Class of 1968
Alumni Liaison
Volume 10 | Number 6
Welcome to the November 2025 edition of Rise, the voice of Grand Island Senior High alumni and friends. We show up every other month in over 11,000 in-boxes bringing you news, views, and memories of GISH. Rise is a publication of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation.
This is Issue #6 of our tenth year of publishing the only consistent connection for alumni and friends of Grand Island Senior High. That makes this iteration 60 of Rise as we reach a decade of bringing the comings and goings of Islander alums across the globe.
Speaking of which, that leads the news in this issue as we mark Rise's first decade of publishing. It’s our “At the Top” piece, which includes an image of the first Rise. Since then we’ve put together 59 more issues so Islanders everywhere can keep tabs on their alma mater and friends of Islanders can read all about it, too. We also unabashedly ask you to help us grow the Rise audience. Check it out.
Rise’s On the Island Correspondent, Reagan Kort, catches us up with all the news from the halls, classrooms, playing fields, and stages of Senior High. Mandy Sullivan, the Foundation’s Administration and Development Associate, takes us on a sweet ride along as she details the Foundation’s Grants Award Day journey across the district. Some very cool classroom projects were once again funded through the generosity of those whose financial support underpins the work of the GIPSF.
Wandering Writer Sarah Kuta introduces to her GISH classmate, Chris Beaty, whose new book “Loser*: A Survival Guide to High School Popularity,” comes out later this month. “Loser” chronicles Chris’s life while at Senior High. Mike Monk’s “Distant Mirror” takes us to Europe while my “I’ve Been Thinking” column relives the competing emotions I experienced as I navigated Miss Lillian Willman’s American history class at GISH. Foundation Executive Director Kari Hooker-Leep writes in this issue about the Power of GIPS Foundation Scholarships and how you can be involved.
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, this issue focusing on us marking 10 years of publishing Rise.
Stay in touch, Islanders. And remember: Keep pushing on.
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At the Top
George Ayoub sheds light on the Rise publication completing a decade of publishing Islander news and memories.
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Making Your Mark
Kari Hooker-Leep reports on the growing impact of the GIPS Foundation's Scholarship program.
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Foundation Focus
Mandy Sullivan unveils the GIPS Foundation's day of surprises for Classroom Grant Recipients.
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I've Been Thinking
George Ayoub reminisces about his time in Miss Lillian Willman's American history class and how those experiences influenced his career as a writer.
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On the Island
Reagan Kort reflects on a busy fall semester and gratitude for the opportunities that GISH provides to students as they explore pathways to future careers.
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Distant Mirror
Mike Monk reflects on this September trip to Australia, highlighting 4 of the most fascinating places they visited.
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A Wandering Writer's World
Sarah Kuta shares her interview with fellow classmate Chris Beaty about his new surviving high school memoir book, Loser.
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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?
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Tom Dinsdale -
At the Top
Rise Completing a Decade of Publishing Islander News, Memories
Front page of Volume #1,Issue #1 from January, 2016
If you’re keeping score at home, this issue of Rise marks the end of our tenth year of bringing you news, memories, and happenings specifically at Grand Island Senior High and generally in all the Grand Island Public Schools. If you are reading this, you are part of our 11,236 subscribers, not a bad start for a decade of work and publishing.
As a regular reader of Rise, you also know that aside from walks down memory lane from Senior High graduates to some current happenings from our “On the Island” correspondent -- a student still at Senior High -- you also get news about the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation and its good works.
For those who might be interested, many ways exist to support the work of the Foundation from subscribing to Rise to funding a scholarship to volunteering for special events such as Harvest to reading and scoring scholarship applications. Check with Kari Hooker-Leep, the GIPSF’s Executive Director or Mandy Sullivan, the Foundation Administrative Development Associate for all the ways to be part of the mission of the Foundation.
In Rise’s ten years we’ve been through a number of changes, not the least of which has been our design under the brilliance of the Foundation’s Programs and Marketing Coordinator, Candi Wiemers. She has not only made us look pretty but has made it easier for all of you to navigate our pages. Check out the front page of Volume #1,Issue #1 from January, 2016.
As editor of Rise I would be remiss if I had any notion that 11,236 subscribers was enough. As we turn the corner into a new decade of publishing, we in the Rise family hope to increase the number of subscribers. To wit: Why not reach out to a classmate or a friend or even a relative who wore the Purple and Gold to see if they, too, subscribe to the now 10-year publication, Rise? And if not, why not send them our way?
After a decade together, the Rise family would like to say to all its readers: “Thanks, Islanders.”
