s memorizing the forensic chemistry, and inorganic chemperiodic table or
istry and Zohner
discussing the outsays she is more
come of chemical
than qualified to
reactions her voice
take her place.
can be heard loud
In addition to
and clear throughbeing in charge of
out the hall.
all things ChemHowever, to
istry, Zohner has
many students
also been the
dismay, sometime
throwing coach
around Septemfor track and field
ber 25 that loud
since 2012. But,
photo by Homer Xu she has decided to
voice and those
long drives in from Zohner has been teaching chemistry since she
step down from her
came to Mount Michael in 2012.
Lincoln will be
position this year.
temporarily absent from our halls. Zohner
She says that she has decided to spend
is pregnant. She is due September 25 and
more time with her family considering she
says, “I plan on working until the baby
has a baby on the way. However, Zohner
has other plans.”
says she still plans on coming out to track
But the big question people are askmeets to watch her old players compete.
ing is, “What are we going to do without
“I really enjoy how many kids get
Zohner?”
excited about science, which is sometimes
Junior Joe Coldiron, is currently in AP
hard to find. It makes my job really easy
Chemistry with Zohner. He says the class
because people actually want to learn,”
is fun but it definitely takes a lot of hard
Zohner said.
work. “She cares enough to stay late after
Although Zohner says she will not be
school and make sure her students fully
gone for long, “it will still definitely be
understand the subject and because she
a change” Coldiron said. Whether it has
drives in from Lincoln everyday, it’s even
been throwing in the spring or learning the
more of a commitment.”
basics of chemistry, all students have been
A chemistry class without Zohner is
impacted by Ms. Z by the end of their
somewhat of a foreign idea to Mount Misophomore year. Thankfully, she will not
chael. Since 2012 she has been the person
be gone for long.