Class of 1968
Alumni Liaison
Volume 11 | Number 2
Welcome to the March 2026 edition of Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. Although we come to you on the oft-quoted “Ides of March,” you have nothing of which to “be wary.”
As we do every other month, we landed in over 11,000 in-boxes today bringing you news, views, and memories of GISH. Rise is a publication of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.
This is Issue #2 of our 11th year of publishing the only consistent connection for alumni and friends of Grand Island Senior High. That makes this iteration 62 of Rise as we move smartly into another decade of bringing the comings and goings of Islander alums across the globe.
Our “At the Top” piece this issue highlights those current Islanders who are killing it in the classroom as GISH’s National Honor Society inductee roster topped out at 83 juniors. That story was the perfect complement to one by Rise’s On the Island Correspondent, Reagan Kort. Reagan fills us in on the preparations students are taking to tackle AP exams, scheduled for later this spring. In tandem, the articles underscore the importance of recognizing the outstanding scholars who call Senior High home for four years.
Mandy Sullivan, the Foundation’s Administration and Development Associate, has an excellent story on Engelman Elementary students using child-safe electric saws to fashion flat cardboard into 3D objects. Make time for this one.
Wandering Writer Sarah Kuta takes us way up north, far enough to see the aurora borealis or northern lights, including the derivation of both phrases. Mike Monk’s “Distant Mirror” writes about the state of today’s newspaper industry. In my “I’ve Been Thinking” column, I reminisce on missing my senior prom and why my disappointment was only muted. Kari Hooker-Leep reminds us it's time to consider nominations for outstanding teachers, some of whom have retired and some still in the classroom as well as GISH alumni who have made a difference in the world.
As usual, In Memoriam lists those Islanders who have passed. In Reunions we have class gatherings and other class get-togethers, and in Class Notes we have the lives and times of Islanders everywhere. And, once again, you’ll get a chance to test your memory or at least your Google search skills with another edition of Islander Trivia.
Stay in touch, Islanders. And remember: Keep pushing on.
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At the Top
George Ayoub applauds the achievements of the new National Honor Society inductees.
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Making Your Mark
Kari Hooker-Leep deems March as the month to honor those incredible individuals that make our school community thrive.
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Foundation Focus
Mandy Sullivan highlights a Classroom Grant that helps students transform ideas into 3D masterpieces.
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I've Been Thinking
George Ayoub finds perspective in a missed high school milestone.
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On the Island
Reagan Kort explores the level of dedication it takes to be in the AP program.
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Distant Mirror
Mike Monk ponders newspaper nostalgia.
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A Wandering Writer's World
Sarah Kuta shares her Northern Lights experience and facts surrounding this natural phenomenon.
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Class Reunion Updates
Class gatherings in Islander Nation.
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In Memoriam
Remembering Islanders who have recently passed.
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Islander Trivia
How well do you know Grand Island Senior High?
At the Top
Islander ‘Academicaletes’ Getting Deserved Recognition
Among this issue’s stories you will find an article by Rise’s “On The Island” correspondent Reagan Kort on how she and other Grand Island Senior High students are preparing for AP exams, which will take place this spring. AP classes and the exams students take afterward give high school students an opportunity to earn college credit and are also instrumental in their placement in classes during their trek through higher education.
While GISH’s academies have garnered some well-earned attention over the past few years, Senior High’s super “academicaletes” continue to knock it out of the park in the school’s classrooms and labs. Evidence of this is the recent induction of 83 GISH juniors into Senior High’s National Honor Society (NHS). Those eligible for induction must have a minimum GPA of 3.5 and write an essay explaining how they will continue to exemplify not simply scholarship, one of NHS’s four pillars, but also the other three, service, character, and leadership.
You can read more about the NHS induction ceremony and the names of all 83 juniors newly-minted inductees here.
(e) Mail Bag
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Making Your Mark
March Is All About Honoring
Class of 1983
Executive Director
GIPS Foundation
There is a unique kind of magic that happens within the four walls of a classroom. It’s the spark of a new idea, the sudden clarity of a difficult concept, and the quiet building of a student’s confidence to become all that they dream of. Behind every one of those moments is an educator—a dedicated professional who gives their heart, soul, and time to ensure the next generation is ready to take on the world.