(e) Mail Bag
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Making Your Mark
Dream Big: The Power of GIPS Foundation Scholarships
Class of 1983
Executive Director
GIPS Foundation
The promise of a brighter future for Grand Island's students is being powerfully realized through the transformative work of the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation (GIPSF) Scholarship program. More than just financial aid, these scholarships are a profound investment in our greatest assets — our students — providing the vital support needed for their post-secondary dreams. The numbers tell a story of remarkable and accelerating growth, reflecting the deepening commitment of GIPSF supporters.
2025 Bob Hamblet Northwestern University Scholarship winner
The program's evolution over the last two decades has been nothing short of extraordinary. Consider the scale of growth: In 2005, the Foundation proudly distributed 104 scholarships totaling $100,125. Fast forward to 2025, and those figures have seen an epic increase. GIPSF provided an impressive 185 scholarships exceeding $698,000 to the Class of 2025. This dramatic jump in both the number of recipients and the dollar amount demonstrates the Foundation's expanding reach and impact. The momentum continues, with a projection of over 200 scholarships for the Class of 2026, surpassing $700,000 in total awarded scholarships.
This success is a direct testament to the generosity of our supporters who entrust GIPSF with honoring their families, loved ones, or personal passions. Every scholarship created is a legacy of remembrance and support, providing students with the resources to pursue their ambitions.
Krae Wardyn and Malik Hansen with donors Deb Jardine and her daughter Jordan Jardine
The scholarships themselves are as diverse as the students they support. The Foundation is proud to offer a variety of opportunities, ensuring that a student's chosen path, regardless of discipline, can be funded. Options span from those dedicated to essential fields like medical and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math), to those supporting the trades, and other general, all-encompassing options. This diversity ensures that whether a student dreams of becoming a nurse, an engineer, a skilled electrician, or a teacher, GIPSF has a way to help make that dream a reality.
The Grand Island Public Schools Foundation Scholarship program is a shining example of opportunity. It eliminates financial barriers and validates the hard work and potential of Grand Island's graduates. As the Foundation continues to grow, we express immense gratitude for the dedicated supporters whose trust and generosity fuel our students' success, ensuring a brighter tomorrow for both the students and the community. Our scholarship program aligns perfectly with our mission: The GIPS Foundation partners with our community to build support and empowers the GIPS Family to thrive and dream big.
Scholarship donors visiting with students at reception
You can be a part of this wonderful commitment to our students' futures. If you would like to set up your own scholarship and honor a family member, loved one, or a personal passion, please contact the GIPSF to start building your legacy today.
Grand Island Public Schools Foundation Contact Information: Address: 123 S. Webb Rd., Grand Island, NE 68802 Phone: (308) 385-5525 Email: khookerleep@gips.org
If you're going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can't be erased. - Maya Angelou
Foundation Focus
Classroom Grant Awards Day
Administration & Development Associate
GIPS Foundation
It was a day of top-secret missions celebrating educators who think outside the box to elevate their students' learning experiences. The team from the Grand Island Public Schools Foundation along with fan favorites, the GISH Cheerleaders, traveled around to six unsuspecting GIPS schools to surprise teachers and their students with their Classroom Grant awards. These grants help pay for and bring to life educational experiences that would otherwise not be covered by the district’s general budget. The GIPS Foundation awarded a total of $9,059 for the 2025-2026 school year. Read more in-depth information regarding Classroom Grant awards.
The whirlwind awards tour began early Tuesday morning on October 28. The GIPS Foundation team presented Ed McMahon style jumbo checks to Engleman Elementary teachers Megan Danner for “Safe Saws for Creative Minds” and Chandra Kosmicki “Wildcat Way Webcast” in front of an all-school assembly. Engleman’s gym vibrated with energy thanks to two dedicated teachers who wanted to provide engaging learning opportunities for their students. Danner is excited to get her project underway. “I am beyond thankful and humbled to receive this grant that will spark creativity and hands-on learning experiences for our students. Our students can’t wait to explore, design, and create amazing projects with the new opportunities that these Chompsaws will bring. Get ready for some amazing student-built masterpieces!”
Shoemaker Elementary teacher Lisa Allan had a room full of smiles, claps, and giggles as she was presented with her check for “Sensory Integrations.” The grant will purchase visual, tactile, auditory, and other multi-sensory items that will be sources of therapeutic stimulation for students. The multi-sensory items will greatly benefit the classroom’s environment that is so vital to the students it serves.
Sequestered in the commons area, Newell Elementary first graders sat in anticipation with stars in their eyes as the GIPS Foundation team and GISH Cheerleaders delivered their Classroom Grant surprise. Newell collaborators Asia Thoene, Abby Elsbury, and Renee Sutherland were awarded funds for their grant proposal “Starry Skies.” Newell first-graders will literally be reaching for the stars with a visit from the Edgerton Explorit Center portable planetarium.
