Norse News

By Alaynia H. Getting to Know You Q’s What is your name? Tricia Vohs. What is your favorite thing about being a teacher? The students, because she likes to interact with you and get to know you on a personal level. In high school, was this what you saw yourself doing? No. She went to school to be a nurse. Where did you move from/where did you live? She moved from Holsting, IA, to Radcliff. In school, were you a smart student? Average. Teacher Q’s Why did you want to come teach here at Roland-Story when there are so many bigger and better schools around here? She left a school district where she had worked for 26 years and was so excited when her friend sent her the Facebook page for the open position for the special ed teacher. She had heard great things about the Norsemen and the football facility, and that it was just an amazing school. She says it's a privilege to work here. What is your favorite thing about working here at Rolond-Story? All the teachers have been so welcoming t...

By Keitan S. The Roland City Council meeting began with a focus on Public Works and Waste Management. Underground work was finalized, and the council members opted to table the topic of switching to a better landfill for a later date. Following this, the council discussed a proposal to have residents register all of their animals to make it easier to return lost pets or test for rabies. However, after discussion, they amended the proposal to make pet registration optional rather than a requirement for pet owners. The council also gave approval to drill for water wells at four different water sites, costing $2,000. They then approved a building permit for a resident to construct a 6-foot fence near a road. Finally, the council approved two new measures: Water Wellness Ordinance 157 and the Food Vendor Ordinance 158. To help control the local feral cat problem, the council approved purchasing an animal net gun for another city employee at a cost of $800.99.

By Ryan F. On Tuesday, October 14th, Roland-Story choirs had their first vocal concert of the year, directed by Landon Stalzer. This concert featured our bass choir, treble choir, mixed choir, Thors Men, and Valkyries. Our choir worked very hard leading up to this concert, and it went very well. We had the pleasure of getting to work with two prestigious choir conductors, Allen and Dennis, and they were a huge help in getting our choirs ready for our performance. Our mixed choir sang three songs: Insanae et vanae curae, I am Glad, and Yotin. Our bass choir sang two songs, Bonse Aba and Beatti. Our Thors Men sang When the Earth Stands Still and our Valkyries sang Golden Hour. A few of these songs featured soloists; for example, in Bonse Aba, our bass choir had two soloists featured, Levi Britten and Alex Watson. Lucy Schmidt was our soloist in the song Yotin, and Jenna Birkland was our soloist in the song I am Glad. Our accompanist for this concert was Laurel Mizerak, who took over the ...

By Morgane H. The Roland-Story Norsemen volleyball team defeated Greene County in three sets on Senior Night at the Norsemen gym, securing the Conference Championship in front of an excited home crowd. The match took place on October 13, 2025, and the Norsemen showed strong teamwork, energy and focus from start to finish. From the first serve, Roland-Story set the tone. They took the opening set 25-19, keeping good control even if some rallies were really close. The second set was dominated by the Norsemen, ending in a strong 25-7 win thanks to good serving runs and solid defense. The last set was more close, with Greene County fighting hard to stay in the game, but Roland-Story kept their composure and finished the sweep 25-22. The team’s constancy and determination during the match showed how much effort and unity they had this season. In the end, the Norsemen celebrated not only a straight-set win but also the honor of becoming conference champions, making it a proud night for Rolan...

By Grayson S. The 1-2 Norsemen take on the 2-1 Cyclones at Kerry Van Winkle Field at the Roland-Story Sports Complex. The Norsemen are looking for their first home win of the season to get them back to .500. Field conditions weren’t too great due to rain earlier in the day. The football game still turned out to be exciting with touchdowns and turnovers. The Norsemen received the ball first, and the opening drive ended in a touchdown, but Cael Faber missed the extra point, so the score was only 6-0. The Cyclones took the lead by a touchdown of their own. They also missed the extra point, but it was redone due to an offside on the Norsemen, and they made it the second time, making the score 6-7. The Norsemen ended up going three-and-out on their next drive, but Jackson Joerger would throw an interception to Luke Thoreson on the Cyclones' next possession. Colin Willis would then throw an interception back to the Cyclones, and they almost extended their lead by a touchdown, but Jackson...