Teacher and Staff Member of the Year 2025 Winners
This March, we are calling on our entire community—students, parents, alumni, and colleagues—to help us recognize these incredible individuals. We are thrilled to announce that nominations will officially open for our 2026 Teacher of the Year, the inductees for the 2027 Legendary Educator and Hall of Honor programs. While we celebrate excellence every year, this year is particularly special. Our prestigious alumni awards and annual accolades align this year for a one-of-a-kind nomination season.
Our recognition programs are designed to celebrate the full spectrum of educational impact. Understanding these distinctions highlights just how important your nomination is this year.
Teacher of the Year (Annual)
Nominations open from March 16 – April 29
This award is for the "now." It celebrates current educators, staff, and administrators who demonstrate exceptional skill, innovation, and a tireless commitment to student success. These individuals are inspiring a love for learning every single day. Because this is an annual award, it serves as our pulse—a way to consistently honor the excellence happening in our classrooms right now.
The Legendary Educator (Every 3 Years)
Nominations open from March 30 – October 31
New Interactive Hall of Honor Display located at Grand Island Senior High
This is where the prestige reaches a new level. The Legendary Educator Award was established in 2009. It was designed to honor remarkable educators who dedicated their lives to the success of Grand Island Public Schools students. The award celebrates their enduring legacy and expresses our gratitude to teachers, past and present. Only two individuals are inducted into this elite group every three years.
The Hall of Honor (Every 3 Years)
Nominations open from March 30 – October 31
The Hall of Honor is our highest alumni distinction, recognizing those who have taken the values learned in our classrooms out into the world to achieve extraordinary things. Like the Legendary Educator Award, this is an exclusive event that occurs only once every three years, with only two inductees selected. These are the individuals whose significant leadership, service, and integrity bring immense pride to our institution.
Why Your Voice Matters This March
Because the Legendary Educator and Hall of Honor inductions are so rare, the stakes for this March are incredibly high. When you nominate someone, you aren’t just filling out a form; you are advocating for a place in our history books.
We encourage you to be specific. Tell us about the "lightbulb moments," the mentorship that changed a career path, or the lifelong dedication that deserves to be immortalized. With only two spots available for our triennial awards, your stories and testimonials are the evidence needed to distinguish the truly legendary from the great.
Save the Date: Legends & Legacies 2027
The momentum we build during this nomination season is leading toward a historic climax. We are ecstatic to announce that March 2027 will hold the grand celebration of "Legends & Legacies" once again!
Legends and Legacies 2024 Event
This event will serve as the official induction ceremony for the 2027 winners. It will be a night of reflection, reunion, and immense pride—a gathering of past, present, and future stars of our community and school district. It will be the ultimate tribute to the four inductees.
The journey starts this March. It’s time to look back through the years and ask: Who defined excellence for me? Whose legacy continues to shape our community, lives, and our schools, past and present?
Our educators and alumni give us their best—now, it’s our turn to ensure their names are never forgotten.
If you're going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can't be erased. - Maya Angelou
Foundation Focus
Transforming Student Ideas into 3D Masterpieces
Administration & Development Associate
GIPS Foundation
For many elementary students, the best lessons are the ones that jump off the chalkboard. Recently, visitors at Engleman Elementary stepped directly into those lessons as they enter a vibrant "Under the Sea" world created for Parent-Teacher Conferences. A new classroom tool has allowed students to engineer flat cardboard into massive 3D masterpieces. These creations have transformed the classroom into an underwater dream world of towering coral reefs and pirate ships.
Engleman Elementary Parent Teacher Conference "Under the Sea" ChompSaw Art Show
Thanks to the continued generosity of our donor community, the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation recently awarded a $2,227 Classroom Grant to Megan Danner, the Social Emotional Creative Arts (SECA) Instructor at Engleman Elementary. The grant funded the purchase of eight child-safe electric saws, called ChompSaws. Ms. Danner’s vision was simple yet profound: she didn’t want her K-5 students to just draw their ideas—she wanted them to build them.
