The story of Lincoln High's 150-year history was originally told in just six minutes.
A group of students had interviewed staff, students and alumni and combed archives for a short film to be shown at an open house celebrating the school's sesquicentennial on a Sunday in April.
Senior Riek Bol had spent the entire Saturday before editing the footage to six minutes, but he walked away feeling as if the project could be something more.
"Riek really saw something special there and was like, 'We should expand this,'" said Jordyne Vanselow, his digital art teacher.
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So he borrowed some camera equipment from the school district and began firing off emails. He wanted a wide array of voices to tell the story of the city's oldest high school.
From former principal Mike Wortman to Antwan Wilson, a Lincoln High graduate and former superintendent in California and Washington, D.C. Even a World War II veteran from the Class of 1937.
Diverse voices.
"When you walk into the school, you see flags all around, you see all these people covering all these countries, speaking all these languages," Bol said. "The Lincoln High community, even though you're from classes from decades apart, there is still something keeping us connected."Â
The history of the school is unparalleled by any other in the city, boasting such alumni as JFK speechwriter Ted Sorensen and talk-show host Dick Cavett.
It's the only high school in Lincoln to maintain its own archive, too. A fellow student, Alanis Roldan, helped Bol sort through the old letters and newspaper clippings, photos and programs from different events, such as Joy Night, the school's long-running talent show.
"I'm not doing this for a grade or for any sort of compensation," he said. "I'm doing this because being at Lincoln High and creating this video is important to me, and I want to share that with other people, how significant it is and how rich its history is."
That history began in the basement of an unused church at 12th and K streets, where the first classes were held in 1871. Two years later, the school moved to a building where Pershing Center now stands.
Then in 1915, it moved to its current location at 22nd and J streets, a neo-classic palace of brick, limestone, terracotta and marble.
With a drone supplied by the district, Bol took bird's-eye shots of the building — which slowly expanded to the south over the years — capturing things that he'd never noticed before, like the terracotta lions that line the roof.
"The architecture, it's insane," he said. "It's crazy how well-maintained the building is."
Some classmates have pitched in on the project, but Bol has done the bulk of the work filming interviews and editing footage.
His teacher, Vanselow, has been key in helping him see the project through, Bol said, coming in on her own time just so he can continue to make progress.
"He is just so dedicated and willing to see something through and making sure it can be the best it can be," she said.
Last summer, Bol worked as a communications intern with Lincoln Transportation and Utilities through the mayor's youth employment program, where he crafted social media posts and produced videos.
"That's where I really learned and where I really sparked my interest," he said.
In addition to being a documentarian, Bol emerged as a leader on the Lincoln Public Schools' Scholar Equity Cadre, a diverse group of students who work to advocate for their underrepresented classmates.
Pete Ferguson recruited him to the group following the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.Â
He quickly emerged as one of the group's leaders, taking part in town halls with the mayor and LPS Superintendent Steve Joel. But this year, he's stepped back, Ferguson said, to help push others forward.
"He's an individual who's committed to making sure that his voice is elevated, but he makes space for others, too," Ferguson said.
Bol is also a member of Lincoln High's student equity team, which works directly with administrators and staff on advancing educational equity.
"Riek is just an amazing kid," said Principal Mark Larson. "As a principal, it's really cool when you have one of your biggest leaders as a student who is so proud of where they went to school, and they're willing to go above and beyond to tell the story."
Even though he graduated this weekend, Bol is still putting the finishing touches on the documentary, which will be about a half-hour long. It already has a title: "Life at the High: 150 years of Lincoln High School."
He plans to hold a screening in the school's Ted Sorensen Theater on June 6 at 7 p.m. Admission will be free.
The hardest part, Bol says, is cutting down the hours of footage into a concise piece, one that tells a compelling story about a school that has graduated thousands of students, including a budding documentarian.
"It's a lot of work," he said, "but I think it will be worth it."
