DecemberPylon2017final by The Pylon

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

CONTENT

CONTENT PAGE

News

In Depth

Arts

In Depth

Student Life

The Dangers of Trafficking Taking Time to Say Thank You

Jolly Job

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Tis the Season For Singing

Seeking Peace and Happiness, Buddhism

A Sense of Tradition

Feature

Sports

24 26 28

Run. Hide. Forget.

Sports Briefs Years on the Mat

In Depth Short and Sweet

Infographic South vs. Central Basketball

Opinion We Are Not Alone

12 04

08 Photos taken by Pylon staffers. See inside for complete stories.

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017 Basketball vs Campus Girls V. @ 6 Boys V. @ 7:30

End of 2nd quarter

19 Dec.

20 Dec.

Senior Yearbook pictures due

Christmas Break

skyearbookpics@ gmail.com

20 Dec.

21 Dec.

Students Home Swim Basketball Meet vs MAIZE S. Return to Girls Varsity @ 6:00 Varsity @ 1:30 Boys Varsity @ 7:30 School Theme: Jerseys

Jan.

HOME SWIM Basketball SIT TOURNAMENT MEET Jan 18-20 Varsity @ 1:30

Jan.

Damn Basketball newton Yankees vs Girls Varsity @ 6:00

Jan 25-27 @ 7:00

Jan.

Home Bowling Meet Varsity @ 3:00

Jan.

Boys Varsity @ 7:30 Theme: Super Heroes

Jan.

Varsity @ 1:30

Jan.

Wrestling vs Maize Varsity @ 6:00

Jan.

Basketball vs Hutchinson

2017-2018

Pylon staff Chloe Guillot Morgan Dolton Annie Hayes

News Editors Caroline Donatell Will Hayes

Sports Editors Holly Sanderson Ryan Dix

Student Life Editor Morgan Dolton

Arts Editor Annie Hayes

Feature Editor Chloe Guillot

Opinion Editor Madeline Paradis

Feb.

Social Media

We want to hear your opinion

Twitter: @chspylon Instagram: @mustangsofcentral Snapchat: chspylon Web: chspylon.com

The Pylon serves as an open forum for students to express their opinions on topics that affect the school or community. Students are protected under the Kansas State Bill 62 as well as the first amendment. Editorials do not represent the opinion of our entire school, staff, or administration. If you have a letter than you want to published, e-mail your submissions to pyloneditors@gmail.com. Submissions must contain a full name for inclusion, and we will contact you to confirm you are the author of the letter. Letters may be edited for clarity.

The Pylon is the official student newspaper of Salina High School Central. Volume 94 of the Pylon was created by 13 staff members using Creative Cloud CC. Our fonts this year include GoBold and Gravity. Special thanks to Sedalia Democrat for making the printing of our publication possible.

Editors-in-Chief

Girls Varsity @ 6:00 Boys Varsity @ 7:30 Theme: Camo

Home swim Meet

Spring Portraits

Jan.

CONTENT PAGE

Copy Editor Gracie Schroeder

Web Editor Molly Michaelis

Reporters Saria Taylor Malcolm Berkley Maria Gutierrez Molly Michaelis

Adviser J.D. Garber

News Updates

PYLON December 15, 2017

THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FROM THE PRESENTATION IS THE REALIZATION OF HOW EASY IT IS TO GIVE INTO SOMEBODY WHO SEEMS TRUSTWORTHY ALTHOUGH THEY WANT NOTHING BUT BAD THINGS FROM YOU. -JUNIOR ADDIE HARVEY

The

Dangers of

Trafficking

Russ Tuttle speaks about false identity through social media by Caroline Donatell pylon reporter Russ Tuttle, the speaker of the Stop Trafficking Project, has brought awareness to this very controversial subject. Social media trafficking is a topic that most people either aren’t educated about or ignore. In his presentation, Tuttle addressed what it is, who it affects and how to prevent it. Sophomore counselour Shelda Burger invited him to speak, as she felt that it was important for students to understand how it affects our world today. “As a community we teach students the dangers of drug usage and smoking. We also teach our youth how to drive and other significant life lessons. However, one thing we have not taught our youth is the dangers of social media,” explained Burger. Many people have heard of human trafficking, but Tuttle discusses the usage of social media and the internet to further it. While the rapid diffusion of digital technologies, such as mobile phones, social networking sites and the Internet, have provided significant benefits to society,

new channels and opportunities for exploitation have also emerged. Increasingly, the business of human trafficking is taking place online and over mobile phones.

58%

Of students that have either met a stranger, sent a nude, or done both, said they would not engage in that activity again.

The fact that people can create a false identity on the internet is often times what is so deceiving about it. As twisted as it is, sex trafficking can seem harmless at first. What typically happens is that a girl, often younger, is targeted through the lens of social media. The perpetrator

news updates

PYLON December 15, 2017

udit

ent stud on o t s king nder

will do or say anything to gain the subject’s trust. Unfortunately, their disguises and lies can often lead to entrapment, where the girl is forced to take “hot” pictures of herself and get blackmailed or, even worse, meet up with the criminal. During Tuttle’s presentation, he shared a video of Melissa, a young girl who was a victim of domestic minor sex trafficking. It all started when she met a seemingly nice guy on a dating website. He manipulated her, telling her all the things that she wanted to hear. He told her that she was beautiful and took an interest in her family, asking her questions about them. This technique, often used by guys to trap young girls, takes their desire and dissatisfactions to exploit their vulnerabilities. Obviously, these will be different for everyone, but the most common ones are the desires to feel beautiful, be free from parental rules and curfews, have a boyfriend, and possess material things. The idea that girls feel like no one understands them is a major desire that paves the way

ea in th

a a ly S spe ttle o by Hol u T t ss ho s Ru . p ture ber 15 p a t c ovem tha oto sday N h p is a dne This on We m riu

for many to be exposed. Somehow, the perpetrator persuaded Melissa to join him on a trip. Not only did he tie her to a chair and bleach her hair, to hide her identity, he robbed her blind. Her phone, license, social security card and money-- all gone. After begging her release, he threatened that, if she did, “I will find you, hurt your family, and kill you.” This story is just one of the many out there. Many students attended the presentation. Junior Addie Harvey had some final thoughts on the subject. “The most important thing from the presentation is the realization of how easy it is to give into somebody who seems trustworthy, although they want nothing but bad things from you,” said Harvey. This presentation was beneficial, in that, it brought awareness and taught a valuable lesson: don’t trust just anyone. Out of the 350 students who atttended the assembly, 258 were surveyed.