Walnut middle schoolers will be globe-trekking with their awarded funds to purchase a pico-balloon that students will program and launch to travel around the world. Students will be involved with daily transmissions of data via HAM radio frequencies on the balloon’s temperature, location, and altitude as it travels around the Earth. They will then provide an all-school weekly report to their fellow classmates during morning announcements. Students will be collaborating with a local expert to help with the construction of the balloon and partner with the city government and emergency management to become certified HAM radio operators. Walnut teachers Benjamin Marten and Tyler Madison will truly be bringing worldly adventures to the classroom.
Grand Island Senior High’s music department was surprised with Tuesday’s interruption to their classroom routine. Abigail Bloom and Jesse LaBrie were awarded grant funding to purchase a Pageantry Innovations DK-20 Drum Kit Workstation, an industry-standard mobile percussion cart. Grant collaborators Bloom and LaBrie secured not just efficient equipment for their students but are providing resources to elevate their musical talents for competitions and beyond.
Creating the next generation of environmental stewards was the goal of Chelsi Christensen and Amanda Julesgard from Knickrehm for their “Milkweed Planting Project.” Knickrehm kindergarteners were full of enthusiasm and hugs for the GIPS Foundation team and GISH Cheerleaders as they delivered their Classroom Grant award.
Classroom Awards Day brings not just surprises but lasting excitement for future classroom plans. This is where learning and real-life, hands-on experiences come together to help propel students forward in making those important connections. The GIPS Foundation is honored to be the vessel moving these opportunities forward.
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I've Been Thinking
From Terror to Satisfaction to Lifelong Love of History
Class of 1968
Alumni Liaison
During my junior year at Grand Island Senior High I encountered a singular phenomenon I can only describe as forged from a quartet of seemingly incongruent emotions: terror, hope, bewilderment, and satisfaction.
I’m speaking of my experience in Miss Lillian Willman’s American history class every afternoon at the east end of the 200 wing. I have been reminiscing a little about my time with Miss Willman as I read about ongoing dustups over what social studies curricula should entail, including the nation’s history and how its government works. Those two subjects were right in Miss Willman’s wheelhouse and, as she insisted of her students, in theirs, too. Even if that wasn’t in the cards … so to speak.
For the uninitiated, Miss Willman had a deck of cards she used to ask questions and generate class discussion. Each card had the name of a student in the class. Shortly after the bell rang she would rise slowly from her desk, go to a podium or table near the center of the classroom, shuffle the cards, and begin another chapter of the American history story .
Photo courtesy of 1967 GISH Yearbook
If you were unprepared and your card came up, you suffered not simply whatever mysterious mark she recorded on your card (I imagined a giant F in red), you also had to endure Miss Willman’s stare. While I rarely remember her raising a scolding voice, her gaze on the guilty was withering enough. I speak from personal experience. That was the terror.
Nor were her questions “When was the War of 1812?” or similarly situated soft balls. She wanted whys and wherefores and how comes, oral answers to essay questions bolstered from assigned reading and other evidence.
For the well-prepared, the questions were doable, grade boosters (I imagined As on the cards with gold stars all around). On those days that was the hope. That’s because if my card came up, I could kill any question on the LeCompton Constitution or the 10th Amendment or the Separation of Powers, whatever Miss Willman had assigned. But alas, sometimes hope did not spring eternal. Oh sure, you could add to someone else’s answer for a little credit here and there, but nothing compared to knocking it out of the park when your card came up.
The bewilderment for me came not knowing just exactly what Miss Willman was jotting down on her cards, my unchecked, awfulizing imagination notwithstanding. She kept me guessing. I showed steady improvement to an eventual “1” (GISH-speak for an A as you recall) after a stumble out of the gate, but the scary lesson of unpreparedness and the fickleness of the deck of cards she shuffled every day weren’t soon forgotten.
Which I guess leads me to satisfaction. I love history, especially American history, how governments work (or don’t), all the forces in play that shape our stories whether global, national, regional, state, or local, and the importance of not simply understanding civics but also participating in their principles. I have, in some part, Miss Willman -- whose class I came to look forward to each day -- to thank for that.
I’ve made a living as a writer for over three decades, and I often write about history, either in weekly commentaries, in longer projects, or in books, all of which require not simply historical research but a way to organize it and, more importantly, think about it. Miss Willman was on to all those years ago at Senior High. History is indeed names and dates and places, but most of all it is its stories and what they mean to those who lived through them and those who read and understand them.
In the ongoing debate about what to teach in our social studies classrooms, I have a suggestion: Get a deck of cards. Write down some tough essay questions. Withering gaze optional.
