Issue 2 October 2017 by Panther Publications

ISSUE 2 VOLUME 66

OCTOBER 2017

PANTHER S TALE

See page 11 for Halloween attractions around the Derby-Wichita area.

C O N T E N T S

Page 3: NFL players kneeling during anthem Page 4: Rise of young politicians Page 5: War against minimum wage Page 6: Car break-ins increase in Derby Page 7: Learning self-defense Page 8: Preparing costumes Page 9: Perfecting your spooky makeup Page 10: Local Drive-In is getting in the spirit Page 11: Navigating through haunted houses Page 12-13: Fall sports -- Looking back Page 15: Editoral page

STAFF

Content Jordan Cornell Editor

Design Kayli Marczynski Editor Copy Courtney Brown Editor Photo Caitlyn Dunn Editor Production Savannah Hidalgo Editor

Other Staff

Hannah Berk Temperance Campbell Briantae Crockett Cydney Drees Jillian Jackson Olivia Jones Jacob Karsak Xochitl Lozano Jack McDaniel Karlee Olmstead Camryn Pagels Jessica Perea Summer Reece Regina Waugh Hailey Willson

PANTHERSTALE.COM @PANTHERPUBNEWS @PANTHERPUBNEWS @DERBYPUB @PANTHERPUBLICATIONS

Answers on Page 6 ACROSS 6. A facility to watch movies without leaving one’s car 8. Cosmetics applied to the face, usually to enhance or alter appearances 9. A sport that is played on a field with two field goals and that uses an oval ball 10. A house that is prepared to be perceived to inhabit spirits or other scary characters 11. A set of clothes worn to resemble a character or person DOWN 1. A sport played on a court, separated by a net, and played with a round ball 2. A person who is professionally involved in politics 3. The defense of one’s person or interests, especially through the use of physical force 4. Be in or assume a position in which the body is supported by a knee 5. The smallest amount of money an employer can pay an employee 7. A holiday typically celebrated by children who dress in costume and solicit candy or other treats door-to-door

Dress gallery t0 open for everyone Story by Hannah Berk o you have a closet full of formal dresses that you’ll never wear again? Forget about posting pictures online and begging people to buy them. Come to the Formal Dress Shop. On Saturday, Nov. 4, the formal dress shop will be at the Powerhouse in Derby on 302 N Georgie Ave. Drop off your dresses between 8-10 a.m. to be sold. Dresses can be bought anytime between 10-2 p.m. If your dress gets sold, you will receive the full price it was sold for. Any dress that is not sold needs to be picked up by 4 p.m. or it will be donated.

Introducing our 2017-18 sponsor:

Photo on cover by Regina Waugh Cover design by Kayli Marczynski

What do you stand for? Kneeling during anthem to oppose racial injustice

“We simply invite people to join us (stand and put their hands over their hearts), and do not impose discipline on students who choose not to participate,” Tim Hamblin said.

Story By Cydney Drees

olin Kaepernick (former player), Mike Wallace, DeSean Jackson and Chris Conley are just a few NFL players that made the decision to kneel during the national anthem. Kneeling during the national anthem is not a sign of disrespect to the flag or the men and women who serve this country. Instead, it is a peaceful protest against racial injustice and police brutality. Many players have spoken out and informed people on the reasoning behind the kneeling and to be known that they are not trying to disrespect the flag. They are simply using their platform to raise awareness and give a voice to those who don’t have one. This has been controversial and talked about by the president, NFL owners, celebrities and students at our school. “I think it’s okay for anyone to kneel during the anthem. It’s peaceful protest and it’s not disrespecting the flag in any way,” junior Jamie Black said. Sophomore Blaize Grunden added: “It’s really up to them. It’s their choice. Obviously they can do what they want.”

Poll of 190 students on their opinions about NFL players kneeling

Disagree

cide

e Und

Agree

Disrespecting America by kneeling Story By Olivia Jones

ast year, Colin Kaepernick kneeled during the national anthem. Soon after, other NFL members followed. After protests against police violence increased, celebrities and sports icons became more involved with the matter. Even President Donald Trump has spoken on the matter. Students around Derby High School school were asked their opinion on the controversy. “I get that they want to make a stand, but they don’t need to kneel during the anthem,” freshman Faith Faissal said. Freshman Trevor Hanson also sees both sides of the story. “They have a point for doing it, but they still shouldn’t disrespect the country like that,” Hanson said. President Trump has said that kneeling is “totally disrespectful to our country.” Girls basketball coach Jodie Karsak respects both points. “Our job is to get a win. We’re doing everything we can to be on the same page and go get that win. What he’s doing--is that taking away from the team? That’s kind of the question I pose. I am all for a country where we get to protest… I think that the platform takes away from the team. When someone decides to do that, the focus is off of the game,” Karsak said. Designed by Summer Reece

