State Cheerleading Competition 2023 and Honor Squad 2023

By Grayce Hanke
    On Saturday, November 4th, 2023, the MVAOCOU Varsity Competition Cheer team competed at the Iowa High School Cheerleading Championships. This is the second year our cheer team has competed in this competition. The team performed a one-minute stunt routine as well as a two-minute Game time routine. Game time consists of a one-minute timeout cheer chant and one minute of your school's fight song. The stunt routine, performed by Grayce Hanke, MaKenna Meseck, Paige Feddersen, Renee Oberreuter, and Emily Wallace placed 9th out of 30 teams. The Game time routine, performed by Grayce Hanke, MaKenna Meseck, Paige Feddersen, Renee Oberreuter, Tawnie Cass, Jenna French, and Emily Wallace placed 20th out of 30 teams. Both routines were choreographed by the Cheerleading coach Lea Tirevold. The team was very proud of their placements and are excited for future State competitions to come. Great job ladies!
    Then on Friday, November 17th, chosen to showcase their skills at the Iowa Cheer Honor Squad Performace during the Iowa High School football finals at the UNI-Dome, these girls dedicated eight grueling hours last week to mastering the choreography. They flawlessly performed alongside more than 150 outstanding cheerleaders from across our great state. The Honor Squad event marks the culmination of the season for our Varsity squad, serving as a heartfelt farewell to the seniors (Grayce Hanke and MaKenna Meseck) and one Junior (Tawnie Cass) personally selected to represent MVAOCOU.



Bobby Luna, Jr.


Full name: Bobby Lee Luna Jr.
Nickname: Jr.
What will you miss most about being a Ram:The people that I met and will miss especially the ones I met last year because I started to meet and like them.
Favorite memory from high school: I won't go into detail It was in PT and 1st period. It was the first time I had to get out of my comfort zone
Accomplishment you are most proud of: Meeting new people and getting to know them.
3 words that describe me: Awkward, scared, unreadable
Plans after graduation: Work at Walmart for two or more years and move to the Dominican Republic or East New York, Brooklyn, or Bushwick to start a new year.
Hobbies: Watch movies at home on DVD, and watch the Internet.
Favorite food: Orange Chicken.
Go-to song on your playlist: Most that has Anthony Ramos.
What advice would you give to younger students? Don't be a problem and don't go looking for a problem or else you will have a problem.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? East New York or the Dominican Republic
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? First, when I was in elementary I wanted to be Black Adam. In middle school I wanted to be like my dad and in high school I wanted to be a big time Director.



Drew Zahnley


Full name: Drew Zahnley
Nickname: Redacted
Activities at MVAOCOU: Band, Jazz Coalition, Choir, Tune Squad, Cross Country, Quiz Bowl
What will you miss most about being a Ram: being in the activities with my friends
A favorite memory from high school: getting State Runner-Up in Jazz Choir
Accomplishment you are most proud of: Medaling in my first 2-mile and I hated it but I gave it my all and I was rewarded. Getting selected for the All-State Chorus.
3 words that describe me: Athletic, Trustworthy, Honest
Plans after graduation: going to college at Unity Point for radiology, becoming a technician
Hobbies: playing games, exercising, hunting, cooking
Favorite food: my dad and mom's cooking
What advice would you give to younger students? Turn your homework in on time and you'll have no problem passing
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? My bed
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? I wanted to be a stunt jumper, like with dirt bikes



Trace Schroeder


Full name: Trace P Schroeder
Nickname: Schroeder
Activities at MVAOCOU: Football through sophomore year
What will you miss most about being a Ram: Sitting in the parking lot in the mornings
A favorite memory from high school: Buying and selling vehicles, making a profit on all of them
Accomplishment you are most proud of: Paying for my own stuff
3 words that describe me: Funny, Blunt, Chill
Plans after graduation: Work and school to make something out of myself
Hobbies: Turning wrenches, riding motorcycles, driving
Favorite food: I love me a good ol' greasy Cheese Burger
Go-to song on your playlist: If You Want Me Tonight by Landon Smith
What advice would you give to younger students? Do your homework and don't get behind, also disregard the women and acquire the currency.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? Montana in the summertime only
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? A cop or a bounty hunter



Wyatt Streck


Full name: Wyatt Streck
Activities at MVAOCOU: Gold Club, National Honor Society, Choir, Jazz Choir, Shooting Club, and Quizbowl.
What will you miss most about being a Ram: Getting to represent the school in different activities.
Favorite memory from high school: Prom 2023
3 words that describe me: Witty, Hardworking, Intelligent
Plans after graduation: Attend Western Iowa Tech for general education then transfer to Morningside for secondary education.
Hobbies: Watching movies and listening to music
Favorite food: Creamed chicken over biscuits
What advice would you give to younger students? Find at least one thing you enjoy and get involved with the school in some way.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? If I could travel anywhere in the world I would travel to Hawaii
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Police Officer