On the Island
Making the most of all things Purple and Gold
Class of 2026
Student Correspondent
Happy fall, readers of Rise. These crisp, cold months are definitely my favorite of all 12 in the year. While the autumn festivities have been going on – apple cider, the pumpkin patch, and Halloween costumes – I have just wrapped up the busiest month of my year.
On Halloween weekend, I was occupied with three performances of “Shrek the Musical.” The month of October was full of rehearsals, and although grueling, they were the highlight of my first semester this year. One part about GISH’s fall musical that especially brought me joy was the opportunity to choreograph a tap number and work alongside director Katherine Welk for dance numbers with the high school cast and young ensemble. Balancing schoolwork, extracurriculars, and a part-time job all while working on a large production was definitely a whirlwind but so rewarding.
Senior Briana's practicum class at Starr Elementary won an award for being the best hallway walkers
On a rehearsal evening, it would be common to see the high school cast members working on academic assignments in between scenes. One cast member, senior Briana Arrieta-Perez, who portrayed the role of Humpty Dumpty in the production, attested to this. “My participation in the musical presented quite the challenge. The rehearsal schedule, including late nights and weekends, required effective time management. However, I found the experience of being involved in the musical to be exceptionally rewarding. In the end, witnessing the result of our efforts in the final performance made all the hard work worthwhile” she said.
Briana, a member of the Educators Rising Leadership Team and enrolled in the education pathway at GISH, has had some other exciting opportunities come her way this year. “Since late September, I have been working in Mrs. Friedrichsen’s Second Grade classroom at Starr Elementary. I have found great value in developing relationships with the students, who each possess unique and engaging personalities,” she said. Alongside her education practicum, Briana has been serving as the M-TECH Club Instructor at Howard Elementary and worked as a science teacher for Dodge Elementary's Summer School Program. “These experiences have solidified my interest in pursuing a career in education. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and eagerly anticipate what the future holds” she said.
Briana Arrieta Perez helps students at Dodge Elementary's summer program, learn how to code
The Academies at our disposal have many benefits. Zurisadai Gomez, a senior in the engineering pathway, is working towards her future too. Gomez said, “I've learned a lot about mechanics and computer software that help with bringing one's ideas to life. It has shown me many fields in engineering and has also given me the opportunity to be an intern at Olsson Associates this year. I am so grateful for all I've learned, and I would like to now pursue engineering in college.”
At the same time us high schoolers go to football games and hang out with our friends, many of us are balancing endeavors at professional levels, both career-oriented and artistic. Even as underclassmen, it is clear that students at GISH have their eyes set on the futures before them. I always enjoy talking to my peers about their aspirations and passions. As a member of the finance pathway, I have explored business fields and gained so much experience to take with me as I move through the rest of my education and career. The Academy program, a treasure at our fingertips, is just one of the amazing things about being an Islander. Simultaneously, we get to participate in amazing activities and athletics. No matter what we’re up to though, it is always a great time representing the Purple and Gold.
A Distant Mirror
Report from Europe – November 2025
Class of 1967
Rise Contributor
This past September, my wife Janet and I visited Europe with our close friends who live in Australia, Bill and Franzine Prentice and their 23-year-old twins William and Annie. We visited some historic and fascinating places, but I was most charmed by the history of four places we visited: The Pantheon in Rome, Herculaneum, the Greek island of Corfu, and Venice.
The Pantheon
We began our trip in Rome and rented an Airbnb in central Rome with a view of the Pantheon. The square in front of the Pantheon is lively, with sculptures, fountains, and bustling restaurants. The Pantheon is a remarkable Roman Temple built in 27 B.C. by Emperor Augustus’ son-in-law Marcus Agrippa. After three fires, it was rebuilt by the Emperor Hadrian around A.D. 120. It was made to look like a Greek temple, with columns, cross beams, and a pediment. The columns have leafy green Corinthian capitals, the Greek style most popular among Romans.
The Pantheon
Rick Steves’ guidebook tells us that the Pantheon’s dome is perhaps the most influential architectural design in art history. The dome for Florence’s famous Duomo and the dome of Rome’s St. Peters, designed by Michelangelo, are both based on the Pantheon dome.
There are 16 enormous columns in front of the temple. The columns are 40 feet tall, 15 feet around, made of red-and-gray granite. While many ancient columns are a stack of cylindrical drums, these columns are each a single piece of stone. Amazingly, these 55-ton columns were quarried in faraway Egypt and shipped across the Mediterranean, transferred by barge up the Tiber River, and carried overland to this spot where they were lifted into place solely by ropes, pulleys and many workers.
The giant doorway, the original, has 23-foot-tall doors made of bronze. Once inside you see the soaring dome, set on a circular base 23 feet thick. The Dome is exactly as high as it is wide, 142 feet. A 142-foot diameter sphere would fit perfectly inside the Dome. The ceiling is “coffered” (containing recessed panels), and composed of lighter volcanic rock (pumice), both of which reduce the weight of the dome without compromising its strength.