Trump sparks young activists into politics Young people are starting to become a part of the discussion when it comes to policy and law Story by Cydney Drees

he future lies in our hands. More and more young people are getting involved with politics or at least becoming familiar with what is going on in this world. Some are trying to help, others aren’t so worried about the future. “If young people don’t learn about politics growing up, they will become oblivious come voting time and will not be educated enough to make good decisions,” sophomore Presley Brunecz said. With the past election, more and more people are taking a stand. Black Lives Matter protests, pride parades and women marches are all some ways people, young and old, are getting involved. “I think it’s important that young people know what’s going on on the world around them, and for us to talk about and speak up about these things ... It allows us to get ready and prepare for the future, when the country is in our hands. We are future ourselves,” junior Camille Pierce

said. Malala Yousafzai is a 20-year-old, Pakistani activist fighting for equal education for women and girls. She is one of many young people making a change. With her voice, along with many others, she has seen progress. Yousafzai is the epitome of a young activist. Young people don’t have to start an organization or become well-known to be an activist and help. Simply go to parades, donate to charities,campaign and use one’s voice to make a change. Or even join the debate team and learn more about politics. “In debate one of the most rewarding parts of my job is teaching young people to pay attention to what is happening in the world. Unless students understand how the political system works, they will never understand how to achieve meaningful change,” debate teacher Lynn Miller said.

Why get involved? Future Impacts you Why let adults make every decision? Take the power into your hands Be a leader There’s more to life than just your cell phones, sports and food

Requirements for running for Kansas Governor:

Kansas does not have an age limit or a residencey requirement in order to run for governor.

Photo by Jordan Cornell

Junior Camille Pierce poses with her “be who you are” hat.

Teens running for Kansas governor Tyler Ruzich

Jack Bergeson

*17 years old *Shawnee Mission North High School

*16 years old *The Independent School

Ethan Randleas

Dominic Scavuzzo

*17 years old *North High School

*17 years old *Rockhurst High School

Trump’s tweets cause tension with North Korea Students discuss the possibility of war and the implications it would have Story by Courtney Brown

ith each tweet President Donald Trump sends referring to North Korea, tension increases between the U.S. and North Korea. The two countries have been trading insults with each other, with even Kim Jong-un personally responding to Trump. Recognizing the mounting tension, students think it is plausible that a war between the U.S. and North Korea could break out. “We have a legislature and we have an executive branch that are really impulsive and rash, and I think. . .we could read a signal wrong, and we could definitely start a war with North Korea,” senior Lexi Westerterp said. Senior Alec Hinecker added: “Both leaders of both countries are very prepared to go to war, to protect allies or to protect themselves, so I think that that’s one reason it’s very likely. But I also think that North Korea and the U.S. have always been very likely to go to war due to geopolitical tensions.” However, Col. Michael Dillard thinks that the impact will prevent a full war from happening. “The deaths and the casualties would be catastrophic,” Dillard said. “We are somewhat Cold War now. However, Cyber Warfare will probably be the next step.” If a war between the U.S. and North Korea did occur, it would affect students’

families. “I have a lot of family members who’re in the military, so my family would have to be deployed, and it’d be really bad,” Westerterp said. Junior Tatum Lanning added: “(My dad would) be working against the people who are attacking cyber-wise . . . . My dad wouldn’t be home as often, which means I would definitely have to help take care of my siblings more, I’d have more responsibility.” War could also affect McConnell Air Force Base. “Activity will increase, and personnel and aircraft will possibly be deployed. Base security will be increased,” Dillard said. Lanning added: “There may be terrorist attacks on the base because of all of the information that is going to be stored there, because of their professions, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they put more guard up.” The impact of war between U.S. and North Korea would be tragic. “I’d probably get drafted, but if, assuming that there wasn’t a draft, the worst part would be just that I personally believe that war is wrong and that it’d hurt a lot of people here in home,” Hinecker said.

