Bighorn Bulletin — September 10, 2026

After joining Oasis Academy in eighth grade, senior John Schoenmeier Jr. has made the most of his time at the school while preparing for an exciting future in computer science and cybersecurity.

Following graduation in May with both his high school diploma and an associate degree from Western Nevada College, Schoenmeier plans to attend the University of Nevada, Reno to complete his bachelor’s degree in computer science. After completing his bachelor’s degree, he hopes to join the Navy and pursue a career in cybersecurity.

During his time at Oasis, Schoenmeier has appreciated the support he has received from both teachers and classmates.

“The teachers have been great. They have been there to help if I needed it, and my classmates have been helpful,” he said.

One teacher who has made a particular impact is Mr. Evan Brandt, who taught him math and coached him in wrestling. Brandt’s math class was also his favorite class at Oasis.

“I like math, and Mr. Brandt is a really good teacher and made class enjoyable,” he said.

Schoenmeier has been successful in the classroom. He was named to the Western Nevada College Dean’s List for the Spring of 2026.

Outside the classroom, Schoenmeier has been involved in both football and lacrosse. One of his proudest athletic memories came during football, when the team won the 2025 state championship. Schoenmeier has been playing football since freshman year as a defensive lineman on JV and moving to center offensive lineman for the Varsity Churchill County High School Greenwave Football team. In his junior year he was named Honorary Offensive Lineman.

He also looks back fondly on traveling with FFA to the state convention and competing in the Poultry Evaluation Career Development Event since his eighth-grade year. The poultry team won third place in his sophomore year, and he won second place in poultry individual his junior year. The experience has been one of his favorite memories from his time at Oasis.

As he prepares to graduate and begin the next chapter of his life, Schoenmeier offers some simple advice to his fellow students.

“Don’t worry about what people think. Find your people and just have fun,” he closed.

First Graders Learn the Power of Kind Words

First‑grade students recently explored the importance of kindness and the impact our words and actions can have on others while reading “Chrysanthemum” by Kevin Henkes.

Through the story, students learned that teasing and unkind words can hurt, while encouragement, acceptance, and kindness can help others feel valued and confident. The class discussed how everyone is unique and why it is important to treat others with respect, even when someone may be different from us.

To bring the lesson to life, students participated in an activity using a paper heart. The heart represented a person’s feelings. As students heard examples of mean words or hurtful actions, they were instructed to wrinkle the heart. Students then tried to smooth the heart back out after hearing kind words and positive actions.

The activity helped students see that, while kind words and apologies can help, the wrinkles do not completely disappear. The lesson gave students a visual reminder that hurtful words and actions can leave lasting marks, making it especially important to think before we speak or act.

The first graders walked away with an important message: Use honesty, empathy, and respect from the Herd Matrix to treat others with kindness and help keep each other’s hearts from getting wrinkled.

Fourth Graders Put Rounding Skills to the Test

Oasis Academy fourth graders recently took their math learning off the page and onto the number line as they practiced rounding numbers to the thousands place.

Working in small groups, students received a variety of numbers and were challenged to place each one correctly on a number line. Once they positioned their numbers, students determined which direction to round and identified the nearest thousand.

The activity gave students a chance to practice an important math skill while working together, discussing their thinking, and explaining their reasoning to classmates. By visualizing where numbers fall on a number line, students could see how rounding works rather than simply memorizing a rule.