Meet more graduates who are 'Voices of Change' within LPS
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln Northeast senior Armon'e Dean
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the graduation stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Armon'e Dean, Lincoln Northeast
What are your plans after graduation?
Going to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to study mechanical engineering.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
We did it.
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
I wasn't the best kid in elementary school. So going into middle, it was a whole change of everything. And it was in my sixth grade math class (at Culler) and my teacher, she told me and my mom that she thought I should be transferred to a (differentiated) class. I thought it was really cool, because I've never really been recognized or anything like that before. And it definitely kick-started my schooling.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
It's to engage in a conversation and to gain confidence in your own opinion. ... It's just simply having a conversation with people who you don't necessarily feel comfortable around, instead of expecting them to.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
Genuinely, I think that the place where we are now could have been reached way sooner if we weren't as held back as we were by the pandemic. That completely just kind of paused everything for everybody.Â
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
I think one of the biggest strategies for me is making the student voice more heard ... but I feel like to a more personal level, for schools more specifically, not necessarily the district as a whole. What Northeast has done is they have surveyed the whole school and kind of left a drop box where if you ever have any issues, this is what we're going to do to address them. We would grab those issues, we would sort through the reoccurring ones, and then we would have discussions where we would have students come and they would be able to offer their input and be part of the change they want to see.
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln Southeast senior Kayla Treat
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the graduation stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Kayla Treat (Ojibwe: aabawaate), Lincoln Southeast
What are your plans after graduation?
I'm going to UNL to study pre-law, with plans to transfer to another school for law school.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
Be yourself, unapologetically.Â
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
I was able to handle both my numerous activities I do as well as keeping academic integrity. I did archery, volleyball, basketball, StepChain, piano. I read and write. I do art, drawing sketchbook stuff. I'm on the leadership team at my church. I'm also a part of the Indigenous Food Sovereignty project.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
Sometimes people will not reach out to you. It's a harsh reality that sometimes, if you stay to yourself, you will be left to yourself, and that's how it was for me. ... But sometimes reaching out is what you need to do.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
I think the pandemic was a time for thinking and growing as a person and also noticing the outside world. ... Everything was hyper-focused, and then we had the Black Lives Matter movement with the death of George Floyd and the outcry with that. I've always been somebody who's invested in world events; I've always been somebody who's wanted to be educated. But that was really my diving board for kind of going off the deep end with knowing that this is what I need to do. ... and it even spurred my passion to go to law school.
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
Early education curriculum on issues like race, as well as support for teachers.
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln Southwest senior Eiman Nour
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the graduation stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Eiman Nour, Lincoln Southwest
What are your plans after graduation?
I'm planning on going to the University of Nebraska at Omaha to study neuroscience.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
Speak your truth.
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
My parents came to Lincoln (from Sudan) because they thought that it was very safe and it was a good city to raise a family. So I've been here my whole life. One thing that I would look back on with pride is being part of the LPS Scholar Equity Cadre. I think we have done a lot of things that have shaped LPS and its future.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
There is one quote that was plastered all over my middle school and it's always stuck with me. It was, "Be the change in the world that you want to see." Meaning if you want something, you have to chase it. Nobody's just going to hand it to you. ... I think that when I was a child, I always felt like I wasn't represented. I've only had one (teacher of color) throughout my whole life.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
COVID was not a good thing, but for some things it was a blessing in disguise. ... For me (the Black Lives Matter movement) was definitely an awakening. I've definitely understood myself more after that. It's allowed me a space to kind of just live and facilitate my racial identity and where I stand in America.Â
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
The prioritization of student voice and equitable teaching practices.
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln East senior Guor Chuol
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Guor Chuol, Lincoln East
What are your plans after graduation?
Studying sports media and broadcasting at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
Be the difference.
