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AHSneedle

The student news site of Atlantic High School

AHSneedle

The student news site of Atlantic High School

AHSneedle

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AHS JOURNALISM GOLD SPONSOR

New Teacher Mikayla Stockhaus

AHS welcomes new choir teacher for the 2023-24 school year.
New+Teacher+Mikayla+Stockhaus
Claire Pellett

Upon the 2023 school year beginning, another new face may pass you in the halls. Mikayla Stockhaus is just one of AHS’ newest additions. As she begins the journey of leading the Trojan choir department, Stockhaus shares with us details of her pastimes. 

Stockhaus is already familiar with AHS, as she is an Atlantic alumnus from kindergarten until she graduated in 2013. Growing up, she knew she had a calling for music, and by eighth grade, she had decided she wanted to become a choir or a band director. Stockhaus said that her high school choir teacher, Luke Lovegood, definitely inspired her to pursue this path. 

After she graduated from AHS, Stockhaus received her bachelor’s degree in music education from Iowa State in 2017. Then, she attained a master’s degree in choral education from the University of Akron, Ohio, where her husband was stationed. “I love how the Trojan community actually supports the school, and how the school gives back to the community,” said Stockhaus. “You know you don’t see that in all of the places I’ve worked in the past six years, that’s not the case.” 

I love how the Trojan community actually supports the school, and how the school gives back to the community

— Mikayla Stockhaus

Stockhaus views her duties as a high school teacher as a way to let kids connect and find pieces of themselves they never knew were there.  “My job is to take any student that walks into my classroom and wants to sing, and turn them into a singer,” said Stockhaus. She aims to create a “choral community” within the student body and bring back numbers that were lost to COVID-19. She wants to create a community that’s supportive of one another and those who choose to sing. 

Outside of school and choir, Stockhaus loves hiking, reading, and “ultimately being around people.” Stockhaus said, “I went into education because I simply love people.” As for hiking, Glacier National Park is her favorite place. She recently did a fifteen-mile hike with her husband that “just about killed me (her)” but she was so glad they did it because it “was one hundred percent worth it in the end.”

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About the Contributor
Anna Potts, AHS Needle Editor
AHS Sophomore Anna Potts is a staff writer for Journalism. This is her first year being a part of the department. She joined journalism because of her special interest in writing, like putting her “thoughts into words,” and “socializing with people.” As of right now Potts has three published stories on AHSneedle, and is working on her fourth, as well as an editor bio. She also enjoys writing opinion pieces. In addition to this, this is Potts’ first year at AHS as she previously went to Exira-Elk Community School District in Elk Horn. “I came here for more academic opportunities.” Compared to her last school Potts feels that she has a lot more opportunities here at AHS and can be “pushed more.” In her free time outside of school she plays softball, reads, spends time with her friends and family as well as her pets. Potts has two brothers, Aiden (19)  and Trey (27), and two dogs named Ruby and Ollie.    By Trinity Christensen 

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    Makenna SchroederSep 25, 2023 at 1:45 pm

    Nice introduction of Mikayla Stockhaus to those of us not in the choir!

    Reply