Designed for ages five and up, ChompSaws feature advanced safety mechanisms that allow students to cut and shape cardboard and other lightweight materials with ease. Beyond the engineering itself, students are adopting safety habits at an early age, such as wearing proper ear and eye protection while operating the equipment.
Watching these young artists work is a glimpse into modern education. To bring a pirate ship to life, a student isn’t just "doing art"; they are applying math skills to ensure the structure stands, using reading comprehension to follow design plans, and practicing scientific methods to test the strength of their materials.
Ms. Danner notes that these tools also serve as a catalyst for social-emotional growth that goes far beyond the gradebook. Building at this scale requires intense teamwork; students must communicate, navigate disagreements, persevere through structural "fails," and celebrate their collective victories.
"It’s been so exciting to see the students communicate in groups, draw out their ideas, and then use the saws to make them real!" Ms. Danner shared. "I am beyond thankful and humbled to have received this grant."
These tools ensure that every child—including English language learners and students with disabilities—has access to high-quality, hands-on learning. The impact of this grant currently reaches over 420 students at Engleman and extends to Stolley Park Elementary, including those in the Newcomer program.
Kari Hooker-Leep, Executive Director of the GIPS Foundation, recently visited the classroom to witness the ChompSaws in action. "Watching these students flex their creative muscles was a joy," she shared. "There is nothing quite like the moment a young mind realizes that with their own hands, they can turn a flat idea into a masterpiece."
The Foundation is proud to sail alongside the GIPS district, helping students navigate the journey from imagination to engineering. By connecting the generosity of our community with the vision of our teachers, we are diving deep into the potential of every student—one cardboard ship at a time.
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I've Been Thinking
Missing Prom, Saving Money
Class of 1968
Alumni Liaison
March brings spring and in spring, as the saying goes, a young man's fancy turns to … where can he get a good deal on a tuxedo for the prom. My recollection of my own senior prom remains hazy, in part because it was a couple generations ago but mostly because I wasn’t there.
And therein hangs a tale: Seems the 1968 district track meet to which we Islander thinclads were assigned was held in Scottsbluff the day of the prom. Yes, that Scottsbluff, checking in at 318 miles away from the front door of GISH on North Lafayette. Traveling to the "Gibraltar of the Plains” meant we were bound for a city closer to Denver than Grand Island and within a half hour as close to Bowman, North Dakota. If you’re keeping score at home, it still is.
All that geography aside, I do not remember pitching a fit, the kind a 17 or 18 year guy can, with indignation, self-righteousness, and just a tinge of sarcasm. The historical truth is that I wasn’t that concerned about missing prom. I had a girlfriend who had already been to her school’s prom, Central Catholic, the result of good timing and a previous “broken up” period in our relationship. You remember those days. The upshot of such prom mishegas was muted disappointment and some financial gain.
Not to overdo the economics of the prom situation, but while I missed a memory-inducing high school benchmark, I did save money on a tuxedo, corsage and boutonniere, dinner, etc. In those days, no one aside from U.S. presidents, sultans and a few showoffs rode in limousines.
Young men in high school surely still devise and execute prom plans this time of year. But if you have read Reagan Kort’s piece in this issue of Rise -- and if not, you should -- young men and young women can go to the prom and still prepare for AP exams to further their academic progress. Bravo! AP classes did not exist when I missed my prom although my guess is Mr. Kral’s senior English class had similar challenges and trappings. Of course, given my then laissez faire approach to scholarly matters, chances are good I would not have been in AP classes.
Today, Reagan and her classmates can reap the benefits of advances in high school education and still make it to prom. I checked the calendar. Prom is safe from district track meets, AP exam day, or any other activity scheduled for the wunderkinds in Purple and Gold.
There is a postscript to my once-upon-a-time spring unfling: Our track team went on to win the Class A State Championship although we shared it with … you guessed it, Scottsbluff. We did win the Grand Championship, awarded to the team with the best performances in all classes.
And the girlfriend? We just marked 55 years of marriage with dinner at a nice restaurant. No tuxedo. No corsage. No boutonniere. Oh, and no limo.