The top of the dome is an “oculus,” a completely open circle, almost 30 feet across, which is the only source of light in the dome. The floor, most of which is original, gently slopes to the edges to drain rainwater. While the design is deceptively simple, it is gloriously beautiful both from the inside and the outside.
The inside is a lively, magical place, replete with sculptures, paintings, art, and tourists. So is the plaza outside where we dined each evening.
Herculaneum
We also visited Herculaneum, which along with Pompeii was destroyed by the A.D. 79 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Herculaneum is less famous than Pompeii because of its smaller size and later discovery and excavation. Pompeii was a bustling large city with grand public places, while Herculaneum was a smaller, more affluent suburb of Rome.
A carbonized wooden boat at Herculaneum
The eruption of Vesuvius in A.D. 79 was a surprise, since it was thought to be just a large mountain, not a volcano. The eruption buried Pompeii in over 20 feet of ash and other volcanic debris. Herculaneum, however, was closer to Vesuvius and was covered with roughly 60 feet of lava, ash, mud, and other volcanic debris. The pyroclastic surges hit Herculaneum directly, killing the residents instantly with intense heat and gas. This surge preserved the city exceptionally well, even carbonizing organic material like the wooden boat in the attached picture.
Our guide at Herculaneum noted that it was actually adjacent to the sea at the time of the eruption. It is now roughly a quarter mile inland. People apparently tried to escape in boats, but the lava came so swiftly that they were buried. There were fewer human bodies found at Herculaneum since the intense heart left only bones as remains. The bones are preserved at the site, although in a museum. The bones in the excavated city are replicas. The ash at Pompeii left more human remains, with bodies of the victims remaining in the same position as when the pyroclastic flow hit them. A method of creating casts from the remains has produced some amazing likenesses.
There are today homes surrounding the excavated ruins of Herculaneum. Far more of the city could be excavated, but it would involve not only significant work and expense but also displacing the current residents. I asked our guide if the adjacent homes were expensive, being near such a historic site. He said no, and when I asked why, he pointed to the nearby looming silhouette of Vesuvius. While the eruption was nearly 2000 years ago, some fear still exists.
It is gruesome and difficult to imagine what it would have been like to have been present when this disaster descended upon the city so quickly.
The cliffs on Corfu's western shore
Corfu
The Greek Island of Corfu is located just off the far northwestern part of
Greece, near Greece’s border with Albania. The city of Corfu is on the eastern part of the island and has a lovely harbor, made lively with boats and tourists.
After touring this part of the island, we were driven to the far western coast of the island, where steep cliffs provide a dramatic view of the Ionian Sea. The roads along these cliffs are very narrow. Parts of them are so narrow that oncoming cars had to back up to let us pass. One section was so narrow that even two small cars could not pass each other. In this section, for a half mile or so, there were stopping points on each end of the stretch allowing traffic to go only in one direction at a time.
The scenery is spectacular and highlighted by the fact that in the “Odyssey,” Homer related that Corfu is the island on which Odysseus washed up, as he made his treacherous trip back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Whether historical fact, or fiction, it made the steep western slopes more mysterious.
Tea in St. Mark's Square in Venice
Venice
The gorgeous city of Venice, with its well-known canals and gondolas, is
charming and historic but has had recent problems. The city is slowly sinking, and so expensive that fewer and fewer Italians reside in Venice full time. Some say it has become an Italian Disneyland, with hotels, restaurants, museums, and shops catering almost exclusively to tourists.
But our two-day stay was delightful. While crowded and bustling, it remains wonderful. We spent time in a couple of shops and also in St. Marks Square, the hub of the city, where the Basilica of St. Mark and Campanile of St. Mark’s are located. A broad plaza has many restaurants for dining and people watching. One afternoon, we were having tea at a restaurant. which had a band playing “The Beautiful Blue Danube.” It was a moment of euphoria. From the bar of our hotel, we could see gondola after gondola floating along, with couples and others enjoying the ride.
One pleasing fact about our time in Italy is that the prices were not outrageous. The classic great Italian cuisine was priced far less than my favorite Italian restaurant in California.
The history of places like the Pantheon, Herculaneum, Corfu, and Venice make a visit there very rewarding. But those who cannot travel there can still luxuriate in the stories, history, and beauty from afar. But for those who can, keep on traveling.
A Wandering Writer's World
Classmate Chris Beaty reflects on high school—the good, the bad, the ugly—in his new memoir
Class of 2008
Rise Contributor
High school is a strange in-between—the place where you start to figure out who you are, but also where you never quite feel like you fit in. It’s full of firsts: friendships, crushes, heartbreaks, big dreams, and awkward stumbles. It’s messy yet transformative, the bridge between childhood and whoever you’re becoming.
