Braylon Byrd, left, and Stevie Hiskett are involved with the coat drive at Oasis Academy.
Provided to the LVN
SENIOR SPOTLIGHT: HUNTER MCNABB
Senior Hunter McNabb is one of nine Oasis originals. He started at Oasis in kindergarten and is part of the first class to go all the way through from kindergarten to graduation.
“I started at Oasis as a member of the inaugural Kindergarten class, and I have completed all of my primary and secondary education here,” McNabb said. “My time at the high school has been incredibly gratifying, and I have enjoyed being involved with the different clubs and activities available. Overall, I have been very happy going to Oasis.”
McNabb has been very involved during his four years of high school. This includes holding leadership positions in many organizations, writing weekly articles as part of the Oasis Bighorn Bulletin for the newspapers, and creating social media posts for the Oasis pages. McNabb has also qualified for FFA nationals twice in Agriscience Fair, finishing once in the top 10 in the country.
“I’ve participated in and held officer positions in FFA, student council, and National Honor Society. I also compete with the Academic Olympics team. In the past, I have been a part of yearbook, We the People, and Mock Trials,” he said.
Participation has included being part of advanced level research through the INBRE Research project at Western Nevada College.
“The INBRE summer research was really fun,” McNabb said. “We were able to work in a lab and participate in real-world research. It was nice getting to meet scientists from Nevada and working closely with some of my friends in a professional setting. In the end, we presented our findings at the campus poster presentation in Carson City.”
Thirteen years at the school meant some wonderful memories with fellow classmates.
“My favorite memory from Oasis is when we first got lockers at the high school. Many people didn't have locks on them, and despite being a 'personal' space they were still very communal,” he said.
Communal meant finding funny things in the lockers and laughter for the students.
“In one locker we found a shrine to Dwayne 'the Rock’ Johnson. A variety of pictures and cutouts were plastered throughout the locker. The sheer shock and randomness quickly turned into intense laughing and led to a very rambunctious math class,” he said. “Another item included a full-size plastic Halloween skeleton. What we found in lockers contributed to the lighthearted antics of the semester.”
McNabb credits multiple teachers for making an impact on him during his time at Oasis. These include Mrs. Lisa Swan, Mr. Andy Lenon, Ms. Jackie Bogdanowicz, Mrs. Julie Stockard, Mr. Eric Grimes, Mrs. Ramona Price, Mrs. Angela Viera, and Ms. Rochelle Tisdale.
“It's very difficult to narrow down the mentors that have been so supportive of me,” he said. “Many of the staff members have been incredibly encouraging and kind to me, as well as supporting me to be the best person that I can be. All of these people have been incredible role models that have introduced me to new opportunities, challenged me to think critically, go outside of my comfort zone, explore new ideas, and generally become a better person. I could say a lot of great things about these people, they all have helped me grow as an individual and I deeply appreciate all that they have done to help me be successful.”
Of all the classes McNabb has taken, Ms. Jackie Bogdanowicz’s Physics class was his favorite.
“I enjoyed the concepts and the math associated with the class, as well as the fun lessons and experiments that Ms. B would put together. Overall, it was a very interactive course that made it fun to collaborate with my classmates and learn more,” he said.
McNabb will graduate in May with both his high school diploma and associate of science degree from Western Nevada College. He plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno and study Microbiology and Immunology with possibly working toward an MPH or MD.
So, what’s his advice for future students?
“I would suggest to future students that they ask questions and explore the different opportunities available to them. I think a lot of people would be surprised how they can relate to different clubs and classwork, and how easily some random classes can become an important hobby or interest. Also, be kind and try to make friends, you can build lasting relationships,” McNabb closed.
NJHS ANNUAL COAT DRIVE
Middle school honor society is holding its annual coat drive through Nov. 16. Donations may be dropped off at the school front office.
Families are encouraged to donate coats, jackets, sweatshirts, snow pants, warm hats, gloves, and scarves. Donations can be of any size or style, clean and gently used, or new.
“It’s exciting to know that we’re helping people in our community,” said Stevie Hiskett, National Junior Honor Society Vice President. “Hopefully we will surpass the number of donations from last year.”
President Braylon Byrd agreed with Hiskett’s sentiment.
“Picking projects that make an impact for the community is important to Honor Society,” said Braylon Byrd, National Junior Honor Society President. “We appreciate everyone that takes the time to donate.”
Donations will be distributed to those in need throughout our community. If you have any questions, email Racquel Feest, NJHS adviser, rfeest@oanv.org.