On the Island
AP Exam Season is Near
Class of 2026
Student Correspondent
Happy spring, readers of Rise. With the beginning of a new season, many students at GISH are entering a new phase of their academic year – AP Exam season. The long-awaited testing dates in May are stressed over, crammed for, and highly anticipated by a large portion of the student body. Among all of the spring festivities including prom, track season, and graduation, students try their best to focus up and study hard. Advanced Placement, a program by the College Board, gives students the opportunity to take entry-level college courses as high schoolers. While some are more demanding and rigorous than others, the “AP Experience” is intended to give students a snapshot of what academics look like in college.
At GISH, most students planning on participating in these challenging courses begin their journey as sophomores. For those underclassmen, the most central courses are AP World History and AP Biology (which was my personal favorite). Many of these students are especially interested in sciences and may be participating in the Medical Sciences Academy, leading them towards taking AP Biology. One student, sophomore Lucy Stoppkotte, said that taking the course helped shape her into a sharper learner. “At the start of the year I had to adjust because I was used to the information I was learning in class to just be handed to me. In AP style classes, you have to learn some yourself, which developed my mindset for the future,” she said. Taking such a demanding course, like any honors student knows, comes with a learning curve. The capable students at GISH, however, take on the challenge.
Students (2nd left to right) Janessa Rendon, Irelynn Sughroue, Bella Bernal and Lucy Stoppkotte present their DNA replication posters as part of the AP Biology curriculum. Ms. Hect (1st left) is helping them prepare for their exam coming up in May.
Throughout the semester, AP Biology students participated in many labs and projects, giving them a more engaging look into the course and the overall study of biology. Christine Hect, an AP Biology teacher, shared her experience guiding students through the rigorous class. “At the sophomore level students get their first taste of college level courses, and that can be a challenge to adjust to. We spend the first several months learning the foundations of biology and as the year progresses students grow not only in their knowledge of basic biology, but also in their ability to read and interpret scientific literature,” she said. At the end of the year, students get to put their work to the test. “Thousands of AP students will take the same test at the same time nationwide to see how well the students have learned the biology concepts,” Hect said. For our most competitive students, exam season is their time to shine.
This year, a new Advanced Placement class was offered for GISH students. AP Seminar, which replaced the Honors English II course, gives students advanced research and presentation skills. English teacher Angela Goertzen is the instructor for the course and has enjoyed watching her students step up to the challenge. “An interesting fact is that Grand Island Senior High School is 1 of 4 high schools that offer the course in the state of Nebraska,” she said. AP Seminar is especially unique because it allows students to prepare for college-level research. The topics of research, however, are a student’s choice. “Research in itself is challenging work, but it is more enjoyable when it is a topic that they are interested in and are also passionate about in a way that lends itself to questions and possible solutions to real world problems,” Goertzen said. By the time these students leave “The Island," they will have gained real skills and academic ability that they can carry into whatever career or future endeavors they choose to pursue.
Senior Abraham Cardoza (right side) poses with his favorite AP teacher, Mr. Peitzmeier (left side). Abraham is enrolled in AP Calculus AB this semester.
Experienced Advanced Placement students have some tools in their pocket when it comes to approaching the exam season. Many grow fond of their favorite online Advanced Placement content creators and have their own strategies for tackling the comprehensive exams ahead. Senior Abraham Cardoza has adapted well to the “AP Experience” and is getting ready to put his knowledge to test in a few short months. “To prepare for the AP exam in May, I’ve been using online videos, as well as utilizing my resources and teaching myself material ahead of time to strengthen my understanding,” Cardoza said. By the time students are upperclassmen like Abraham, many of them have developed a strong love and appreciation for the challenge that taking AP classes presents. Along the way, they make influential connections with some familiar faces in the building – our Advanced Placement teachers. “My favorite AP teacher at GISH is Mr. Peitzmeier because he is very inspirational and encouraging,” he said. Jacob Peitzmeier teaches both AP Calculus and AP Statistics and is a student favorite. “AP Calculus AB has been challenging but being surrounded by students who are just as motivated to grow and a teacher who is very helpful has made the class more fun,” Cardoza said.