By Maddie T. The Roland-Story football team is starting strong in district play, going 1-0 after defeating a tough opponent, Denver. The environment on Homecoming night was absolutely electrifying, and the boys played a really strong game. Quarterback Collin Willis led the charge, racking up 267 passing yards and aiding in scoring 21 points to defeat the Denver Cyclones, 21-14. The defense was equally crucial to the victory. The defensive line was in the right mindset all night and held strong against the Cyclones' attack. Chance Georgius notably ended up with two sacks, setting Denver back at key moments. This performance helped secure the important district victory. Let's continue to stay strong and fight till the end! Sail Norse!

By Kara P. “WELCOME THE ROLAND-STORY MARCHING BAND,” boomed Kevin Masemann, as the band took the field for the starting of the game. “Under the direction of Kevin Masemann, Jen Masemann flags, Drum Majors, Kelsey Johnson, Lily Brunchson, and Jullianne S.” But what led up to this? How did the band get to this point? Many times, behind the scenes, the kids you see are meeting at least eight times throughout the week to get ready. From early mornings to hot afternoon practices, they are working overtime to get the performance ready. These kids are a part of the hardest working group of kids, always showing up.  The morning of homecoming starts bright and early for the band. Rolling into the band room at 6:50, to begin marching on the streets at 6:55. Stepping everyone off to the start of the whistles, everyone is bustling with excitement and still a tiny bit tired. Three clicks are given and the band is off, marching through the streets, performing and practicing. They work through tu...

By Coyt N. On Friday September 5th, Roland-Story Norseman faced off against Des Moines Christian. The Norse coming in off a strong and dominant win against Pella Christian, meanwhile Des Moines Christian also coming in off a win over #2 Van Meter. Des Moines Christian line is way bigger than the Norse but the Norse have the leverage play and they are strong and gritty and are determined to keep there 2 year win streak against DMC going. The first quarter goes by and the score is 0-0 both defenses giving not an inch. The Norse were real close to scoring but through a pick inside the 10 yard line. Through out the second quarter it’s still 0-0 but at the end of the half with 10 seconds DMC drives down the field and scores a touchdown in the final seconds and goes 7-0 going into changing the momentum of the game.  Coming out of the half the Norse receive the kick but can’t get any points on the board throughout the third quarter but neither can DMC. Going into the fourth quarter the sc...

By Riley J. The girls Varsity Volleyball team went to Bondurant to play in a tournament. They went 4-2. First playing Winterset, the girls beat them in the first two sets. Next, they played a highly ranked team, Pella. They lost the first two sets, but it was a close match. Next up, they played Red Oak. Roland-Story, winning the first set and losing the second, went into a third set. They ended up losing by three points to another ranked Red Oak team. Then it was time for pool play! They first beat Pella Christian in the first two sets and then beat DM Roosevelt in three! Finally, the girls played Gilbert. They had lots of energy because they wanted to go home and swept the Gilbert Tigers in two sets. They were now 8-2 for the overall season!

By Chance G. On Aug. 29, 2025, the Norsemen of Roland-Story travel to play their first game against a stingy opponent, Pella Christian. The Norse are coming off a good year, having a 6-2 record, but were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Crestwood. The Norse have a significantly different team than last year, starting with Sophomore QB Colin Willis and a brand new Offensive Line that is untested, except for one returner, Gavin Jeter. Also, the Norse on the defensive side have 2 new inside Linebackers who are also untested at the Varsity level.  In the contest, though, the Norse were not faced by their young team, which is full of talent. Also being down 2 starting running backs. The Norse prevailed in a dominant victory over Pella Christian. The score was 32 to 13. The Norse gave up a first-play touchdown, then would proceed to score 32 unanswered points. In this effort, the Norse were 17 yards away from breaking the school record for total yards in a game. T...