news updates

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

by isabella rubino | pylon reporter Vice Principal Kelly Heizman knows firsthand that the simple act of giving thanks can make a school environment much more inviting and friendly. “I think we all benefit when we learn to say thank you and accept help from other people,” Heizman said. “Sometimes, even myself, it is really hard to have somebody help me because I think I should be able to do it all by myself. The more thankful I am towards others, the more I find that it is easier to ask because I know that they want to help me. I think it does help any kid and adult just to know you are appreciated for something.” Vice Principal Heizman began a program at South High School where students and staff members had the opportunity to write thank you notes to people in the school. She saw how much of a positive effect it had on the school. When she started working at Central, she instituted the thank you notes with the hope of a similar effect. Freshman Avery Smith enjoyed the concept of the thank you notes. “I thought it was a nice and fun idea to give thank you notes. It felt great to receive them. I like how the staff made sure that everyone was included in the project, Smith said. Having done this at other schools, Vice Principal Heizman was excited to see the reaction at Central High. “It really is exciting on the day before Thanksgiving to watch everybody’s faces as they get those thank you’s delivered to them. This year, I think will be just the building process. I think we’ll really see effect of it next year when this month hits, and people know what to expect.” Heizman said. When sophomore Miles Denning received his thank you notes in ELO, it brightened his day and brought a smile to his face. “I really liked the whole experience. It was nice being able to tell people exactly why you were thankful for them,” Denning said. “It was nice to know that other people were thankful for you too. The day I received my notes from others, I felt very appreciated for the remainder of the day.” The thank you notes were a huge success. Students were able to leave for Thanksgiving break with a smile on their faces, making Central a better place one thank you note at a time.

IT WAS NICE TO KNOW THAT OTHER PEOPLE WERE THANKFUL FOR YOU TOO. THE DAY I RECEIVED MY NOTES FROM OTHERS, I FELT VERY APPRECIATED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY. - SOPHOMORE MILES DENNING

Sophomore Jacquelyn Dyson smiles while reading a thank you note. | photo by saria taylor

Teacher Gloria Johnson dealing out thank you notes. | photo by saria taylor

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

FEATURE STORY

Sophomore Alora Pittenger reads through a thank you note she received on the week of Thanksgiving. | photo by saria taylor

taking time to say

thank you Teacher Kipp Keffel chuckles while receiving thank you notes. | photo by saria taylor

students, faculty spend november giving thanks with over 2500 thank you notes

jolly in depth

PYLON december 15, 2017

job by malcolm berkley | pylon reporter

Students find seasonal work in family-run Christmas tree business: BEL Tree Farm High school jobs help students pay for supplies, sport equipment, cars, hobbies and other activities. Often times these jobs are very unenjoyable. The workplace can be boring and unsanitary. Coworkers can be unfriendly, distant, much older, younger and

disruptive. At this point, the job becomes a chore, something you do just to stop your parentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; constant nagging and earn that treasured weekly allowance. Yet, some students have found a short-term job solace. They have discovered a temporary, high

Students employed by BEL Tree Farm smile in uniform, ready for a day at work. | photo credit to bel tree farm on facebook

in depth

PYLON december 15, 2017

school job paradise where people give joy through a is necessary. mini donkey named Yukon Cornelius, hot apple ci“The labor can get a little intensive at times, but my der, popcorn and horse-drawn rides. Most impor- one armed dumbbell rows in conditioning are helping tantly though, they spread holiday spirit with festive me get through it,” Norris laughed. Christmas trees that grow year round. The name of There are many more students working at the farm. this jolly organization? BEL Tree Farm. Junior Ben Driver, senior Ryan Dix, sophomores SydJunior Brett Norris began working at BEL Tree dur- ney Sorell, Jackson Kavanagh, Cayman Munson, ing his sophomore year, alongside juniors Matt Gol- James Budkey and a few others also spend a month dammer, Sam Heiger and others. He’s found it to be helping to assist people in choosing, cutting, netan enjoyable experience and is looking forward to his ting and transporting the best possible Christmas second year. tree. With a large number of students working at BEL “It’s a great environment. We are Tree and the company’s reputabasically surrounded by Christmas tion increasing, several students IT’S A GREAT for the entire day, and it doesn’t get have been encouraged to beENVIRONMENT. WE ARE much better than that,” Norris said. BASICALLY SURROUNDED come new members of the famBEL Tree Farm is “a family-opily. BY CHRISTMAS FOR erated Christmas tree farm locatFreshman Liam Foley is one, THE ENTIRE DAY, AND ed in Saline County,” as stated on having joined just this year. He IT DOESN’T GET MUCH its official website. It is open from made this decision after learning BETTER THAN THAT. the day after Thanksgiving up until of the company’s great reputalate December. The large property tion. - JUNIOR BRETT NORRIS “features a wood-heated stove” “I heard that it has a good and “provides horse-drawn hay rack rides.” As previ- work environment. It is friendly, and they are laid ously mentioned, it also includes a donkey that roams back,” Foley explained. in a medium sized enclosure and enjoys to be pet. BEL Tree Farm and their student employChristmas trees of all sizes densely populate the area. ees mutually benefit from each other. BEL Tree gets Though it only employs students for a month, a few a young, enthusiastic workforce during the holiday Central students found that it’s worth it. rush, while the students earn cash at a job unlike typiThe work isn’t a piece of cake though. Especially cal high school employment opportunities. for people like Norris who cut down several trees each “When you’re working there it’s such a fun atmoday, from Friday morning to Sunday afternoon. With sphere to be around. It doesn’t feel like you’re at a a large flow of incoming customers desperate to get normal high school job,” sophomore Sydney Sorell the perfect tree for the holidays a hard working staff said. 140 students were surveyed using Google Forms during random classes December 1-5.