“

My dad’s in the military so if it happens soon he’ll have to be deployed. Actually I have a lot of family members who’re in the military. So my family would have to be deployed and it’d be really bad,

”

-Quote by senior Lexi Westerberg

Students getting involved with minimum wage debate With more students getting entry level jobs, the increase of higher pay interests them Story by Savanah Hidalgo

hroughout the United States, minimum wage varies from $11 down to $7.25, like here in Kan. In the past 40 years, minimum wage has risen by over 300%, but the cost of living has also gone up. Some of the students in Derby High school agree with set point of minimum wage and others don’t. Senior Anthony Dillard makes minimum wage and does not agree with where it is set. “I don’t think that it is fair because no one can like off of it. It has been proven that $7.25 is not enough. That is like $15,000 a year,” Dillard said. Others who made minimum wage think that it is fair. “When I made minimum wage I didn’t care. At least I was making money for my car,” junior Katy Yell said. If Kan. raised minimum wage then the price of living would go up. Over the year as minimum wage has gone up, so has the price of years. “If you raise minimum wage, then inflation is going to happen and all of the other prices are going to raise. A gallon of milk is going to go up to like $5,” junior Adreanna Needham said. Some places in Derby has starting off wages over $7.25. Places like Braum’s, Target and others start off at at least $8.25.

Photo by Kayli Marczynski

Car break-ins increase slightly in Derby Crime rates are up but not at 2015 level Story by Jordan Cornell

erby has long been a safe community where you don’t think about leaving your garage door open. Or your laptop in your car. Until one day you walk out and your stuff is gone. “And we see a lot that are from cars that are not locked where people leave like laptops or phones or golf clubs or handguns, things like that in the car, and someone going by it looking to steal stuff sees it, sees its unlocked, reaches in grabs it and takes off,” Derby Police Chief Robert Lee said. The community is not the only place where things get stolen. It happens right here at Derby High. Junior Garett Stuber had his cell phone stolen. “So I put it in one of the lockers in the gym and after class it was gone. I locked the locker and when I came back it (the lock) was gone. It happened a month ago,” Stuber said. According to the Derby police department crime data base, the crime rate has gone down since 2015. “Here’s the thing that you have to keep in perspective -- in 2016 we’ve seen fairly significant drop in crime, so it has went up a little bit since 2016, but it’s still down from 2015 levels so there’s not a huge spike in crime,” Lee said. There are ways to avoid car robberies. “Hide it if you can’t take it in for whatever reason. Hide it under the seats, put it in the trunk but never leave a purse sitting on the seat of a car with the car locked while you’re in Dillons or the DRC,” Lee said.

Forty-two percent of the Derby High student body says their cars have been broken into.

Crossword Answers: 6. Drive-In 1. Volleyball 2. Politician 3. Self-defense 4. Kneeling 5. MinimumWage

7. Halloween 8. Makeup 9. Football 10. HauntedHouse 11. Costume

Has your car been broken into?

Photo illustration by Caitlyn Dunn

Poll of 135 students

43%

15%

42%

Yes - 42% No - 43%

Not applicable-15%

Tips to avoid a car break-in

1. Lock your car before you walk away. 2. Make sure you hide or take valuables with you before you leave the area. 3. Park in well- lit areas.

There are many ways to avoid a car break-in like hiding your valuables even if you are running into the store for a few minutes.

Photo illustration by Caitlyn Dunn

Self-defense classes provide protection Title Boxing students learn basic boxing techniques which can help them defend themselves Story by Jillian Jackson

Photos by Summer Reece

Left: Title Boxing student hits the punching bag. Top right: Student smiles as she wraps boxing pre-wrap around her hands. Bottom right: Student kicks the punching bag.

“I believe it is important for all children to learn self-defense because they need to be able to defend themselves in a time of need”— sophomore Jewellian Jones

not take s nt do elfe c r de e f 0p

se en

ad situations can present themselves anywhere. Walking home after school. A dimly-lit parking lot or mall. The front porch of a house. So be prepared. Heather Bachman, a trainer at Title Boxing in Derby, gives classes about boxing and kickboxing. “Title Boxing is considered a boxing club,” she said. “We teach basic boxing techniques and kickboxing techniques and incorporate it into a fitness workout type environment.” Though Title Boxing doesn’t have a class specific to self-defense, its boxing and kickboxing techniques could contribute to help being better prepared for when a situation goes bad. “We just opened up in May of this year, and I know that is something we are looking at doing,” Bachman said in regards to a potential self-defense class. Self-defense, or defending yourself when physically attacked, can help save your life. Knowing how to protect yourself is something students at Derby High School might not always consider on a regular school day. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a need for it. “My dad always tells me just to punch them in the stomach or the face,” sophomore Riley Kellogg said. So what are the most effective places to hit an attacker? According to impoweryou.org, they are: *Gouging eyes *Scratching or yanking ears *Hit the nose with the heel of a hand *Kick the knee *Punch the lower throat Other defensive weapons include pepper spray, keys, a hot drink and loud noise. But be aware. “It’s up to the individual, to be comfortable with what they are carrying and to be comfortable with having to use what they are carrying if they have to,” Bachman said.

