Michaela Copeland
Assistant Editor-in-Chief
Bella Beems
News Editor
Laci Burnett
Reporters
Katlyn Boydston
Grayson Moore
Photographers
Lauraly Lane
Josephine Long
Designers
Ashlynn Bowen
Gunner Delp
Guest Writer
Miley Phillips
Read to find out if your sweetheart wrote you an ad in the newspaper - p. 4
Learn more about your Courtwarming Royalty! - p. 8-9
See who’s already spoken for this Valentine’s Day! - p. 4-7
5 Issue 21 February 13th, 2026
By: Michaela Copeland
On Friday, February 6th, the high school basketball girls had a game against Platte Valley for Courtwarming and won 40-39. The game was close the entire time, both teams scoring right after the other, but ultimately our girls pulled through.
Coach Rumpf says the play of the night goes to Sophomore Shaylee Phillips because she “was ready to go when her named was called, listened to the play, and went out and executed it perfectly.”
He would also like to add that “the whole team did really well. We were down 14-3 in the first quarter, but we kept battling for the whole game and found a way to win.”
The girls' team would like to add that they appreciated having the stands full, and they encourage everyone to continue to show up and support the team for all of their hard work. The Lady Tigers play tonight at Union Star.
By: Michaela Copeland
By: Grayson Moore
If you are looking for a good movie to watch I recommend watching The Ninth Gate The Ninth Gate is based on The Club Dumas by Arturo Pérez-Reverte that came out in 1993
This week I’ve been listening to Claire Rosinkranz, who is good to listen to if you’re interested in indie and alternative pop music.
Claire Rosinkranz was primarily popular in 2020 and 2021, especially in the spring and summer, as her song “Backyard Boy” rose to popularity within the TikTok community by the summer of 2020.
My favorite song by Claire is Kiss, but some of her other popular songs include: Frankenstein, Don’t Miss Me, and 123 She has released one full album called Just Because, with several EPs. Claire plans to release a new album called My Lover in 2026.
I recommend Claire Rosinkranz to anyone who enjoys fun and different music with the same upbeat and dance-like vibes as typical pop music.
It follows a rare book dealer named Dean Corso, played by Johnny Depp, when a professor hires him to authenticate one of the rarest books in the world with only 3 copies in existence known as The Nine Gates of the Kingdom of Shadows Corso has to authenticate his client’s copy by comparing it to the other 2 copies
The Ninth Gate, directed by Roman Polanski, who also directed The Pianist (2002), was released in 1999. It made $58.4 million worldwide with a $38 million production budget.
If I had to rate this movie I would give it 8/10 because the writing wasn’t the best in my opinion, but I enjoyed just about everything else.
or basketball, there were four Seniors: Cecilia Sherlock, wning, Kenzi Pflugradt, and Kyle Funk.
Senior girls have been with each other since they played basketball, middle school with Matt Dice, and high school Reagan and Coach Rumpf. The girls said they have had memories over the years with all of their teammates and
Sherlock says, “Some of my favorite moments are creating y teammates, and my favorite thing about games is sitting on the bench when I foul.”
enzie both said their favorite memories come from the etball Camp, which the team goes to every year. But they they’ve enjoyed the last three seasons they’ve been able to eam with each other
adt states, “I’ve loved all the friends basketball has helped the memories they have brought, and joking around with Rumpf and my teammates.”
Downing says, “My favorite times in basketball come from to the refs, being able to spend time with my friends, and making memories with them.”
Kyle is the only Senior boy playing basketball this year, he’s many friends throughout his high school career, from the eshmen this year to the Seniors in his Freshman year
orite memory was probably having Fred the frog as our pet ecalls Kyle. Kyle’s other “favorite basketball memory is when yson made a half-court shot six minutes before the quarter ended.”
girls have one more home game against West Platte on Thursday, ebruary 19, and the boys play at King City. Go out and support our t their last games!