Chris Beaty knows these contradictions all too well. Today, he’s a successful young professional in Omaha, building a life with his wife and three children. But roughly two decades ago, he was just another wide-eyed freshman finding his way through the crowded halls of Grand Island Senior High.
For Beaty, high school was a maze of confusing encounters, quiet insecurities and a few painfully embarrassing moments that still make him cringe all these years later. But, looking back now, he’s come to appreciate his high school experience—in part because it helped shape him into the person he is today, but also because he’s realized high school is just … awkward for everyone.
Book cover courtesy of Chris Beaty
Beaty (GISH class of 2008) reflects on his formative years in his first book, “Loser*: A Survival Guide to High School Popularity,” out later this month.
Beaty and I were high school classmates and friends, so reading his book was a fun trip down memory lane. I chatted with him to learn more about his burgeoning career as a writer, as well as what it was like to reflect on his time at GISH. Here’s what he had to say.
The following interview was lightly edited for length and clarity.
Sarah Kuta: What inspired and motivated you to write this book?
Chris Beaty: I've always wanted to write, but I never knew what I was going to write about. I've always enjoyed writing and I had in the back of my mind, ‘OK, yeah, one day I’ll write a book,’ but I didn't know what it would be about, necessarily. Around 2022, I bought a typewriter. It was just a fun thing to mess around with, and I started writing essays. I started writing as a means of processing life, and it was almost therapeutic in a way. At that point, everything was in essay form so, a lot of the stuff that made it into the book initially existed as just different essays.
I was writing a lot about high school and I don't really necessarily know why, but I think I was just reflecting on that time of life. But what prompted the book was, I was with my daughter, I think she was around six or seven at the time, and we went to McDonald's for lunch. We saw these two people who looked like they were on a date and I thought, ‘Who in the world would go on a date in McDonald's? What a trashy thing to do.’ And then I remembered, ‘Oh, I took my homecoming date to McDonald's. I did that once.’ And so I decided that'd be kind of a funny essay—you know, this loser kid who takes his homecoming date to McDonald's. And so I sat down to write that and then I went, ‘Well, in order to tell that story, I should probably back up,’ because that happened my sophomore or junior year [of high school]. So I backed up. And I just kept on backing up until I thought of the first girl I kissed on her driveway, before I even entered kindergarten. I just kept writing and, eventually, the pages started to stack up. So, I decided this might not be an essay, this might be a book.
SK: Aside from your own memories, what did you use for source materials?
CB: Often, I would write something and then let it sit for a while. And then I’d remember later, ‘Oh yeah, that happened too,’ and I would add to it. It was almost like this iterative process. Once you put yourself back in that frame of mind, then all these memories start coming back.
I also read through as much Grand Island stuff as I could. I read “The Night of the Twisters” by Ivy Ruckman. I watched the movie. I went back to Grand Island a couple of times. I went through every yearbook I had. I did not interview anyone for it, so it’s definitely just my perspective.
SK: What’s the reception been like so far?
CB: I reached out to a lot of people after I wrote the book, just to let them know about it. Nothing's been bad. Everyone I’ve talked to has been very excited about it. But I'm still kind of not sure, right? I'm not sure what to make of [the feedback] because it's such a personal book. It's all about awkward high school stuff. And some people just don't like to go there, so I don't know.
SK: What was it like to think back and revisit all these memories? What emotions did writing this book bring up for you?
CB: Some of it was super fun. Just thinking about the dumb stuff we did and just remembering those stories and giggling as I was writing. It was as if you’re meeting up with an old friend again. And some of it was just brutal, honestly. Each of the chapters is kind of anchored around a relationship I had, for better or worse, during that time frame. None of them worked out in the end, at least not in a romantic sense. So, every one of those interactions had an element of regret with it. You try to put yourself back in that situation and experience it the way you experienced it at the time. But, at the same time, now you have a little bit of knowledge, right? So you’re thinking of stuff you could have done [differently] that would have made it go better. All these times you thought you were being smart or smooth… when, really, you were just being an idiot. It’s like, ‘Just tell her how you feel, man, and if she doesn’t feel that way, that’s OK.’ There were a few of those that were just really hard.
I can think of a couple of times where I was writing and I just had to stop and collect myself again. A few of those moments got captured on the page, too. There's a little transition paragraph I wrote just reflecting on those moments in life … those turning points where you made a decision one way or another. The girl I took to McDonald's… at the end of that homecoming date, it was very clear she had a level of interest in me and I panicked. I didn't know what to do. And to this day, I regret the way I responded. And it's not that I regret the way my life turned out, but I regret the way I responded because I had no reason to treat her the way I did and just kind brush her off and whatever. But I just freaked out. And I can see that now. But at the time, I was just immature.