My favorite part is “the sense of security it brings, it makes you feel like you can handle an aggressive situation if the need arises, and it keeps you in shape”— freshman Jadon Mayer I take self-defense classes “to stay healthy and fit, to know self-defense, and because the people in the classes I take have become family”— senior Jenny Perry

How Many DHS Students Take Self-Defense Classes? 140 students surveyed

perce s nt take classe

Photos by Briantae Crockett

Crafting the Perfect Disguise Halloween is the perfect time to be creative A few varieties to the different costumes this season. Photo illustration by Briantae Crockett and Jordan Cornell

K11’s own Mr. Skeleton dressing up for the season.

Photo illustration by Briatae Crockett and Jordan Cornell

Story by Courtney Brown Stores received a Halloween makeover for October. Decorations and bags of candy line the aisles, and at the center of it all, costumes appear like magic. But some students prepared their costumes weeks before this night. Instead of hitting the stores, freshman Ellie Tanner makes her costume at home. “A lot of times I’ll make my costume; I don’t really like to buy them because they look really fake,” Tanner said. Going to different stores like Goodwill and Dollar Tree, Tanner finds different things that she can incorporate into a costume. “Then I make it usually the night before Halloween because I’m kind of last minute, and then it’s done,” Tanner said. Tanner learned how to sew from being in a large family. “At my house we have a lot of kids so. . .we kind of, like, dress up a lot and we have a lot of Halloween stuff, so, I don’t know, my sister and my mom and a bunch of people in my family know how to sew, so we’re just kind of a crafty family,” Tanner said. Other students, like sophomore Xandra Thorpe, buy their costumes. This year, Thorpe ordered her costume online. “I have a Victorian dress, and I’m going to be ‘the woman with the green ribbon’, and it’s basically a story about if she takes the green ribbon off, her head falls off,” Thorpe said. Thorpe also planned on donning a hoop skirt and a parasol to make her costume complete. Halloween costumes might only be one night, but preparing for weeks will continue because of the lasting fun. “It’s just a day where you can be someone else for a change and not yourself,” senior Madison Queen said.

Last-Minute Costume Ideas “I would do a social butterfly and print out little social media logos on my shirt, and wear my butterfly wings,” junior Paiton Glickman said. “Probably a cat, if I only had five minutes. I would buy ears, and I would just wear some black clothes,” senior Madison Queen said. “The Flash. I’d get paper, paint myself red and I would make a lightning bolt!” sophomore Royce Franklin said.

Spooky, scary... clown?

A look anyone can do for a spoopy occasion Tutorial and Makeup by Hailey Willson

Photo illustration by Summer Reece

Freshman Olivia Jones looks around ominously.

Photo illustration by Summer Reece

Freshman Olivia Jones poses for a photo shoot for her spoopy makeup.

Steps: 1-5

Steps: 6-7

1. First apply makeup as you normally would (foundation, contour, highlight, etc.) For the eyes: 2. With any color desired, choose a light shade and blend lightly into the crease with a blending brush. 3. Deepen that with darker shades and build the color to have a gradient with a tapered brush. 4. Apply a shimmery, sparkly shadow of a different color to the lids, and blend it slightly into the crease with a flat brush for liquid eyeshadow or your finger for powder eyeshadow. 5. Highlight the inner corners with a bright shadow or highlighter with pinkie finger for more pigment and shimmer.

Steps: 11-13

Steps: 8-10 eyes Photo illustration by Summer Reece

Freshman Olivia Jones attacks her next victim.

lower eyes

In a not-so-neat fashion, smudge a dark shade of your chosen color on the lower lash line and trail it down with a smudger brush. 7. Optional: use mascara and eyeliner to add effect to the outcome.

8. Trace two vertical lines above each eyebrow and under each eye using eyeliner. 9. Then, draw warped triangles following the traced lines and fill them in, making the bottom triangle line or cover the bottom lash line. 10. Draw large dots at the end of each triangle.

lips

11. Take a lipstick color matching or correlating nicely with the chosen eyeshadow color and fill in your lips 12. Next, with a small angle brush, use the lipstick color and drag it from the lips to the sides of the mouth to create a widened smile and make it a bit creepier. 13. Finally, use a black or dark shadow and the angle brush to fill in the edges of the smile where the lines outstretch the original form of lips and fade it into the the lipstick color.