22%

of students have a real christmas tree

28%

of students know someone who works at bel tree farm

32%

of students have been to bel tree farm

fine arts

PYLON december 15, 2017

by annie hayes | pylon editor

‘tis the

for

season singing Free Spirit spreads holiday cheer with talented voices Free Spirit looks to spread the Christmas spirit every Senior Grace Demaree explains that Free Spirit prepares winter. For senior Noah Highsmith, this is a fun way to get five to six songs to perform for the residents of the nursing students’ voices into the comhomes. munity. The group hits many “I really like going to Eagle WE KNOW THAT DURING stops, including a few nursing Crest because all the residents THE CHRISTMAS SEASON homes. are really nice. I know a couple of “We like to get ourselves them because of my grandma, so IT’S NICE TO SPREAD JOY out there, and we know that it’s cool to see them when we go to TO OTHER PEOPLE. during the Christmas season sing,” Demaree said. it’s nice to spread joy to othHighsmith also enjoys interacter people. In the nicest way ing with the residents. - SENIOR NOAH HIGHSMITH possible, I think sometimes “My favorite part is meeting a the older people need us to spread the Christmas spirit the bunch of really nice old people and letting them listen to us most,” Highsmith said. sing,” Highsmith said.

nov 18 | Christmas Kickoff @ the Stiefel Theater

dec

on the road

Check out where Free Spirit has stopped on their tour of Salina.

Christmas Tour including stops at Eagle Crest, Lakewood Middle, KWU, and McCall Manor

KMEA District Honor Choir in Manhattan

| 10

Christmas by Candlelight @ KWU

fine arts

PYLON december 15, 2017

140 students were surveyed using Google Forms during random classes December 1-5.

58% 78%

of students have attended a school choir concert

Highsmith remembers a particular moment from the tour last year. “When we were singing at the Presbyterian Manor, I saw my elementary school music teacher, Mrs. Beneshek, because she was there visiting her mother. Mrs. Beneshek got to hear us sing and came up to us afterwards and told us how proud she was, seeing how far we’ve come,” Highsmith said. This year, Free Spirit was as strong as ever for their winter performances. The vocal department had 26 students make District Honor Choir, more than any previous year. “District Honor choir chooses some of the best stu-

of students know about free spirit

dents in a district in Kansas, and later State Honor Choir selects the best in the state,” Highsmith said. Central is one of the most successful vocal programs in the state, with seven students making State Honor Choir. Juniors Annie Taggart, Carly Redding, Bradyn Houltberg and Aaron Hawley along with seniors Kaleb Wood, Demaree and Highsmith are among the top students in the state. Senior Aamir Sandhu was also selected as an alternate. “I like singing in Free Spirit because it’s a challenge. Plus, I really like to be around people who enjoy singing as much as I do,” Demaree said.

congratulations

to all students who made state

and district honor choir Moses Brown Gage Burmaster Douglass Chance Payden Cox Grace Demaree Lane Griffin Indigo Guise Aaron Hawley Will Hayes Noah Highsmith Bradyn Houltberg Kerrigan Hutton Isaac Johnson

6 |7 12 and 14 | 19

Perform @VFW

Perform @Trinity Lutheran Advent Service

joyous noel rehearsal

Lanaisha Johnson Isaac Morris Madeline Paradis Aamir Sandhu Maddie Stack Annie Taggart Saria Taylor Nate Weis Gavin Wolfmule Kaleb Wood Kenslie Arnold Areanna Heysquierdo

Carly Redding

Celtic Christmas @ the Stiefel Theater Perform @Salina Country Club for Saline County Medical Society

IN DEPTH

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

SEEKING PEACE AND HAPPINESS Senior Ryan Ayres finds Buddhism as a New Faith by saria taylor pylon reporter It all started with a book. Senior Ryan Ayres was born into a Christian family, where he was raised to follow God and his teachings. High school was the beginning of a difficult time for him. Ayres began to lose faith in God when he went through emotional struggles, leaving him with many questions. Making other people happy, while pursuing his own happiness, proved to be one of the many challenges that he faced. Not knowing who to turn to for guidance, Ayres met up with one of his friends, who works at Ad Astra Books and Coffee House. His friend suggested that he should read The Teaching of Buddha. Hesitant at first, as most people are when they are introduced to something new, Aryes found that it contained everything that he was searching for. It opened his mind to a new way of living, one that would satisfy. His recent conversion to Buddhism has set him on the journey to Enlightenment. He is now dedicated to becoming one with himself and his family. Sometimes, standing for something means standing alone. Ayres hasn’t told his family about his conversion, as he is the only Buddhist. He doesn’t want his parents to assume that his beliefs are just a phase, so he doesn’t plan to tell them until he is older. “I would like to, one day, share my practices with my family, but right now they wouldn’t realize my acceptance. I am only seventeen, and they would think I’m just a child. I hope one day in the future I can tell them about my practice and show them the real me,” Ayres said. The term “Buddhist” is often misunderstood because it is a broad term. Most people associate it with a monk worshipping or a statue of a guy with three eyes. However, this is far from what it truly is: the practice of seeking oneness with your heart, soul and mind, while spreading positive energy about your loved ones. Ayres believes that one does not necessarily need to become a Buddha monk

to reach Enlightenment, but that you can practice it wherever you are. “It’s just practicing right mind, right ideas, and right beliefs. Also keeping your senses clear from evil,” Ayres explained. Even so, one day he desires to travel to India, China, or Nepal to visit a Buddhist temple, where he can connect with Buddhist monks. Buddhism has transformed his life in four months. Not only has it guided Ayres through difficult times, but it has helped him achieve heart and mind connection. Ryan is incredibly excited to further explore his religion by reading the Dharma, or “Buddha Bible,” which translates to “True Teaching.” Ayres hopes to have kids in the future, so he can teach them about Buddhist practices. Even so, he would still give them the right to choose their own religion. “I wouldn’t force it on my kids, but I would teach them about it because it’s all a good way of life. Being good to others and walking away from bullies is a big part of what I’m going to teach them”, Ayres said.