Advanced Placement students at GISH can testify that there is a sense of community created through the shared experience. With every assignment, paper, and cram session, the motivated academic competitors build friendships and push each other to be better. Through the “AP Experience,” GISH students go through unique opportunities giving them the upper hand in their futures. The College Board program may stretch across the nation, but the AP community at GISH is truly a tight-knit family. If you come across an especially stressed GISH student this spring, make sure to wish them good luck in their upcoming AP exams. I am confident that my fellow Islanders and I will put our knowledge to the test and make our school proud.
A Distant Mirror
Class of 1967
Rise Contributor
Newspapers
Newspapers have been a big part of my life since I began reading the Grand Island Daily Independent and the Omaha World Herald in about 1956. In those pre-internet days, when Grand Island televisions could only get three stations, newspapers were the major source of news for many.
I loved to review all the sporting news in detail, from box scores to lists of top performers. This was when I first learned the meaning of an average, by following the baseball averages of my favorite players. Wait a minute, Mickey Mantle’s batting average was 345 yesterday? How can it now be 341? You mean it can go down? As an eight-year-old, I clipped sports stories from the Independent and pasted them into a scrapbook. In the 1950’s the Omaha World Herald, after a Nebraska football game, would have two or three pages of game photos with the names of the players imposed on the pictures. Wonderful!
When I was about 12, I also assisted a friend with his paper route. This was an exciting experience for me. First the paper boys would gather at the Independent to receive and fold the papers for their route. The massive machines, with huge rollers, would be cranking out the afternoon paper with majesty. There was a particular smell, sound, feel, and excitement to the printing area and the newsroom. Then I would take off on my bike, my papers secured in a large bag positioned on the handlebars and toss the folded papers on porches while riding.
I also began to write for newspapers, first with the Walnut Cracker, then the Islander as sports editor, and later even the Independent itself. The first thing I ever had published was a poem I wrote in Ms. Martin’s second grade class at Howard, when the Independent published some grade school writings:
“I’d like to be a baseball player,
On the New York Yankees team,
And when I’d hit a home run,
I’d light up like a beam.”
In high school, for a time, I worked the Independent sports desk on Friday nights, taking in calls from various small high schools with their game results. As a senior in high school, I was on the varsity basketball team, but I played little. But when the Independent did not send a reporter to the Islander away games, they had me write the game stories. I would sit in the back of the bus on the ride home, reviewing the stats and writing the story that would appear in Saturday’s afternoon paper.
After my junior year in college, I went with a college classmate, Russell Goldsmith, and my now wife Janet, on a low budget 6-week tour of Europe. The Independent had asked me to write about my travels, so every three or four days I would write about my experiences and mail the article back to the Independent where it would be published. As my colleague George Ayoub can confirm, there is a great joy in seeing your writing in print.
In college I read the Boston Globe and the New York Times. In law school I read the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Bulletin. I came to treasure the time I could sit with coffee and simply read the paper. I loved the tactile feel of a newspaper. I loved the ability to review something over and over. I loved the ability to write comments or underline articles in the paper.
To me, there is a joy in getting up in the morning and going out to get the paper. With my paper, my half grapefruit, my glass of water with lemon, and my coffee, I can read, relax and enjoy.
When my baseball fantasy league first began in 1979, there was no Internet, and the only way to confirm the performance of players was through box scores in the newspaper. Accordingly, at the end of the week, the Monday morning newspaper would often have the stats that would determine the winner for the week. My class of 1967 buddy, the late Bob Johnsen, was known to rise at 5:30 a.m. to get the paper and see the exciting final stats.
My 13-year-old grandson, Leo, who is a sports nut, used to be the first guy out to get the paper in the morning to check sports scores. But alas, now he gets everything from his phone. He’s a teenager.
Even today, when virtually nobody has a newspaper subscription, I subscribe to the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and the Des Moines Register and get each paper delivered to my door. I also read the English paper the Financial Times and the New York Times online, since neither will deliver their paper to your door in Okoboji, Iowa. I think newspaper stories present issues, views, and facts in more detail, with a more thorough and measured approach.