Spoopy Movies The Starlite Drive-in provides perfect venue for movies... especially scary ones Story by Hannah Berk

rive-In theaters have been around since the 1930s, and while they are not as prevalent now, Wichita is home to one of five drive-ins left in the state. Wichita’s first drive-in, The Rainbow Drive-In, opened in 1958, but its name changed to Landmark Drive-In in 1974. In 1988, Jim Goble bought and renovated what is now known as the Starlight Drive-In. From the crisp autumn air mixed with the smells of the concession stand to the ability to look up at the stars from the back of a car, the drive-in theater provides a unique experience and a blast into the past. In addition to the spooky feelings, Starlight had a special Halloween treat this October. Recent Halloween movies were showed each weekend, mixed in with the usual new releases. “My favorite part of the drive-in is going with my friends and loading up on junk food and just watching movies and having fun. It’s always a good time when I go,” junior Katy Yell wrote in a text.

Drive-ins offer many differences from a regular theater besides being outside. The comfort and privacy of your own car along with the ability to adjust volume levels with the speakers in and outside of the car. Drive-ins also still show vintage previews and advertisements before the movie. “The best part of going to the drive-in are the old timey cartoons before each movie advertising the concessions and time until the next movie starts. My mom and little brother always sing along in high voices trying to mimic the cartoons, creating non-stop laughter and fun,” junior Teagan Brown said. Many parents take their children to the drive-in for the nostalgia and cheap group prices during the colder months. But due to certain movie studios restricting the movies Starlight Drive-In could play during the discounted admissions, Starlight was forced to take away the carload prices until they can renegotiate. The Starlight Drive-In is welcoming new movies and crowds until the close of the season at the end of November or as

Spoopy According to knowyourmeme.com, the internet slang word ‘spoopy’ came from a photo of a misspelled Halloween sign.

Week 1 - The Texas Chainsaw Massacre The Evil Dead Phantasm Week 2 - Happy Death Day IT Week 3 - Boo 2! A Meadea Halloween Friend Request

haunted houses

A haunting preview of Scary Prairie Pines: Field of Screams... Kansas’ largest haunted attraction Story by Jillian Jackson and Karlee Olmstead

hey walk in blackness so dark it was nearly impossible to see the back of the person leading the way through the maze of hallways. Tension grows, as there is no way to tell if someone or something will be around the next turn. This is what it is like navigating through the Field of Screams. Upon arriving to Field of Screams, held at Prairie Pines, lines formed to get tickets. From there a ride on a trailer pulled by a tractor to the entrance to the field. All around the entrance is dark, the only light comes from the generator lights and sporadic burst of fire from columns marking the gateway. Crowded lines of people, waiting to enter the field’s maze and the horrors that await on the other side. While in line, the various actors dressed as frightening clowns and demons, torment the people by sneaking up on them or messing with their hair. It is now time to enter the maze. Closed off in a dark room, surrounded by fellow scared people and a crazy women, the first part of the haunted maze is afoot. Later on in the maze, there is Clown Town — a section of vivid paint that literally jumps out from the wall and actor portrayed crazy clowns. At the end of the maze, an insane chainsaw man chases people through the exit.

“

An 8 foot tall clown towered over guests waiting in the queue lines. The clown sometimes opened his mouth and hovered someone’s head into it to give the illusion of eating them. Photo by Hailey Willson

A scary clown traces the smile on his face. Multiple actors wandered around the queue lines and played tricks on guests to put them on edge. Photo by Hailey Willson

was definitely definitely more more difficult. difficult. ItIt was felt like like II was was going going to to get get II felt lost behind behind the the group. group. Being Being in in lost the boot boot made made itit harder harder to to get get the through Clown Clown Town Town and and the the through places that that were were dark dark made made itit places more likely likely for for me me to to trip. trip. more Sophomore Karlee Karlee Olmstead Olmstead -- Sophomore

“

Photo by Regina Waugh

A big part of Field of Screams, Clown Town. Clown Town consists of multiple 3D neon paintings with scary actors hiding within the exhibit. Designed by Regina Waugh and Karlee Olmstead

Fall sports wrap-up Football

Sacket has been playing soccer all four years of high school. He has gotten better as he grew and matured. “A lot of it has been the older you get, the more athletic, stronger and more confident you get,” Sacket said. Sacket has also put in a lot of his own work into soccer, and that’s how he thinks he has got to where he is today. Sacket also plans on going to college for soccer.

ootball is at the most important part of its season, and it’s time to see what teams really want a spot in the state championship game the most. Senior Brody Kooser’s favorite part of football has been winning. “It’s my senior year, It’s pretty sad, but it’s been a lot of fun,” Kooser said. Playoff games started on Oct. 27. These games will either be the end of a season or the beginning of a run for the state championship. The Panthers prepare to go into post-season. They finished regular season with a record of 7-1. “The season has been good; we’ve grown a lot as a team,” senior Michael Littleton said. Seniors Jack Taylor, Evan Clark, Kooser, and Littleton looked back on this season and the previous seasons of their high school careers.

