If you think cheerleading is all sideline chants and sparkly uniforms, you would be highly mistaken. Cheer might’ve started out that way, but it has quickly changed to something vastly different. The world of cheer has evolved from fun filled cheering on the sidelines to a world of intricate routines, stunts, dances, and most importantly, injuries. 

Jenks women's basketball has struggled for over a decade, with some seasons ending with only 4 wins.Last year the team ended with their best record since 2011, with a win total of 15 games. With former Jenks guard Jill Twiehaus committing to Rice University there is going to be hole ware the team has to fill for this coming season, but  assistant coach Amanda Taylor this shouldn’t be a problem. 

Jenks Softball has been around for years providing players with experience and happy memories. And the biggest thing about Jenks softball? They step up to the plate and bring grit and excellence to bat.

For over 28 years, the Texas Longhorns and the Oklahoma Sooners have been playing in the Big 12 conference. Composed of 16 teams, this conference scours across the nation and includes teams from Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, Iowa, West Virginia, Utah, Ohio and Florida (SEC Network). As both Texas and Oklahoma were founding teams within the Big 12, nobody suspected their abrupt departure. When they announced their movement to the SEC, the main question surfacing the nation was: Why? Why would two of the top Big 12 teams move conferences with little to no explanation. After heavily researching, I found that the answer was quite simple. Publicity and money. 

Jenks Cross Country is confident and ready to change the narrative. Assistant coach Michael Daniels and head coach James Strahorn are ready to push their team and are adamant that Jenks Cross Country could surprise people and make a push for a state title. Jenks Cross Country has had struggles on the men’s side as their last title came almost a decade ago in 2015.

Everyone knows Mr. Breig, but we all know him in different ways. As you take a deeper dive into who he really is, apart from being your science teacher, you might be really surprised. For some people he’s a dad, while for others he is the head of the science department at Jenks. A is coach to some and a church leader to others but in all, he is Mr. Breig. He’s the teacher who lives 20 lives.

Curt Sharp is a teacher here at Jenks High School where he teaches an assortment of classes from Leadership, Government and U.S. History. However he has a rather unique background, he has traveled to Eastern Europe and Guinea to even South America. He even spent 6 years in the Philippines, where he taught multiple different subjects to a variety of cultures.  

Imagine a place where faith comes alive, friendships are built on shared beliefs, and every conversation is filled with purpose. Welcome to Jenks Jesus Club, where students gather not just to grow spiritually but to make a real difference in each other’s lives.

In a unique class at Jenks Middle School, students take learning to a new level. Students spend 6 months rigorously studying the culture, history, and language of a specific country. Then in February they get to experience an unforgettable trip where they visit the country they have spent months studying. That class is known as Global.

When most people are little their parents put them in sports like soccer, dance, football, or cheer. But not everyone actually continues with these sports as they grow up, they usually try out new things until they find what sticks. Carter Jackson, senior at Jenks High School, used to cheer when she was younger and her dad wanted to guarantee she did not stick with it. So he sent her to horse camp. 

From coach to teacher, photographer to entrepreneur, Hanna Giddens does it all. Whether you find yourself at a Jenks Basketball game, in need of epic photos or looking for a great history teacher, she’s your go to girl. “Coach Giddens” as most Jenks students refer to her as, is a powerhouse within the Jenks High School community. 

From designing houses, to helping deaf kids learn, to even lending a hand in the fight against human trafficking, Jenks high school seniors can explore a plethora of opportunities in just about any field in their internships. 

In the back corner of the Jenks High School campus while you're walking to your car you may see little kids running through mini playgrounds, pigtails and little floral dresses flapping in the wind behind them, a group of little kids pushing plastic toy construction trucks, and a couple of kids standing along the fence, their small hands gripping the bars like its a prison, as they watch you walk by. As you walk toward the front of the building you will see more mini fenced-off playgrounds with water tables and, and slides. But what is this little school building full of young children on a high school campus, and what are they doing in there? 

There are many adventures that take place in a kindergarten classroom each day, both expected and unexpected. Jenks senior Sophie Davis is an aspiring early childhood educator and is currently interning for Laura Winsworth, a Jenks Southeast kindergarten teacher.

High school is all about preparing you for the future. But for the average student, this is difficult. This is what College and Career is for. All the college counselors help the students, sophomores and up, with their future whether that is college visits, applying for college, work, or more. They send emails almost every week or day giving an update on what colleges or workshops come to Jenks High School all the time.

Gaming culture has skyrocketed throughout the years, becoming more socially acceptable; so much so, that we have competitions for certain games. Four years ago, Jenks’ Esports began as just a club with nothing. Now, they have won state championships and are in the top 25 in the country. Though Esports doesn’t get its recognition, they work hard to get where they are now. Having recently been deemed a “sport” by the Oklahoma Secondary School Athletic Association (OSSAA), the team reached the top 25 in PlayVS –  the national Esports competition for multiple games – with an 87.50% winning match, securing spot 17. 

From Jenks, Oklahoma to New York Broadway, Cody Davis has truly lived the “dream,” yet here he is, back in his hometown making a way in the arts for others at his Alma Mater. 

As a junior in high school, who is constantly getting told that I need to pick a career, I am also getting told that I need to be careful because some career fields are being taken over by artificial intelligence (AI). I'm extremely confused. What kind of jobs are being taken over? If we are not supposed to use AI in class, how are we going to be prepared to use it in our future careers, are the schools preparing us for this, or are they just throwing us into the world not knowing whether AI is a useful tool or the enemy?  Are there going to be any jobs left? What do the teachers think? I have so many questions, and luckily, I got to talk to a lot of intelligent people at the High School to help clear up some of my questions and figure out how to approach AI. 

The Olympics, the World renowned international sporting event featuring athletes from hundreds of countries. It would be safe to say that everyone has heard of the Olympics and has watched at least one event in their lifetime. But did you know there is also an Olympic competition for those with intellectual and physical disabilities?

A majority of the Jenks community is able to say they’ve found themselves at a Friday Night Lights game sometime throughout the years. They‘ll walk through the gate, find their seat on the bleachers, and watch a game of football like millions of other schools are doing on that very same night. If they go to a game this year they may see something new. All of a sudden the opposing team is on third down and a song starts playing from the speakers. Cheer and Pom girls are on the sidelines holding signs and chanting, desperately trying to get the crowd to participate.