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

IN DEPTH

TO CONQUER ONESELF IS A GREATER VICTORY THAN TO CONQUER THOUSANDS IN BATTLE. - THE BOOK OF DHARMA, SENIOR RYAN AYRESâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; FAVORITE PASSAGE

Senior Ryan Ayres meditates next to a Buddha statue, attempting to become one with his mind. photo by Saria Taylor

STUDENT LIFE

NOEL FROHE WEIHNACHTEN

NATIVITY

JINGLE BELLS

FAMILY FELIZ YULETIDE

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

GOD JUL CANDA SNOWOF TRADITION OYEUX A NOËL SENSE SANTA

ADVENT FAST CHRISTMAS KWANZAA FROHE WEIHNACHTEN HANUKKAH Annie Taggart Aamir Sandhu GOD JU

ROHATSUPELZNICKEL senior

I always get asked by other people what fun Christmas activities my family takes part in, and it just becomes super awkward when I tell them that my family doesn’t KWANZAA celebrate Christmas. Christmas is justROHATSU another day for us. That doesn’t mean we don’t have any HANUKKAH other holidays though. They just don’t happen around this time of the year.

After opening presents Christmas morning, my family and I put on our winter coats and head out to deliver the Bill Fekas Dinners. This program provides a warm meal on Christmas and is completely run by volunteers. My family has spent our day this way since before I was born. It’s a tradition that I always look forward to and hope to carry it on when I’m older!

GIVING FAMILY FROHE WEIHNACHTEN KWANZAA MAWLID EL-NABI

CANDALS FROHE WEIHNACHTEN ROHATSU

MAWLID EL-NABI ROHATSU

SNOW

SANTA

ADVENT CALENDAR

GREEN & RED CANDALS PRESENTS

MAWLID EL-NABI

PELZNICKEL

CHRISTMAS TREES

KWANZAA

CANDALS SAINT NICHOLAS DAY

CANDY CANE

GOD JUL KWANZAA

FROHE WEIHNACHTEN ROHATSU SNOW

FAMILY

CANDALS ROHATSU

GIVING KWANZAA

GREEN & RED

PRESENTS

NATIVITY

JOYEUX NOËL KWANZAA

ORNAMENTS

SAINT NICHOLAS

MAWLID EL-NABI GOD JUL

GIVING

GREEN & RED

CANDY CANE JINGLE BELLS

Junior PRESENTS

SANTA

5 GOLDEN RINGS

STUDENTS SHARE HOW THEIR FAMILY CELEBRATES THE SEASON

SNO

CHRI

MAWLID EL-NABI

GOD JUL

PELZNICKEL

MAWLI

HANUKKAH FROHE W

NOËL

GINGERBREAD KWANZAA JOYEUX NOËL CANDALS GREEN & RED ROHATSU KWANZAA FAMILY

Junior

YULETIDE

GOD JUL GREEN & RED

JOYEUX NOËL

ROHATSU

GOD JUL

MAWLID EL-NABI

CHRISTMAS

CHRISTMAS TREES GREEN & RED YULETIDE FROHE WEIHNACHTEN ORNAMENTS

GIVING

NOEL

CHRISTMAS TREES

KRIS KRINGLE

FAMILY

MAWLID EL-NABI

SNOW

SANTA ADVENT FAST

MAWLID EL-NABI

SANTA

On Christmas Eve, we help each other in the kitchen. That means that everybody cooks. After that, we take the food to the table and pray after we eat. Then, we take six grapes, for each grape that you eat you make a wish. Then we always take a family picture, share our EL-NABI memories and funny MAWLID moments, and CANDY CANE hug each other. In the morning, we open the gifts. I cannot wait for Christmas to arrive because it will be my first time having Christmas in KWANZAA the U.S! GOD JUL

CANDY CANE

TREES

sophomore

YULETIDE

NATIVITY NATIVITY NATIVITY HANUKKAH

Well, if it’s anything unique my family and I never do the same thing twice in a row. Once we went to stay with family and went all the way to Arizona to surprise my Grandma. Then another time, we all stayed home and cuddled in our living room watching horror movies about Christmas. One Christmas EL-NABIwe we playedMAWLID a game, basically rolled dice and if you get a certain number you get a present. Then you can steal or trade presents later. Honestly it’s the only day of the year where my siblings and I get along.

YULETIDE

GIVING

CHRISTMAS Brian Piña TREES FROHE WEIHNACHTEN

SAINT NICHOLAS

GraceJOYEUX Hopkins

GIVING

ISTMAS GREEN & RED ADVENT FAST GINGERBREAD JINGLE BELLS JOYEUX NOËL KWANZAA

WEIHNACHTEN

KWANZAA

ADVENT FAST

FROHE WEIHNACHTEN

ID EL-NABI MAWLID EL-NABI

JOYEUX NOËLORNAMENTS

NOEL

SANTA

STUDENT LIFE

FAMILY

ALS

ADVENT FAST GINGERBREAD

YULETIDE JINGLE BELLS NATIVITY

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

SAINT NICHOLAS DAY

Z NAVIDAD

ORNAMENTS

GARLAND

CHRISTMAS

FAMILY

FELIZ NAVIDAD

GINGERBREAD

FEATURE STORY

Senior Ryan Dix | PHOTO/ILLUSTRATION BY CHLOE GUILLOT

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

RUN. HIDE. FIGHT. T E G FOR

ITâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TIME WE FIND A SOLUTION TO THE MASS VIOLENCE THAT SURROUNDS US INSTEAD OF LETTING THE MEMORIES OF THESE TRAGEDIES FADE