Michaela & Grayson
Together:2months
Biggest Pet Peeve
Michaela- He smells
Grayson- She got me sick
Gretchyn & Kale
Together:1.5years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Gretchyn- He wears socks to bed
Kale- She switches her favorites every week
Mrs. & Mr. Matthews
Together:21years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Mrs. Matthews- He steals my Alanis
Mr. Matthews- She glares and won’t laugh at my jokes
Elliot & Wyatt
Together:over2years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Elliot- He is really loud sometimes
Wyatt- She is too quiet
Shaylee & Tanner
Together: 2 years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Shaylee- He rage baits me
Tanner- Her favorite answer is IDK
Josie & Cole
Together:3.5years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Josie- He likes to scrape his teeth on his eating utensils
Cole- She is too worried about my grades
Khloee & Jackson
Together:2.5months
Biggest Pet Peeve
Khloee- IDK
Jackson- Nothing
Kenzie & Kaiden
Together:10months
Biggest Pet Peeve
Kenzie- He farts all the time
Kaiden- Her feet stink
Ashtyn & Reid
Together:4months
Biggest Pet Peeve
Ashtyn- He rage baits me
Reid- She forces me to play Roblox with her
Together: 6 months
Biggest Pet Peeve
Anaela- He chews loudly
Kelby- She is very last minute
Together:6/7years
Biggest Pet Peeve
Dubs- He talks trash
Wardlow- He whines about me talking trash
By: Laci Burnett
On Friday, February 6th, the High School Boys Basketball Team played against Platte Valley for their Courtwarming game. Although it was a tough game, the boys continue to battle against these teams and won’t give up
While the boys sadly lost to Platte Valley 37 to 66 on Friday, they played a great game and, according to Coach Matthews, “offensively, [he] feel[s] like [they] are getting a bit better.” The boys team is learning through every play how to better themselves, and will just get better
On Tuesday, February 10th, the boys played a hard game against East Achison and unfortunately lost 45 to 78. Coach Matthews says, “Defensively, we struggled a little bit at times Offensively, I feel like we did some pretty decent things” With their dedication and effort, the boys plan to end the season off strong in these last few games, with lots of hard work in and out of practice.
Come and see the boys play tonight at Union Star and cheer them on as they battle it out for a win!
By: Michaela Copeland
Don’t share drinks.
Wash your hands.
Take vitamins or any medication you might need.
Drink water and electrolyte drinks.
Use hand sanitizer.
Cover your coughs and sneezes.
Clean and disinfect any frequently touched areas, such as the screen of your phone, countertops, doorknobs, and remotes.
Avoid super crowded areas during times of sickness.
Eat a well balanced diet in order to build your immune system.
If you feel sick, don’t go to work or school, and see a healthcare professional when needed
“The music was good.”
- Delaney Frakes and Shaylee Phillips
“I liked the cheese.”
- Brinkley Frakes
“Hanging out with Cadyn Parott.”
- Gage Hartman
Reason - He does his eyelid trick
By: Amy Miller
Recently, I’ve done a deep dive into Kiera Cass’s The Selection series, and I would definitely recommend it if Romance is your genre.
By: Laci Burnett
The first three books follow America Singer, a teenager selected to compete with 34 other young women to marry the Prince of Illea, which is a postWorld War III America ruled by a King and a caste system that keeps some people down while allowing others to have anything they could ever want.
If she wins The Selection, America will become the Crown Princess and will lift herself and her family out of a life of poverty The catch is, America is already secretly in love with a boy from a lower caste.
As the series unfolds, there is indeed romance, competition, and intrigue, as well as danger from attacking rebel forces Overall, I would give the first three books a 4 out of 5 Later books follow America’s daughter and are just a little more boring.
Are you looking for a long, time-consuming activity to fill up your next family game night? Consider trying out Phase 10, a fun, multiplayer game with hours - and hoursand hours - of fun.
With 10 different card combinations you must complete, each combination needing to be completed before anyone else can get theirs done and rid themself of all their cards, the rounds are constantly cycling.
Just before you get the right cards for your combination, such as two sets of the same number or 7 cards of one color, another player may complete their set and get rid of all their cards, meaning you do not complete the set and stay on the same combination for the next round.
In my opinion, it is a fun spin-off of Uno that will last you for forever, with plenty of aggravation towards your family and friends to follow.
By: Laci Burnett
Courtwarming 2026 was a week filled with excitement and plenty of fun with all the festivities planned, but nothing is quite as exciting as seeing who the Courtwarming Royalty is Right after the Courtwarming games on Friday, February 6th, our winners were announced and crowned by Freshmen Kaylee Chatman and Gage Hartman Your Courtwarming Prince and Princess for 2026 are none other than Cole Kovac and Camry Hanshaw. These students have shown just how involved they are, whether in sports or school organizations, and always show how a DeKalb Tiger should act
Cole Kovac is a Junior who is a very dedicated member of the DeKalb Tiger Pride Band while being the President of STUCO. When running for Courtwarming Prince, he didn’t believe he would win, and when his name was called, he “was completely surprised, [he] figured [he] would be laughed at.” This just goes to show that even when he was terrified, he pushed through and faced his fears. Cole is an amazing student and a great character, and DeKalb is proud to have him as our Courtwarming Prince.
Camry Hanshaw is a very involved Junior, in basketball, FBLA, FFA, and NHS, who works hard to do the best in all her activities. When she won, she was beyond excited, and she thinks people voted for her because she is very “involved and [she] feels like [she] is usually being loud ” Her vibrant personality has shown through and earned her the title of DeKalb’s Courtwarming Princess. As Courtwarming Princess, she tells students to “make the best of school,” continuing to show her commitment as a student and her hard-working attitude.
It was amazing to see all our Juniors dressed up in their best, and while we can’t crown them all, it was great to see so many young students showing their DeKalb pride. Thank you to all who participated, and a special congratulations to Cole and Camry!
