![For many of the pickleball players, spending time with friends is just as much a part of the league as the game itself. The league is built to be flexible in working around players’ schedules. Because many of the players involved with the Ankeny Pickleball League are busy with other sports and activities, teams are open to finding any time to play, even if it means getting up early on a weekend for a game.
On Sunday, May, the Houston Red Rockets and the Big Picklers went head-to-head in an early morning match-up. Sophomore Hayden Carlson hits the ball over the net.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/1-6-1200x1200.jpg)
An Ankeny Pickleball League is born
Ava Gifford and Levi Foster
• May 21, 2024
![Demographic information provided by Ankeny Community School District showing the divide between numbers. Infographic made by Ava Tomlinson using Piktochart](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Screenshot-2024-05-16-11.02.10-PM.png)
A changing community
Vivian Wu, Web/Print/Multimedia Editor; Videographer
• May 17, 2024
![Senior Hunter Boswell deletes the app Tik Tok due to the recent news about the controversial, yet potential, Tik Tok ban in the U.S.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/unnamed-15-900x1200.jpg)
Imminent TikTok ban?
Julius Wiegand, Staff Reporter
• May 15, 2024
![Album cover of “WE STILL DON’T TRUST YOU” by Future and Metro Boomin. Album cover from Epic / Freebandz / Republic / Boominati Worldwide](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hannah-pic-1200x800.png)
Meet National Merit Scholar finalist, senior Hannah Howard
Josie Babcock, Staff Reporter
• May 2, 2024
![Southview eighth grader, Noemi Gavilan, runs to celebrate with teammates. Special Olympics is unique because it presents opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to compete in athletics.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/DSC00236.jpg)
AHS takes on Special Olympics
Lydia Gerety, Staff Reporter
• April 30, 2024
![These are the classes that will not be offered next year to Ankeny High students. Associate Principal Wade Grinhaug works with teachers and heads of departments to design class schedules and will inform them if classes are at risk of not running. He says building a schedule is very complex. There are around 1,400 students at AHS and the scheduling requests average around 6.5 per semester. Grinhaug estimates that there are over 30,000 requests total. To help Grinhaug sort through all of this information he uses Scheduling Wizard on Infinite Campus to build the schedules. It is a computer algorithm that analyzes all of the requests and recommends the times to offer each class to reduce conflicts. Infographic made by Lilyan McCracken using Google Drawings](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/This-thing.jpg)
Class changes coming to AHS
Lilyan McCracken, Staff Reporter
• March 7, 2024
![The student financial aid process can be an intimidating experience for students and parents alike. Knowing where to start and having steps and/or a plan for tackling the process can make it much easier. Infographic made by Josie Babcock using Canva](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Process-of-Creative-Thinking-Flowchart-Graph.png)
FAFSA frenzy
Josie Babcock, Staff Reporter
• March 7, 2024
![On Tuesday, Jan. 30, Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) mentors led sophomore Hawk Times through an introductory presentation. Participants created collectively a list of norms they will revisit each month with a new MVP lesson.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/IMG_1283-1200x800.jpg)
Mentors in Violence Prevention launches at Ankeny High
Vivian Wu, Web/Print/Multimedia Editor; Videographer
• February 29, 2024
![AHS junior Ryan Tomlinson scrolls through Instagram.
Since the 1990s, mental health disorders have risen as a leading cause of health loss, reports National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI).
In the United States and globally, more people than ever before are suffering from mental and emotional disorders, and are dying to suicide. The cause of these trends has been linked to many different factors, including the lack of access to mental health aid, increased substance abuse, and the COVID-19 pandemic. However, according to numerous studies conducted across the globe, the use of social media has been a major leading cause of societys decline in mental health, reports the Center for Disease Control.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/image2-3-1200x900.jpeg)
The social dilemma
Nolan McNulty and Julius Wiegand
• February 28, 2024
![House File 2082 will remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act and list gender dysphoria as a disability. A hearing will be held at noon today, Jan. 31, at the Iowa Capitol about the bill.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HF2082-1200x675.jpg)
A proposed bill will remove gender identity from the Iowa Civil Rights Act
Vivian Wu, Web/Print/Multimedia Editor; Videographer
• January 31, 2024
![January has been tough when it comes to weather. Iowa has seen record numbers of snow and below zero temperatures causing people to crave warmer temperatures and the sun more than ever. The lack of sun and less than ideal weather conditions force people to stay indoors more, which in turn turns into what can only be referred to as, the winter slump.
Here stands the Ankeny water tower covered by snow on a frigid January day.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Untitled-1-1-1200x900.jpg)
The winter slump: It’s more than being lazy
Hunter Boswell, Staff Reporter
• January 24, 2024
![In the wake of the Perry school shooting on Jan. 4, safety is at the forefront of many students, teachers, parents, and community members minds when it comes to schools. Ankeny High School’s biggest current safety concern, the fine arts parking lot doors.](https://ahstalonnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/doors-1200x900.jpg)
Safety in the Hawk Nest
Nolan McNulty, Staff Reporter
• January 9, 2024
Load More Stories