FEATURE STORY

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

The Problem A sense of security is attached to living in a small town in the middle of Kansas. When mass shootings happen, although we may feel on edge for a few days, the belief that senseless acts of violence are isolated to bigger cities comforts us. This, however, is a myth. At the beginning of 2016, a disgruntled employee opened fire at Excel Industries in Hesston, a mere 51 minutes from Salina. On the same day as the tragic Las Vegas shooting, a gunman in Lawrence killed three people outside of the University of Kansas. Sutherland Springs had a population of 600 people. Mass shootings happen in small towns, and they happen in Kansas. These shootings should make us feel uncomfortable, because without discomfort, nothing will ever be done to prevent this epidemic of violence. When a tragedy affects your community, the need for a solution becomes more urgent. We do not all need to experience a mass shooting to realize that the U.S. has a violence problem, but unfortunately, part of the reason that it is impossible to make progress in combating this issue is that it doesn’t affect everyone equally. Almost everyone in the U.S. knows somebody who has suffered from cancer or mental illness, and therefore issues like healthcare dominate government discussion. Not everybody knows somebody who has died in a mass shooting, and with so many tragedies bombarding us every day, it is easy to become desensitized to the violence around us. The horrors of mass violence are no longer shocking, they are simply the cost of freedom. We disassociate ourselves from the reality of these attacks by focusing on the perpetrators, searching for a mo-

FIVE DEADLIEST SHOOTING IN U.S. HISTORY: 1. Las Vegas - 10/1/17 (58 killed) 2. Pulse Nightclub -6/12/16 (49 killed) 3. Virginia Tech - 4/16/07 (32 killed)

tive and focusing on the factors that could lead a person to commit such a heinous act. We forget the victims, and we forget the tragedy. We do not want to put a face to the suffering endured by families of lost loved ones across the country. We pretend as if we are simply watching an episode of Criminal Minds, waiting for the BAU to deliver the profile as memories of the victims disappear within the first ten minutes. We need to wake up to the reality of the country we are becoming. Eighteen of the thirty deadliest mass shootings in U.S. history have occurred in the last 10 years (CNN). Our generation has lived through the greatest tragedies in modern America, yet we are often unaware of how significant these tragedies truly are. Violence has become an accepted part of our lives, and although we are conscious of the tragedies that surround us, we have no experience in a culture that is not defined by terrorism, mass violence and death. This is our America. But it doesn’t have to be. We can turn off the news, we can put our phones down, we can avoid uncomfortable conversations; but mass violence will not stop if we do not take action. We can argue about the effectiveness of gun control for centuries, but as the last 241 years have proved, the right to bear arms will not be altered easily. Even the issue of withholding guns from the mentally ill is a complicated resolution. Just this year, President Trump overturned an Obama-era law that prevented people with certain mental illnesses from purchasing guns, yet after the church shooting in Sutherland Springs, Trump claimed that mental health was to blame. Clearly we cannot rely on the government to fix the violence in this country when they cannot even stand by their own agendas.

THE UNITED STATES MAKES UP 5% OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION... AND 31% OF ALL PUBLIC MASS SHOOTINGS.

MASS SHOOTING: FOUR OR MORE PEOPLE SHOT OR KILLED IN THE SAME GENERAL TIME AND LOCATION UNDER THIS DEFINITION:

There were 307 mass shootings between January 1 and November 15. There are only 308 days between January 1 and November 15.

4. Sandy Hook - 12/14/12 (27 killed) 5. Sutherland Springs - 11/5/17 (26 killed) *all have occured in the last 10 years

7 OUT OF 10 MASS SHOOTINGS ARE INCIDENTS AT SCHOOLS AND BUSINESSES *information from CNN.com

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

FEATURE STORY

The Solution The solution falls on us, at least temporarily. The first thing that we need to do to is realize that we are facing a common enemy. Blaming liberals or conservatives, Muslims or whites, guns or illness, only serves to divide us more. We spend more time pointing fingers than we do looking for solutions. Although there are many factors that contribute to mass violence, there is one weapon that we have against this epidemic: kindness. It sounds cliche, but we live in a country that has lost sight of being kind. As a society, we must accept responsibility for fostering a culture that breeds violence. We cast out people who don’t look or act like us, we stay consumed by our own selfish desires, and the current political climate has left the country fractured in two. Among this chaos, there are people who feel voiceless. There are people who are on the brink of breaking, who have been beaten down by the world so much that they see no other solution but to end the lives of innocent people. We need to find these people. Not only we are becoming desensitized to the violence, we are becoming desensitized to the bitterness growing around us. We use social media and text messaging to spew hate behind the safety of a screen. We develop animosity towards anyone with opposing ideologies, and we refuse to hear other opinions. All of this division is contributing to the negativity that breeds violence. We have lost sight of civility. The word “kindness” stems from the word “kindred,” meaning somebody who is similar in kind. It may not seem like we have anything in common with the person next to us, but we all share a humanity. We all breath the same air, drink the same water and walk on the same earth. It is time to put aside our differences, whether they be racial, sexual or political, and reach out to each other. We need to say “hello” to people in the hallways, we need to take time to speak those who sit alone at lunch and we need to use our words to inspire instead of to demean. It may not seem like a radical move to say hello to a stranger, but one kind word can change a person’s entire day. We may not be preventing the next mass shooting, but at least we are trying to change the culture. So you can continue to lobby for gun control and advocate for mental health reform, but don’t forget that there is a fundamental problem in this country that you change without political agendas. We need to stop communicating a message of division and start promoting inclusion. We can’t stop the people who kill just to kill, but we can help the people who feel broken. Disgruntled employees and school shooters don’t only reflect a gun problem, they reflect a lack of understanding. Instead of being a generation of fear and violence, let’s be a generation of hope and acceptance.

need to know: what is the procedure for a school shooter situation? For most students in USD 305, the procedure for a school intruder has always been to lock the doors and hide in the corner of the classroom. However, the school board will be voting to replace the current procedure with a new policy: Run, Hide, Fight. Although a new procedure has not officially been adopted for our school, Run, Hide, Fight is being used on campuses across America. Rather than just going on lockdown, students have the choice to run or fight as well. Assistant principal Scott Lee gave his views on the proposed changes. What prompted the changes to the procedures for a school shooter? If you look at the origin of the lockdown procedure, it started as a response to violence in prisons. It then morphed in the early ‘70s, to a response to gang violence and drive by shooting in the Los Angeles School District. That response was then adopted by numerous schools until it eventually become the accepted response. If you think about what we in do in a lock down situation, closing the blinds, turning off the lights, getting low in the classroom; all of those make sense if the threat is outside. After Columbine and really Sandy Hook, state and national agencies decided to take a hard look at what the appropriate response should be. Almost unanimously, lockdown as the sole strategy was deemed the least effective. What are the benefits and drawbacks of “Run, Hide, Fight”? Benefits of Run, Hide, Fight are that statistically your chances of survivability are way up. It also attempts to shift the balance of power away from the intruder and back towards the potential victims. We at Central have not officially adopted Run, Hide, Fight. Fundamentally we are working on strategically implementing components of different strategies that will make us safer. No matter what process a school does, the benefits of the proactive planning, drills and security measure across the district make us better prepared now than ever before.

