![Sophomore Lily Bell posing as a player in the senior assassin game. Seniors participating in the game eliminate others by squirting them with a water gun, and can wear goggles for immunity against others. “People did have to go out and buy [water] guns, but most people have the googles at home, but you don’t even have to use a gun, you can use water of any sort,” senior Gwyn Christensen said.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-1-1-900x1200.jpg)
![The shadows against a captivating blue are a nod to the “Catch Me If You Can” musical poster, both for this performance and the blue from the Broadway show. The detectives in this scene are at shooting practice, in preparation for when they finally encounter Frank Abagnale Jr. “We always say our motto is ‘theater is a team sport,’ and really just emphasizing to our students that everyone is welcome in the drama department. There's always a role for you, whether or not, on stage or behind the scenes, in the costume shop, in the scene shop. [There are] all sorts of different things that go into bringing a show to life. So we love our drama hawks and welcome everyone to drama,” Drama Director Mollie Jo Blahunka said.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/cmiyc-1200x800.jpg)
![Henry, Emily (2021). People we meet on vacation [Book cover]. Berkley Books. Image used under fair use for purposes of commentary and review. Haley, Brett (2026). People we meet on vacation [Movie poster]. Movie poster courtesy of 3000 Pictures and Temple Hill Entertainment. Made by Adilyn Hoop using Canva.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/vacay1.png)
![Lockhart, E. (2025). We fell apart [Book cover]. Delacorte Press. Image used under fair use for purposes of commentary and review. The newest book in the “We were liars” collection was released Nov. 4.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/wefell1.png)
![A Group of PEOPEL PE students and helpers set up an obstacle course during class. The “Amazing Race” unit had started in PEOPEL PE where the students and helpers got to compete in a variety of different activities and games. “We try our best to make [inclusion] a school-wide event, but it's just so much more different when you actually engage with the students hands-on and actually get to know them as people.” Sophomore Bree Christensen said. Photo Taken by Ada McNulty.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/unnamed-12-1200x900.jpg)
As our planet’s population increases everyday, the amount of voices that go unheard rises along with it. On Tuesday, Oct. 8, high school staff and students from both the north and south sides of Ankeny are invited to Open Mic Night at the Ankeny High School (AHS) media center to let their voices be heard.
After nearly 70 shows, spanning back to before the high schools split into north and south, AHS’s head teacher librarian Jenny Wirtz and Centennial’s head teacher librarian Tom Honz, the individuals in charge of orchestrating this night, have seen it all. From K-pop performances to spoken poetry, Open Mic Night becomes more open every year.
“We get a lot of singers that sing with a track off YouTube,” Wirtz said. “Last year we had a foreign exchange student who did a dance from their homeland. They had an outfit and flags from their homeland, and used music from their culture. It was really cool.”
Many students face overlap when looking to partake in multiple extracurricular activities. It can get hard to balance things such as performances and sports games.
“I think Open Mic Night is important because it gives students a chance to perform, who have no stage,” Wirtz said.
To perform in front of a crowd takes an exceptional amount of courage. At Open Mic Night, students are offered an opportunity to perform proudly without fear of embarrassment.
“You want to start over? Start over. Nothing has to be perfect,” Wirtz said. “You wrote a song, but you only know half? Just play what you know.”
Performers range from staff, to students, to even AHS Principal Dr. Daniel DJ Johnson. With multiple open mic night performances under his belt, along with a long history of talking in front of crowds, no one knows better about the courage it takes to step up on a stage and express yourself.
“I know there are individuals who love music. They really, really love music and want to make a statement to the world with their music, but they’re afraid to show that side of themselves,” Johnson said. “If my scared butt can get up there, so can you.”
Junior Mark Perry, a returning performer, claims to have lived without stage fright until recently. This year, choosing the singing route as opposed to doing comedy, Perry recognizes that he may have something that people want to hear.
“I stopped being scared for myself and started performing for other people’s entertainment,” Perry said.
Fear of performing is completely understandable, but if you can convince yourself to do it just once, you may be surprised with the results. You’ll never know until you try it.
“Follow your heart,” Perry said. “You may overcome your fear.”
Open Mic Night is a chance to express yourself freely in a space where you are in control. If your dream is a career full of performances, you have to start somewhere, and this is the perfect place to start.
“You can be the worst performer in the world and we are going to clap and tell you that you did a great job,” Wirtz said. “This is your moment to have a stage and an audience.”