I’m well aware that you can read the same material online for many papers, and I do for the New York Times. But it is not the same as having that newspaper in your hand. You can go back the next day, pick the paper up, and review an article you’ve been thinking about. You can clip stories you wish to keep. Is there a better Sunday activity than going out to a nice brunch with the full Sunday paper and leisurely enjoying it? Yes, please, I’ll have another cappuccino. Newspapers avoid the addictive and dangerous screens on our phones, laptops, and iPads. Our life has too many screens these days.
Seeing newspapers struggling financially and going out of business is painful for me. A recent issue of The New Yorker noted that “on average two American newspapers now close down every week; nearly 3000 have disappeared in the past two decades.”
The Washington Post, the source of the Watergate investigation, has recently cut back markedly. The Los Angeles Herald Examiner, the Santa Monica Evening Outlook, and the Philadelphia Bulletin have all gone out of business. The small local newspapers that used to cover local news are disappearing fast. When I stayed in hotels for business 20 years ago, they would deliver a paper to your door. Papers also would be available in the lobby or in a paper rack near the door. But now it is virtually impossible to find a newspaper in a hotel. And when did you last see a paper rack outside a store or hotel?
Don’t misunderstand, I do use the internet often and am amazed what can be found. I do research online and can, for example, quickly look up the capital of Uruguay. My fantasy leagues are mostly online, and of course I have to begin my day doing the New York Times Wordle. But old habits die hard. My true pleasure is reading the newspaper that gets delivered to my door.
A Wandering Writer's World
Searching for the Northern Lights in Norway
Class of 2008
Rise Contributor
I was lounging in my cabin aboard the MS Trollfjord ship in northern Norway when the text came in. “Aurora is visible now. So let’s meet outside on [deck] 9!”
I practically flew out the door, grabbing my coat and camera as I raced up the stairs. I was running so fast I tripped and fell not once, but twice, surprising even myself with the sheer joy and enthusiasm I felt at the prospect of seeing the northern lights.
When I finally made it to the vessel’s top deck, I found a smattering of fellow travelers staring up at the sky in wonder. Fittingly, we were sailing just outside Alta, Norway—nicknamed “the northern lights capital of the world”—when Mother Nature decided to put on a dazzling display.
I’d seen the northern lights once before, when they made an unexpected appearance across much of the Lower 48 in November 2025. But that experience—a reddish-pink glow just above the horizon—paled in comparison to what I was seeing now. Slender green ribbons snaked and spiraled across the sky, creating otherworldly shapes among the stars above the ship. The night was cold and clear, without even a wisp of a cloud to obscure the dancing lights’ beauty.
In February, I had the chance to take a northern lights cruise with Hurtigruten, a historic company that has been ferrying people and goods up and down Norway’s rugged coastline since 1893. Hurtigruten has its own “chief aurora chaser” on staff—an astronomer and author named Tom Kerss—and he joined our sailing, offering in-depth lectures on the science, history and culture of the aurora borealis.
Here’s a small sampling of what I learned on this informative and bucket list-worthy trip.
Long History
Although scientists only explained the northern lights in the early 1900s, cultures around the world have documented, mythologized, and revered them for millennia. The earliest-known written record of the phenomenon comes from an ancient Chinese text dated to about the 10th century B.C.E., or roughly 3,000 years ago, but archaeologists have discovered cave paintings in western Europe believed to depict the northern lights dating to roughly 30,000 years ago.
The Romans were terrified of the northern lights, which only made occasional appearances at southern latitudes, just like they do now. Ancient people living in the Arctic, meanwhile, who saw the aurora borealis fairly regularly, generally had a more favorable impression. The Indigenous people of Greenland, for instance, believed the lights represented a game being played by their dead loved ones, who kicked around a walrus skull like a ball.
What’s In a Name?
Today, we interchangeably call them the northern lights or the aurora borealis. But where do these monikers come from?
Written records show that, as far back as 1250 C.E., Norwegians were referring to the phenomenon as “norðrljós,” which means “northward light” in Old Norse. That word has since become “norðurljós” in Icelandic, “nordlys” in Danish and “nordlicht” in German.