Kiara Mesenbrink


Full name: Kiara Mesenbrink
Nickname: M
Activities at MVAOCOU: Art Club and Choir
What will you miss most about being a Ram: Seeing my teachers every day and having their support
A favorite memory from high school: I have a lot of good memories, but if I had one it would be of Love. Love was a transfer student who was from Thailand, and some of my friends and I were talking about our enrollment. Love chipped in and said, "Like open the door and roll?" My friends and I all laughed, and she asked "What?" We told her what it meant, and she started to laugh.
Accomplishments you are most proud of: My work ethic and all of the community service I have done: food bank, taking care of cats for people that go on vacation, belonging to the American Auxiliary and the Soldier Community Club
3 words that describe me: kind, nice, and busy
Plans after graduation: College for an art teacher and to get a CDL
Hobbies: drawing and working
Favorite food: Chicken alfredo
Go-to song on your playlist: Destiny by Neffex
What advice would you give to younger students? Just be yourself and do what you like to do, and make sure you get your homework done.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I wouldn't go anywhere because I like staying home and being with the ones I love.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? Move to Iowa and live on the farm with my grandparents. And maybe someday have my own farm, because I love animals.



Grayce Hanke


Full name: Grayce Hanke
Nickname: Gravy Train
Activities at MVAOCOU: Student Council, Dance Team, Football Cheerleading, Cheerleading (state team), FCCLA, BPA, Track and Field, Jazz Choir (Tune Squad), Ram Singers, Art Club, Individual Speech, group speech, and a NW District officer for the IASC.
What will you miss most about being a Ram: I will miss being able to be in a close-knit group. Because our school is so small, it is easier to connect with everyone in your class and your teachers. In college, I won't be able to connect with all of the kids my age.
A favorite memory from high school: Going to State Dance my junior year where we received a trophy and had lots of laughs after a long and hard season. All of our work felt complete.
Accomplishments you are most proud of: Becoming a NW District Officer for the IASC, getting selected as an All-Iowa Honor Dancer, and being a part of the Honor Squad Cheer program.
3 words that describe me: Intelligent, Driven, and Kind
Plans after graduation: Major in Broadcasting and Communications at an unknown school as of now.
Hobbies: Scrapbooking and collecting Squishmallows
Favorite food: Chicken Strips with ranch and cheese balls
Go-to song on your playlist: Stirfry by Migos
What advice would you give to younger students?: Focus on your studies and on making strong friendships. Get involved! Meeting new people is so much easier when you try new things!
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go?: Back to Alaska to visit my family and old friends.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?: A chef.



Lizabeth Hamann


Full name: Lizabeth Hamann
Nickname: Lizzy or Lizzo
Activities at MVAOCOU: I have been a part of Quiz Bowl, Business Professionals of America, FFA, Concert Band, Marching Band, Pep Band, 4-H, Cross Country, Jazz Band, NHS, Gold Cub, Group Speech, Individual Speech, Spanish Club, Choir, Ram Singers, FCCLA, Theatre, Student Council, Volleyball, Track and Field, and County Council while being in high school.
What will you miss most about being a Ram: The things I will miss most about being in high school are all the clubs I have gotten to participate in and the trips that I've been able to go on with my friends.
A favorite memory from high school: One of my favorite memories from high school is planning my BPA group's trip to Disneyland at the national BPA convention in California and getting to go on every ride without waiting in line.
Accomplishment you are most proud of: The accomplishment I am most proud of is when I was selected as a finalist for the FFA Star in Ag production and was on stage at state in Ames in front of a thousand people.
3 words that describe me: Driven, independent, and smart.
Plans after graduation: I plan to go to Iowa State and Major in Business Analytics with a Minor in Animal Science and I will get the Beef Production Certification.
Hobbies: If I ever have any free time I like baking, playing piano, reading, and watching 80s movies.
Favorite food: Pepperoni Stromboli
Go-to song on your playlist: She's Electric by Oasis
What advice would you give to younger students? My advice for younger students is to go out for as many clubs as you can, you never know what you might get to be a part of if you don't go out.
If you could travel anywhere, where would you go? I would go to Spain and travel around Europe from there, the architecture and landscape there are beautiful.
When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was little, I wanted to be a lawyer for a little while but that was just because I liked fighting with people and being right.