sports briefs

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

i’m excited to dominate south on our home court. - SENIOR SAM SHAFFER

bye bye

Senior Sam Shaffer looks down the court late in last year’s game against rival Salina South.| photo by ellie cobb

bi-center

The South-Central rivalry takes its intensity to a new venue by ryan dix | pylon editor For a long time, South and Central have met at a neutral site to clash head to head. This year, there will be a new element added to this already heated rivalry. For the first time in forever, they will play at each other’s gyms, leaving behind the building formally known as the Tony’s Pizza Event Center or Bi-Center Yes, you read that right. The South-Central rivalry will take place at the two schools’ gyms this year. Players, coaches and fans can hardly wait for the throwdown taking place on the court this year. For head girls basketball coach, Chris Fear, this year will be the first time he can experience the rivalry at home against cross town at South. “It’s going to be an environment that’s suited for that game and I’m really excited about the change,” Fear said. This will be Fear’s second year as the head coach of the girls team. He plans to keep up the dominance over South. The girls haven’t walked off the court in defeat against South since the 2010-2011 season. Doug Finch, the head boys basketball coach, has a streak of his own to maintain. The boys haven’t lost to their South rivals since 2015 and have won five

straight. Finch is incredibly excited for the change in atmosphere. “I’m excited to play at the home sides. I think it’s going to be a ton of fun. I think it’s going to be crazy,” Finch said. The coaches aren’t the only ones who look forward to the match-up this year. Senior forward, Ethan Speer, thinks the change will just add to the hype of the rivalry. “The Bi-Center is just too big. It’s going to be nice to play South here because we always pack the stands,” Speer said. It’s not just about playing here at Central though. South will have their stands packed when it’s time to head to the south side of town to play. Junior forward Selah Merkle is prepared for the challenge. “There’s a home court advantage at every place we go to, so we just have to take care of business like we know we can,” Merkle said. One thing is for sure, these are two games you won’t want to miss, with the rivalry and the intensity; it’s a battle to decide who’s going to have bragging rights for the next year.

sports briefs

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

sports briefs “This year will be interesting because we have a lot of new people trying out. I hope that the team will make it far.” - junior miraj bhakta Next Matchups -1/6 at Bishop Carrol, 1/9 at Andover, 1/11 Salina Central

“Our chemistry is definitely there. We work so well together and we just click. We have so many players we can trust to get the job done. No one is selfish, and we trust each other.” - junior delany nash Next Matchups -12/15 Salina South, 12/19 Campus, 1/5 at Eisenhower

“Watch out for us this season. We have a lot of experienced players coming back, looking to make a run in the state tournament.” - junior harper williams Next Matchups -12/15 Salina South, 12/19 Campus, 1/5 at Eisenhower

“I’m pretty excited for the upcoming season. I think the team will improve a lot as the year goes on. The state times have definitely gotten faster, but I have faith we can qualify the relays.” - junior gage burmaster Next Matchups - 1/4 Salina Central, 1/11 Salina Central, 1/23 at Topeka

“We have a lot of good kids on the team this year and I’m feeling really good about the season.” - sophomore evan bishop Next Matchups - 12/16 Abilene, 1/6 Salina South, 1/13 Marysville

sports story

PYLON december 15, 2017

making the most of his time on the mat Every athlete has their own unique story. Some people conditioning. find talent and love for a sport right off the bat, but oth“The hardest part of wrestling is hands down cutting ers never do. For Junior Drew Burgoon, wrestling is one of weight, but it is part of the sport. You just have to get used those talents he has found love for over time. to it,” Burgoon said. Burgoon started his wrestling career in second grade Being involved with wrestling has changed his life for and continues today. When he first began to wrestle, he the better. In an individualized sport, where he can win on struggled with winning matches. Then seventh grade ar- his own without relying on others, has made him a much rived, and he started improving. Since then, he has suc- more disciplined person. It has given him the opportunity cessfully made it to state every year, and he hopes to to travel all over the country and have fun experiences again this season. with his family and teammates. Up until seventh grade, Burgoon struggled with win“The best feeling that I have ever had in wrestling was ning matches. He had not won a match until kids state, last year at the Hays tournament when I beat the numwhere he took second. During ber one ranked wrestler in his eighth grade year, he went 5A, and it moved me up to WRESTLING IS FUN TO ME to kid’s state and took fourth. number one. This was my AND I ENJOY BEING A PART Many of his accomplishments favorite match because however, have happened they cleared all the mats OF A SPORT WHERE I COMduring his high school career. off and just had one center PETE AS AN INDIVIDUAL. “My first year of high school, I mat. They turned off all the took fourth at state and went lights and had one center to kids state that summer and light shining on the match. - JUNIOR DREW BURGOON won. Last year, I got third at It was an exciting final high school 5A state,” Burgoon said. match,” Burgoon said. Although wrestling may look easy to some, it is a major For Burgoon, wrestling has been a big part of his life physical and mental commitment. It involves very intense for many years. Through all the hard work and determitraining, usually requiring the participants to lose weight nation, Burgoon has made himself a well-known name in order to be categorized in a specific weight class. In a throughout 5A schools in Kansas. This season, he hopes small time frame, many have to lose somewhere between to make another comeback at state and further his career 10 to 20 pounds. During practice, Burgoon and his team- and success. by holly sanderson | pylon reporter mates do a lot of drills, work on moves, and have