Senior Grant Sacket in a game earlier in the season. Sacket helped Derby to a regional semi-final win on Oct. 24. Photo by Hannah Abou-faissal

Senior Evan Clark blocks against Bishop Carrols defensive end.

Photo by Summer Reece

“Just the family feel you get with football and the best friends I have had and still have from them,” Taylor said on his favorite thing from the past four years. “Winning, I really like pancaking people and just doing my job for my brothers so we can win,” Clark said on his favorite part. Littleton will also miss his friends the most. All four seniors plan to continue playing after high school, but are undecided where they will go. The team finished regular season 7-1. The Panthers hosted their first post-season game against Dodge City.

-- Karlee Olmstead

Senior Michael Littleton suffered a late-season injury. He hopes to return. Photo by Summer Reece

Volleyball

olleyball season ended and seniors realized their time as a Derby Panther was finished, as well. Senior Gracyn Reynolds, a four-year varsity player, reminisced. “I’m just not as nervous anymore. My freshman and sophomore year being on varsity was just really intimidating,” Reynolds said. The team had to make adjustments early in the season. Reynolds feels overall this season has been a good one. Their last regular season game was Oct. 17 at Arkansas City. The Panthers fell to Topeka at sub-state. The team finished the season with a record of 25-16.

--Karlee Olmstead

Soccer

he boys soccer team started 9-6 with key wins over Maize South, Newton and East. According to Varsity Kansas.com writer Taylor Eldredge, the team is ranked ninth out of all the teams in the Wichita area. In AVCTL, the team is tied in second with Salina Central with a record of 3-2 in league play. The team beat league oppenent Maize 1-0 with a score in the eighteenth minute from sophomore Michael Self. Senior Grant Sacket has been leading the team expects the team to finish out the year strong and have a nice run in the playoffs. “Right now we are probably in the middle of the pack in a seeding out of 16 teams,” Sacket said.

“I’m not sure where I’m gonna play, but I have a few options. . .I might go to Newman and play there. Newman has been the biggest one so far. It all depends on how the rest of the season goes,” Sacket said. -- Jacob Karsak

Girls Golf

he girls golf team had a solid start to the year with six top five regular season finishes. Leading the team, senior Kenni Henson had an incredible start to the year with four out of five first place finishes in regular season tournaments. The team placed second overall in the AVCTL meet and produced two top three finishers. Henson placed first with a score of 74. Junior Emma Johnson took third with a score of 79. “I feel like just being a senior this year made me have to have a good season. I just came out strong, going for it,” Henson said At regionals, the team placed third with Henson placing first in with a score of 73.

Johnson took twelfth with the next highest score of 95. The Panthers took five golfers to the state tournament, Henson, Johnson, Freshman Macey Truitt, Abbey Simonsen, and ----Taylor Brown.This years state tournament was held at Dodge City-Mariah Hills Golf Course.

do well at regionals and make it to state. He was also confident that each team will do well at regionals. Regionals for Derby was on Oct. 21 at Wichita-Cessna Activity Center. Jones won the boys regional with a time of 16:30, beating the second place runner by nine seconds. Franke, Struble, and junior Jacky Baker each qualified for state for the girls

Girls Tennis

Three Panther athletes commit to D-I colleges G irls tennis wrapped up their season with three girls going to state. Junior Katrina Mason qualified for singles at state and senior Avery Baker and junior Kandice Anderson qualified for doubles. Neither won a match at the tournament. Mason finished her season 21-11. Anderson and Baker finished 16-19.

-- Karlee Olmstead

Basketball

S Senior Kenni Henson watches a shot during a tournament. Henson finished seventh in class 6A. Photo by Kaitlyn Strobel Henson placed seventh at state shooting 82.Henson started off the first nine holes but bounced back on the back nine. Johnson tied for 18th with a score of 89. The team over all finished ninth with a score of 407. This was Henson’s final tournament of her high school career. She plans to go to college but is waiting on to see if she will get any scholarships then she will go from there. -- Jacob Karsak

Cross Country

ross country raced toward the end of the season with a great finish at the AVCTL meet. Junior Marah Franke and freshman Ashlyn Struble both made the all AVCTL team that. On the boys side, senior Johnathan Jones finished second place in the AVCTL race. Coach Jimmy Adams was confident that Jones, Franke, and Struble can

The state meet is held at Rim Rock Farm in Lawrence. The girls race will start at 10 a.m., and the boys race will start at 11:45 a.m. --Jacob Karsak

enior shooting guard Bryant Mocaby made a non-binding oral commitment Tuesday to play basketball at Northern Kentucky. Mocaby, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who transferred this year from Goddard, also received an offer from Texas A&M Corpus Christi. “I feel great about my decision,” Mocaby said. “When I visited Northern Kentucky everything just seemed like it fit, and I could see myself playing there the next four years.” Northern Kentucky finished 24-11 in the 2016-17 regular season, finishing third in the Horizon League. It won the league tournament to advance to its first NCAA Tournament in its first season of eligibility. “I really didn’t know much about Northern Kentucky at first . . . then I looked them up and they made the tournament last year and lost to Kentucky by nine,” Mocaby said. “So it would be cool to go to the tournament and make a run.”

