"Keep calm and carry on," Silver Athena Contos tells herself on the first day of school as she ascends the brick steps of Ralston Middle School. Silver wants it all: to be popular, have a boyfriend, and be a cheerleader. She even has a plan on how to do it. It's called Cousins, the must-have book every kid wants to read and every parent hides. Ever since the twins left for college, Silver has the run of the house, sharing it with a mother who yells when she talks, a loving dad who isn't too invasive about her life, and Yiayia, her grandmother, who lives close by, only wears black, curses in Greek, and is the size of a shrimp chip. Sheer luck plays a part in Silver's rise in social status when she overhears a conversation in a dressing room. The conversation leads to an outlandish outfit, cementing her status into the cool group. Meanwhile, her new best guy friend, Kent, is schooling her on how to get a boyfriend. The only problem is, she's falling for him, but it seems Kent has other plans for Silver. She finds herself in over her head and confused by Kent's master plan. So Silver turns to her own plan, bribing fellow classmates to get cheerleading votes. She'll let them read the juicy parts in the book Cousins if they vote for her. Will her plan work? Is it ethical? Does she like who she's becoming? Silver Contos debates all these questions and works them out among her classmates and her family in Ralston Rams.

No other high school in Nebraska evokes as much pride, passion, inspiration, and devotion as Pius X High School. The school that was started in 1956 and remains today Nebraska's largest co-educational parochial school, is a beacon for success and leadership. Thunderbolt athletics has been a bench mark for programs to follow, and only those privileged few student athletes who have had the opportunity to don the Pius X uniform can begin to understand why that is so. Pius X's undeniably rich tradition and success over the past fifty years are enough to separate it from other schools: 54 state titles in both boy and girl sports, 12 all sports awards, nine state football championships, and countless academic all state athletes. Coaches such as Aldrich, Kelley, Aylward, Moore, and Forycki, as well as many others, have set the standard of excellence, and have created the feelings of honor and utmost pride associated with Pius X and being a Thunderbolt. Travel back with us as we take a look at Past great athletes and teams and why they make Pius X such a special and magical place. This is a must read for all past and present Thunderbolt athletes, and for Pius X fans and foes alike. Now read the stories and accounts of past Pius X athletes as they attempt to define the significance of being a part of the storied tradition that is a Pius X Thunderbolt.