Jenks’ athletic programs have a rather successful history, and one of the contributors to that is our leaders. Keep reading for a breakdown of Four Styles of Leadership from Our Captains.

The runners are lined up, waiting for the signal to start. Among the many runners stands Santiago Pereira, a sophomore at Jenks High School. His bib pinned to his shirt, he stands poised to outrun his competition.

When you first walk into this particular classroom, you are immediately met with the kind of energy that is rarely found within the walls of a Freshman Academy. Surveying the room, her desk was huddled in the right, bottom corner. The lights were off, only leaving the delicate glow of a multi-colored desk lamp. Around her personal area lay what you would normally find on a school teacher's desk, but what stands out the most is not what was on the desk, but what was on the walls surrounding it. There were several senior graduation announcement cards from players and students, as well as past girls basketball senior posters—the most recent, decorated with hand-written personal notes from each player under their pictures—almost as if displaying with it signs of relationship and community.

11-time Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps opts for a 10,000 calorie diet to ensure his success in swimming. Simone Biles fought for 10,000 hours of practice before even stepping into the Olympic arena. To get there, they had to start somewhere—high school sports. Jenks Public School produces some of the most dedicated student athletes, but what makes them so good at what they do? I talked to a handful of JPS’s best athletes to see how the content of their bags contributed to their success.

This past Friday, our Jenks Varsity Pom (JVP) team competed at the OSSAA State Gameday Championship, hosted at Moore High School. OSSAA stands for Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association, almost all of Jenks sports are defined as OSSAA sports and compete at OSSAA competitions. Pom was recently added to this state competition under the Gameday division. “Gameday” is a style of Pom dance that you usually see on the sidelines of a football game or a halftime show. This routine is formed of a school's fight song, a sideline dance (something short and entertaining), and a halftime routine (as previously mentioned what would be performed at games and at halftime, usually something fun, full of school spirit). Gameday is dazzled up with tall flags showing a team mascot or school letters, chants, and signs.

It’s likely you’ve caught glimpses of colorguard on the football field, but there is also another captivating and lesser-known counterpart that takes place after the fall season ends─winterguard. Winterguard showcases the art of performing with elaborate costumes, a variety of equipment, and the powerful use of teamwork in the change of an indoor setting.

Walking through the doors of the Jenks High School Aquatic Center, the potent smell of chlorine, the faint echoes of rhythmic splashing, and the loud voices of children and elderly alike, merge to create an overwhelming sense of energy and community. For over 10 years, the Jenks Aquatic Center has been a staple of the Jenks community, bringing together students K-12th from schools all across Tulsa county, much of the elderly, and even some groups that you wouldn’t expect, however a lot of what goes on here goes seemingly unrecognized.

A tactical tackle, the whisper of a wack, a daring dribble; all of these are common actions of many little-miss-not-so-popular sports. In a world dictated by whichever sport yells the loudest, hits the hardest, and asserts the most dominance, many passive sports get overlooked.

It is November in Jenks High School which can only mean one thing; It’s playoff time for the football team. However, before we enter into the realm of the ‘yoffs, it’s best to take a moment and reflect on just how good this team has been in 2023. My name is Jack Denney, the president of the Jenks Superfans, and I have had a front-row seat to every single football game that the Jenks Trojans have played in my senior year. However, not everything was sunshine and rainbows this season for the Trojans and I am here to review and grade just how well our Trojans have done.

“HEADS!” As you walk out of the track locker room a circular shadow flies above your head as a big burly thrower yells at you. You look up in horror as a disk flies right by your head. You stand there in shock as another disk flies through the air, thankfully much farther away than the first. As a tall, bulky thrower walks over to retrieve their disk, you scurry back-to-track practice.

High school is an exhausting, time-consuming, and just plain crazy four years of life that most people go through. Balancing school, homework, a good social life, family, etc. takes a toll on many students, however, Jenks senior, Whitaker McManus, has persevered. In the hustle and bustle of high school life, McManus has been a prominent example in the Jenks community of what it means to excel academically while spearheading numerous clubs here at Jenks.

Those who like Halloween. Those who are interested in the story behind the mask. Have you ever wondered what it is like to work behind the scenes at a haunted house? Just for you, here is the other side to the terrifying, spooky stories we hear this time of year.

As a senior in high school, career fairs aren’t the most exciting thing in the world. But at Jenks, seniors can experience helicopter landings, live paintings and zoo animals at their career fair. The long process of finding speakers, food and transportation is difficult but worth it for the students.

Fluorescent lighting burns your eyes, hundreds, thousands, of new faces, floating around you occasionally bumping your shoulder muttering a quick “sorry” as they rush into small rooms that decorate the beige-brick walls. A dull panic sets in your chest, anticipation pulsing through your blood, millions of questions and concerns crowding your mind all at once.

With the exciting buzz of fall sports ramping up, we slowly creep into basketball season. The boy’s basketball team is a highly favored sport at Jenks. As the Jenks community packs the Frank Herald Gym, the constant exciting energy is brought to each basketball game. The only thing different about this season? A new head coach. Daniel McChesney, head coach for the Jenks Varsity Boys Basketball team, is the latest addition to the upcoming season.

People either love kids or hate them. While loud, opinionated, sticky, and gross, they can also be sweet, playful, and caring. It takes a special person to be able to take care of kids, especially ones that aren’t even their own. Our Child Development class takes a dive into the development of children and possible job opportunities.

It’s a place where curiosity and community come together, where the pursuit of knowledge takes on an exciting twist. If you haven’t heard of Jenks Community Education, you’re in for a unique surprise. A hidden gem designed for Jenks’ lifelong learners, Jenks Community Ed. serves as an opportunity to visit the district buildings after hours to participate in fun, collaborative-driven activities.

On October 13th, Jenks students watched in anticipation to see who would be bestowed the honor of becoming Homecoming’s new reigning royals. Seniors Eduardo Pereyra and Magnolia Crissup share their experience on winning the homecoming crowns for the 2023-2024 school year. The title of homecoming king and queen is thought to be an honor at Jenks High School, and these two spectacular seniors took the honor with enthusiasm, joy, and humility.

If you are a Jenks Lifer, or even just a student who frolicked in the hallowed halls of a Jenks Public Elementary School, you’ve done the Jogathon. A day out of the year where logoed shirts are passed out beforehand, and bananas and apples are passed out after. Somewhere along the way in the middle, kids are unleashed like the running of the bulls. But instead of the narrow streets of Pamplona Spain, grades k-4 run the gravel track, getting a mark on their hand for every lap they run.

It's been a month since Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters retweeted a Tik-Tok by a Union librarian that snowballed into threats of violence towards the teacher and the school itself, with even more still pouring in. After spreading to other Union schools, as well as the Tulsa Public Schools (TPS) district, Union’s 8th grade center received a new threat on the morning of September 14th, over three weeks after the initial threat.