Swimming

-- Jacob Karsak

enior Megan Keil made a non-binding oral commitment to swim at the University of Missouri. “It seems like it’s all I do sometimes,” Keil said of swimming. “My best friends do it, too, and it’s a lot of fun.” Keil, the defending Class 6A

champion in the 50- and 100right after I committed, I met some yard freestyle, has a passion for of the team members before and swimming that shines through her some of the people on my team accomplishments. had already committed there, I got Even though she has many, added onto the group chat,” Keil she considers placing seventh in said. “It seems like such a long ways the 50 freestyle at junior nationals away, but I’m sure it’ll go by fast.” to be her biggest one. Her family has been key in nav“People come from everyigating her lifetime of swimming. where to compete there,” she said. -- Chloe Brown “It was a whole new experience. It was different than any meet I had ever been to. There, everyone is so fast, everyone is good. Everything is so professional.” Although Keil is excited to unior Madison Young has continue her swimming career at made a non-binding oral comMizzou, she did not always know mitment to play softball at the where she would go to college. University of Kansas. “Freshman year seems like “They find interest in you in forever ago,” Keil said. “I always the summer normally when you knew at that point that I wanted play sports,” she said. “They keep to swim in college, but I didn’t in contact with you, you go on a know which colleges were good or couple of visits, and then you find which teams were good.” out if you like it. You just call them She had visited Mizzou for up and say ‘hi, how are you doing?’ swim meets before her most recent Talk to them a little bit, then say ‘I’d campus visit. love to be a Jayhawk.’ ” “I had a swim meet there in Since a child, Young has set her the summer and since we were eyes on the University of Kansas. going, my parents made me take “When I was little I was like ‘oh a campus tour,” Keil said. “They my gosh, you know how cool it’d be thought it was a good thing for to go there?’ We always used to love me to do and at the time, I was KU basketball. It’s pretty exciting,” like ‘oh mom, I’m not going to go Young said. here.’” Young’s older sister, Kenzie, Schools with an “on the rise” currently plays softball for Butler swim team were a top priority for Community College. Young feels Keil, along with a good business she is following in her older sister’s program, which she plans on footsteps. pursuing as her major. “I’m super excited. She has “I looked at a lot of different been looking into KU, too,” Young schools and then I narrowed it said. “They should know if they down to five and after I had taken have money for her by the end of all of (my visits), I was kind of the year, so they’ll figure out if we reflecting on each one.” will be going to college together.” Mizzou stuck out to Keil. Keeping family first, Young “I had fun on all of my visits. credits her athletic success to her I liked them all, but I just felt like siblings. it was a good match,” Keil said. “My brother and sister, they tell “I really like the team and I had me what to look forward to, what to a lot of fun on the visits there and do and what not to do. I learn from the coaches are really nice. It’s just their mistakes, so that helps me out a good environment all around. a lot,” Young said. Those are the people I wanted to Working toward an athletic casurround myself with overall.” reer in college requires dedication, Keil was quickly welcomed but Young feels as if there are more into her new swim family. things that contribute to playing in Designcollege. by Jacob Karsak “It’s all so exciting because

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Editorial Page Too old to trick-ortreat

Fall is my favorite season. Pumpkin spice lattes, hot chocolate, sweaters, boots, blanket cuddles, Hallmark movies and, most importantly, Halloween. My expectations for Halloween have changed drastically. It went from dressing as Little Bo Peep and trick-or-treating at my neighbors, to attending parties and going to a haunted house, such as the Field of Screams. When did this change? Suddenly it was no longer cool to go door to door and ask for candy. The holiday’s tradition of trick-ortreating ended for me in 8th grade. I was sad to lose a part of my childhood. It was a lot like finding out that Santa wasn’t real — heart breaking. It was considered for little kids, but what in the world was I supposed to do instead? The answer seemed fairly simple once I was introduced to the more scary side of Halloween. My friends and I decided to embrace our new found “big kid” attitude and go to Prairie Pines’ Field of Screams instead of trick-or-treating. It was definitely more different than what I had expected. Being chased through a corn-maze late at night with your friends clinging on to you, screaming their heads off, was not something I thought I would ever do again. To my surprise I have gone to the field every year since. I don’t know if it is just some unspoken knowledge that you are no longer supposed to trick-or-treat, but that childhood practice is something you don’t participate in during high school.