timeline takedown

junior Drew Burgoon’s wrestling story through the years

2008

2010

2nd grade

4th grade

2014

8th grade

PYLON december 15, 2017

Junior Drew Burgoon poses in his defensive stance. Burgoon is ready for a great start to his tenth wrestling season. | photo by ellie cobb

sports story

IN DEPTH

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

SHORT&SWEET TWITTER’S NEW CHARACTER COUNT IS BOTH A BLESSING AND A CURSE

P R O S

Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria PSA for everyone in Mr. Nye’s AP Physics class: DO NOT DO THE LAST QUESTION ON THE HOMEWORK. It was left over from last year and he hasn’t taught it yet. And for #5, use the equation P = work/ time. 3 Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria Heartbroken to hear about the shooter in Wichita. Praying that all the missing people are found and the shooter’s caught. If you can donate something, go to this link: http://www.prayfortheworld. org/Wichita #Pray4Wichita 30 19 Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria Special shout out to all the teachers who did NOT assign us a freaking truck load of homework over Thanksgiving break! I’m super thankful for YOU GUYS!!! I’d rather go into a food induced coma than a stress induced coma. 1 12 Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria 1000 kajillion years have passed. The planet is now run by robot overlords. But he has finally finished annotating the summer reading assignment. The tired old man stops and wonders to himself: What will he do with his life now?

IN DEPTH

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

In November, Twitter came out with one of its biggest developments in years: doubling the old 140 character limit to 280 characters. And, unsurprisingly, there was a significant amount of backlash towards the update. One of the most common complaints was that this could lead to longer rants about politics or other issues we’re already fed up with. Others groaned that this would take up too much space on the timeline. Some even thought the time spent developing this should’ve gone towards more useful updates, like being able to edit tweets. Should we really be complaining about this? Do the cons really outweigh the pros? Does it really matter? Not really, but it’d be interesting nonetheless. For anybody that bothers to care, here’s everything that 280 characters can be used for, both the good and the bad.

C O N S

Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria I really thought we had something special. Thought you were something different, but I was wrong. How could I not see through your lies? Glad to see that it was nothing but a game to you. Last time I let someone like you play me like that.

1 Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria Things school made me hate: annotating, finding a career, food, each other, mornings in general, any kind of writing, music, basketball, politics, hand sanitizer, birds, the fitnessgram pacer test, health, Shakespeare, mountains, poems, pencils, highlighters, tissues, and crying 3 4 Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria Good thing Kim Jong Un didn’t want to be friends w/ Trump. That kind of super villain team up is reserved for Marvel movies. Don’t think that would do well in box offices. Half of it would be firing space lasers NEAR earth, and the other half would be spray tans and folks getting FIRED

Maria Gutierrez @therealmaria Freaking Frizzle’s class. What the frick is up with this bullcrap on my ESSAY?!?!?!?! It’s not my fault that you DIDN’T FRIGGIN TEACH US ANYTHING!!! Thanks for destroying my GPA!!!

info graphic

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

TOTAL

N O I T A N I M DO

ED RIVAL SOUTH

LL HAS DOMINAT BA ET SK BA S AR YE VE FI IN THE LAST

65 69

58 52

BOYS

2012-13

2013-14

2014-15

2015-16

2016-17

12-3

31 38

34 41 53

48 53

GIRLS 10-1

59 43

2013-14 21

2012-13

2014-15

29 35

2015-16

2016-17

OVERALL: 22-4

PYLON december 15, 2017

whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your 1. first letter of your name A: Sugar B: Happy C: Bubbly D: Chocolate E: Merry F:Gingerbread G: Green H: Jolly I: Peachy

J:Red K: Twinkle L: Jingle M: Snowy N: Tinsel O: Peppermint P: Sweet Q: Peaceful R: Mystical

S: Caroling T: Angelic U:Chilly V: Miraculous W: Blissful X: Festive Y: Lovely Z: Dazzling

2. birth month January: Cocoa February: Tree March: Gift April: Bells May: Snickerdoodle June: Hug

July: Sleigh August: Sweater September: Buns October: Star November: Snowflake December: Cake

spot the difference

Find three differences between the peppermints

kudos

The following are situations in which our faculty, students and others deserve praise for a job well done or to be called out for dropping the ball. They are created by the Editors-in-Chief with the help of the staff.

callouts

name

elf

fun & games

KUDOS -Basketball for actually winning games -Whoever decided to lift the gate into the kitchen and free us from lunch room prison - Starbucks holiday cups -Those people who play Christmas movies outside their home and have the radio station play the audio= Christmas angels -The lunch ladies for all their hard work this year! We love you! -Vine rising from the dead. Get me Vine 2 ASAP CALLOUTS -We were promised Crispitos before Thanksgiving break and I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deal well with broken promises -Why the heck is Trump shrinking our national monuments -Freaking mid-season finales on my favorite TV shows -Teacher who assign homework over Christmas break -All the people messing with Net Nuetrality. Just let me watch Netflix in peace -North Korea for wiping out the human race... any day now -Two all days at the end of the semester. Why?

