![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)
Sponsor a Talon journalist!
Talon summer journalism camp sponsorships
Do you want good news? Invest in the future of journalism by sponsoring a Talon journalist.
If the journalism program at Ankeny High, particularly the student-run news media outlet, The Talon, made a difference in your life, or if you would like to make a difference in the life of someone currently in journalism and on The Talon staff, then sponsoring a Talon journalist/editor is your chance to make that difference.
Our goal is to send a few Talon editors this summer to the Media Now! summer journalism camp at Drake University or the University of Iowa’s summer journalism workshop. Talon social media editor and 2024 graduate Joanna Guerrero earned full rides to both camps summer of 2023 due to her hard work and dedication. We hope to send more student journalists! Talon editor Lydia Gerety earned a full ride to the 2024 Media Now! at Drake summer journalism camp.
“The journalism camps helped me network, learn, and soak in advice from professional journalists, and allowed me to become friends with many high school student journalists,” Guerrero said. “I learned and took inspiration [from fellow high school student journalists] on what they do with their publications. It was an amazing experience where I got to deepen and enrich my knowledge of journalism!” Guerrero said.
Talon student journalists earned 13 awards from the Iowa High School Press Association’s 2023 spring journalism contest for stellar writing and reporting, which put The Talon in the running for 2023 All-Iowa News Team. In 2024, Talon staff earned 28 awards from the 2024 spring journalism contest, which includes 15 honorable mentions.
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Talon Co-Editors and 2024 graduates Ava Tomlinson & Vivian Wu as they have earned a TOP TEN spot (in the state of Iowa) as Iowa High School Press Association’s… Emerging Journalists for 2023. Senior and Talon reporter Ava Gifford earned a TOP TEN spot for 2024.
Thirteen student journalists, 2023 graduate Sophie Rohlfing, juniors Lydia Gerety (earned four Best of SNOs), Olivia Luna (earned two Best of SNOs), and Chloe Macke, senior Nolan McNulty (earned two Best of SNOs), and 2024 graduates Charlie Christensen, Grace Risk, Scott Kruse, Joanna Guerrero, Josie Babcock, and Vivian Wu (earned two Best of SNOs) as well as seniors Julius Wiegand (earned three Best of SNOs) and Elyse Enskat have earned the prestigious honor of Best of School Newspapers Online (SNO )awards.
Former Talon editor and 2024 graduate Joanna Guerrero earned an honorable mention through Journalism Education Association’s (JEA) student media contest for her profile of JEA member, English teacher, and journalism adviser Alissa Hansen.
We have a partnership with the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce and student journalists will be reporting on Chamber events and profiling business for the Ankeny Business Journal. You can check out work from 2024 graduates and former Talon editors Joanna Guerrero, Ava Tomlinson, and Vivian Wu and juniors Olivia Luna and Lynae Midkiff.
We’re working to earn more distinction as we grow the journalism/Talon program at Ankeny High.
Interested in sponsoring Talon journalists/editors? Email adviser Alissa Hansen at [email protected]. We are planning to make this an annual sponsorship program.
Thank you for supporting student journalism.
![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-1-1-225x300.jpg)