– Jillian Jackson

It hurts when you hit a wall

Ever since school started up, I’ve had a creative block. Sure I can write essays and reports, but all of that really is just following a guideline. In reality, there’s nothing creative about a technical paper. Writing a story or coming up with a song takes more than following a guideline, it’s delving into your inner thoughts and experiences. It’s about playing around with what you are doing until you are satisfied. Creative blocks are never fun for me or anybody else. Different people use different approaches to combat hitting a creative wall. For me, I use various methods. I like to take walks with my dog around the neighborhood because I find that the fresh air clears my head. Music is my number one source for inspiration. Whether I am drawing, writing a song or a story, or trying to figure out an approach to an essay, I plug in some of my favorite tunes and listen to everything. That means I’m listening to the lyrics, the instruments, the harmonies, and the melody – the whole composition. Each part helps me in different ways. I can copycat what the message is saying or what the song makes me feel. Playlists are a great way to organize music to a specific mood or scenario. When you’re wanting to do something sappy, listen to some lovey-dovey jams. For those pump-up needs, bump to a workout playlist or ome specifically for getting you hype. Looking up similar projects to what I’m working on is another way I battle a creative stump. I see the types of approaches other people took to see what fits me. It’s also a good way to pass time. Hitting a creative wall is never fun, but there are different methods to take to tackle the problem. Music is always my go-to, but that doesn’t mean that’s the only option. If you encounter a creative block, try all the options to see what best fits you.

– Xochitl Lozano

Maximum instead of minimum

The concept of a maximum income is not just my idea. In fact there has been some discussion of a maximum income instead of a minimum wage. A maximum income is a cap on how much an individual or corporation makes annually. Minimum wage is the least amount someone should make per hour. The world we live in today, financially there are people in poverty, in the middle class, the upper class and then the 1 percent. The 1 percenters are the CEOs of major corporations that make billions of dollars. It’s easy to assume that these corporations care most about power. Walmart had an annual revenue (a yearly earnings) of $482.13 billion dollars most of which will only be locked in a bank where it will stay and earn interest. What happens with this money? I believe the decision should be up to CEOs as long as they -- and the corporation -- do not make more than the maximum wage set. If a maximum wage is initiated, it will stop this money from not being used. With a maximum wage set and more money being circulated, the result would be an economy in which spending is encouraged. If this were to be law, it should only target the CEO’s of multi-billion dollar corporations. And this would benefit the middle class and those living in poverty by resulting in higher wages or donations to programs.

– Jack McDaniel

What songwriting means to me

Songwriting and singing has been my passion since I was 10-years-old. It’s something I do when I’m inspired by something I see, by something I hear on the radio, or just something that pops up in my head. The first song I ever wrote was inspired by my parents separation. I never really told my parents that I wrote, but I decided to sing a song for my mom. I remember my mom’s face and I can still see the tears in her eyes. She was amazed that her daughter was writing about something that affected her life at the time. The song was titled “Overboard”, and my mom has always been supportive of me ever since then. My grandmother also encouraged me to sing and write. She would always tell me to keep going and never give up on my dreams, we were very close. Around the time that I was going into 6th grade, she had passed away. It was so hard knowing that I would not be able to see her every weekend, and spend the night at her house. I would get pulled out of class due to stress and talk to a counselor, but it was not working, so I took all those feelings and put it towards my music. I would spend days in my room writing and only come out to eat, or walk around the neighborhood. I never took it seriously until a few years later, and that’s when I knew, this was something that I want to do for the rest of my life. The process starts by figuring out what I want to write about. I think of what’s going on in my life, in the world, and how I want to write about it. Next, I start writing the first verse, which is a section that connects to the chorus at one or more points in a song. Then I write the hook, which is that part that stands out the most in a song. Lastly I end the song with the chorus or a concluding hook and give it a title. Being able to express myself in a way that not many can, makes me happy. I believe I will have a successful future.

– Briantae Crockett

Photo by Caitlyn Dunn

The choir held their first concert of the year on Oct. 12.

Photo by Summer Reece Photo by Hannah Berk

Senior Jaden Taylor competes in the cross country regional race on Oct. 21.

The color guard performs with the marching band at halftime during the homecoming game.

Photo by Summer Reece

The marching band performed the national anthem before the homecoming football game against Bishop Caroll.

Photo by Jillian Jackson

Teacher Gary Meitler gets ready to give blood at the school blood drive.

Photo by Hannah Berk

Varsity players get ready to play against rival Campus Colts.