SK: Did this whole process shape the way you’re thinking about parenting your own kids at all?
CB: Maybe in some ways. When I was growing up, I felt like I was doing something wrong by having feelings for girls. I was depressed and insecure and anxious and all these things. I felt like there was something wrong with me for feeling that way, and so I think a lot of it is just remembering what it was like to be in that place. That’s really helpful for me as a parent.
I teach college kids now and I really think my biggest strength as a teacher is just that I’m not that far removed, I still remember what it was like to be a college kid. I don't give assignments that I think are stupid because, if I think they're stupid, then the college kids definitely aren't going to get anything out of them. So, I think just that level of empathy is important, whether you're parenting or teaching or whatever.
Reliving those moments and placing yourself back in high school, it certainly helps you be empathetic, even though my kids' lives are going to be different than mine. But there's also this universal human experience that I think everyone goes through, regardless of the generation, of feeling awkward and trying to figure out romantic interests and all that.
SK: Has writing the book changed how you think about high school?
CB: Yeah, I think it has. It has given me a sense of closure on this chapter of my life, as opposed to, before, I just wanted to ignore it. I moved away from Grand Island and I just wanted to pretend that whole chapter of my life didn't happen. I wanted to become a new person, to reinvent myself when I left Grand Island and moved to Omaha for college. I didn't really keep up with my friends from Grand Island, we just slowly went our separate ways and, honestly, that was a conscious decision for me at times. I just wanted to move on.
But, now, I still feel like it is in the past, but I have a sense of closure. It was still OK, it was still good. It was weird, but I'm still thankful for that period of time. I'm still thankful for where I grew up. I'm super thankful for the people.
And this goes back to your earlier question, but it has been so fun to reconnect with people from that period of time. And just the support and interest I’ve gotten from people [after I posted about the book on Facebook]. It's all these people that I thought I would never see again. And it's just a reminder that these are still good people. We went through a really weird time together and we've moved on. Hearing what some of my friends are up to now as adults, it gives me a sense of pride. We could laugh about things that we couldn't laugh about then, and just realize we all went through something together. And that was really cool, even though it worked out differently for each one of us. Everyone I've reconnected with, we have shared that same sense of, ‘Yeah, [high school] was really weird, but man, it's great to hear from you now.’ So, I think it did give me a sense of belonging again, and a sense of being OK with where I'm from. Not that I was ever ashamed of it, but just more so being proud and claiming it.
SK: Who is this book for? Who's your ideal reader?
CB: I think there is a general appeal in the same way that people love “Sixteen Candles” and all those teenage rom coms. There's hopefully a lot of nostalgic references from that time period, even for people outside of Grand Island. Anyone who has ever tried to hook up with a girl over instant messenger, I think they would like at least a part of this book. We're never going to have that experience again. We can all look back at that and be like, ‘Wow, what were we thinking?’ I thought the stakes were huge, getting those stupid emoticons just right and picking the right song lyric. We all need to get together and make fun of that.
But, also, anybody from a small town, even if their town didn't have a fiberglass cow that seemed to move from steak restaurant to steak restaurant. They probably have something like that and they can laugh at that.
I would also love for a high school kid to read this book and think, ‘Oh, wow, people have always felt the way that I feel right now. Even if it's not OK now, it’s going to be OK in the future.’ That's really the heart behind it. Life keeps going on, even if it sucks at the time. That's just part of growing up.
SK: I hadn’t really thought of it that way, but the book really is a time-capsule for millennials.
CB: Yeah, for sure. That stuff was really fun to write about … the Axe body spray and things like that.
SK: What are some of your other goals for the book?
CB: I hope it finds an audience. I hope it finds some eyes. I hope it's successful, in some sense that just allows me to keep writing. I hope people from Grand Island feel like it gives us permission to laugh at ourselves a little bit. I just want people to have a sense of pride in having a book about Grand Island. I hope the city rallies around it in a way that makes them laugh at themselves in a good, healthy way, because frankly, we have a lot to laugh at ourselves about.
Photo courtesy of Chris Beaty
SK: What tips and advice would you share for someone who is in high school right now?
CB: I just felt so much pressure on myself. And, in some sense, I just needed somebody to tell me, ‘Chris, none of this really matters right now.’ I think we put so much pressure on kids to make good choices and work hard and, you know, don't stay up too late. And there are probably kids who really need to hear that. But at the same time, for me, I just need somebody to tell me to just chill out. And I had a few mentors who were like that… When you hit those moments where people are like, ‘Dude, just chill out, none of this is that big of a deal,’ it could be life-giving because it gives you freedom to make mistakes and not beat yourself up and everything.