By Miley G. On the first day of school, August 25th, the Roland-Story varsity volleyball team opened its season by hosting the annual "Early Bird" quad. The Norse came ready to play, facing off against South Hamilton, Central Springs, and Webster City. They displayed dominant form from the start, taking down South Hamilton in two sets with scores of 21-13 and 21-8. The team kept its momentum going by defeating Central Springs handily (21-6, 21-6), followed by a victory over Webster City (21-13, 22-20). By sweeping all three opponents, the Roland-Story volleyball team started its season an impressive 3-0!

By Jake K. On August 22, 2025, the Gilbert Tigers hosted the annual Varsity Football Scrimmage against the Roland-Story Norsemen. Entry to the event was a donation of Gatorade or other sports drinks. The scrimmage was split across the field, with the Varsity teams on one side and the Junior Varsity on the other. Each game consisted of only two 12-minute quarters. For the Varsity game, Gilbert immediately set the pace, scoring a touchdown on their first play to take an early lead. The Norsemen quickly answered when Collin Willis threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Luke Thoreson, followed by a successful PAT from Cael Faber to tie the game at 7 with just under six minutes left in the first quarter. Following a strong defensive stop, Roland-Story took the lead. Willis connected with Aiden Frey for a 38-yard touchdown pass, and Makenna Springer's PAT gave the Norsemen a 14-7 advantage with three minutes remaining in the quarter. However, the momentum shifted in the second quarter. The No...

By Kelsey J. We had been preparing for this one day for months. State came and went for the Roland-Story Jazz band. But it was the preparation leading up to it that mattered the most. The Roland-Story Jazz Band was set to compete on April 8th at 2:45 pm. The two weeks leading up to it were very stressful and filled with tons of practice. Between sectionals, full band practices, and clinics we were booked tight.  To be able to become better, you have to seek the help of the very best along the way. The Roland-Story Jazz band’s first clinic was with Bob Neunier. He came and listened to the band on March 31st. Bob is the Professor of Percussion & Director of Bands at Drake University, where he is the conductor of the wind symphony and director of percussion studies. The kids brought him in to help give tips and advice to the band. With his elite skill set, he helped to lock in the rhythm with the rest of the band. He gave new ideas and insights on how we could take our band from g...

By Brynn A. Nerves ran high and singers belted their hearts out under the stage lights as the Roland-Story Jazz Choir took to Dallas Center-Grimes High School to compete in the 2025 State Vocal Jazz Championships. Held on April 1, the competition is designed to showcase the very best vocal jazz ensembles that the state has to offer, with the competition in the 2A division better than it has ever been. After winning the championship the previous four years, pressure weighed down the shoulders of every performer in the group, but none of them faltered.  Roland-Story Vocal Jazz consists of 16 singers, as well as piano, percussion, and bass players. This year, our group was led by eight seniors, all of whom gave their everything to this ensemble in the last several months! Succeeding in the ensemble requires dedication to early Wednesday practices, as well as commitment to working during seminar and choir periods. There are typically only two people per part performing very difficult s...

By Joe R. On March 26, 2025, Roland-Story FFA held its first Drive Your Tractor to School Day. Even though it was pretty cold, for this being the first time for Roland-Story FFA, they had a good turnout: 11 Tractors, ranging from new to old, big and small, and all of the above.  We started at the bowling alley on the west side of Story City, were escorted by police down Main Street, and passed the elementary school. We ended up parking at the pool parking lot to end the escort and to get breakfast. Everybody had a good time doing this, and we are gonna try and do it again next year.