Galileo Galilei first used “aurora borealis” in 1619. “Aurora” comes from the Latin word for dawn. It’s also the name of the rosy-fingered Roman goddess of the dawn, who is known in Greek mythology as Eos. “Borealis” comes from “Boreas,” the Greek god of the northern wind and winter. Together, the words mean “the dawn of the north.”
Thank the Sun
Broadly speaking, we see the northern lights when charged particles from the sun stream toward Earth during bursts of solar activity. Earth’s magnetic field funnels these particles toward the poles, where they collide with sparse gas molecules—primarily oxygen and nitrogen—in the upper atmosphere. Those collisions release energy in the form of colorful, glowing light.
Aurora colors are determined largely by altitude and atmospheric gas concentrations. The northern lights typically appear green at altitudes between 60 to 120 miles above the surface, and red at altitudes above 120 miles. The aurora can also appear deep red, blueish-white, violet-blue and yellowish-green.
Out of This World
Astronauts working aboard the International Space Station often get a good view of the aurora, which are concentrated around Earth’s north and south magnetic poles in what are known as the “aurora ovals.”
Other planets and celestial bodies have auroras, too, though they don’t always look or behave the same way ours do here on Earth. They’ve been observed on Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, as well as Jupiter’s four largest moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto). Scientists have even measured auroral emissions on a relatively small comet called 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.
Snap, Crackle, Pop
Occasionally, in addition to lighting up the night sky, auroras also make noise. Indigenous people in the Arctic have long reported hearing them, though scientists historically dismissed their accounts. More recently, however, researchers in Finland confirmed that auroras periodically produce whistles, cracks, and hisses. They still don’t totally understand why, but they think the noises have something to do with rare weather conditions that affect the temperature gradient of the atmosphere.
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Alumni Reunions
Alumni Coordinator
kprice@gips.org
308.385.5525
Planning a class reunion?
We can help get you started!
Contact us for your class list and send us information about your reunion.
We will post it to our website.
NOTE: Reunion information in this newsletter is current as of the publication date. To see Reunion updates and additions go to our Alumni Reunions page.
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1956The Class of 1956 wishes to extend an invitation to fellow classmates to join them at their monthly gathering. They meet on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at Pam's Cafe on South Locust at 11:30 am.
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Decades of the 60'sThe Decades of the 60’s breakfast continues to be held the second Saturday of each month at IHOP, 8:30 a.m. This is a great opportunity to reconnect over a cup of coffee and/or breakfast. We would love to have you join us!
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1960The Class of 1960 meets the first Wednesday of each month at Tommy's Restaurant at 11 a.m. Join us for lively conversation and a good time. Send your email address to Donna Weaver Smith for monthly communications at: dowesm@yahoo.com
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1966Class of '66 meets for lunch on the third Wednesday of the month at noon with the place updated each month on our class Facebook page. Hope to see many friends attend!!
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1967The class of 1967 meets monthly on the 4th Wednesday from 2:00-5:00 at Tommy's for chit-chat, pie, and coffee.
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1969The class of 1969 invites all classmates to our Monthly Luncheons. We meet the second Monday at noon of each month at The Finish Line at Fonner Park in Grand Island. Good Friends, Good Food, Good Times.
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1976The class of 1976 is exited to announce their 50th reunion to be held Saturday September 12, 2026 at the Full Circle Venue located at 220 W 3rd St, Grand Island. Informal gathering planned for the Friday evening before, MORE DETAILS to follow.
For questions, shares or update information contact:
Connie (Deitchler) Madison at madcon57@hotmail.com
Anita (Yunk) Lewandowski at anita.lewandowski@gmail.com -
2006Class of 2006 is excited to announce their 20th Class Reunion to be celebrated on July 11th, 2026 from 4pm to 9pm at Stolley Park. There will be a catered picnic open to families. Please contact Alicia Hansen at aliciahansen@live.com for questions.
In Memoriam
January and February memorial list of GISH Alumni
Cynthia (Bedke) Troester, Class of 1968, died January 3, 2026, at the age of 75.
Jerry Kenyon, Class of 1961, died January 6, 2026 at the age of 82.
Nancy Sinsel, Class of 1983, died January 7, 2026, at the age of 60.