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
Just moving from middle school to high school, going through that phase. I was like 'OK, I'm doing well in these classes, so why don't I take the next step?' I had a conversation with my teachers and they said, 'Oh, you probably should take that next step,' and then I took that next step in high school.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
I would say to have no fear and persevere, because something that comes along with feeling that you're not heard is feeling you have no one with you. As soon as you find those people that you can rely on, people that are going to be with you, there's nobody against you. Because you just have that support system.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
In terms of equity, I think it definitely held us back from our fullest potential because we're having the conversations ... and then all of sudden, we'd shut down. And then there was no physical interaction. I think the physical interaction is a really big part, because you couldn't see the people who look like you and feel the way you do in-person.
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
I just want them to pursue this mission of equity with the same burning passion that we have the last three years. ... I think we've grown so much, not only us scholars, but educators and district professionals. And even community members, honestly. I think the community sees our work and they just want to learn more.
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln High senior Marisol Barron-Perez
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Marisol Barron-Perez, Lincoln High
What are your plans after graduation?
Planning on attending the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I'm going in undecided, currently between dentistry and secondary math education.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
Thankful for everything.
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
I've always been in higher-up classes ... but as soon as I entered middle school and high school, I realized I wasn't that special compared to everyone else. So I had to give myself that uniqueness. And so I joined the music programs at my schools. Rather than just have that narrowed mind, I have widened my view of things. ... I've never been open with my own thoughts until very recently.Â
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
I would say just look for people like you, try to find that support system young rather than having to learn how to find it in the future. That way you just have that upper hand in those classroom settings where you're not going to be alone. If you raise your hand, you're able to speak out.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
Just the way teachers were forced to figure things out as they went, because, previously, teachers had that backup of being like, 'I know how to teach' ... they're right there for me and I can control a classroom. Instead, a teacher would focus only on Zoom kids while the in-class kids did whatever. Even now I don't remember some of the things I learned my sophomore year.
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
I honestly just want to see students be able to go to their upper admins and their counselors and their superintendent. I want everything to be open and honest. I just want students to have that voice and continue to fight for what they believe in.
Voices of change: Q&A with Lincoln North Star senior Zein Saleh
This weekend, seniors across the city will walk across the graduation stage and receive their diplomas. Earlier this month, the Journal Star sat down with six seniors who have worked to advance equity, diversity and inclusion in their schools (Interviews have been edited for length and clarity).
Zein Saleh, Lincoln North Star
What are your plans after graduation?
Studying political science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I also hope to go to law school. The plan is to go outside Nebraska. I think I want to go into (education) law.
Three words you want to leave the Class of 2022.
A phrase instead: Don't be afraid to reach out.
What is a moment from your time at LPS that you will look back on with pride?
I was born in Damascus, Syria, and I moved here when I was 3 years old because my parents planned to study for their graduate degrees. ... There have definitely been times as I grew up where I didn't necessarily feel represented by staffing that I was exposed to or the curriculum that I was learning. And so a sort of memorable experience for me has just been engaging myself in the work of educational equity and educational activism.
What is one piece of advice you would give to students — especially students of color — who feel like their voices aren't heard?
A lot of the opportunities that I've had, those weren't given to me, those were things I had to advocate for myself. I had to reach out to people that I knew had connections in order to get myself up there. ... You will be left behind if you don't advocate for yourself. So I think that it can be uncomfortable, it can be a step that you have to cross, but at the end of the day, people who are successful usually had to work that way.
You were sophomores when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the world. What kind of impact did that have on you and your classmates?
I think (the pandemic) and George Floyd was an awakening for a lot of people. ... I think it goes to show that while that may have been the catalyst for change, for a lot of people, particularly white people, it was never the defining moment for a lot of people of color who had experienced that sort of fear or that was their entire life.Â
What would you like to see improved upon at LPS under a new superintendent in terms of educational equity?
Facilitating more student voice. I feel like this was the first year where I and a few other students really got input on such important decision-making at the district that traditionally students are just excluded from.Â
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