By: Laci Burnett
Just after our Courtwarming Prince and Princess were announced, it was time to announce our Senior King and Queen. Crowning this year's winners were Sophomores Aidon Standiford and Syra Servas. Finally, we learned that our 2026 Courtwarming King and Queen were the infamous Kyle Funk and Grace Downing. These students are both incredibly talented and try out for as many activities as they can fit into their busy schedule, so it is no surprise that they won the title of King and Queen.
Kyle Funk is a hard-working Senior student and athlete, in basketball, baseball, football, FFA, and, soon, track. While he was not surprised he won, he was still extremely “excited that [he] won” on Courtwarming night. Ever the humble student, he would like to tell people, “Thanks for the votes.” Kyle is a great representation of the DeKalb spirit and deserves the title of Courtwarming King for 2026.
Grace Downing is an incredibly busy Senior who is involved in basketball, softball, FBLA, FFA, NHS, and track, all while maintaining good grades and keeping up with all the TikTok references. She even stays kind, saying that “All of the girls running were great candidates, so [she] knew it would be close!” Then, when she heard her name, she claimed it was “nice to feel the support from the whole school.” She believes that people voted for her due to her “try[ing] to talk to everyone” and leaves us with the advice to “try and be friendly to everyone!” Always chatting with staff or students, Grace is very popular with all members at DeKalb, leaving it no surprise that she earned the title of our 2026 Courtwarming Queen.
All the Seniors dressed up looked absolutely fabulous, and while we can sadly only have two winners, this was a great experience for so many in their last year of high school. Thank you to everyone who showed up and showed out, and congratulations to our Seniors Kyle and Grace!
By: Miley Phillips
The Courtwarming pep assembly on February 6th kept students entertained with a wide variety of activities But the annual tradition of the seniors versus staff basketball game offered the most amount of laughs and school spirit.
Even though this game is played by the staff and the senior class, there are still other positions filled by the rest of the students. Four of the juniors got the chance to referee the game and some of the sophomore and freshman boys got to show off their cheer skills The rest of the students got to cheer for the team they thought would win
Both teams put in their best efforts to win and have a great time. But when it comes to the final tossup of who won, the answer doesn’t lie within the possibly rigged scoreboard, but by the smiles on the faces of everyone in that gym. However, according to the final score the seniors did take the win. Coach Wildhaber said his favorite moment was “realizing the seniors were cheating at keeping score and somehow were still losing at half time ”
The senior class enjoyed the chance to be competitive, but also share a moment all working together. Senior Ceci Sherlock said her favorite moment was “when Daniel stepped in to play but it was an overall great time.”
By: Michaela Copeland
gets a lot of the parents involved as well, and it’s always fun to see the confusion and/or happiness on people’s faces when they get a Candygram from a secret admirer.”
Mrs. H “We’ve done this fundraiser for the last three years, the first two with FBLA and this one with NHS. The money goes towards various chapter activities, during FBLA it covered the cost of field trips, and leadership conferences. For NHS it will fund future service projects, various field trips, and volunteer activities
“It’s huge down at rushville, the rushville parents and kids have great participation, they are the main drivers of this fundraiser.”
Mrs. H would like to “Thank you to everyone who supported and sent candygrams to their loved ones or secret admirers”
This year, DeKalb’s NHS is selling candygrams for Valentine’s Day. Mrs. H has previously run the fundraiser with FBLA, but this year she’s taking it into NHS.
Candygrams are small bags filled with an assortment of candy, assembled by NHS members and tied with a personalized note written by the buyer for the receiver. Each Candygrams were sold for $5 each.
Candygrams aren’t just for significant others; they are also delivered to friends, family, or favorite staff members.
NHS member Josie Long says she thinks the Candygrams are a good fundraiser for the NHS because, “It’s a quick way to raise money from both the elementary and the High school so it
By: Katlyn Boydston
On Saturday, February 7th, 2026, the DeKalb FFA Trap Shooting team had a meet at Smithville. The weather was better than it has been the last couple shoots, but it was still windy out. However, they shot their best and are ranked 4th currently.
Mr Medsker noted that this recent meet “was not our best, but it wasn’t horrible We were just kind of solid We didn’t have any super high scores, and we didn’t have any bad scores; we were right in the middle.”
Senior Miley Phillips, top scorer for the girls with a 38 out of 50, thought the meet “went pretty good. The thrower was throwing the rock a little high, but it was still a lot of fun ”
The top scorer for the boys was Freshman Gage Hartman with a 41 “The shoot was good, very good,” says Gage, who also noted that he used his new gun and “did better than I had been even though it was windy.”
They have one more regular shoot next month and will then compete at districts After that the top five girls and top five boys will head down to Lynn Creek to compete at the state level
The members are continuously improving each and every meet, and will continue to do their best. Come see and support them at their next meet on Saturday, March 7th.
byMrs.Powell