Steve Stoltenberg, Class of 1973, died January 7, 2026, at the age of 72.
Arthur E. Ostermeier, Class of 1953, died January 9, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 90.
Rebecca D. Sittler, Class of 1993, died January 10, 2026, in Long Beach, CA, at the Age of 51.
Susan K. (Bukowski) Williams, Class of 1977, died January 10, 2026, in Doniphan, NE, at the age of 66.
Larry L. Sorgenfrei, Class of 1960, died January 13, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 84.
Judy M. (Shriner) Cox, Class of 1974, died January 22, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 69.
Lyle H. McMindes, Class of 1950, died January 22, 2026, at the age of 93.
Judy (Pollard) Beckler, Class of 1959, died January 25, 2026, in Lincoln, NE, at the age of 84.
Harry Preisendorf, Class of 1958, died January 26, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 86.
Beverly A. (Mccartney) Boltz, Class of 1952, died January 26, 2026, at the age of 90.
Ardyce L. (Thomssen) Arnold, Class of 1953, died January 27, 2026, in Kearney, NE, at the age of 89.
Randy Jordan, Class of 1976, died January 29, 2026, at the age of 68.
Janis F. (Billington) Helms, Class of 1967, died February 1, 2026, at the age of 77.
David Koch, Class of 1981, died February 4, 2026, at the age of 62.
William A. "Bill" Horst, Class of 1952, died February 10, 2026, in Gothenburg, NE, at the age of 91.
Louis J. Lewis, Class of 1981, died February 11, 2026, in Lincoln, NE, at the age of 63.
James "Jim" Watson, Class of 1961, died February 13, 2026, at the age of 82.
Mary E. (Schroeder) Hostler, Class of 1952, died February 13, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 91.
Connie (Hineline) Jenneman, Class of 1959, died February 15, 2026, at the age of 84.
Francis W. Johnson, Class of 1965, died February 21, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 79.
Vera L. (Muhs) Krueger, Class of 1955, died February 22, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 88.
Anita (Krohn) Ryan, Class of 1954, died February 22, 2026, at the age of 89.
Joan (Mcelroy) Senkbeil, Class of 1950, died February 22, 2026, in Valley, NE, at the age of 94.
Bryan Schuster, Class of 1981, died February 27, 2026, in Grand Island, NE, at the age of 62.
To report an alumni death since February 2026, please send an email with the first name, last name, class year and maiden name if applicable to alumni@gips.org
Class Notes
Rise wants to help you celebrate your successes with other Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. “Class Notes” is the place to highlight a birth, an anniversary, a promotion, a college degree, an award, or other notable personal accomplishments and triumphs. Tell us about that new business. That perfect baby … or grandbaby. That Masters degree you earned after years of hard work. That recognition from your company, your cohorts, your community.
Islander Trivia
How well do you know Grand Island Senior High?
Welcome to “Islander Trivia,” questions designed to send you to the deep recesses of your memory … or at least to your yearbooks, Facebook friends from high school or even Google.
Here is the trivia for this edition: National Honor Society’s induction of new members is this issue of Rise’s “At the Top” story. Senior High’s NHS welcomed 83 juniors. NHS is one of a number of high school clubs and activities known best by their acronym. See how many of the following acronyms you know:
Currently listed as a Senior High club or activity -
LGBTSA
SADD
DECA
HOSA
Other well-known high school clubs and activities, some of which have been at GISH -
FBLA
FCCLA
FFA
TSA
BPA
FCA
MUN
PAL
JROTC
Answers:
LGBTSA - Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Straight Alliance
SADD - Students Against Destructive Decisions
DECA - Distributive Education Clubs of America
HOSA - Future Health Professionals (formerly known as Health Occupations Students of America)
FBLA - Future Business Leaders of America
FCCLA - Family, Career and Community Leaders of America
FFA - Future Farmers of America
TSA - Technology Student Association
BPA - Business Professionals of America
FCA - Fellowship of Christian Athletes
MUN - Model United Nations
PAL - Peer Assisted Leadership
JROTC - Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps
Do you have a trivia suggestions for our next edition? We would love to hear from you!
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