And I wish I would have taken more risks. I wish I would have asked more girls out. I wish I would have gone to more things. I wish I wouldn't have been so concerned with saving everyone's souls and getting them to youth group and converting them to Christianity and [more focused on] just being a kid and having fun and making mistakes. I thought I had to get everything perfect and get everything right, and I think that really stunted my development and maturity in a lot of ways. I always had a little of a class-clown vibe at times. And I think that was probably me acting out from just the insane pressure I'd put on myself to be the best at everything.
I just wish someone had said to me, ‘If you're not the section leader for the drumline, it doesn't matter. If not every single one of your friends becomes a Christian, it's not your fault that they go to hell, even if that's your theology. Just chill out, you don’t need to put the weight of the world on your shoulders.’
SK: What’s next for you?
CB: I’ve got two other books that I'm working on right now. One of them is kind of a sequel of sorts, about getting married and adopting three kids from Colombia. And then I have an aunt who was in the movie “Nomadland.” She played herself in the movie, she goes by the name of Swankie. I've been working with her to write a biography of her life, so that's been a really fun process. Other than that, I've been trying to do podcast stuff and writing essays and everything. We'll see where it goes. I have a full-time job and a part-time job on top of that, but writing is what I really love to do, and I do it by choice.
SK: Where can people find “Loser*” if they want to read it?
CB: The goal right now is to have it be available www.csbeaty.com on Thanksgiving.**
**Note: His website doesn't work right now, but will go live once the book does.
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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 2nd Tuesday of each month at the Ramada Midtown at 6:00 pm.
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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.
In Memoriam
September and October memorial list of GISH Alumni
Debra Morris, Class of 1978, died September 2, 2025 in at the age of 65.
Leroy Fletcher, Class of 1957, died September 3, 2025 in Canton, GA at the age of 86.
Leola (Miller) Hansen, Class of 1948, died September 8, 2025 in at the age of 94.
Bonnie (Ruhl) Smaha, Class of 1958, died September 9, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 85.
Monty Jones, Class of 1982, died September 13, 2025 in at the age of 62.
William Foulk, Class of 1986, died September 14, 2025 in Grand Island NE at the age of 60.
Gina (Sherry) Sherry, Class of 1973, died September 20, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 70.
Lucy (Snyder) Bixenmann, Class of 1967, died September 20, 2025 in Sioux Falls SD at the age of 76.
Delores (Stevens) Mierau, Class of 1953, died September 21, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 91.
Joann (Janc) Campos, Class of 1962, died September 23, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 79.
Alan Reab, Class of 1974, died October 5, 2025 in at the age of 69.
Irene (Peterson) Avery, Class of 1949, died October 13, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 93.
Thomas (Tj) Frazier, Class of 2002, died October 14, 2025 in Lincoln, NE at the age of 41.
Norma (Homfeld) Glause, Class of 1956, died October 19, 2025 in St. Paul, NE at the age of 87.
Peggy (Meves) Fletcher, Class of 1956, died October 21, 2025 in Lincoln, NE at the age of 86.
Jerry Aldana, Class of 1961, died October 23, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 83.
Mary (Graham) Buhrman, Class of 1952, died October 23, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 91.
Shirley (Ewoldt) Keller, Class of 1961, died October 24, 2025 in at the age of 82.
Matthew Vrzal, Class of 1992, died October 25, 2025 in at the age of 51.
Chandler Keezer, Class of 2023, died October 26, 2025 in Grand Island, NE at the age of 20.
Marilyn (Lessig) Paustian, Class of 1956, died October 31, 2025 in Lincoln, NE at the age of 87.
To report an alumni death since October 2025, 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: Islander Trivia, “10 years of Rise Edition”
Reach back into a decade of “Rise” issues to help you answer the following questions. Or perhaps, for the photographic memories out there, the solutions are obvious. Good Luck.
1. Who was the first “On the Island” correspondent for Rise?
a. Jackie Ruiz-Rodriguez
b. Kendall Bartling
c. Taylor Keyes
d. Erick Estevez
2. Mike Monk once gave his Rise “Distant Mirror” column space to a guest writer? Name the writer.
a. Dennis Hickstein
b. Jeff Greenberger
c. Tom Meedel
d. Phil Martin
3. Senior High’s fall musical made nearly every September or November Rise issue during the last ten years. Which of the following musical did not appear on the GISH auditorium stage.
a. “The Little Mermaid”
b. “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”
c. “Momma Mia”
d. “Hair”
Answers:
1-d
2-b
3-d
Do you have a trivia suggestions for our next edition? We would love to hear from you!
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