By Lexi B. Spring break of 2025, the Roland-Story Marching Band got the thrilling opportunity to perform at Disney World in Orlando, Florida! The band hopped on a bus around 11 a.m. on March 16th and headed up to Minneapolis to take off on their flight to Orlando. This trip was not just a vacation, but an opportunity to showcase their talent by marching through the iconic Magic Kingdom on their first day there. The band was directed by drum major Kelsey Johnston. The band paraded down Main Street, the students felt excitement from performing in front of families and tourists, and creating memories that they will truly never forget.  In addition to their performance at Magic Kingdom, the band spent the rest of their days exploring the various attractions across Disney World. They visited Universal Studios, Hollywood Studios, and Epcot, getting to experience the truly magical feeling of Disney World. With lots of thrilling rides and enchanting shows, the students experienced some of ...

By Payton C. The National Honor Society (NHS) is based on four main principles: Scholarship, leadership, service, and character. A select number of people are chosen each year to be a part of this society. The official Induction was on Monday, March 24.  The night started off with all of the new inductees and members of NHS taking their seats while everyone arrived. Issac Hall, Kennedy Petersen, Alana Thorson, and Eva Corcoran all spoke in the ceremony as the selected officers. As the night went on, Kurt Erichson spoke about the society and what it takes to be a part of the society. He talked about the responsibilities of each member and what an honor it is to be selected. When he got done speaking, Issac Hall came back up to announce the new inductees.  Each inductee walked onto the stage as their names were called. Kennedy and Alana handed them each a pin and certificate as they shook their hands. Once all of the inductees were on stage, Issac recited the pledge for the indu...

By Mason S. The Roland-Story Jazz Band is in full swing, preparing for the Jazz Championships. They are practicing after school, competing at competitions, and even bringing in university clinicians to work with the students to perfect the music ahead of this year's fierce competition. Their hard work is showing, especially at the most recent competition, the Blue Note Jazz Festival. Blue Note takes place at Waukee Northwest High School and is a new competition both in the state, and that Roland-Story has attended. With around 60 different jazz bands competing, it was an excellent opportunity to see other schools play and learn more about Jazz in general. Waukee NW also brings in a panel of incredibly talented musicians and music teachers to be the judges and clinicians for the bands. On top of that, Blue Note has different classes to take throughout the day to help musicians refine their skills in improvisation and rhythm section collaboration.  “Blue Note Festival is a massive co...

By Lily B. On March 7th and 8th, Roland-Story High School students performed their spring musical titled “Anything Goes.” The two shows were an outstanding success! Everyone has the privilege of seeing the actors out on stage, making the show a magical experience, but the crew often goes unnoticed. There are tons of different jobs on crew, such as costumes, hair and makeup, backstage, props, tech, and even stage managers. The work these kids put in isn’t seen the same as the dances and amazing dialogue. It is just as important to the show.  Props and Backstage work together to get the set ready for performance. This might include painting, building, or just finding the right props for the show. Backstage then moves everything for the scene changes during the show. Hair, makeup, and costumes work to make sure everyone looks well put together and cohesive. Without these people, the show would not come to life the way it does. Tech also goes above and beyond to ensure everyone gets th...

By Kara H. This year’s musical for Roland-Story High School is going to be Anything Goes! It takes place in the 1930’s on the ocean liner: S.S. American. This ocean liner is trying to be the best it could possibly be and have the most famous passengers compared to the others. The first passengers we see are a nightclub singer, Reno Sweeney (Lucy Schmidt), and a Wall Street broker named Billy Crocker (Luccas Hart). Along the way they meet two gangsters: Moonface Martin (John Craig) and Erma Latour (Kara Harding), who had also snuck onto the ship as a getaway. The audience also gets to meet Hope Harcourt (Aubrey Britten), who is about to get married to Lord Evelyn Oakleigh under the watchful eye of her mother, Mrs. Harcourt (Marissa Oetker)! This musical is full of laughter and jokes, surprise dance numbers, and numerous love stories that have to go through challenges and triumphs; you can’t miss it! The performances are on Wednesday, March 5th at 2:30 p.m. with general admission; Friday...