editorials opinion

pylon december 15, 2017

we are not alone

With “#MeToo” circulating the internet, sexual assault and harassment are finally getting the attention they deserve story and cartoons by madeline Paradis | Pylon editor When I was in kindergarten, I had a boy stick his hand down my pants on multiple occasions. As the boldness of his actions became worse over time, I knew that I had to tell someone. Otherwise, this violation of my body wouldn’t stop. Although he stopped after I told my parents, I still felt extremely shameful and guilty for allowing him to do it, even though it was in no way my fault. THIS is what sexual harassment feels like. Unfortunately, most victims of sexual harassment and assault experience these feelings. They fear people’s responses, and it stops them from speaking out. But with the “Me Too” hashtag circulating social media, more people have stopped being afraid and are now sharing their personal experiences. Most of the time when I go to the twitter explore page, I mindlessly glance over the top hashtags, but when I saw #MeToo, I clicked on it out of curiosity. As I read through the millions of tweets people posted, sharing their stories of assault, I realized that it isn’t something we can keep quietly avoiding. People have to start taking action. Sexual assault and harassment shouldn’t be taken lightly. They are a violation of privacy that happens to thousands of people every single day. Sexual harassment may be seen as a minor issue for some but for others it controls their lives. Living with the fear that someone is going to violate your body while you are doing something as simple walking down the street or going to work, can force you to live a cautious life. For people to get the justice they deserve in real sexual harassment and assault cases people must be honestly speaking out about what happened. Saying that it has happened to you for attention or to get someone in trouble makes it difficult for people to trust real victims when they stand up for themselves. This hashtag is a cry for us to take action. If sexual assault or harassment is happening to someone you know, the best thing you can do is to be supportive of them. Every person will have a different experience, so it is important to listen to how they are feeling and not pressure them into doing anything they don’t feel comfortable with. As a victim of sexual assault or harassment, speaking up about it, as long as you feel safe doing so, is a small thing that can create an enormous impact. If we are open to talking about it and more people are speaking up, then more people will listen and feel the need to do something about it. It is time to take a stand against this behavior and use our voices and actions to change the outcome of these situations.

editorials opinion

pylon december 15, 2017

Staff rs e b m e m d e c n e eri p t x n e e e m v s s ha a r a h l a u x se

3 1 / 8

every 98 s econds another ame rican is sexually as saulted

13/13 Staff

know s members omeone who has exp erience d sexual harass ment

of sexual assault in america occurs on school property

*13 Pylon staff members were surveyed anonymously and statistics were pulled from www.rainn.org

editorials opinion

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

bold bowls

letter to the editor

Umami, not a bad place to eat by Maria Gutierrez | pylon reporter

The Workers The Food An umami bowl is actually pretty big. It includes two healthy scoops of rice, one scoop of meat and vegetables, and toppings. It’s very satisfying and filling, though you may need to take part of it home if you don’t bring a huge appetite (which I did.) The flavors are very rich, but they’re able to balance each other out so one flavor doesn’t overpower the other. The two complaints that I have are rather minimal and didn’t ruin my overall experience, but still should be mentioned. The rice could’ve been a little bit more tender. While the sauce was able to compensate for some of it, the plain rice tasted like it had settled at the bottom of the pot for a little too long. My second complaint is that my bowl could’ve been a little warmer. It felt too close to room temperature.

The Atmosphere

The restaurant is the perfect size. It’s open enough to not be crowded, but it’s small enough to not feel empty. The vibrant colors, the quiet background music, and the large windows made the entire building very inviting, making the entire experience more relaxing. Despite the small staff, the building was very clean!

The current staff there was wonderful. They were happy to offer recommendations to my family and were willing to swap out an ingredient or two to create a better meal for us. The staff members all acted professionally around each other and were very focused while preparing our bowls. They were also very friendly to the customers. At least three different workers checked up on us to make sure that everything was going well. In their work station, they worked quickly and got us through the line without much hassle.

The Menu Maybe I’m just too rule-oriented, but the menu was a little overwhelming for me. There’s a total of four “pre-made” bowls offered, but the rest of it operates similar to Chipotle because you make it your own. With a total of four different bases, four meats, three vegetables, half a dozen different sauces and four toppings, trying to make your own bowl can be really overwhelming, especially if you don’t know what works well together. It can hold up the line and make you feel a little stressed. That being said, the menu was easy to read and offered explanations for their ingredients, all of which sounded very delicious and unique.

Recommendations and final thoughts 1. I would recommend getting some water or at least pacing yourself while you eat. It’ll help you better enjoy the meal and prevent the rich flavors for overwhelming your taste buds. 2. The Dragon Bowl is a very good balance of flavors and was great. Definitely try it if you aren’t afraid of spice. 3. Try the kimchi and the red dragon sauce. Both are delicious. 4. Umami Bowl offers house hibiscus limeade and mint/green tea lemonade. The limeade is sweeter and more likely to please you, but the lemonade is still good if you give it a chance. Definitely check it out! It has good food, a great staff, and a great environment!

USD305 needs to offer a wider range of foreign language classes Dear Editor, I think that we should have more options in language classes, not only at Central but South too. A lot of students would love to learn languages other than Spanish and French. Yes, they are both very common and useful in everyday life, but it would be exciting to have more options. I feel like we would have a larger variety of students who would be able to communicate with friends, family, and even foreign exchange students in a different way. In middle school, we had the option of taking world languages, which taught us several languages just in one class. We only spent around a week, maybe a little longer, learning a language. It would be nice to have a class like world languages at Central and South, but extend the amount of time you have to learn the language you are studying. I feel like we should have 4-5 more options of languages such as, German, sign language; which would be very helpful in the real world because it is more common to use in everyday life than people think, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian. I think sign language should be taught not only high schools, but elementary schools, because it can be beneficial to both hearing and deaf students. Hearing students would be able to communicate with deaf students without any trouble if they learn sign language. I personally think it should be required to graduate, only taking up a semester of your high school experience. I feel like having a few more languages being taught at schools in Salina would make students happier. by Montana Linden McCullum | junior

status quotes

PYLON DECEMBER 15, 2017

STATUS QUOTES The following quotes were heard around the school by members of the Pylon staff

WOULD YOU RATHER DRINK BLEACH OR GET AN STD? HE READS THE OBITUARIES EVERY DAY TO MAKE SURE HE’S NOT DEAD.

WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU ARE A CONJOINED TWIN AND YOUR TEACHER SAYS IT’S NOT A PARTNER TEST? YOU’RE LIKE ALGEBRA BECAUSE YOU MAKE SIXTH GRADERS CRY. SNOWFLAKES ARE OVERGROWN GERMS.

I’M GOING TO GET A DOCTORATE IN CHEMISTRY AND THEN BE A MAILMAN.

MY ART STYLE IS CALLED ‘I TRIED.’

KEEP IT

GOING SOUTH VS CENTRAL tonight @ the brickhouse GIRLS TIP-OFF: 6:00 PM BOYS TIP-OFF : 7:30 PM

Junior Mark Grammer takes a shot in the front of the student section during the Junction City basketball game on December 5. | PHOTO BY LAUREN WOOD